Overview
Philosophy has constituted a central element in the emergence of modern German culture. In the late 18th century, German philosophy participated in the broader European Enlightenment culture, which was in turn connected to the development of modern empirical science. Under the impression of the historical changes brought about by the French Revolution and by the ‘Industrial Revolution’ in Great Britain, a special constellation of German philosophy emerged at the end of the 18th century, which has deeply left its mark on subsequent philosophical thinking far beyond Germany.
What you'll learn
This German Philosophy - From Kant to Habermas course from Freie Universität Berlin addresses the historical reality of this ‘German moment of philosophy’ in two subsequent phases: In the first part, we follow the emergence and full deployment of German philosophy from its Kantian beginnings to Hegel’s grand but fragile synthesis, trying to understand its richness as well as its fragility.
In a second part, we discuss the later renewal of German philosophy in the late 19th century and its historical tragedy in the 20th century. This will include a discussion of the new beginnings of philosophy since the mid-19th century, from Marx, and Nietzsche, via Frege to Husserl and Wittgenstein, who have been reacting to the scientific and political revolutions of the late 19th and early 20th century. Martin Heidegger as an established pro-Nazi philosopher and Max Horkheimer as the leading philosopher of the “Frankfurt School” driven into exile are studied as philosophers immersed into the Night of the 20th century.
Finally, post-World War II developments in philosophy (as exemplified by Jürgen Habermas) will be looked at as pathways out of the self-destructive turn the ‘German moment of philosophy’ in Germany had taken in the first decades of the 20th century, and as passages into an emerging world philosophy.
Housing
Wheelchair-accessible housing is available upon request. Please see our website for a full description of the furnished single-occupancy studio apartment and note that the registration deadline for this housing option is one month before the regular registration deadline!
About FUBiS
The Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS) is an intensive, academic program through which students can earn credits that may be counted towards their degrees at their home institutions. FUBiS sessions run for three to six weeks and take place both in summer and winter.
Courses
Students can choose between subject courses (mostly taught in English) and German language and culture courses. The 50+ subject courses are offered within the fields of Architecture, Art History, Politics, Law, History, Media Studies, Economics, Sustainability, Literature, Philosophy, Film, and Music. German language and culture courses are available for up to five different levels of proficiency.
Field Trips
Field trips are an integral part of all our courses. In addition, FUBiS offers excursions such as to the Berlin Reichstag building (seat of the German Parliament) and a guided tour through the underworlds of Berlin, or a day trip to Potsdam.
Programme Structure
Courses include:
- The double “moment of German philosophy”
- Kant’s Transcendental Turn
- Fichte’s Radicalization of Kant
- Hegel’s Theoretical Synthesis
- New Beginnings, 2: An Existentialist Perspective
- The German moments of philosophy and the transition to global philosophy
Audience
Student Testimonials
- "I've obtained new perspectives and insights throughout the course and it's really good for my development!"
- "I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time and every penny of my money felt well spent on this class."
- "Overall, the professor was fantastic! He was extremely knowledgeable about the subjects and created a very comfortable learning environment."
- "The course was comprehensive, straight-forward, and incredibly well taught and the excursions presented were incredible as well. I'm so grateful to have taken this class."
Lecturers
Instructor: Dr. Frieder Otto Wolf
Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 28 days
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before
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Language
Credits
Delivered
Disciplines
History Philosophy General StudiesAcademic requirements
We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.
English requirements
We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.
Student insurance
Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:
- Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
- Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
- Liability
- Home contents and baggage
- Accidents
- Legal aid
We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.
Get your student insurance nowStarting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.
Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Freie Universität Berlin and/or in Germany, please visit Student Insurance Portal.
Other requirements
General requirements
Students should be able to speak and read English at the upper intermediate level (B2) or higher. No prior knowledge is required but the willingness to think beyond the usual framings on migration.
Required language skills
The language of instruction is English. Language proficiency on an advanced Intermediate level (Mittelstufe II) is a prerequisite for participation. For orientation purposes, you can assess your language skills via the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Tuition Fee
-
International
1300 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 1300 EUR for the full programme during 28 days. -
EU/EEA
1300 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 1300 EUR for the full programme during 28 days.
Program fee: 300 EUR (250 EUR incl. early bird discount)
Living costs for Berlin
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.