Topic outline

  • The reading assignment submissions and essay submissions will be on this page.

    For each required reading, you should formulate two questions about the reading. These can be questions about the content in general or about some details, and they can be on issues that you would like to bring up for discussion on the lecture or they may be clarificatory questions -- whatever issues come to your mind as you read the text.

    • The first essay assignment covers the topics from the first three lectures, but you can also use material from the later lessons in your text.

      The suggested length is 1-2 pages, font size 12, spacing 1.5. The deadline is 4.4. at 23:59 GMT+2.

      In your essay, reflect on the philosophical foundations of your own research. What is the object of your research? What are your main research methods, and why do those methods help you gain knowledge about the object of your inquiry? Justify your answer.

      Please do not use ChatGPT or other similar tools to write your answer.

      Notice that the assignment is to explain why your methods produce knowledge about the object of your research. Please provide a detailed explanation -- for instance, if your first answer is "My research methods produce knowledge because they are reliable", notice that to justify your claim, you need to explain what a) reliability means and b) the connection between reliability and knowledge.

      You may use philosophical concepts such as theory, observation, data, and phenomena to help you in your analysis. If your research topic is related to art, humanities or the social sciences and the aforementioned concepts are difficult to apply to your research, you may also find section 2b of this article helpful. 

      You may use sources in philosophy and your own field of research to justify the claims in your essay. Please cite any sources you use and list them at the end of your essay according to the format of your choice.

    • The third essay assignment covers the topics from lectures 6 and 7.

      The suggested length is 1-2 pages, font size 12, spacing 1.5. The deadline is 25.4. at 23:59 GMT+2.

      The topic is: When the research in your own field is done well, is the research value-free and objective? Explain your view. Note that to explain your view, you need to explain in which sense you are using the concepts of value-freedom and objectivity. Start by telling briefly what your field is.

      You may use the arguments and ideas mentioned in the lectures, and you may cite other sources in philosophy and in your own field of research. If you use sources other than the lectures, please cite them (according to the format of your choice).


    • This essay assignment concerns the lectures and readings of the 8th and 9th lectures (Art as an object of study and art and knowledge). The suggested length is 1-2 pages, font size 12, spacing 1.5. The deadline is 21.4 at 23:00.

      Please choose one of the following themes for your essay:

      Write a short text using an existing artwork to highlight or explain a concept, theory or phenomenon within your field of study. Use said art work to investigate or clarify your phenomenon of choice. Look into the short essay by Bruno Latour in the “Readings” section to see an example of a text of this type. The artwork can be of any medium.

      OR answer the following question:

      What does modesty as a value for research mean in your field of study? Could this modest approach mean there would be room in your field to implement more experimental methods, like artistic research? (If your research is already artistic, contemplate on whether it should be held to similar standards as scientific research or not and what its role is within the scientific community.)

      If you have any questions regarding the assignment (themes or practicalities), please don't hesitate to contact me at edna.huotari@helsinki.fi