HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY – PROGRAMME SUBJECT IN PROGRAMMES FOR SPECIALIZATION IN GENERAL STUDIES (HIF1-01)

Laid down as a regulation by the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training on 22 March 2006, as delegated in a letter of 26 September 2005 from the Ministry of Education and Research pursuant to the Act of 17 July 1998 no. 61 relating to primary and secondary education (Education Act) Section 3-4 first paragraph.

Gjelder fra: 2006-08-01T00:00:00 +2

Gjelder til: 2016-07-31T00:00:00 +2

Purpose

History makes people, and people make history. This is reflected in the way they think, act and participate in various social settings. By conjoining knowledge about history and philosophy with skills in historical thinking and philosophical reflection, the programme subject History and philosophy can give rise to new perspectives on people in history and history in people.

This programme subject shall form the basis for exploring historical conditions and events from various angles, and evaluate contradictions and conflicts from a historic and contemporary perspective. In this way, the programme subject shall lead to greater insight into and understanding of the historic and philosophical background of those ideals and values that have characterized the development of culture and society. This kind of insight can also form the basis for a sophisticated and open dialogue, as well as reconciliation across historical differences.

The programme subject History and philosophy shall give pupils training in source criticism and the ability to evaluate information, and in distinguishing between information and documentation. These skills are crucial to democracy, the rule of law and science, and to an active participation in the Information Society.

This programme subject shall help develop the individual's awareness of history, and the ability to participate in philosophical discourse and wonder about how humans have lived and behaved throughout history. In working with history and philosophy, the pupil shall develop the ability to understand and make ethical and moral choices. Identifying different modes of thought and how these have influenced human beings and society can help pupils to better understand the times in which we live. The programme subject shall form the basis for a general education, increased self-awareness, and further study. Through experience, sensitivity and critical analyses, the teaching in this programme subject shall stimulate pupils to greater knowledge, wonder, reflection and interaction.

Structure

History and philosophy comprises two programme subjects: History and philosophy 1 and History and philosophy 2. History and philosophy 2 builds on History and philosophy 1.

These programme subjects have been structured into main subject areas, for which competence aims have been formulated. The main subject areas complement each other, and should be viewed in relation to one another.

Overview of the main subject areas:

Programme subject	Main subject areas
History and philosophy 1	The ancient world and myths	Classical Antiquity and the art of discourse	The Middle Ages and the use of source documents	The Renaissance and explanation	The Age of Enlightenment and perspectives	Modern times and critical thinking
History and philosophy 2	Human beings in modern times	Knowledge and the pursuit of truth	Existence and meaning	Community, production and consumption	Political ideas and ideologies	Understanding, awareness and application of history

Main subject areas

The ancient world and myths

The main subject area The ancient world and myths is concerned with human beings, social conditions and ideas from ancient cultural societies. It deals with myths and ways of comprehending the world, as well as history as storytelling. The understanding of time and what non-written sources of information can tell us about these societies are also included in the main subject area.

Classical Antiquity and the art of discourse

The main subject area Classical Antiquity and the art of discourse is concerned with the growth of cultures around the Mediterranean. Natural and Athenian philosophies, and their views on humans and society, are included in this main subject area. This subject is concerned with the earliest historical accounts created by man, and the significance of narratives and accounts for historical research. Philosophical discourse and conceptual development are key themes of this main subject area.

The Middle Ages and the use of source documents

The main subject area The Middle Ages and the use of source documents is concerned with changes in society and in modes of thought during this period in history. The meaning and significance of religions and philosophies for the spread of culture and human thought are central to this subject. This main subject area is concerned with assessing historical sources and the significance of the "grand narratives,” the division of historical time into specific periods (periodization), continuity and change.

The Renaissance and explanation

The main subject area The Renaissance and explanation is concerned with understanding society and the development of ideas during the Renaissance. It also includes the Reformation and the importance of the art of printing for developments in Europe at the time. Important concepts of history, such as comparison, explanation, motif, cause and effect, are included in the main subject area.

The Age of Enlightenment and perspectives

The main subject area The Age of Enlightenment and perspectives is concerned with the spread of ideas following the Scientific Revolution, and the development of the ideal of freedom. Ideas that prominent thinkers of the time had about the notion of State and Society during this period are included in this main subject area. Also dealt with is the manner in which history can be evaluated from a variety of perspectives and viewpoints and be perceived in different ways.

