Introduction to Philosophy, knowing and doing, problems and possibilities

Introduction to Philosophy, knowing and doing, problems and possibilities

with Matt Lee

Tuesday evenings 7-9.30pm on 8, 15, 22 and 29 May 2018

Learning Resource Centre at the City Clean Depot, Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton BN1 7GA (entrance gates opposite Roedale Road. The learning centre is on the right just inside the main gates).

This 4-week module aims to introduce the student to some of the central difficulties in ‘epistemology’ (knowing) and ‘ethics’ (doing) and presents a range of ways that philosophers have suggested such problems might be addressed.

We will look at what a ‘knowledge claim’ is, ask what the difference is between ‘knowledge’ and ‘opinion’, investigate how we might decide what the right thing to do is and ask why people seem to act against their own interests. Why is it that knowing what is right often doesn’t make people actually behave any differently? Where and how does knowledge make any difference to the actions we perform?

Students will learn basic tools for the critical analysis of epistemic and ethical claims. They will have a basic overview of key philosophical approaches to problems of knowledge and action and will have a basic understanding of the practices of rational argument.

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