PHILSPHY06 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. Students 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.

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

Several philosophy units are offered in flexible mode. These units are scheduled with no class commitments and include an on-campus exam. Some flexible mode units are also available in summer. There is a tutorial support available through the Moodle site and email. The intention is that the off-campus program should make philosophy units available to students whose work or other commitments make it difficult for them to attend regular classes on-campus.