To study philosophy is to grapple with questions that have occupied humankind for millennia, following in the footsteps of the greatest thinkers who have ever lived. Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. The subject considers a range of theories and responses to the big existential questions in life and examines how philosophers have attempted to answer to them. Philosophy is an appropriate choice if you are naturally inquisitive and want to explore the answers to the greatest questions in life; why are we here? are we free? who are we? What will I learn? The following modules will be followed on this course: Epistemology This is the Study of Knowledge. You will question what it means to actually know something and how it is possible to gain knowledge. We will consider the importance of certainty and whether we can trust our senses. When we look at the world, do we perceive things as they truly are? Finally we will consider the rationalist perspective of whether it is possible to gain knowledge through reason rather than experience. Moral Philosophy This is the branch of Philosophy concerned with what is right and what is wrong. You will look at a range of theories which try to provide a model for decision making and how we can apply these to ethical dilemmas such as stealing, lying and eating animals. We will also examine the language we use and what is means when we say something is right or wrong. Are some actions universally wrong or are we just expressing our views? Metaphysics of God This is also known as the Philosophy of Religion. In this module we consider whether is it possible to prove or disprove the existence of God through philosophical argument. We will look at evidence in the world of a designer and question whether it is possible for something to exist without a cause. You will also examine the responses to one of the biggest challenges facing theists; does the existence of evil and suffering in the world prove that God does not exist? Metaphysics of Mind In this unit we question what is the mind and whether it is separate to the body. Humans appear to be more than just physical bodies, we have consciousness, but asking what this actually is much trickier than asking what the body is. If we lose parts of our physical body, we don’t seem to cease to be the person we were, so what is the relationship between the mind and the body- are they separate? These discussions of metaphysics will often descend into a discussion of the ultimate nature of reality. You will develop: • knowledge and understanding of Philosophy by exploring a range of philosophical problems. • the ability to critically analysis philosophical perspectives. • the ability to develop independent thinking. • the ability to articulate coherent arguments. • an appreciation of different viewpoints. • the ability to evaluate the reasoning of others. • Strong interpretive and analytical skills that will allow you to communicate in a clear and powerful way. What could this course lead to? The study of Philosophy develops skills that are applicable to the study of many other subjects: • Students could go on to study Philosophy or Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), English, Religious Studies or Theology Philosophy is a widely respected subject and a qualification can lead to careers in a range of jobs as the skills are very transferable: Journalism, Politics, Law or Education to name just a few.