Philosophy (with Foundation Year)

Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Philosophical Voices

  Through Philosophy, you’ll address fundamental questions about ourselves and our place in the world. However, much of English-speaking philosophy has been dominated by a narrow range of voices - in particular, the voices of white, male professional philosophers.

  In this module, explore the question of which voices should we engage with when we philosophise? You’ll examine the potential contributions to philosophical discussion of;

  • Women and feminist voices
  • The non-academic community
  • Scientists
  • Philosophers working in the continental European tradition, like Husserl, Heidgger and Merleau-Ponty

  In small group settings, you’ll explore and discuss topics like the challenge of experimental philosophy, the discussion of sex and gender, the role of Philosophical Misogyny and when can science take over from philosophy.

  Will listening to these voices serve to enrich philosophy or change its direction?

• Reason and Argument

  In this module, you’ll accelerate your career and gain the key tools to succeed in your Philosophy degree. You’ll unlock your potential for excellence, as you gain knowledge of:

  • basic philosophical concepts
  • how to read philosophy
  • how to identify a philosophical question.

  You’ll also gain the knowledge to construct and evaluate a philosophical argument using logical reasoning. These are critical and analytical skills which are vital for work.

• Ethics

  What makes an action good or bad? Are morals absolute, or is morality just a matter of social convention? Can we judge members of a different society through our own moral rules?  

  In this module, you’ll explore the views of the great thinkers of the past, such as Aristotle, Kant and Mill. You’ll reflect on what their theories mean for questions such as whether we should give to beggars on the streets of Oxford, or if we should do more for refugees. 

• Human Nature

  What does it mean to be human? Are humans the same as other animals? How do race and gender relate to human nature? In this module, you’ll explore some of the biggest questions facing humanity, and join philosophers throughout the ages in exploring human nature. You’ll gain core critical skills as you debate how best to study our nature. You’ll ask whether, if we’re products of evolution, human nature even exists. You’ll develop excellent analytical skills as you explore these ideas through cutting-edge work in philosophy, as well as:

  • feminist theory
  • cognitive science
  • evolutionary biology.

• Theory of Knowledge

  What does it mean to know something? Is knowledge different from mere belief? And is knowledge actually possible?

  In this module, you’ll get to know the great thinkers of the past, and explore what they say about knowledge. You’ll explore the minds of:

  • Plato 
  • Descartes
  • Hume
  • Locke
  • Berkeley.

  You also focus on key debates about knowledge today. You’ll gain fantastic analytical skills as you consider:

  • the meaning of perception 
  • if we can know something through hearsay 
  • if we can know the world beyond our minds 
  • if there can be a scientific account of knowledge.

Optional modules

• Eastern Religious Philosophies

  What can philosophies and religions teach us about being human? In this module, you’ll immerse yourself in key themes of Eastern religions, including the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. You’ll gain a core understanding of the philosophical foundations of different religious traditions. 

• Political Philosophy

  How is political opinion, authority and democracy shaped and influenced? In this module, you’ll explore foundational issues in political philosophy through exploring the main political ideologies.
  
  You’ll start your journey with Liberalism as the default position in the West since the English, American and French Revolutions. Your focus then shifts to the ideologies that arose in response to Liberalism, including; 

  • Conservatism
  • Communism
  • Fascism
  • Communitarianism
  • Anarchism
  • and Feminism. 

  You’ll also consider questions linked to the theory of knowledge, such as can any ideology be rationally justified?

• Origins of the Climate Crisis: A Global History of the Environment

  Sustainability, climate change, conservation: these are pressing contemporary issues with a rich and compelling history. This module will introduce you to the ways in which climate and the environment have changed over the past 6 centuries. 
  
  Explore responses and impacts from cultures and countries across the globe, from the 15th and 16th centuries, through to the present climate emergency.
  
  Investigate environmental changes and how they were contested and experienced at communal, national and international levels. You'll think about the political, economic, social and cultural contexts of resource management, energy use and food production and consider future policy solutions.
  
  You’ll engage with a wide variety of historical sources which we can use to understand environmental history, including:

  • demographic sources
  • institutional records
  • visual sources such as maps and plans.

  You'll gain digital history skills, through the digital mapping technology you'll use on the course.

• Foundations of Social Theory

  In this module, you’ll explore the key themes of social theory. You’ll investigate the works of  influential sociological theorists, including Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. And you'll investigate how their work has shaped sociology and its different traditions. 

