Home Diploma in Philosophy
The three-year diploma course in Philosophy coincides with the programme of the three-year Cycle I. In order to secure a pass the student should obtain 40% marks in individual subjects in the semestral examinations and 40% marks in the final comprehensive written examination. In addition, a dissertation with a minimum of 5000 words directed by one of the teachers of the Faculty should be submitted by the student during the final year of the course. Students who successfully complete the prescribed course receive the Diploma in Philosophy.
Candidates for one-year diploma should hold a degree and have an adequate knowledge of modern languages (judged necessary by the Syndicate for admission to the course). One-Year Diploma in Philosophy is conferred on students who successfully complete two semesters. In order to secure a pass students have to earn 50 credits from the Obligatory Basic Subjects and 10 credits from Supplementary Obligatory Subjects and Optional Additional Subjects.
PB 01 Introduction to Western Philosophy and A Treatise on Nexus between Faith and Reason (2)
The Church has always cared deeply about philosophy. Reason is one of the two wings on which man rises towards the contemplation of truth, and philosophical wisdom forms the summit that reason can reach. Church strongly encourages a philosophical formation of reason that is open to faith, while neither confusing nor disconnecting the two. This course introduces to the students some of the basic concepts in philosophy. Topics like what is philosophy, the connection between priestly formation and philosophy, the relationship between faith and reason, the necessity of philosophical training for theological studies, the basic methods used in the various courses of philosophy etc. are covered. Students will understand key issues in philosophizing as used both in the east and the west.
Kakkattuthadathil T./Sujan A.
This course aims at giving students clear perspectives on the nature of logic by introducing them to the different contemporary scientific methods employed in it. The study of logical terms, classes of propositions, types, rules and fallacies of syllogisms set the minds of the students for correct reasoning and argumentation. The part on induction provides them with fundamentals of scientific inquiry. Lessons on symbolic logic are aimed at giving the students methods and principles enabling them to prove objectively the validity and invalidity of deductive arguments.
Komban P./Sujan A.
The history of ancient Western philosophy represents the great attempt made by some of the best minds in the ancient Western world to unravel the mystery of nature. The course proposes to examine their marvellous achievements in this endeavour in their connection and continuity beginning with the Ionian school and going up to the Neo-Platonic philosophy of Plotinus. The main focus of the course is on the brilliant contribution of the three all-time greats in Western philosophy: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
Mukkamkuzhy K./Kathirparambil K.
“Faith seeking understanding” was the guiding spirit of the medieval history of Western philosophy. The course on medieval Western philosophy begins with a general introduction dealing briefly with the age of transition from the ancient to the medieval period, Christianity and philosophy, patristic speculation and scholasticism. It is followed by a discussion of some of the key figures of medieval philosophy. However, considering the importance of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas in Christian philosophy and theology greater emphasis is laid on the study of the philosophies of these two outstanding thinkers of the middle ages.
Mukkamkuzhy K./ Justin OFMC
Inspired by the two historical events of Renaissance and Reformation, modern philosophy abandons the cosmo-centric and theocentric approaches to reality and takes on an anthropocentric perspective. Accordingly human person is the starting point and end of all philosophical research. This course on modern philosophy in its introduction acquaints the students with this change in perspective of the historical development of philosophy in the modern period, and then goes on to examine in some detail the different systems of the classical rationalist and empiricist philosophers as well as the Kantian synthesis of these two opposing schools of thought.
Palamoottil S/Sujan A.
This course studies the major contemporary philosophical trends, situated in their essential connection to the earlier ones and profoundly influencing the intellectual currents and world-views of today the world over, whether in the literary or political circles. The survey begins with the absolute idealism of Hegel. Though Hegelianism does not exist as a separate philosophical school today, almost all philosophical thoughts in the West have come up as a reaction to it. Hence, the ultra-empiricism of the Logical positivism, Linguistic analysis and Pragmatism; the life-affirming thought patterns of the philosophy-of-life – movement; the phenomenological approach to thinking, theistic and atheistic versions of existentialism affirming the existential concerns of the concrete individual over and above the logical rigours of abstract speculation are also studied. More than in any other period of history, philosophy today has come out of the confines of the class rooms and played a major role in the shaping of contemporary thinking and living in all areas. The purpose of the course is to make the students aware of the development and significance of the contemporary Western thought.
