PHILSPHY05 Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of fundamental ideas about the world we live in. It questions the nature of our world, asks what would constitute a good life in such a world, and asks what could be done to make it better. You will be introduced to areas central to philosophy including:

• Metaphysics - the study of what sorts of things exist in the world, and how they are related: for instance, whether there is a mind or soul and if so, how it is related to the body.
• Epistemology - the study of what constitutes knowledge of the world, and of what methods can be used to obtain it.
• Ethics and aesthetics - what is the nature of the good and the beautiful, and how may such value judgements be justified.
• Political philosophy - the principles that underlie the structure of a just society.
• Philosophy of language - the notions of meaning, truth and linguistic understanding.
• Philosophy of mind - the relationship between consciousness and physical reality.
• Logic - the theory of reasoning. Logicians study what makes for a good argument or inference, and try to identify underlying structural features of argumentation.

The philosophy major includes a wide range of electives, covering all of the above areas.

Philosophy provides skills in reasoning and argument that are applicable in a wide variety of professions, as well as the opportunity to engage in a reflective appraisal of our place in the universe.

Availability
Philosophy is listed in A2000 Bachelor of Arts at Caulfield and Clayton as a major and a minor, and in A0502 Diploma of Liberal Arts at Caulfield and Clayton as a major.

Off campus study

Flexible delivery is available for several Philosophy Units.  These units are available across several semesters including summer semester. This means that classes can be taken remotely with optional on-campus activities.