CCAS

Our Philosophy Series offer an in-depth exploration of the major ideas that have influenced human thought, from ancient times to contemporary movements. Students will study a wide range of topics, including ethics, logic, structuralism, postmodernism, and psychoanalysis, while examining the works of influential philosophers such as Descartes, Kant, Derrida, and Foucault. These courses emphasize critical thinking, intellectual engagement, and open inquiry, encouraging students to analyze and challenge philosophical concepts.

By delving into the complex issues of modern society, students will be equipped with the tools to actively contribute to philosophical discourse and address real-world challenges.

Dear Motoongees,

My academic focus has been on process philosophy, with a particular emphasis on the pioneering work of Alfred North Whitehead. Under the guidance of Professor Wangsik Jang, a disciple of John B. Cobb, I have explored this area in depth. My thesis, "Flow and Understanding of Dualism," investigates the philosophical discussions of dualism and the problem of evil, drawing on the perspectives of Plato, Descartes, and Whitehead.

I believe that the answers we seek are already within us. My aim is to create an educational environment that encourages students to engage deeply with ideas and develop their own intellectual paths.

Mr. H Park

Head of Strategic Planning

FALL | This course continues the exploration of Badiou’s philosophy, building on the two semesters of psychoanalysis completed by Spring 2023.

Badiou believes that true philosophy lies in ontology, which is why he considers Heidegger, the author of Being and Time, as the "last philosopher." We will begin by examining Heidegger’s work on making the concept of Being unfamiliar, followed by a deeper exploration of Badiou's ideas on how truth emerges, the ways in which it manifests, and the key moments where truth reveals itself.

Ultimately, the course will help us understand how ever-present truth shapes existence.

SPRING | Happiness is about "living well." While modern society often equates happiness with emotional well-being, the concept of happiness in traditional philosophy is quite different. This course begins by exploring Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, focusing on eudaimonia, teleological thinking, and a temporal approach to happiness. After establishing this foundation, we will turn to Schopenhauer’s continuation of Kant’s ideas, discussing his concepts of will, representation, and vitalism. The goal is to restore a deeper understanding of happiness that modern individuals may have overlooked.

FALL | Today, media deeply penetrates human life and civilization. From traditional mediums like radio and television to new media like the internet, social networks, and short-form content, we are witnessing the emergence of defining points that shape modern humanity. Although Marshall McLuhan's insights into media were formulated around 60 years ago, they remain strikingly relevant to the current context. In this course, students will explore media philosophy to understand how the expansion of human senses through media opens up new possibilities and directions.

SPRING | We came to realize that discussions about the concept of "gaps" were never enough, precisely because a gap is, by its nature, an absence. Gaps are both ugly and beautiful. They have the power to dismantle something while slowly building something new. In this course, we introduce advanced discussions on these disruptive and transformative gaps through Dante's concept of Vita Nova. Moving beyond Lacan, we will explore Roland Barthes' new modes of writing, ultimately leading to Badiou’s essential ideas on Being and Event.

FALL | As we entered the 19th century, various paradigms were overturned, and among them was the foundation of psychoanalysis, laid by Freud. His core ideas revolve around the interplay of the conscious, unconscious, and preconscious, and how reality and consciousness manifest through these states. To explore the unconscious—a realm humanity had not recognized and had no language for before Freud—new language and hermeneutics were necessary. This course covers Lacan’s philosophy of psychoanalysis, which represents his lifelong effort to restore Freud's original work.

In this course, we will delve deeper into the concept of the "gap," which has been a recurring theme in previous philosophy courses. Students will learn techniques to recognize the omnipresent truths that exist in the gaps.

SPRING | This course explores the deconstructionist thinkers who led the "collapse of grand narratives." Building on the Contemporary French Philosophy course from Spring 2020, we will dive deeper into the realm of philosophical thought. Through the works of Derrida, Foucault, and Deleuze, students will gain an understanding of deconstruction, the interplay between knowledge and power, and the philosophy of difference and repetition. In this process, we will discover the values that emerge from dismantling the fixed structures of the world, leading to a new and enduring significance.

FALL | In this course, students will explore the key figures of idealism and empiricism who laid the foundations of modern philosophy. Following the Enlightenment, Western thought began to play a leading role in shaping the world. By examining the ideas that fueled this intellectual shift, students will gain insight into the fundamental issues that continue to influence modern society. The course covers prominent idealists such as Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, as well as empiricists like Hobbes, Locke, and Hume, culminating with Kant.

SPRING | This course delves into Eastern philosophy, a stop that every philosophy enthusiast visits at least once. The Art of War, written by Sun Tzu, reveals the thoughts of a sage who, amidst the conflicts of human desires in the ancient world, never ceased his pursuit of truth. Sun Tzu emphasizes the ethos of remaining calm and intellectually prepared in the face of war. Through this course, students will explore the paradoxical yet proactive model of peace that emerges from understanding human nature and conflict.

FALL | This course introduces pragmatism, one of the major branches of Anglo-American analytic philosophy. While often translated as "practical philosophy," pragmatism encompasses far more advanced ideas than the translation suggests. It includes the appeal of thought as a continuous stream of consciousness, the necessity of action for ideas to have value, rationalist perspectives that interpret the world through numbers, and materialist and idealist views that explain matter and nature. Students will also gain insights into how the world can be seen in both vibrant and simplistic ways.

SPRING | French philosophy is characterized by its assertiveness, yet it carries a certain subtlety. This course offers an introduction to the leading philosophers who have shaped global thought today. Students will explore the key ideas of prominent French thinkers, including Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Levinas, Blanchot, Roland Barthes, Jacques Lacan, Althusser, Michel Foucault, Deleuze, and Badiou.

FALL | In this course, we will explore the foundations of why philosophy is necessary. By examining broad categories, students will gain an understanding of the importance of the humanities and the structure of thought. The course covers ideas from literature, religion, neuroscience, and concepts of life and death.

HIGH

Philosophy Series

Becoming the best to make a difference in the world.