Mariadas J./Correya B.
The aim of the course is to give a philosophico-scientific vision of the cosmos. For this purpose, the study is divided into three parts. The first part of the course is centred around the nature, scope and relevance of the science of the cosmos in an age of science and technology. This will be followed by a historicomythical explanation of the cosmos. In between we will have an occasion for religious visions of the universe. The central point of discussion in the second part of the study is the principles of cosmology. In the third part, the discussion will be centred around the place of human being in the cosmos.
Kakkattuthadathil T.
After offering some preliminary notional clarifications, this course proceeds to briefly analyze Greek political thought and medieval political thought. In the second place, social contract theories are examined critically. In the third place, political thoughts of Hegel, Green, Marx, and Gandhi are thoroughly discussed. In addition, utilitarianism is examined critically. The purpose of the course is that students (a) gain a genuine understanding of central debates in political philosophy, (b) promote the philosophical skills of the students through engagement with philosophical debates, arguments, and themes.
Kakkattuthadathil T./Sujan A.
The purpose of this introductory course is to present the nature of Indian Philosophy as it manifests itself from its beginning in the Indus region. Having seen the distinct kind of questions Indian philosophers have asked and the way they have approached those questions, students will be able to (a) identify the major paradigms of philosophical thought in Indian traditions, (b) use the scholarly tools available (dictionaries, library resources, data-bases, etc.), and (c) begin to focus on one or another domain of Indian Philosophy. The students will get introductory insights in to the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita.
Komban P./Kallungal M./Alunkal S.
After presenting the common characteristic features of Indian Philosophy and the main charges levelled against it, the religion and philosophy of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita will be discussed. In the second place, the origin and development of Indian philosophical systems will be examined in the course of which students will be alerted about the general classification of Indian philosophy into Nastika and Astika (the heterodox and the orthodox systems). Finally, the heterodox systems (Carvaka, Buddhism and Jainism) will be introduced and assessed.
Komban P. / Alumkal S.
This course offers an extensive study of the six orthodox systems namely the Nyaya, the Vaisesika, the Samkhya, the Yoga, the Mimamsa and the Vedanta. Among the several interpretations of the Vedanta, only the three typical ones are considered: AdvaitaVedanta of Sankara, the Visistadvaita Vedanta of Ramanuja and DvaitaVedanta of Madhva.
Komban P./Alumkal S.
This course, taught by various staff members who have different specializations, offers an overview of the most salient debates in the field of contemporary philosophy. Topics discussed in recent years include: methods of comparative and intercultural philosophy, the role of philosophy in cultural practices, issues in contemporary phenomenology and epistemology, and relation between faith and reason. The purpose of the course is to make the students familiar with the major strategies of proof and disproof central to philosophical reasoning, and of the fundamental concepts and distinctions employed in current philosophical discourse.
Charles L. / Kathirparambil K.
This course examines various aspects of the problem of interpretation. Interpretation is a basic human activity. Each and every instance of human understanding is also an instance of interpretation. Texts, for instance, are interpretations offered by their authors, and readers understand texts through the interpretations each reader gives to the text in the course of reading. Some of the basic questions we will pursue in the course are: What exactly are we doing when we are interpreting? Is interpreting as a value judgment? Is it a reflection of the prejudice of the interpreter? Does interpretation in various fields – such as literature, aesthetics, history, philosophy, theology, etc - require a method? The larger portion of the course will be devoted to a critical understanding of the contributions of modern hermeneutical thinkers like Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher, Wilhelm Dilthey, Martin Heidegger, Hans- Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur.
Kallungal M.
