Philosophy
Applicants: Undergraduates
What is Philosophy?
Philosophical questions are usually those that seem to elude other forms of study, e.g.
- Should we punish wrong-doing, and if so why?
- What is the mind?
- Do we have free will?, or are our actions determined by the jiggling of atoms and molecules within our brains, and hence not our responsibility?
- What on earth do we mean by 'responsibility' in the first place?
It is the approach to these questions as much the questions themselves that characterises philosophical inquiry. Whatever answer is proposed, it must be backed up by careful argument.
The study of philosophy is in part the study of philosophical writings produced over many centuries. It requires one to think critically about these writings and to expose one's own ideas and arguments to criticism. The end result is not necessarily certainty about the answers to questions, but a deeper appreciation of the issues at hand.
Click below to see some philosophy: