UNI249 FreewillIstinye UniversityDegree Programs Mathematics (English)General Information For StudentsDiploma SupplementErasmus Policy StatementNational Qualifications
Mathematics (English)

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Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code: UNI249
Course Name: Freewill
Semester: Spring
Course Credits:
ECTS
5
Language of instruction: English
Course Condition:
Does the Course Require Work Experience?: No
Type of course: University Elective
Course Level:
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree QF-EHEA:First Cycle EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree
Mode of Delivery: E-Learning
Course Coordinator: Dr. Öğr. Üy. İBRAHİM EYLEM DOĞAN
Course Lecturer(s): İbrahim Eylem Doğan
Course Assistants:

Course Objective and Content

Course Objectives: This course aims to discover, explain, and discuss various philosophical arguments about the notion of free will both historically and thematically.
Course Content: The objective of this course is to provide students with an introductory knowledge about the fundamental philosophical questions on the concept of free will. An efficient and comprehensive philosophical study requires first of all a reflective thinking about the conceptual framework of the problem in question. In accordance with this principle, the course starts with an introductory session focusing on the concepts of will, free will and determinism. Then, following an historical order, it analyses the approaches of ten different thinkers under four modules, from Ancient Greek to twentieth century. On the grounds of our discussions throughout the semester, we will try to get an insight about several crucial philosophical issues that are closely linked to the concept of free will such as individual responsibility, the problem of evil, autonomy and possibility of morals, and philosophical foundations of law and justice.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Students will learn to read actively philosophical texts.
2) Students will become familiar with the discussions about some of the major philosophical issues throughout the history of philosophy.
3) Students will learn to reason creatively with precision.
4) Students will learn to think critically about major philosophical problems.
5) Students will develop a historical perspective on different disciplines of philosophy.

Course Flow Plan

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Conceptual Framework: Will, Free Will and Determinism
2) Plato: Moral Determinism Selection from Plato, Gorgias, Phaedo, Phaedrus
3) Aristotle: Moral Knowledge and the Problem of Free Will Selection from Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics.
4) St Augustine: Free Will, the Reality of Evil, and Dependence on God Reading: Selection from St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
5) St Thomas Aquinas: Reason, Will and Freedom of Decision Selection from St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate
6) Catching up and Review for the Midterm Exam
7) Midterm Exam
8) Descartes: Infinite Freedom with Limited Power Selections from René Descartes, Meditations
9) Spinoza: Human Freedom in a Deterministic World Reading Material: Baruch Spinoza, Selections from The Ethics
10) Kant: Free Will and Practical Reason Selection from Immanuel Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Ethics
11) Schopenhauer: Free Will and Determinism Reading: Selection from Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Freedom of the Will
12) Nietzsche: Mythology of Free Will and Genealogical Analysis of Human Decisions Selection from Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Human, All Too Human.
13) Sartre: Condemned to be Free Reading: Selection from Jean Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness
14) Catching up and Review for the Final Exam

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: - Aristotle, The Nichomahean Ethics
- Descartes René, Meditations
- Kant Immanuel, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Beyond Good and Evil
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Human, All Too Human
- Plato, Gorgias
- Plato, Phaedo
- Plato, Phaedrus
- Sartre Jean Paul, Being and Nothingness
- Schopenhauer Arthur, On the Freedom of the Will
- Spinoza Baruch, The Ethics
- St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
- St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate
References: - Aristotle, The Nichomahean Ethics
- Descartes René, Meditations
- Kant Immanuel, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Beyond Good and Evil
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Human, All Too Human
- Plato, Gorgias
- Plato, Phaedo
- Plato, Phaedrus
- Sartre Jean Paul, Being and Nothingness
- Schopenhauer Arthur, On the Freedom of the Will
- Spinoza Baruch, The Ethics
- St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
- St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate

Course - Program Learning Outcome Relationship

Course Learning Outcomes

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Program Outcomes
1) Have the knowledge of the scope, history, applications, problems, methods of mathematics and knowledge that will be beneficial to humanity as both scientific and intellectual discipline.
2) Have the ability to establish a relationship between mathematics and other disciplines and develop mathematical models for interdisciplinary problems.
3) Have the ability to define, formulate and analyze real life problems with statistical and mathematical techniques.
4) Have the ability to think analytically and use the time effectively in the process of deduction.
5) Have the ability to search the literature, understand and interpret scientific articles.
6) Have the knowledge of basic software to be able to work in the related fields of computer science and have the ability to use information technologies at an advanced level of the European Computer Driving License.
7) Have the ability to work efficiently in interdisciplinary teams.
8) Have the ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form, write effective reports and comprehend the written reports, make effective presentations.
9) Have the consciousness of professional and ethical responsibility and acting ethically; have the knowledge about academic standards.
10) Have the ability to use a foreign language at least at B1 level in terms of European Language Portfolio criteria.
11) Are aware of the necessity of lifelong learning; have the ability to access information, to follow developments in science and technology and to constantly renew themselves.

Course - Learning Outcome Relationship

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Average 3 Highest
       
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) Have the knowledge of the scope, history, applications, problems, methods of mathematics and knowledge that will be beneficial to humanity as both scientific and intellectual discipline.
2) Have the ability to establish a relationship between mathematics and other disciplines and develop mathematical models for interdisciplinary problems.
3) Have the ability to define, formulate and analyze real life problems with statistical and mathematical techniques.
4) Have the ability to think analytically and use the time effectively in the process of deduction.
5) Have the ability to search the literature, understand and interpret scientific articles.
6) Have the knowledge of basic software to be able to work in the related fields of computer science and have the ability to use information technologies at an advanced level of the European Computer Driving License.
7) Have the ability to work efficiently in interdisciplinary teams.
8) Have the ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form, write effective reports and comprehend the written reports, make effective presentations.
9) Have the consciousness of professional and ethical responsibility and acting ethically; have the knowledge about academic standards.
10) Have the ability to use a foreign language at least at B1 level in terms of European Language Portfolio criteria.
11) Are aware of the necessity of lifelong learning; have the ability to access information, to follow developments in science and technology and to constantly renew themselves.

Assessment & Grading

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Midterms 1 % 40
Final 1 % 60
total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 40
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 60
total % 100

Workload and ECTS Credit Calculation

Activities Number of Activities Preparation for the Activity Spent for the Activity Itself Completing the Activity Requirements Workload
Course Hours 13 4 3 91
Midterms 1 10 2 12
Final 1 15 3 18
Total Workload 121