PB 16 Seminars I & II (5)
In seminars, students are expected to read closely and critically one or another chosen philosophical text under the guidance of a teacher. The teacher chooses the texts from a relevant subdomain of philosophy. The purpose of the seminars is to enable the students to accurately summarize the texts, write a paper in the proper academic style, show the understanding of the text in a class discussion, and finally write and orally present a response to the given research question in the class.
Resident Teachers of PIA
Both in the East and in the West, the most basic preoccupation in the philosophical circles has been the problem of being. Is there anything existing at all? Is “the existing” one or many? The course on Metaphysics intends to study this question of being “as being.” After indicating the nature and scope of metaphysics, the course will establish transcendental reflection on the sensitive-rational experience as manifested in direct judgment, as our method and starting point. The course immediately embarks on a deeper analysis of the experiencing agent which will reveal that its inner structure contains the metaphysical components of existence and essence, substance and accidents, prime matter and substantial form – all of which can be cohesively understood by the theory of act and potency. Since critical reflection on our experience reveals both the plurality and unity of reality, the course will proceed to establish that the analogous understanding of being is the best suited to signify its real nature. After thus explaining the extension of the notion of being, the course will finally take up their fuller comprehensions, which are the transcendental properties of being. Palamoottil S./Sujan A.
Epistemology attempts to answer one of the basic questions in philosophy: What distinguishes true and adequate knowledge from false and inadequate knowledge? This course in its first part introduces the basic concepts and issues in epistemology such as Knowledge, Sources of Knowledge, Justification, Certainty and Truth. And then in contrast to the rigid programme of traditional epistemology, an attempt will be made to discover the human and social dimension of knowledge, with the help of a critical survey of continental hermeneutic tradition and the findings of sociology of knowledge. The course will be concluded with considering the problem of method in epistemology which will eventually equip the students with the ability to make and assess varied knowledge-claims
Kallungal M./Sujan A.
The most fundamental problem a human being has ever faced is his/her own identity: whence whither and what. In this course the students are, first of all, made aware of the relevance of a philosophy of God in response to the challenge of fideism and Biblicism which are opposed to Theodicy. In the second place, questions concerning God’s relevance to contemporary human beings who want God to be done away with (Feuerbach, Marx, Freud, Sartre, Nietzsche), the basic psychological needs of humans, especially the need for an object of devotion and frame of reference (Erich Fromm), are discussed. In the third place, different attempts to prove God’s existence through various arguments (like the cosmological, ontological, etc.) will be presented. In addition to this, Chardin’s Christo-centric evolution will be put forward as a credible theory to prove God’s existence. In the fourth place, moral arguments along with Augustinian and Kantian thoughts about God’s existence are examined. The uniqueness and relevance of God-experience will also be highlighted. In the fifth place, the essence and attributes of God will be discussed. Notions like creation and providence are analyzed along with the problem of evil. At the end of the course students will gain an insight into the close cooperation between faith and reason in our efforts to deal with the question of God.
Kalariparambil T./Prasad OCD
The philosophical anthropology attempts to answer the most basic and perennial questions about human persons in light of modern scientific researches and metaphysical principles. The course begins with a historical survey of the various scientific and philosophical views on human persons proposed by thinkers in the past as well as in the present. This is followed by a discussion of the main constituents of the human nature, namely, subjectivity (spirituality) and bodiliness (materiality). The metaphysical and religious aspirations of humans as well as their sociality and intersubjectivity, are to be traced ultimately to the spiritual component of the human nature. However, a human being in his/her concrete existential situation is not a pure spirit; he/she is only an embodied spirit so much so that the final realization of one’s destiny is inextricably bound up with one’s existence and activity in this world. Hence due attention is given to the material and bodily aspect of the human nature as well. The course arrives at the conclusion that the human being is a complex and mysterious blending of the spiritual and the material, a person who, even as one is very much rooted in this world by virtue of one’s materiality, is nevertheless capable of transcending the limitations of time and space by virtue of one’s spirituality and is naturally destined for immortality.
Palamoottil S./Kathirparambil K.
