Introduction to philosophy

About this course

The course examines philosophical questions including knowledge, the relationship between mind and body, the meaning of words, free will and justice. It focuses on the problems themselves while also introducing important figures from philosophy’s history. Teaching combines short lecture-style presentations with pair, group and whole-class discussion. Each class centres on a chapter from Thomas Nagel’s introductory philosophy text, with online forums providing an additional way to explore the topics.

What you'll learn

• Explain a range of core philosophical problems
• Describe some basic solutions to these problems

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners and does not require previous study of philosophy. Learners should be able to read and comment on extracts from a philosophical text. Participation involves listening to differing views, critical thinking and discussion in pairs, groups and the wider class.

• No previous study of philosophy is required
• Learners should be comfortable reading and commenting on philosophical text extracts
• Participation includes pair, group and whole-class discussion

Before you go

• The course is based on Thomas Nagel’s What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy (Oxford University Press).