Who is this course for?
No previous experience in the subject is necessary. The course will introduce some central topics in three areas – metaphysics, logic and the philosophy of language, and ethics.
As a student on the course you will develop your ability to think carefully and rigorously about the questions raised, and the answers which have been proposed.
What will I be studying?
The course is divided into three complementary termly units which build participants' knowledge and understanding of some important philosophical problems.
The course is taught via remote delivery.
Unit 1: Ethics
This unit will introduce you to two key areas within ethics: normative ethics and meta-ethics. We begin by considering what goods our ethical theories should promote. Pleasure? Happiness? Friendship? Justice? We will ask whether there are principles which determine what it is right to do, and, if so, what they are. Should we be aiming to maximise the good for everyone? Or to act in our own best interests? And how should such principles guide our actions? If giving to others is good, is giving more to others better? Is it legitimate to prefer some people over others when deciding whom to help? We will also explore some debates concerning the interpretation and evaluation of moral claims. Can moral beliefs be true? Should ‘It is wrong to hurt others needlessly’ be taken as a statement, a prescription telling others how to act, an expression of disapproval, or something else?
Unit 2: Introduction to logic and the philosophy of language
When deciding whether an argument is good or bad, one thing we want to know is whether its conclusion follows from its premises. Formal logic is a language within which we can formulate arguments clearly and test whether they are valid or invalid. It also provides a system which can enable us to unpack the structure of the claims we make in order to clarify what we are saying. In this unit you will learn how to translate sentences and arguments into and from formal logic. At the same time, we will consider the philosophical issues raised by our formal language. Are there elements of natural language which formal translations cannot capture? How do sentences get their meanings? Are there any sentences which are neither true nor false?
Unit 3: Metaphysics
In this unit we will address philosophical problems concerning time, space, possibility, and the relations between objects and their properties. We’ll consider questions such as: Is there a metaphysical difference between us and past people? What does it mean to say that times change from being future to being past? What makes you the same person today as you were yesterday? Are there things which exist but are not part of the actual world? Are persons and other objects simply collections of their traits and characteristics? Or are there also underlying substances to which these traits and characteristics are attached? What is space? Is it a real thing in its own right? Does anything exist which is not in space and time?
What can I go on to do?
The Institute offers two 60 credit complementary one year Certificate courses in Philosophy which are taught and awarded at first year undergraduate level (FHEQ 4). The Certificates are currently taught in alternating years and can be taken in any order.
Undergraduate Certificate in Philosophy: History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind and Political Philosophy
This Certificate course which is planned for 2023-24 will allow you to engage with some key debates in the history of philosophy, as well as in contemporary discussions in the philosophy of mind. You will be given the opportunity to reflect on the current socio-political trends whilst examining the pivotal developments in modern society and political philosophy.
Students who have successfully completed the Undergraduate Certificate in Philosophy: History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind and Political Philosophy (60 credits at FHEQ level 4) and the Undergraduate Certificate in Philosophy: Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language and Ethics (60 credits at FHEQ level 4) can apply to be awarded the Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education in Philosophy (120 credits at FHEQ level 4).
Credit awarded by the Institute can also be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. However the amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.