Chris Michel
Student spotlight details
OUDCE's online courses inspired Chris to further his academic interests in philosophy.
‘Prior to discovering Philosophy courses at the Department for Continuing Education, I had earned an MSc degree in Systems and Control Engineering in Germany and was working full time as an executive all over Europe. I had the first encounter with philosophy in high school. There was something fascinating about those most fundamental questions that philosophy tries to tackle. On the other hand, I did not think at that time that philosophy is something to pursue for a living; this early interest fell then practically into oblivion.
‘One day I read an article in the German weekly newspaper “Zeit.” A journalist participated in the OUDCE ‘Philosophy of Mind’ online course and shared his experience. It sounded like a lot of fun. I immediately wanted to try it myself. An online short course was ideal due to the flexibility needed if you have a full-time job and a family. I took ‘Introduction to Philosophy’ and the course was great. Over time, I took six further online courses (‘Theory of Knowledge’, ‘Introduction to Metaphysics’, ‘Philosophy of Science’, ‘Philosophy of Mind', ‘Bioethics for Beginners’, ‘Introduction to Ethics’).
‘I also tried later a philosophy weekend at Rewley House (‘The Philosophy of Willard Van Orman Quine’). I came all the way from Spain to Oxford for the first time. It was again a great experience. I appreciated the high-quality lectures from world-renowned philosophers and the possibility to discuss and chat with them and with other course participants during the tea breaks, lunch, and dinner. I took three other weekend courses (‘Wittgenstein`s Philosophy of Mind’; ‘Meaning and Mind: Talks on the Philosophy of Language’; ‘Artificial Intelligence’). In November, I will attend again for a weekend in Oxford for the ‘Truth and Relativism’ weekend by Prof. Timothy Williamson and Prof. Maria Baghramian.
‘The most challenging aspect of the online course was the first time I had to write a philosophy essay, in English, which is not my native language. I discovered that ‘analytical philosophy’ was quite different from the philosophy I got to know in Germany at high-school times. What really counts in the (mostly Anglo-Saxon) analytical tradition is logic, sound argumentation and critical thinking. I found that challenging, but analytical philosophy resonated a lot with me, more than continental philosophy.
‘In all the online courses we had a lot of lively discussion on the online forum. The course tutors were very responsive to comments and questions. So despite the remoteness, there was a lot of interaction. I found it most rewarding to be able to produce little pieces of philosophy in the form of short essays and get feedback on it from the course tutor.
‘The nice thing about the online courses and the weekends is that they cover a broad range of philosophical disciplines and topics. By taking a range of them I could explore what topics I would find most gripping.
‘The experience with the online courses and weekends sparked my determination to go further and embark on a BA degree in Philosophy by distance and part–time (with the University of London). After finishing the BA, I continued with a program to earn an MSc in Epistemology, Ethics and Mind (with the University of Edinburgh).
‘I also joined the OUDCE Philosophical Society, a community of enthusiastic amateur philosophers supporting anyone with interest in philosophy. It offers a lot of activities for local and international members, ranging from running an annual journal and a discussion forum, organizing annual member weekends (where members give talks) or ‘away-day’ events and running two essay prizes. I am in charge of supporting international members and have organized an annual members’ weekend in Oxford and, now in November, the first international weekend in Madrid.
‘I wholeheartedly recommend trying an online philosophy course. I was very impressed with the online learning tool and the quality of the tutors, the material, and the participants. The online mode works well and is ideal for those who are very busy for personal or professional reasons. And you can participate from anywhere in the world! I also recommend trying a philosophy weekend at Rewley House. If you are not from Oxford, you can combine it nicely with a visit to this lovely city.’
