Faculty of Philosophy UGM has conducted Summer Course on Contemporary Issues on Ethics and Applied Philosophy from 3-9 November 2019. As many as 18 students from Australia, Timor Leste, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, the Middle East, and Africa participated in the Summer Course in addition to 6 students from UGM.
The participants took part in courses related to ideology, politics, democracy, and other issues. On Monday (11/4), Prof. Mukhtasar Syamsuddin, Ph.D., gave a lecture themed Pancasila as Ethical Foundation for Political Judgment.
“The Indonesian politics is based on Pancasila as the state ideology that has been formulated by the founding fathers,” said Mukhtasar.
With the emergence of problems in the political arena and public policy, the question on the role of ethics and applied philosophy become vital to respond.
The contemporary issues related to the value of philosophy and ethics that underlie politics and public policy include protection of the minority in democracy, political legitimation in post-truth society, leadership practices to achieve public welfare, women’s rights, etc.
Mukhtasar also explained the meaning and history of the birth of Pancasila and the processes to make Pancasila the state ideology. The participants found this interesting as proven by the many questions that have been raised in response.
Another issue that attracts attention is radicalism. According to Mukhtasar, radicalism is a system of thinking that can not be underestimated as it serves the basis for the emergence of terrorism.
The summer course has been designed to bring up the need of practical philosophy and ethics amidst the challenge in public policy and contemporary politics in Indonesia and elsewhere.
Other topics to be described in the course are Pollster and Political Legitimacy, given by Prof. Mohd Kamarulnizam Abdullah (Universiti Utara Malaysia), Minorities and Political Rights by Dr. Jamie Davidson (Singapore), International Humanitarian Aids and State Sovereignty by Dr. Lina Gong (RSIS), and Women Participation in Politics by Dr. Khin Khin Soe (University of Yangon, Myanmar). Lecturers from UGM, such as Drs. Agus Wahyudi, M.Si., M.A., Ph.D., Samsul Ma'arif M, S.Fil., M.A, and Achmad Munjid, also gave courses.