As a prelude to the course on Ethics, the first discussion is centred on the point of relevance of this study in the contemporary period. This is followed by the division of the course into three different parts. The first part includes the study of the origin, nature and scope of the science of ethics. Besides, the discussion will include different foundations, stages in the development of ethics. The second part of the study is centred on the various theories and standards of ethics. Along with the theory of moral development, attention will be given to various religious ethical theories like Judeo-Christian, Hindu and Islamic ethics. Different moral standards like happiness, evolution, perfection, duty and otherness will be discussed in detail. In the final part of the course, specific moral concepts like crime and punishment, rights and duties, virtues and moral progress will be discussed. Special attention will be given to the topics like ethics of non-violence, existential ethics and Marxian ethics.
Kakkattuthadathil T.
This course will first discuss the meaning and nature of religion. The distinction between philosophy of religion and religious philosophies will be clarified. A critical assessment of different religions as well as naturalistic theories of the origin and development of religion will be made in the second part. The third part of the course is devoted to bringing out the cognitive components of religious beliefs and varied interpretations offered to them by different religious traditions. The ethical and spiritual directives of a few major religions will be surveyed in the next part. The final part will examine the mutual and joint influence of society and religion in the process of the development of culture.
Mukkamkuzhiyil K./Gregory R.B.
In these courses students will be introduced to recent trends in Indian thinking in general (like mainline neo-advaidic thinking and so on) or some subaltern trends like Dalit and Tribal philosophies. In the course of Dalit philosophy, in the first place, terms like Dalits, their place in the Hindu hierarchy, their origin, outlook on life and world, and the Dalit movement and so on are clarified. Secondly, the sad fact of the marginalization of Dalits and various steps taken to correct it are considered. Finally, the meaning of philosophy of liberation is reconsidered with special reference to Dalits.
The course on the philosophy of Sri Narayana Guru aims at presenting the originality and significance of Sri Narayana Guru’s Vedanta philosophy which remains as the foundation for his social involvement and reform activity. What is the version that Sri Narayana gave to Advaita Vedanta? Where does Sri Narayana Guru part with Sri Sankara’s Vedanta? How does he apply it to the socio-religious situation of the country with a view to rooting out caste-system and create an egalitarian society? These questions will be discussed in the light of his written works as well as his committed action for a revolutionary change in the society.
Komban S./Correya B.
The purpose of these courses is to motivate students to read classical texts from the history of philosophy in the West, and to develop their philosophy reading skills. At the end of the course, students are expected to gain the ability to (a) explain the philosophical question the texts are dealing with, (b) give an analysis of the structure of the text, (c) identify the arguments, (d) explain the key concepts used in the text, and finally, (e) show their understanding of the texts in written assignments. The basic texts are: The Confessions, Summa Theologica, Being and Time.
Komban S. /Mukkamkuzhiyil K. Kathirparambil K./Purathayil J./Sujan A./ Correya B.
This course will focus on themes like Christian optimism, Christian personalism, Christian perspectives on the world, and so on. Discussions will develop along some distinctively Christian thinkers, like Augustine, Bonaventure, Aquinas, and so on, whose thought has significant philosophical implications. Representative works of these thinkers will be read along with critical assessments.
Palamoottil S.
In this course students will be introduced to recent trends in Western philosophy in general (like postmodern thinking) or in some sub-disciplines like philosophy of mind, philosophy of art, etc. The course on philosophy of mind aims to introduce the student to contemporary philosophical approaches to traditional problems in the philosophy of mind. Introspectionism, psychological and logical behaviourism, identity theory, functionalism, subjectivism, instrumentalism, computationalism, eliminative materialism, and new mysterianism are the main areas covered in this course. Fields of study include the philosophy of psychology, sensation and perception, concepts, intentionality, folk-psychology, and consciousness.
Palamoottil S. /Sujan A.
