FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

Department of Mechatronics Engineering

GEHU 204 | Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Name
Fundamentals of Philosophy
Code
Semester
Theory
(hour/week)
Application/Lab
(hour/week)
Local Credits
ECTS
GEHU 204
Fall/Spring
3
0
3
6

Prerequisites
None
Course Language
English
Course Type
Service Course
Course Level
First Cycle
Mode of Delivery -
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course -
Course Coordinator -
Course Lecturer(s)
Assistant(s) -
Course Objectives To provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and argumentative strategies of philosophy through an investigation of the question “What is a rational animal?” in relation to logic, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.
Learning Outcomes The students who succeeded in this course;
  • will be able to understand and use basic concepts of logic, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.
  • will be able to acquire and sharpen critical reasoning and writing skills.
  • will be able to develop skills necessary for the close reading and analysis of texts in the humanities and the social sciences.
  • will be able to evaluate arguments in terms of their validity and the truth of their premises.
  • will be able to distinguish between consequentialist (utilitarian), deontological, and virtue ethical types of evaluation for human actions.
  • will be able to distinguish between descriptive and prescriptive propositions, and apply that distinction to the problem of justification of political authority.
  • will be able to familiarize themselves with classical and contemporary philosophical and literary texts.
Course Description

 



Course Category

Core Courses
Major Area Courses
Supportive Courses
Media and Management Skills Courses
Transferable Skill Courses

 

WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATION STUDIES

Week Subjects Related Preparation
1 Presentation and overview of the course; discussion of how to begin philosophy by acknowledging that we have already begun. Overview and discussion of a number of dilemmas and paradoxes.
2 Plato Apology
3 What is an argument? The concepts of validity, truth and soundness. Types of justification; types of refutation: by parallel reasoning, counter-examples, reductio ad absurdum. R. Fogelin, Understanding Arguments, pp 45-53 and pp. 405-433.
4 Fallacies of vacuity: circular reasoning, question-begging; fallacies of relevance: ad hominem, straw man, false cause, appeals to authority Fogelin, pp. 477-405
5 The Chinese Room Argument: Can Computers think? Discussion of artificial intelligence. Turing, A., 1948, ‘Intelligent Machinery: A Report’, London: National Physical Laboratory; Searle, J., 1980, ‘Minds, Brains and Programs’, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3: 417–57
6 MIDTERM
7 Introduction to epistemology Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, Meditation 1 and 2
8 Skepticism, sources of knowledge, methodic doubt, certainty as epistemic criterion, the cogito as first principle and model of Descartes, Meditations 2 (contn’d) and 3
9 Philosophy and science: the thinking subject as embodied being subject to the laws of nature. FIRST PAPER DUE Janet Richards, Human Nature After Darwin, pp. 4-25 FIRST PAPER DUE
10 Evolutionary biology as philosophical challenge and answer to the question “What is a rational animal?” Richards, pp. 25-51
11 Determinism, freedom of the will, morality as a scientific problem and science as a moral problem Richards, pp. 126-154
12 Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) and Deontology: arguments and criticisms Kant, pp. 274-281; Bennett, pp. 294-306; Bentham, pp. 306-312; Williams pp. 339-345; M. L. K. Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail.
13 Moral Psychology and Perspectivism. Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals, essays I and II.
14 The responsibilities and the problems of rational thought; the rational animal and the polis. Aristotle, Politics, Bk. 1 1986-2000; Locke, 249-253; Bentham and Mill, 270-274 Levi, If This is a Man.
15 Week 14 cont’d. SECOND PAPER DUE. Levi, Contn’d.
16 Final

 

Course Notes/Textbooks
Suggested Readings/Materials

 

EVALUATION SYSTEM

Semester Activities Number Weigthing
Participation
Laboratory / Application
Field Work
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
1
35
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments
1
30
Presentation / Jury
Project
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams
Midterm
1
35
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade
3
100
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade
Total

ECTS / WORKLOAD TABLE

Semester Activities Number Duration (Hours) Workload
Theoretical Course Hours
(Including exam week: 16 x total hours)
16
3
48
Laboratory / Application Hours
(Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours)
16
0
Study Hours Out of Class
16
3
48
Field Work
0
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
1
0
Portfolio
0
Homework / Assignments
1
0
Presentation / Jury
0
Project
0
Seminar / Workshop
0
Oral Exam
0
Midterms
1
20
20
Final Exam
22
0
    Total
116

 

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS RELATIONSHIP

#
Program Competencies/Outcomes
* Contribution Level
1
2
3
4
5
1

To have knowledge in Mathematics, science, physics knowledge based on mathematics; mathematics with multiple variables, differential equations, statistics, optimization and linear algebra; to be able to use theoretical and applied knowledge in complex engineering problems

2

To be able to identify, define, formulate, and solve complex mechatronics engineering problems; to be able to select and apply appropriate analysis and modeling methods for this purpose.

3

To be able to design a complex electromechanical system, process, device or product with sensor, actuator, control, hardware, and software to meet specific requirements under realistic constraints and conditions; to be able to apply modern design methods for this purpose.

4

To be able to develop, select and use modern techniques and tools necessary for the analysis and solution of complex problems encountered in Mechatronics Engineering applications; to be able to use information technologies effectively.

5

To be able to design, conduct experiments, collect data, analyze and interpret results for investigating Mechatronics Engineering problems.

6

To be able to work effectively in Mechatronics Engineering disciplinary and multidisciplinary teams; to be able to work individually.

7

To be able to communicate effectively in Turkish, both in oral and written forms; to be able to author and comprehend written reports, to be able to prepare design and implementation reports, to present effectively, to be able to give and receive clear and comprehensible instructions.

8

To have knowledge about global and social impact of engineering practices on health, environment, and safety; to have knowledge about contemporary issues as they pertain to engineering; to be aware of the legal ramifications of engineering solutions.

9

To be aware of ethical behavior, professional and ethical responsibility; information on standards used in engineering applications.

10

To have knowledge about industrial practices such as project management, risk management and change management; to have awareness of entrepreneurship and innovation; to have knowledge about sustainable development.

11

Using a foreign language, he collects information about Mechatronics Engineering and communicates with his colleagues. ("European Language Portfolio Global Scale", Level B1)

12

To be able to use the second foreign language at intermediate level.

13

To recognize the need for lifelong learning; to be able to access information; to be able to follow developments in science and technology; to be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout the human history to Mechatronics Engineering.

*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest

 


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