English

In this class we will read Aristotle's Categories and discuss it in detail. The Categories is one of the most influential texts in the history of European philosophy. Yet it is far from clear what Aristotle is trying to achieve in the work and even what kind of a work it is. In particular, the Categories intermingles metaphysical and linguistic questions and claims in a strange way. For that reason, its main claim has been seen as an antiplatonic metaphysical theories and as a metaphysically neutral theory in philosophy of language about terms. The central questions in this class will be: To what extent does the Categories present a metaphysical theory? How is this theory related to the claims in the text about linguistic expressions? We will read current research on these matters and discuss the text of the Categories intensively.

This course considers the role of journalism in today’s landscape where most people use social media to engage with news content and share information. It discusses the important role of journalism in democracy and the target from autocratic leaders who point to press – and significantly, female journalists – as the enemies of the people. The course also discusses the impact of Artificial Intelligence on journalism and what it means for the future of media. It covers the key elements of journalism to become acquainted with gathering news from different parts of the world and platforms for comparison.

This course examines concepts and debates relating to public health, health inequalities, and health policy in a global context. It enables students to understand the policy making process, to analyze the roles of key health policy actors, and to consider the relationship between evidence and policy in relation to health.

This course examines ecological anthropology, focusing on social and cultural adaptations to different environments, human impact on the environment, cultural constructions of the environment, management of common resources, and conflict over the use of resources.

This course discusses the issues European migration policies seek to address, from curbing irregular migration and increasing migrant returns, to attracting talents and making asylum systems work. It explores the range of actors who shape this agenda and how policies at EU and EU Member State levels are intertwined. The course critically assesses the main migration issues in Europe, examines the trade-offs faced by European policymakers, analyzes how migration policies are designed and implemented, and outlines the effects European migration policies have on countries of origin and transit.

This course examines literary texts and films to explore different themes and topics related to Chilean culture and politics. It discusses Chilean films and literary texts from the late 1960's to the early 2020's in order to better understand and contextualize some of the main events and discourses that have characterized Chilean society during the past fifty years.

This course introduces theory and research in cognitive psychology, the study of the human mind and mental processes. Key theories and research in cognitive psychology are discussed, including visual and multi-modal perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning, and decision-making. Experiments and studies from classical and modern cognitive psychology are provided and discussed critically throughout to illustrate these concepts. This course demonstrates the essential role of that cognitive psychology plays in everyday life.

This course examines the question of the good life as it surfaces in key texts from Continental philosophy, with particular focus on human freedom and the search for meaning, fulfilment, and happiness. The course explores the works of European thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Simone Weil, and Camus, who shared an insight into the existential conditions of despair, anxiety, and meaninglessness, seeing these trials as occasions to examine how we live. With them, the course invokes inquiry into relationships, activities, and commitments; considers the importance of personal responsibility and active engagement; and discusses whether freedom is key to the good life, and, if so, the freedom to do what? The course may not discover the secret to happiness, but does partake in an age-old pilgrimage in search of the good life.

This course is designed to deal with a variety of topics in epistemology – the philosophical study of knowledge. The curriculum varies from year to year. Topics include theories of knowledge; theories of justification or warrant; skepticism; contextualism; and sources of knowledge: perception, memory, introspection, testimony.