Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.

This introductory philosophy course provides an understanding of the history of philosophy and the major contribution it has made to areas of thought such as political theory, ethics, aesthetics and the sciences. It encourages the development of critical thinking and the use of informal logic techniques as you explore some of history’s great thinkers and philosophers including the Greek pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Kant, Nietzsche and Foucault.

Come along, extend your intellectual horizons and find out why this introductory course creates a loyal following for our philosophy program.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• discuss the main features of the idea of philosophy, its history and significance
• discuss the individual thinkers in the course, and their contribution to the development of philosophy, politics and psychology
• compare the implications of the history of philosophy with our contemporary world view
• use the insights of the course to deepen your knowledge of yourself and your life issues
• apply some of the ideas to personal decision-making mechanisms.

Content

Introduction to philosophy

We commence with an overview of the course content and then consider the question: What is philosophy?

Greek philosophy

How did Greek philosophy begin? We consider this question through an analysis of th