Ateneo - UPO

The Humanities course includes the sociology course and the philosophy of science course.
The course is structured for those approaching sociological topics and knowledge and scientific knowledge and the reasoning for the first time. In particular, the contents include the analysis of the main concepts of sociological theory and the presentation of social science methodology, in order to illustrate how the understanding of social processes and mechanisms is based on the close relationship between theory and empirical research. Furthemore, the analysis of scientific reasoning and the argumentation theory with particular attention to the different concepts of health and illness in the contemporary philosophy of medicine.

The sociology course textbooks:
Croteau David, Hoynes William, (III Edizione), Sociologia generale. Teorie, metodi, concetti, Mcgrow-Hill Education, NY – All chapters except 10 e 12

The Philosophy of science course textbooks:
Federico Boem, "Forme dell'argomentare e del ragionare", Le Monnier Università, Firenze 2021: 1 (section 3), 2 (sections 1-4), chapter3, chapter 7.
One chapter of your choice from: Elisabetta Lalumera, "Stare bene. Un'analisi filosofica", Carocci, Roma, 2023

The objectives of the courses are that students should acquire: - some sociological concepts for understanding constitutive processes of social organization in the intertwining of micro and macro dimensions; critical thought and sociological imagination in order to use theories.
Furthemore, 1. Cultural knowledge and skills: Students will be able to distinguish and recognize the main forms of scientific reasoning and indicate their standards of correctness. They will be able to recognize the most well- known fallacies and distortions of reasoning and argumentation by identifying them in texts and dialogues. They will be able to deal critically with some topics of contemporary medical philosophy by expounding the different positions critically and clearly.

2. Communicative/relational knowledge and skills: knowledge of the theoretical elaboration on argumentative incorrectness and competence in correct dialogical argumentation by identifying them in texts and engaging in debates and "argumentation gyms" that can be evaluated according to predefined standards.

3. Knowledge and self-learning skills: knowledge of the main argumentative and dialogical errors and competence in learning to evaluate one's own and others' argumentative errors.

Fulfilment of the requirements for admission to the degree course.

Lectures, group of work, in-class case discussions; presentation and discussion of audio-visual material; self-assessment tests.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage:
https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Sociology course:
written examination consisting o three open-ended questions marked from 1 to 10

Philosophy of science:
Oral examination, consisting of five questions, marked from 1 to 6

For both courses answers Answers will be assessed according to the following criteria: correctness, language property, and ability to elaborate independently.

Introduction to sociological and methodological perspective in order to acquire knowledge about some social process, for example: Culture;Structure, social action and power; Social interaction, groups and organizations;

Part I. Reasoning and Argumentation:
-Deductive reasoning: logic
-Inductive reasoning: induction, probability, causal reasoning
-Argumentation theory: how to analyse and evaluate dialogical arguments;
-Fallacies in reasoning and argumentation Argumentation and cognitive biases
-Reasoning and argumentation in clinical settings
Part II - The debate on the definition of health and illness
-Theories and definitions

Gender and Sexuality
Social stratification, classes and global inequalities; Family, Childhood and socialization process; Social control and Deviance; Ethnicity and migration.

During the courses the studends will acquire:
Ability to recognise and employ the principal perspective and methodological tools covered in the course.
Knowledge of main sociological processes and concepts.
- Knowledge of the theoretical-argumentative aspects applicable to the educational relationship with different types of
of users in the fields of educational and training intervention
- Knowledge of the most important distinctions between health and illness developed in philosophy and discussed in bioethics
- Knowledge of some of the basics related to cognitive and emotional processes
- Ability to apply knowledge of reasoning theory and argumentation theory in the pedagogical field
- Communication, expressive and interpersonal skills, including with families, peer groups, teachers and other educators, in multi-professional and interdisciplinary teams; ability to work in groups and to present in public
- Reinforcement of learning ability through knowledge of the minimum standards of correctness in both logical and evidential terms exhibited by a text, an argument or a reasoning
- Capacity for self-learning through self-assessment and critical analysis of one's own cognitive and argumentative biases, also in function of the development of human and social relationships based on mutual recognition