  You'll immerse yourself in current debates, developments and approaches to social theory. And you'll explore how these affect our social relations today. 

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Myth to Philosophy

  Meet the two greatest philosophers of ancient Greece, Plato and Aristotle. You’ll explore the key themes in Plato’s Republic and Artistotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, uncovering vital ethical and political issues. You’ll understand why these fascinating texts have influenced the history of philosophy. 

• Early Modern Philosophy

  Does anything exist outside our minds? Are our thoughts just a product of our senses? In this module, you’ll get to grips with early modern philosophy, and its core texts and ideas. In part 1, you’ll dive into Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy, and gain core analytical skills as you examine his attempts to provide a firm basis for knowledge. In part 2, you’ll dig into Hume’s Treatise on Human Nature and his Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, examining his attempts to construct a theory of the workings of the human mind. You’ll also explore the Immanual Kant’s views of space and time as developed in his book The Critique of Pure Reason. 

• Ethics for the 21st Century

  You'll explore recent social and technological developments such as:  

  • globalisation
  • social media and the internet
  • medical and scientific advances
  • mass migration.

  Looking at the new ethical challenges they present that are prominent in public debate and a source of conflict and division in society. You'll analyze some of these ethical issues from a philosophical perspective.

  You'll consider whether corporations have moral responsibilities and what is the best way to combat racism? Also how are epistemic vices such as close-mindedness, intellectual arrogance and dogmatism fostered by the prevalence of conspiracy theories, fake news, and testimonial injustice?

  Are we right to assume that democracy is the only morally-defensible way to govern a country? Can technology and science help us to improve ourselves?

Optional modules

• Language and Reality

  How did language - the centre of our culture, family ties and business transactions -  develop? In this module, you’ll get to grips with fascinating debates around language, and why philosophers have been so drawn to it throughout history. You’ll gain core critical skills, as you consider questions around: 

  • what language is 
  • whether we can study it scientifically
  • the relationship between language and thought. 

• Philosophy of Science

  In this module, you’ll discover science, and its role in our society. You’ll get to grips with the main philosophical questions around scientific knowledge, and the methods we use to explore it. You’ll gain core critical skills as you consider classic philosophy of science topics, and investigate some new ideas. You’ll debate topics such as:

  • do the entities postulated by scientists really exist?
  • can scientific theories be falsified by observation?
  • is theoretical change in science a rational process?
  • how much of the biological world can be explained by appeal to natural selection?
  • what is the measurement problem in quantum mechanics?

• Philosophy of Happiness and Wellbeing

  The concept of wellbeing is prominent in moral and political philosophy. Outside of philosophy ordinary people are increasingly becoming concerned with their wellbeing and in the political domain the maximisation of wellbeing is often a central goal of policy makers. This module examines philosophical issues concerning wellbeing: 

  • Is there such a thing as wellbeing and, if so, what exactly is it? 
  • How is wellbeing related to happiness and pleasure? 
  • Can wellbeing be objectively measured and aggregated? 
  • How have modern social and technological developments impacted on our wellbeing? 
  • Can events that take place after our death contribute to our wellbeing?

• Philosophy as a Way of Life

  What’s the difference between a philosopher and a doctor? In this module, you’ll explore the ancient Greek view that philosophers heal the soul, just as physicians heal the body. You’ll gain a strong knowledge of ancient philosophical thought, as you trace this thinking in the works of Aristotle, the Epicureans, the Stoics and the Sceptics and explore their views on such issues as:

  • does anger have a positive role to play in our lives or would we be better off without it?
  • Is death something to be feared?
  • what is the role of love in human life?
  • what are the benefits of a life of scepticism?

• Continental Philosophy of Religion

  In this module, you’ll investigate the philosophy of religion, and how it was shaped by key thinkers in the Continental European tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. You’ll gain valuable critical skills to succeed in your degree, as you critique the concept of God, and explore Feuerbach’s idea that God is nothing more than an expression of human nature and needs. 

  We will consider the claims of Nietzsche that God is dead, of Marx that religion is an opiate for human suffering, and of Freud that religion is no more than a set of illusions, vain attempts to deal with the suffering of life. We will see that, from such an unpromising start, creative perspectives on what religion really involves emerge. You’ll also explore different responses to debates about God and religion.

• Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art

  What is art? What makes something beautiful? How does emotion, imagination and knowledge contribute to our understanding and appreciation of artworks?

  In this module, explore these questions through aesthetics and philosophical reflection on art through interactive lectures and a visit to one of Oxford’s renowned museums or galleries.

