ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 51 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 9 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 75
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Particle Physics
Areas: Condensed Matter Physics
Center Faculty of Philosophy
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
It is an optional subject that is inserted in the basic block of General Optional Subjects. The rest of this block consists of eleven optional subjects (Philosophy and Business; Thinking Knowledge: Language, Representation and Communication; Current Bioethics; Philosophy, History, Human Sciences; Archeology, Anthropology, History; Nations, Nationalisms and Ethnic Movements in the Era of Globalization; Philosophy and Literature; The discomfort in contemporary philosophy and psychoanalytic theory; Ethnographic method; Its use in humanities and social sciences; Dialectics between rural and urban).
The subject "Theory of complexity" addresses the problem of complexity as a place to meet multiple theories from the most diverse branches of science, technique and contemporary thinking. This category allows to elevate to the philosophical category problems from physics, chemistry, biology, economics or anthropology, making it a tool more of the contemporary philosophical analysis of essential management for master level graduates. It is therefore an optional ambitious transversality, with an expansive potential that had to project to the students a reflection of metaphysical nature while providing them with a possible thematic future work on the frontier of philosophical reflection of our time
The development of physics -in particular of thermodynamics, but also of quantum mechanics and statistics- and of biology throughout the twentieth century led to a rediscovery of the importance of the intrinsic connections between the constituents of the systems of their study . The whole thing was more than the sum of the parties and, in condensed means, the emergence of emerging phenomena results from the organization and internal interaction of its members, which is the central, core characteristic of the so-called complex systems. This crucial fact is present in a multitude of different fields ranging from fundamental physics to economics, so it seems to be a basic organizational principle of reality, which is shown as an articulated set of self-organized dissipative systems that form the links of a chain of increasing complexity, and must be the central object of contemporary philosophical reflection. With this subject it is about cultivating and developing those competences linked to the understanding of the problems of current complexity in order to develop the ability to appreciate and understand the philosophical problems that arise.
The program is articulated in the following epigraphs:
1. The science of complexity: transition from reductionism to emergency.
2. Self-organized dissipative structures: nonlinear thermodynamics.
3. The chain of emergencies. Thermodynamic structure of reality. Complex networks
4. The complexity in Physics: critical phenomena and self-organized criticality.
5. The complexity in Biology.
6. The problems of life and social organization: complexity in Ecology and Economics.
Basic: Teacher's notes of the subject and collections of solved exercises, which will be available to students in the Virtual Campus of the USC.
Complementary:
1. H. J. Morowitz, The emergence of Everything. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2002.
2. E. Laszlo, The Systems View of the World. A Holistic Vision of our Time. Hampton Press, New York, 1996.
3. Ludwig von Bertalanffy. General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications. George Braziller, New York, 1968.
4. N. Rescher. Complexity. A Philosophical Overview. Transactions Publishers, New Brunswick, 1998.
5. E. Morin, El Método. Vol.1. La Naturaleza de la Naturaleza. 7ª Ed. Cátedra, Madrid, 2006.
6. E.D. Schneider, D. Sagan, La Termodinámica de la Vida. Física, Cosmología, Ecología y Evolución. Tusquets, Barcelona, 2005.
7. E. Schrödinger, What is life? Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1944. [Trad. esp. ¿Qué es la vida? Tusquets, Barcelona, 1984]
8. D. Kondepudi, I. Prigogine, Modern Thermodynamics: From Heat Engines to Dissipative Structures. Wiley, Chichester, 1998.
9. I. Prigogine, Introducción a la Termodinámica de los Procesos Irreversibles. Selecciones Científicas, Madrid, 1974.
10. Spinoza, B.; Ethica ordine geométrico demonstrata (1677) Varias traducciones españolas disponibles, a destacar las de Vidal Peña (Alianza, Tecnos) y Atilano Domínguez (Trotta). Edición de referencia en: Spinoza Opera. 4 Vols. Edited by Carl Gebhart. (Heidelberg: Carl Winter, 1925); edición crítica standard de los escritos y correspondencia de Spinoza en latín y holandés.
11. Spinoza, B.; Tractatus theologico-politicus (1670) Varias traducciones españolas disponibles, a destacar las de Atilano Domínguez (Alianza) y Tierno Galván (Tecnos –selección-). Edición de referencia en: Spinoza Opera. 4 Vols. Editada por Carl Gebhart. (Heidelberg: Carl Winter, 1925); edición crítica standard de los escritos y correspondencia de Spinoza en latín y holandés.