Modern times and critical thinking

The main subject area Modern times and critical thinking is concerned with the growth of industrial society and the meaning of industrialization for human beings and society. This subject covers ideological upheavals during this period. Also included in this main subject area are the development of history as a science and how different philosophical traditions and ways of understanding history have made their mark on human identity, culture, the individual and the collective social setting. The subject also is concerned with the reasons why critical thinking is important to the science of history and philosophy.

Human beings in modern times

The main subject area Human beings in modern times covers modernization processes that began in the mid-19th century, and how these both form and are formed by human beings. Philosophical discussions about Modernity, Postmodernism and human thought in society are central themes in this subject. Also included are ways in which human beings gain historical experience and develop an awareness of history in modern times.

Knowledge and the pursuit of truth

The main subject area Knowledge and the pursuit of truth is concerned with the scientific method. This main subject area covers the ideas of truth and objectivity and the ways in which science has left its imprint on modern societies. The limitations and challenges in the field of the natural sciences and the development of new methods are included in this main subject area.

Existence and meaning

The main subject area Existence and meaning is concerned with how man thinks about existence and ethical questions when encountering social change in modern times. Identifying and discussing human viewpoints and historical identities is a central theme is this main subject area.

Community, production and consumption

The main subject area Community, production and consumption is concerned with how changes in production and consumption have left a mark on people’s day-to-day lives and their outlook on life. This subject is concerned with how a sense of social belonging and ethnicity has limited human beings, and how these limits have been challenged, surmounted and altered. Views on society, cultural understanding and how philosophers discuss culture and society are included in this main subject area.

Political ideas and ideologies

The main subject area Political ideas and ideologies is concerned with how ideas and modes of thought form the basis of ideologies. Also dealt with is the way in which ideologies have influenced people, political thought and social institutions in recent times. The main subject area also includes the relationship between authoritarian and democratic thinking and between ideals, goals and methods in politics.

Understanding, awareness and application of history

The main subject area Understanding, awareness and application of history is concerned with how history is understood and the use to which it is put by individuals, groups and societies. This subject is concerned with views of history and how knowledge about the past is moulded through recollection, critical enquiry and discussion.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours are given in 60-minute units:

History and philosophy 1: 140 teaching hours per year

History and philosophy 2: 140 teaching hours per year

Basic skills

Basic skills are integrated into the competence aims for this course in areas where they contribute to the development of and are a part of the basic subject competence. In the History and philosophy programme subject, basic skills are understood as follows:

Being able to express oneself orally in History and philosophy involves formulating one's own viewpoints precisely and distinctively. This means formulating narratives, participating in philosophical discourses and discussing the presentation of subject matter. Logical and relevant argumentation is a key aspect of philosophical discourse, as is giving an account of concepts and conceptual nuances, as well as substantiating one's own viewpoints when encountering other beliefs, opinions and perspectives.

Being able to express oneself in writing in History and philosophy involves presenting subject matter clearly and consistently with a varied vocabulary. Using the main concepts from this subject in one's own work is important. That is to say, one should be able to formulate problems related to this subject and elaborate on and discuss these by using different kinds of historical material. This also involves assessing the quality of one’s own presentations as well as those of others.

Being able to read in History and philosophy involves expanding one's own vocabulary and mastering concepts by reading historical and philosophical texts. This means understanding and explaining the meaning of content in relevant texts and historical material, and evaluating reasonable and unreasonable interpretations of a text. It also means interpreting and extracting information from historical material such as landscapes, objects, images, historical maps and written material. Being able to read in this subject involves comparing historical presentations and documents in a given subject, pointing out and explaining the differences and similarities, and reading historical material inquisitively and critically.

Numeracy in History and philosophy involves interpreting and creating tables and other forms of statistical material, and evaluating quantitative historic data. This means using concepts of history and philosophy to describe time, quantities and sizes, and understanding chronologies and relative chronologies. Numeracy in History and philosophy involves using timelines for the systematizing of historical information. It also includes understanding proportions in terms of time and dimensions.

Being able to use digital tools in History and philosophy involves distinguishing between information and documentation and applying this to one's own outlook and in one’s own work. This means gathering relevant information from websites and critically evaluating information by applying source criticism and working independently with information. It also involves preparing personal presentations about history, as well as communicating and cooperating with others by means of digital tools.