Stefan Berglund
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy
School of Bioscience
What is life? G1N
Course, Bachelor's (1st cycle),
15 credits,
KU139G
Application
Choose a course instance to see course syllabus and admission requirements.
Autumn 2024, Location: Flexibel, Pace of study: 50%
Application
15 March 2024 - 15 April 2024Ange kod HS-21202 på antagning.se
Course syllabus, with reading list
When? Where? How?
Study period: 2 September 2024 - 19 January 2025
Location: Flexibel, Distance learning, Flexible
Pace of study: 50%
The course is conducted without compulsory gatherings on campus. The teaching is supported by information and communication systems. Course material is accessible via the course management system in Studentportalen.
Admission Requirements
General entry requirements (or the equivalent).
Selection
Grade 67%, Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test 33%.
Language
The courses are conducted in English.
Science can tell many things about life, but apparently not what life itself is. This course is an introduction to the problem of life as a transdisciplinary challenge for science and philosophy.
Life is one of the most basic phenomena in our environments, and we are naturally able to discriminate between the inanimate and the animate, or between dead and alive. However, saying what life actually is, even with current scientific theories and concepts in hand, is far from a trivial task. This course overviews the problem of life in four modules. The first module is about the root conceptions of life, on which the present-day paradigms have been built on. The second module concerns the project of defining life, and the third module different explanations of life by contemporary authors from different disciplines. Finally, the fourth module is about life as a phenomenon at the interface of the biological and physical worlds, and about theoretical biology’s viewpoints for reconciling them. After completing the course, the student should be able to see life not as “just” biology, physics, or chemistry, but as a deep and transdisciplinary challenge for modern thinkers.
The Application Information
This course is directed to national as well as international students (both from EU/EEA and countries outside EU/EEA).
- Application deadline for Autumn 2024: 15 April 2024 (online application is open 15 March–15 April)
- Application deadline for Spring 2025: 15 October 2024 (online application is open 15 September–15 October)
Apply through antagning.se by clicking the “Apply now-button” (on the top of this website) when activated. The website is in Swedish, but can be translated into English by right clicking the mouse and choose “Translate to English” in the box that is shown.
International applicant?
For information on how to fulfil the English requirements if you are an international student please see link to university admission. Remember to also submit your transcript and a copy of your national identification (i.e. passport).
IB or EB applicant?
There are additional instructions for IB and EB applicants. Find out more about meeting the English requirement and what documents you need to submit.
