Introduction to Philosophy (Online)

Course details

Code
O19P441PHV
Fees
From £280.00
Credit
10 CATS points
Dates
Mon 20 Apr 2020 - Fri 10 Jul 2020

Other runs of this course

Introduction to Philosophy (Online)



Overview

We take ourselves to know, but do we? We take ourselves to be free, but are we? What is the nature of the reality that we believe ourselves to live in? When are our actions moral? The oldest questions asked by human beings meet with the newest technology, to offer students the opportunity to explore these questions in this introductory online philosophy course.

Even as our knowledge continually expands, philosophical questions asked since the time of the Ancient Greek philosophers continue to perplex us. This course offers students the opportunity to explore four topics in philosophy - knowledge, reality, free will and morality. Through a series of guided readings, and participation in discussions and other online events, you will not only learn how philosophers have tackled these topics, but learn how to tackle them for yourselves.

For information on how the courses work, and a link to our course demonstration site, please click here.

Programme details

  • Introduction to learning online
  • Why do Philosophy?
  • Knowledge
  • Free Will
  • The World
  • Morality

We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral, and very rewarding, part of the course and the online learning experience.

Recommended reading

To participate in the course you will need to have regular access to the Internet and you will need to buy the following books:

Blackburn, S., Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (OUP, 2001)
Guttenplan, S., Hornsby, J. & Janaway, C., Reading Philosophy: Selected Texts with a method for Beginners (Blackwell, 2002)

Certification

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register when you enrol, you have up until the course start date to register and pay the £10 fee.

For more information on CATS point please click on the link below: http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/studentsupport/faq/cats.php

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.

All students who successfully complete this course, whether registered for credit or not, are eligible for a Certificate of Completion. Completion consists of submitting both course assignments and actively participating in the course forums. Certificates will be available, online, for those who qualify after the course finishes.

IT requirements

This course is delivered online; to participate you must to be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

Fees

Home/EU Fee: £280.00
Non-EU Fee: £300.00
Take this course for CATS points: £10.00

Tutor

Mr Istvan Musza

Istvan has an MA in philosophy and political philosophy. He has spent some time in Oxford, Jesus College where he joined this thrilling online project. His favorite areas in philosophy are moral and political philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology and he is a big science fiction fan.

Course aims

The aim of the course is to introduce students to central topics in philosophy. The objectives are to promote interest in philosophy, to develop an understanding of the nature of philosophical questions, and of ways in which these can be answered.

Teaching methods

  • Guided reading of texts
  • Group discussions of particular issues
  • Questions to be answered in personal folders
  • Debating from positions given rather than from personal belief (to hone skills of debate)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

  • Understand the nature of philosophical problems.
  • Understand the different ways of responding to these problems, be able to differentiate between them, and to evaluate them.
  • Grasp philosophical concepts and terms and reason philosophically.
  • Interpret and analyse a philosophical text.
  • Participate in philosophical debates.

Assessment methods

Assessment for this course is based on two written assignments - one short assignment of 500 words due half way through the course and one longer assignment of 1500 words due at the end of the course.

Assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.

Application

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an application form.

Level and demands

FHEQ level 4, 10 weeks, approx 10 hours per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.