Examen philosophicum for Fine Art and Music students

At NTNU there are four ex.phil.variants. The variants have a common part constituting about 2/3 of the course and a variant part constituting about 1/3. The variants constiute an integral unit.

The course provides a wider perspective on university studies at NTNU through an introduction to the philosophy and history of science and theory of science, ethics and political philosophy, with special focus on performing arts students. The common part draws lines from Antiquity’s worldview to discussions in our own time. It takes up different views of nature, man, knowledge, science, crafts/art, ethics, politics, rationality and argumentation from both a historical and systematic perspective. In the variant part special emphasis is placed on aesthetics (art theory).

Knowledge

*The student will have knowledge of basic concepts, important thinkers and positions in the philosophy and history of science and modern theory of science as well as knowledge of some basic concepts of logic and argumentation theory.

*The student will have knowledge of the main positions in the philosophy of art and aesthetics from Antiquity to the present.

Skills

*The student will be familiar with and be able to discuss the arguments and central issues in the philosophy and history of science and theory of science.

*The student will be able to relate the different eras/topics to each other and understand the context of the history of thinking.

*The student will be able to reflect on the philosophical and cultural assumptions of contemporary art theory debates, and to apply these insights in their own written work.

General skills

*The student will be able to engage reflectively with their own artistic discipline and to science in general.

*The student will gain sufficient academic background to be able to think critically about current debates about art and aesthetic expression.

Students are requested to follow a series of lectures during a single term. All students are obliged to write two essays, 4-6 pages in length, dealing with topics handed out in lectures and seminars. The course is successfully completed with the approval of both essays.