This course on philosophy of art intends to introduce the basic theories of aesthetics, both in the East and West. It will help the student to make a critical evaluation of the feelings, concepts and judgments arising from the appreciation of the arts. The course begins with a general introduction discussing the basic concepts and issues. The main part of the course will be divided into two sections. The first part of the course will analyze the developments of the aesthetical ideas in the history, beginning from the ancient Greek period to the present day. The second part will be focusing on different aesthetical theories that of Immanuel Kant, G.W.F. Hegel, Friedrich Nietzsche, Benedetto Croce, etc. Together with the theoretical studies, there will be practical assessments on different art works taken from all the areas of fine arts, covering all historical periods.
Komban P./Kathirparambil K.
This course aims to gather and assess various existentialist approaches to the human condition. The central question that we pursue in the course is: what is a human? In fact, if one honestly poses the question what is a human it will immediately fall back on the questioner who always finds himself/herself deeply involved not only in the verbal act of questioning but also in the more profound act of be-ing. In other words, what am I? is the flipside of the question what is a human? Therefore participants of this course are called upon to make an engaged reading of existentialist thinkers. The course will offer an introduction to the major themes in the existentialist reflections of Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, Gabriel Honoré Marcel, Martin Buber, Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre, Albert Camus, Simone de Beauvoir, Edith Stein, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and Emmanuel Levinas.
Kallungal M.
This work is considered as one of the most important philosophical works. The various themes like happiness, virtues in general, the golden mean, justice, friendship, voluntary actions etc. are discussed. Textual reading is the method that is being employed. At the end of the course students will be able to discuss and interpret some selected texts.
Mukkamkuzhiyil K.
PB 101 Philosophical Project (8)
Students write a paper (minimum 8000 words) on a philosophical theme under the guidance of one of the teachers of the Faculty of Philosophy. The deadline for submission can be found in the administrative calendar.
Resident Teachers of PIA Supplementary Obligatory Subjects
In this course, the question of the interrelation between faith and reason is addressed. The primary texts for study will be the Encyclicals Fides et Ratio of Pope John Paul II and Lumen Fidei of Pope Francis. At the end of the seminar, the students will be able to read closely the Encyclical, correctly analyze and accurately summarize the main points, and write a paper and/or show the understanding of the text in an oral presentati on and a class discussion.
Nalpathilchira J./Sujan A.
PS 51 English as Modern Language (4) This course is designed for a study of the English Language as a tool for international communication. The student of this course is trained to address the native speaker of English with confidence by training him in the study of the forty-four speech sounds in the English Language and the corresponding symbols. In addition, his skills are sharpened to apply stress, both word stress and sentence stress, in a bid to minimizing the impact of the local accent towards maximum approximation to the native speech. Phonetics forms the chunk of this course. Besides this, students have drills in phrasal verbs that facilitate their use of modern English in daily conversation. Moreover, they pick up verb patterns in English towards correctness and precision in writing.
Vattamala T./C. D. Sebsatian
CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
PS 52 Latin (4)
PO 71 Syriac (2)
PS 53 Sanskrit (2)
In the first year, a survey of the morphology and the syntax of the language (Latin, Syriac, Sanskrit) will be given. In the second year after brushing up and deepening the lessons in the previous year, translation skills will be exercised. By the end of the second year the students are expected to be able to read some basic texts in the original while using literary aids such as a guide to grammar and a dictionary.
Kurukoor G./Rajadas G. /Periapram T./Nellickakandathil J./ Arakkal F.
The course aims to teach students the methods and tools for scientific research. Various methods used in scientific research are treated. The focus will be on acquiring skills of active reading and understanding, analyzing and summarizing key arguments, preparing abstracts and responses, formulating a problem and writing a scientific paper with appropriated documentation. At the end of the course students will be asked to write a research paper scientifically. There will be a certain number of lectures and practical sessions.
Chanikuzhy J. /Charles L.
Students will be given some orientation talks on how to write a book review. Thereafter, students are required to write a book review of a recent book within the area of philosophy. Students should choose a book of around 150-250 pages and get it approved by the teacher. The review should be 1000-1500 words long.