12. Hampshire, Stuart; Spinoza, London, Penguin, 1951.
13. Hampshire, Stuart; Spinoza and Spinozism, Oxford University Press, 2005.
14. Whitehead, A.N.;. Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology. (1929). Edición corregida, editada por David Ray Griffin y Donald W. Sherburne, Free Press 1979.
15. Deleuze, G., Spinoza et le problème de l'expression, Les éditions de Minuit (col. « Arguments »), Paris, 1968, 332 p. Trad. esp. de Horst Vogel, Spinoza y el problema de la expresión, en El Aleph Editores, 1996.
16. Deleuze, G., L'Anti-Œdipe Capitalisme et schizophrénie, en colaboración con Félix Guattari, Les éditions de Minuit (coll. « Critique »), Paris, 1972, 494 p. Trad. esp. de Francisco Monge, El anti-edipo - Capitalismo y esquizofrenia en Edit. Paidós Ibérica, 2004.
17. Deleuze, G.; Différence et répétition; Presses Universitaires de France, Paris, 1968, 409 p. Trad esp, Diferencia y repetición, Ediciones Júcar, 1987.
18. Deleuze, G.; Mille Plateaux - Capitalisme et schizophrénie 2, en colaboración con Félix Guattari, Les éditions de Minuit (col. « Critique »), Paris, 1980, 645 p. Trad. esp. de José Vázquez Pérez en Editorial Pre-Textos, Valencia, 2008.
19. Deleuze, G., Spinoza - Philosophie pratique, Les éditions de Minuit, Paris, 1981, 177 p.. Trad. esp. de A. Escotado, Spinoza - filosofía práctica, en Tusquets Ed., 2001.
20. Deleuze, G., Qu'est-ce; que la philosophie?, en colaboración con Félix Guattari, Les éditions de Minuit (col. « Critique »), Paris, 1991, 206 p. Trad. Esp. De Thomas Kauf: ¿Qué es la filosofía ? en Ed. Anagrama, Barcelona, 2005.
21. Robinson, Keith (ed.); Deleuze, Whitehead, Bergson: rhizomatic connections; Palgrave Macmillan, New York : 2009
22. Zubiri, X.; Estructura dinámica de la realidad; Alianza Ed., Madrid, 1989.
COMPETENCES OF BASIC AND GENERAL TYPE
CX1 - That students acquire capacities and knowledge for critical analysis in relation to research inputs.
CX2 - Let the students know how to apply the knowledge they acquire to identify, formulate and solve problems of our times.
CX3 - Let the students be able to convey knowledge, original ideas and proposed solutions.
CX4 - That students are trained for a reflection dynamic with a proactive and creative attitude in the search for solutions.
CX5 - That students have the ability to recognize issues and problems that can be addressed and resolved in different knowledge and in social practice.
CB6 - Own and understand knowledge that approaches a base or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, often in a research context.
CB7 - Let students know how to apply the acquired knowledge and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
CB8 - That students be able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, include reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
CB9 - Let students know how to communicate their conclusions and the latest knowledge and reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
CB10 - Students have the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
COMPETENCES OF SPECIFIC TYPE
CE1 - Understand and understand philosophical approaches related to the thematic areas of the master's.
CE2 - Develop skills that allow the transfer of knowledge acquired in the field of research.
CE3 - Acquire skills for the transmission and teaching of philosophical contents related to the subject areas of the master's.
CE4 - Know how to apply the knowledge acquired in the resolution of new problems.
CE5 - Be able to: analyze and synthesize, logically argue, formulate judgments, and deliberate according to ethical criteria.
CE6 - Know how to express yourself orally and in writing, communicate, debate and deliberate.
CE7 - Acquire knowledge about the nature of the complex systems and the versatility of this category to integrate the understanding of problems in very different fields of reality.
CE8 - Understand the fundamentals of the scientific treatment of complex systems, especially their thermodynamic treatment, as well as their philosophical understanding.
CE9 - Develop critical thinking in the analysis of problems, especially economic and ecological problems as a manifestation of the dissipative structure character of our social organizations.
CE10 - Acquire argumentative skills through the examination of arguments available and through the debate.
CE11 - Develop skills for proposing and persuasion in relation to those formulated.
