PHI1011 Introduction to Philosophy

This course introduces students to the aims, methods, ideas, and problems that have informed dominant Western philosophical traditions through an engagement with the thought of some of their foundational practitioners. The course offers a historical survey of major philosophers and philosophical movements, situating them within their historical and intellectual contexts. The survey will begin with the philosophy of ancient Greece, move through the medieval period, and conclude with a brief consideration of contemporary philosophical developments. The chronological approach to the materials will be guided by a concern with understanding the problems and questions that have informed and motivated these philosophical traditions. Students will be encouraged to articulate, analyze, and compare their own beliefs and philosophical commitments with the diverse perspectives explored in the course, and to relate these perspectives to the world beyond the classroom. Credits: 3.000