THE STORY OF TWO DEPARTMENTS: PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY
Journal Title: Social Affairs - Year 2017, Vol 1, Issue 7
Abstract
The present article attempts to capture a glimpse of the path of Philosophy in the University of Ceylon during its 75 years of existence. Philosophy was among the subjects that were in the curriculum of the Faculty of Arts from the inception of the University in 1942. Later in its course of existence, the Philosophy Department also offered a special degree programme in Psychology, and the latter subject has today established a distinct department for itself. Some papers in Psychology were included in the Philosophy, Sociology, and Education courses from early on, but Psychology as a Special or General Degree course was not available in any university in Sri Lanka until 1990. Considering the need for such courses, the Philosophy Department (which was already functioning under the name ‘Department of Philosophy and Psychology’) took measures to initiate fully fledged degree courses in Psychology, beginning in the 1990/91 academic year. This article for the frst time reports the birth pangs, the struggles, and the problems of this effort. Thus, While observations on the general contribution of the Philosophy Department as well as more specifc contributions of some of its members are used to illuminate the role of the Philosophy Department, the article also records the experience of installing a new course of study in a country, beginning with no fxed resources but successfully completing it, leading to the establishment, after 27 years, of a new Department of Psychology in the University of Peradeniya in 2017.
Authors and Affiliations
R. D. Gunaratne
Keywords
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