The Resident teachers of PIA
Optional Additional Subjects
PO 60 Malayalam I (2)
PO 75 Malayalam II (2)
PO 61 History of English Literature (2)
The aim of these courses is to combine a survey of major trends in Malayalam and English literature with an in-depth analysis of some representative texts prescribed by the State Universities in India. The overall endeavour in these courses is to impart a conviction that the literature is a cultural subsystem which can reflect and contribute to the evolution of philosophy and Christian thinking.
Primus P./ C. D. Sebsatian
The main objective of the course is to enable students to approach their studies in a systematic and intelligent manner and develop good learning-skills. For this purpose students will be initiated to the key rules for doing a successful study through different kinds of reading habits, taking notes, memorizing, etc. A second objective of the course is to enable students to write research papers, to write examinations and to use the library. The overall aim is to introduce students to methods of philosophical research and to teach them the skills needed for the writing of philosophical papers.
Chanikuzhy J./Charles L.
This course briefly introduces the concepts of religion and spirituality in general and the major religious and spiritual traditions in particular, and then provides a detailed introduction to Christian Spirituality. The objective is to strengthen students in their religious and spiritual formation as leaders committed to the service of Christian faith and the promotion of Christian values.
Etturuthil J./Valungal A.
PO 64 Introduction to the Bible (2)
PO 78 Biblical Literature & Faith Perspectives (2)
As a general introduction to the Bible, these courses aim at familiarizing students with the Bible as the Word of God in human words. Basic notion about the formation of text of the Old Testament and New Testament, the languages used in the Bible, the major manuscripts as well as related literature like the Qumran writings and Rabbinic literature are provided. The different literary forms of the Bible and the different methods of interpreting the text of the Bible will be briefly explained. After giving a general view of salvation history as contained in the Old and the New Testaments, the books of the two Testaments are classified and introduced briefly.
Achandy J./Mathirappilly S.
This course offers a detailed introduction to the Christian understanding of spiritual life. In the first part, basic notions and practices such as divine virtues, methods of prayer, the role of sacraments, sin, conscience, spiritual direction, devotion to Blessed Virgin Mary, etc., are introduced. In the second part, the Trinitarian character and experience of Christian Spirituality is presented. In the third part, the vocation to and the spirituality of priesthood is introduced.
Pulprayil S/Gregory R.B.
There are different theories in the area of human personality. These theories have different focuses. This course offers insights to understand the various processes in the formation of the human personality. It also offers practical skills to understand the various aspects of one’s personality and to have proper integration. Madan P./Rajesh P.
This course covers general introduction to communication. It analyses various concepts in social communication. It also deals with an in depth exposition of Inter Mirifca. The course aims to impart a broader understanding of communication as a happening and expression in human society. The challenges in this field are studied .The mutual relation between social communication, culture and the development of values is also examined. Students are enabled to develop consciousness of the need for effective social communication.
Mundadan K..
This course makes the students familiar with the basic principles of journalism, educates them to critically assess the media and helps them develop their journalistic skills. The course is given in two parts. In the first part students are introduced to the different aspects of communication in general and news-reporting in particular. A special training is offered in the second part in newswriting, editing, proof reading, publishing and other similar techniques of journalism.
Mundadan K.
In order to prepare students for a proper philosophical and religious appropriation of the modern scientific knowledge, a comprehensive programme is conducted. Compulsory components of this programme include Theories of Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, etc), Anatomy and Physiology, and Sociology. In the first component, students are provided with more descriptive and less technical knowledge about different scientific theories. Familiarity with scientific opinions and reasoning will prepare students for an adequate engagement of philosophical and theological questions from the perspectives of natural sciences. The purpose of the second component, namely Anatomy, is to give a basic knowledge about the human body and the vital systems, especially, various functions of the brain, glands, and cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. Lectures include also topics like human sexuality and personal hygiene. The third component namely Sociology introduces concepts in the field such as Society, Social Relations, Group, Primar y Group, Reference Group, Socialization, Social System, Social Stratification, Social Order, Social Change, etc. It also attempts to introduce the Indian Society by exposing the major Indian Social Institutions like Caste and Joint family.
