Andalusia PAU History of Philosophy study plan
Andalusia PAU History of Philosophy · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
Map the chronological arc of Ancient and Medieval philosophy from the Presocratics to Ockham, listing at least 12 major thinkers and their central problems.
Explain in writing the core metaphysical and epistemological positions of Plato and Aristotle, contrasting their theories of Forms and substance.
Summarize the main arguments of Augustine and Aquinas on faith and reason, and identify three points of divergence between them.
Define 10 key concepts (e.g., eidos, hylomorphism, analogy of being, divine illumination) with precise one-sentence definitions.
Your checkpoint
A one-page timeline plus a glossary of 10 concepts with definitions and source philosophers.
Ancient and Medieval Philosophy & Definition of concepts and synthesis of a philosopher's thought
Compare the cosmological and ontological arguments of Anselm and Aquinas, writing a 200-word evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses.
Trace the medieval debate on universals through Boethius, Abelard, and Ockham, classifying each position as realist, conceptualist, or nominalist.
Draft a 300-word synthesis of Aristotle's four causes and their role in his natural philosophy.
Self-test on 15 identification items linking concepts to philosophers from Domain 1.
Your checkpoint
A 300-word synthesis of Aristotelian causal theory and a scored self-test (target 12/15).
Modern Philosophy (Renaissance to Enlightenment)
Outline the shift from medieval to modern philosophy by summarizing the contributions of Bacon, Galileo, and Descartes to the new science.
Explain and contrast rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz) and empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) on the origin and scope of knowledge.
Reconstruct Descartes' method of doubt and the cogito, identifying two standard objections and possible replies.
Analyze Hume's fork and his argument on causation, writing a 250-word explanation of its skeptical consequences.
Your checkpoint
A two-column comparative chart of rationalism vs. empiricism with at least six criteria and a 250-word Hume analysis.
Modern Philosophy (Renaissance to Enlightenment) & Definition of concepts and synthesis of a philosopher's thought
Summarize Kant's Copernican revolution and the distinction between phenomena and noumena in 300 words.
Explain the categorical imperative and the difference between hypothetical and categorical imperatives, with one example of each.
Draft a 400-word synthesis of Locke's empiricism, covering tabula rasa, simple and complex ideas, and primary vs. secondary qualities.
Complete a timed 30-minute essay plan on 'To what extent does empiricism undermine metaphysical knowledge?'
Your checkpoint
A 400-word synthesis of Locke plus a timed essay outline with thesis and three supporting arguments.
19th-Century Philosophy (Kantian aftermath, idealism, positivism, Marxism, vitalism)
Map the post-Kantian landscape: German idealism (Fichte, Schelling, Hegel), positivism (Comte), Marxism (Marx), and vitalism (Nietzsche, Bergson).
Explain Hegel's dialectic and the master-slave dialectic, writing a 250-word exposition of its role in the Phenomenology.
Analyze Marx's concepts of alienation and historical materialism, contrasting them with Hegel's idealism.
Evaluate Comte's law of three stages and its implications for the status of philosophy.
Your checkpoint
A comparative table of Hegel, Marx, Comte, and Nietzsche on the nature of history and progress, plus a 250-word Hegel exposition.
19th-Century Philosophy (Kantian aftermath, idealism, positivism, Marxism, vitalism) & Definition of concepts and synthesis of a philosopher's thought
Explain Nietzsche's critique of morality and the will to power, writing a 300-word assessment of its coherence.
Summarize Mill's utilitarianism and his harm principle, and identify two objections to each.
Draft a 400-word synthesis of Marx's thought, covering alienation, ideology, class struggle, and the state.
Answer three short-answer questions (100 words each) on positivism, vitalism, and idealism.
Your checkpoint
A 400-word Marx synthesis and three short answers scored against a self-made rubric.
20th-Century Philosophy (phenomenology, existentialism, analytic philosophy, Frankfurt School, postmodernity)
Outline the main currents of 20th-century philosophy: phenomenology, existentialism, analytic philosophy, Frankfurt School, and postmodernity.
Explain Husserl's epoché and intentionality, and Sartre's 'existence precedes essence' with the notions of being-in-itself and being-for-itself.
Summarize the early Wittgenstein's picture theory and the later Wittgenstein's language games, noting the shift.
Evaluate one Frankfurt School critique of instrumental reason (Horkheimer and Adorno) in 250 words.
Your checkpoint
A concept map linking five 20th-century currents to their key figures and central problems, plus a 250-word Frankfurt School evaluation.
Textual commentary and philosophical analysis of a text fragment & Definition of concepts and synthesis of a philosopher's thought & 20th-Century Philosophy (phenomenology, existentialism, analytic philosophy, Frankfurt School, postmodernity)
Practice textual commentary on three short unseen fragments (one ancient/medieval, one modern, one 20th-century), writing a structured analysis of each.
Review all concept definitions from weeks 1–7 and consolidate them into a single master glossary of at least 40 terms.
Write two full timed essays (90 minutes each) from past-paper-style prompts covering different domains.
Self-assess both essays against PAU criteria (structure, argument, use of sources, clarity) and list three improvement targets.
Your checkpoint
Three commentary exercises, a 40-term master glossary, and two timed essays with a self-assessment sheet.
Milestones
Week 2: Can you explain, without notes, the difference between Platonic and Aristotelian accounts of universals and name three medieval positions on the problem?
Week 4: Can you write a 30-minute essay contrasting rationalist and empiricist epistemology with at least four named philosophers and two objections?
Week 6: Can you outline the dialectical relationship between Hegel and Marx in under 10 minutes and define alienation, ideology, and historical materialism accurately?
Week 8: Have you completed all three commentary exercises and two timed essays, and does your master glossary contain at least 40 accurate definitions?