Philosophy courses teach students ways of thinking about the world around them. It doesn t provide answers to the big questions concerning things such as nature, reality, knowledge, existence, ethics or aesthetics. Instead, it offers ways and means of investigating and responding to these areas through analysis and critical reflection. It allows us to properly examine and critique how our thoughts and ideas are formed, developed and manifested in everything from economics to healthcare to art. It promotes reflection over repetition and rewards originality more than it does obviousness.
What does philosophy involve
Most part-time philosophy courses will begin at the home of Western thought Ancient Greece. Students can expect to be given an overview of the extensive subject matter covered by the likes of Thales, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, who discoursed on topics as varied as cosmology, ethics, law, logic, mathematics, politics, ethics, poetry and the head-spinningly abstract world of metaphysics.
Once students have grasped some of the core principles, most courses will then spend time tracing their dispersion, evolution and quite often fragmentation as they move through different historical eras, contexts and influences. This opens up the possibility to extend the discussion to include areas such as art, science, technology, literature and the modern media.
While the study of philosophy in the west has traditionally been concerned with the genesis of Western thought, the origins and influence of Eastern philosophy have also been given serious consideration here for some time. A number of courses include Eastern intellectual traditions on their content.
Why do it
Modern living is often incompatible with reflection and consideration. With attentions divided between things we deem to be of high importance (family, career, current affairs) and those of lesser import (social media updates, celebrity gossip, etc. ), achieving a deeper level of thought is rarely possible.
Undertaking a part-time course in philosophy allows you to redress the balance and spend time looking at some of the crucial ideas that have helped shape the world. Indeed, this is just as relevant in the modern era as it has ever been. Though industry-specific training is now widely promoted by various members of the government, academy and media, philosophy retains an actively influential place in education, as has been acknowledged by the President s announcement of an Ethics Initiative in 2014 a project that aims to integrate ethics into economic thinking. After all, the market does not exist by itself; it is informed by social, cultural and ethical considerations too.
What comes next
Like many humanities-based subjects, philosophy lends itself incredibly to myriad areas, however seemingly unrelated. In other words, it can be applied to any field of study or endeavour whether it s childcare provision or data storage.
Those with a real passion or aptitude for the subject may also decide to pursue their studies by enrolling on a degree course.
At a glance
Ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and ontology comprise some of the central concerns of Western philosophy.
Certificate courses in philosophy run for one year.Short-term and introductory philosophy courses typically run for 8 to 10 weeks.
