Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of the most fundamental aspects of reality and value. Every area of inquiry and endeavour—from art and history through politics and economics to biology and mathematics—generates philosophical issues about our world and our place in it. Philosophers debate the meaning of life and the meaning of adverbs, the analysis of Divine foreknowledge and the analysis of colour, the nature of mathematics and the nature of terrorism.

Work in philosophy involves the creative, critical task of constructing, clarifying and comparing ideas. We dig into the fundamental assumptions beneath our everyday views, to see how they hang together, how they can be improved, or how we might have reason to prefer one over another. We learn to take conflicting views seriously, to clarify imprecise concepts, and to synthesize new positions.

You learn both traditional and contemporary approaches to individual topics in Philosophy. In tutorials and written work you practice the important skill of advancing cogent and informed arguments of your own.

Students go on to apply their philosophical skills in a wide range of different careers where creative and analytic thinking is useful, such as law, education, analysis, advocacy and policy development.

See course objectives

Major

A Major in Philosophy consists of eight 12.5-point subjects, totalling 100 points:

Level 1 (25 points)

• One Arts Foundation Subject, Reason (MULT10016) is recommended but not required

and one of:

• Philosophy: The Great Thinkers
• Philosophy: The Big Questions

Level 2 (37.5 points)

• Three level 2 subjects

Level 3 (37.5 points)

• Two level 3 subjects
• The compulsory capstone subject The Philosophy of Philosophy

Total 100 points

Minor

A Minor in Philosophy consists of six 12-point subjects, totalling 75 points.

Level 1 (25 points)

• One Arts Foundation Subject, Reason (MULT10016) is recommended but not required

and one of:

• Philosophy: The Great Thinkers
• Philosophy: The Big Questions

Level 2/3 (50 points)

• Two level 2 subjects
• Two Level 3 subjects

Note: The capstone subject is not available in the minor.

Philosophy: Level 1 subjects

Level 2

37.5 points from the following:

Level 3

25 points from the following as well as the Capstone subject 161-310 The Philosophy of Philosophy:

Capstone

Other Electives

Students can also credit one of the following 3 elective subjects towards a Major in Philosophy