Resident Teachers of PIA
PO 72 Regional Language, Culture and Literature I (2) PO 80 Regional Language, Culture and Literature II (2)
The purpose of this course is to help the participants to immerse in the study of the regional language, thought, culture, and traditions. As we are living in a pluralist culture, one needs to appreciate the culture and literature as expressed in the regional language. Our goal is to enable students to develop critical tools to understand the complexities of cultural traditions and to approach diversity in an analytical manner. Classical works in the regional language are also studied. Each student is asked to come up with his/her personal textual study of the material provided. The thrust is to expose the philosophical implications of the material under scrutiny.
Perincherry P.
God is the Supreme Being, the creator, to whom we owe a debt of homage, praise, adoration and thanksgiving. Since, as in the phrase of Aristotle, ‘man is a social animal’, he does this and needs to do this communally and in accordance with his culture; hence the need of public worship. One of the findings of the studies of anthropologists on this subject, using the methods of phenomenology is that worship is seen to have a value and significance of its own that cannot be explained or explained away as superstition, magic or the expression of fear. Christian worship is best expressed in terms of ‘response’ because it is God who takes the initiative. In worship we respond to the call of the Triune God and this is true of the whole Christian liturgy, whether it be praise, thanksgiving, supplication or repentance; whether it be Eucharist, baptism, liturgy of the hours or the celebration of the Church’s liturgical year. The present course aims at furnishing a philosophical basis of worship and making a detailed study on the different rites that constitute Christian liturgy.
Nellickakandathil J.
In the first part of this course, we will discuss the major schools in the history and philosophy of science like logical positivism, historicism, historical realism, etc. In the second part, the students will be invited to reflect on the prevailing philosophical views on technology. The purpose is to make the students able (a) to identify the different views on technology that are mixed up in real life social debates about technology and (b) to explain how different views on technology result in different types of ethical debate. In addition, a critical assessment of the contemporary interaction between science and religion will also form part of this course. At the end of the course, students will have developed an appropriate vocabulary to speak about the social aspects of the design process of technology.
Pamplany A./ Edwin X./ Kakkattuthadathil T.
This course will introduce students to basic concepts in sociology. Important thinkers in this field are presented and their viewpoints will be evaluated. Topics like social stratification, social change, globalization, gender issues, will be covered. Students will assimilate ideas regarding social relationships and institutions. They will learn to analyze social causes and consequences of issues like gender identity, marriage problems, religious harmony, poverty, wealth, discrimination, emergence of social movements etc.
Charles L.
This is a sequel to the paper English Language and aims to equip the student to communicate in educated circles in an English milieu. The student learns to use the English Language in conversations on a variety of occasions such as meeting, travelling, marketing, socializing and sporting. He is empowered to distinguish between the British accent and the American accent by drilling him in their differential speech sounds. This knowledge is imparted with the help of a number of videos showing conversations and episodes in British as well as American English. Their communicative capacity sharpens as they encounter their fellow students in debates on a variety of current topics.
Thelakkat X./ C. D. Sebastian
This course aims at briefly introducing the nature and scope of psychology. The student will be invited to examine the biological basis of human behaviour, motivation, needs, feelings, learning, memory and intelligence. Finally various theories on personality will be discussed in order to lead students to a realistic understanding of their psychological health.
Moolayil A/Rajesh P.
This course intends to offer knowledge about the Patanjali Yoga tradition. Yoga will be introduced both as a science and as an art of living spiritually and in good health. Yoga is a system beneficial to culture, education, society and the self. Students will learn the importance of achieving steadiness of the mind and control of the senses. Patanjali defines yoga as a state in which there is complete elimination of thoughts and modification of mind. His Ashtanga yoga is introduced here. The eightfold path, namely, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Smadhi are treated.
Kallungal M.
Man is created in the “image and likeness of God”. The perfect image of God is found in the historical person of Jesus Christ. Hence conforming to Christ is the ideal of Christian perfection. The topics treated are: various explanations about the “image and likeness”; the filial relationship of Jesus with God the Father; transformation in Christ; the obstacles for the same and the practical means of overcome them.