CE12 - Develop skills to write jobs (or articles), through practice.
We will distinguish face-to-face work by referring to three teaching modalities:
(1) Expository classes. An exhibition will be offered by means of a master class on the topics of the program, focusing especially on those aspects that are nuclear and that contribute to the students forming their own mental map of the subject. The exhibition will always be open to participation and debate.
(2) Interactive classes. An active participation of the students will be promoted, proposing tasks in which they will have a leading role. These tasks will include seminar activities with active participation and protagonist of the student, such as:
- Proposal of questionnaires for questions on previously explained aspects or joint analysis of texts of special importance for the development of the subject.
- Proposal of exercises on topics seen.
- Viewing of audiovisual material.
The proposal of the different activities will be done in the classroom of the subject on the virtual campus.
(3) Practical classes.
The autonomous work will consist of short comments on topics raised by the reference texts or audiovisual material.
The general methodological guidelines established in the memory of the Master in Philosophy: Knowledge and Citizenship of the USC will be followed. The classes will be face-to-face and the distribution of expository and interactive hours follows that specified in the memory of the master.
The tutorials can be face-to-face or online. If they are online, they will require an appointment, which is also recommended in person.
The evaluation of the subject at the first opportunity will be done through continuous individualized evaluation of the students. The continuous evaluation will consist of two different aspects:
1) The continuous work in the pursuit of the matter; including possible knowledge controls, attendance and participation in on-site activities.
2) Written work as part of the student's work. This work will meet the following requirements:
· It will consist of the presentation of a line of argument, defending a thesis.
· It will have an ordered structure. They will consist of an initial summary, an introduction exposing the thesis, line of argument and work structure; structuring by sections and final conclusion.
· It will follow the standard academic text format (Times New Roman size 12, with footnotes size 10, line spacing 1.5, justified paragraph, without covers).
· It will have an extension of around 10 pages.
DIMENSIONS OF THE EVALUATION
The weight of the different components of the continuous evaluation will be:
1. Continuous work and subject monitoring: 50%
2. Final student work containing a brief personal inquiry: 50%
The ability for solving exercises and answering questionnaires will be evaluated according to the precision with which they are solved. The competences of the short essays will be evaluated taking into account the capacity for synthesis and the clarity of the presentation. The competences related to the work will be evaluated taking into account: (i) its content and argumentative quality, which will show knowledge of the subject, (ii) formal rigor, which will evaluate the ability to compose texts (iii) writing, which will show the care in the use of the language.
ORIGINALITY REQUIREMENT
The student must respect the USC code of good practices, which establishes that one must work with intellectual honesty and seriousness in contrasting appointments, respecting the work of others, avoiding all kinds of plagiarism and misappropriation, acting with the utmost respect for intellectual or industrial property. Failure to observe this rule will mean not passing the subject in the two annual calls.
The student's grade in the second opportunity will correspond to the grade obtained in the corresponding official exam.
STUDENTS WITH DISPENSE OF CLASS ATTENDANCE
Whoever has a class attendance waiver will be evaluated by a final exam on the official date on the contents of the subject.
The subject consists of 3 ECTS credits, so the total workload for the student is 75 hours, which are broken down as follows:
· Weekly hours: Approximately 24 hours in the whole semester.
- Hours of tutorials: 3 h.
- Expositive hours: 9 h.
- Interactive hours: 12 h.
· Personal work of the student: 51 hours in the semester.
- Individual study: 30 hours in the semester.
- Realization of individual works: 20 hours in the semester
- Other tasks: 1 hour in the semester
Consequently, for the passing of the subject it is sufficient with the autonomous study time assigned in the ECTS credits of the subject (2 ECTS => 51 hours of autonomous work of the student).
(1) Participation in presentations.
(2) Preparation of the tasks marked following the indicated pages.
(3) Consult questions in class or in tutorials.
(4) Read, study, write and program.
Luis Miguel Varela Cabo
Coordinador/a- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Phone
- 881813966
- luismiguel.varela [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
| Thursday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00-17:30 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Spanish | Seminario Butler (108) |
| 05.23.2025 16:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Seminario Nussbaum (109) |
| 05.23.2025 16:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Seminario Nussbaum (109) |
| 06.25.2025 16:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Seminario Nussbaum (109) |
| 06.25.2025 16:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Seminario Nussbaum (109) |