Oliapurath J./Etturuthil J.
Priesthood is a gift and mystery. The response to the call of God transforms and transcends the individual. It is vital for the life of the seminarians that that they devote much attention to their spiritual life. No seminarian can go forward even in his intellectual formation without a deep relationship with Christ. This course aims to convince them that priesthood is a special vocation which consists in being uniquely configured to Christ the High Priest, the teacher, sanctifier and shepherd of his people. They should be helped to discern the call of God. A seminarian’s thoughts, attitudes, activity and relations with others must all show that he is really called by God.
Oliapurath J./Etturuthil J.
This course is intended as a textual study of Bertrand Russell’s masterpiece, known as The Problems of Philosophy. This work mainly discusses various epistemological issues. His refutation of Berkley’s idealism, differences between appearance and reality, knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description, the limits of philosophical knowledge, the value of philosophy, refutation of Hegelian idealism etc. are treated. Students will understand why philosophy is a process and outlook which, through its various inquiries, strengthens our place and relations with the external world.
Kochupurackal S.
Philosophical problems are approached from an analytical perspective. Students are invited to learn the method of analyzing the terms in which philosophical problems are expressed. Topics like logical positivism, logical atomism, epiphenomenalism, neopragmatism, scientific realism, ordinary language philosophy etc. are treated. Various philosophers in this tradition like Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, G.E. Moore, Gottlob Freg and others are presented.
Kalariparambil T.
This is a higher course in English designed for the final year students of Philosophy. It explores literary works in English under the lens of philosophical concepts like space, time, infinity and the Wheel. In this course the student refreshes his philosophical inputs, gained so far, in the light of literary tools like symbols, images, irony, paradox, the stream of consciousness technique and the like. The purpose of this course is to equip the student to communicate his philosophical knowledge in English effectively and imaginatively. The text prescribed for this course is Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot, the greatest poet and critic in 20th century English Literature. Here students enjoy an interface with poetic drama in the 20th century, which is in fact a revival of the Elizabethan theatre.
Thelakkat X.
This is the second part of the higher course in English designed for the final year students of Philosophy. It explores literary works in English in a scientific way under the lens of concepts like martyrdom, sanctity, action-suffering dialectics, union of the will of man with the will of God towards purification of the human will , and the like. The purpose of this course is to coach the student to communicate his philosophical knowledge, having a bearing on theology, effectively and imaginatively. The text prescribed for this course is Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot, the greatest poet and critic in 20th century English Literature. This paper also includes another module, that of play-acting. Students have various videos on situational episodes in both British and American English. After watching them in class they rehash them adding local colour before they stage them in class. This boosts their morale in conversational English and enhances their histrionic talents.
Thelakkat X.
PO 91 Anthropological Reading of Literature (2) Stories communicate philosophical insights in a powerful and vivid manner. Anthropology and literature inform each other. Literature raises questions about basic human aspirations and it reflects philosophically on human endeavours, struggles, sufferings, weaknesses and values. The approach in this course is to uncover philosophical implications in classical works, both in the east and in the west.
Thelakkat X.
PO 92 Modern Languages: Italian/German (2)
This course aims at enabling the students to acquire basic knowledge of these languages. They should be able to read, write and understand simple sentences. Elementary communication is the purpose of this course. The methodology of the teaching will be conversational with personal and group exercises.
Nalpathilchira J. /Achandy J
Ecophilosophy unites philosophy and ecology. This course aims to discuss concepts and developments in regard to the protection of nature from a philosophical perspective. Movements like deep ecology, shallow ecology, social ecology, feminist ecology etc. are evaluated. Various religious traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity etc. are viewed from an ecological perspective. Various philosophical issues in the subject matter are considered from a historical perspective. Problems which affect the environment are treated and an effective environmental ethics is provided. Catholic teaching on ecology is presented with a special thrust on Laudato Si. Students are invited for discussions and presentations.
Rebeiro OCD