  You’ll engage with philosophical issues concerning various forms of art;

  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Cinema
  • Graffiti
  • Music
  • literature 
  • and environmental art.

  You will also consider the political and sociological dimensions of such art forms.

• Philosophy of Law

  In this module, you’ll be introduced to the basic issues in the philosophy of law. Explore questions such as ‘what is the social function of a legal system?’ through the sociological context of legal systems, as well as the different types of Western and non-Western legal systems

  You’ll examine theories of punishment and their philosophical presumptions, as well as considering topics including;

  • Legal positivism
  • Legal realism
  • Natural law theory
  • Critical legal theory.

Optional Year Abroad

Optional modules

• Year Abroad

  This module offers the opportunity to study abroad, experience a new culture, and apply your skills in different contexts to enhance your employability. It will help you develop self-management, cross-cultural communication, and interpersonal skills.

  You’ll receive support to secure a place at a partner institution abroad, where you can choose modules related to your degree or explore new areas that complement your studies.

  Studying at an international university will help you enhance your interpersonal skills through cross-cultural communication with students and tutors, allowing you to build lasting relationships. You'll also improve your study skills by focusing on your chosen areas of interest, gaining valuable international experience that will strengthen your CV.

  This year abroad module lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of study, once you’ve completed all your level 5 studies. Your year abroad is not credit-bearing.

Final Year

Compulsory modules

• Dissertation in Philosophy

  This module gives you the chance to do research on a topic that fascinates you. You’ll have the support of expert staff, as you critically analyse and present your research on a pressing philosophical issue. Whether you’re investigating the ethics of artificial intelligence, fake news or feminist philosophy, you’ll shape your dissertation around your passions, and gain the skills for a groundbreaking career. 

Optional modules

• Medieval Philosophy and the Roots of Modernity

  In this module, you’ll dive into medieval philosophy - an unfairly neglected period in western philosophy. You’ll explore the fascinating ideas of a wide range of medieval thinkers, whose work still influences philosophy today. You’ll also gain a strong knowledge of the historical gap between ancient Greek philosophy and today.

• The Moral Mind

  Do our morals come from society or ourselves? How does emotion affect our moral judgement? In this module, you’ll explore the moral behaviour of humans, and our ideas of right and wrong. You’ll analyse the parts of the brain which create our moral behaviour and evaluation. You’ll also look at research on the philosophy of the mind, moral philosophy and cognitive science. And you’ll explore issues such as:

  • what motivates our moral behaviour
  • how morals evolved
  • how we develop moral beliefs.

• Environmental Philosophy

  In this module, you’ll address our relationship to the environment and the climate crisis. You’ll explore questions like;

  • Is environmental activism justified?
  • What is the difference between local and global activism? 
  • What are the methodological challenges for climate science?
  • What drives climate change scepticism or denialism? 

  You’ll also consider Veganism, and the relation between our aesthetic appreciation of nature and environmental concerns.

  The module also moves beyond the western perspective and considers Buddhist and various indigenous attitudes to the environment and our place within it.

• Moral Vision

  This module explores central topics in metaethics, the philosophical study of the nature of morality and moral judgment. You will explore such issues as:

  • are there objective moral facts?
  • when we make a moral judgment are we making a factual claim or merely expressing our emotions or preferences?
  • is morality culturally relative?
  • how do our moral judgments motivate our actions.

• Thought and Consciousness

  In this module, you’ll get to know one of the liveliest areas of current research: contemporary philosophy of mind. You will explore issues such as:

  • What is the relationship between the mind and the brain?
  • How are our thoughts capable of being about phenomena that exist outside of the mind?
  • Where is the mind located? Is it in our skulls or does it stretch beyond the outer surfaces of our bodies?
  • Is consciousness a mystery or can it be explained from a scientific perspective?

• Paradoxes

  A paradox involves a contradiction, or a tension. In some cases the contradiction is a logical one, and in others it is of some other kind.

  These tensions, and resolving them, are the point of departure for all kinds of philosophically interesting topics;

  • infinity (Zeno’s paradoxes)
  • rationality (Newcomb’s problem)
  • co-operation (the Prisoner’s dilemma)
  • time travel (the Grandfather paradox)
  • the nature of the world described by physics (the Twins paradox; Schrodinger’s cat)
  • the foundations of mathematics (Russell’s paradox)
  • the nature of truth and logic (the Liar, sorites, pseudo-Scotus and Curry’s paradoxes)

  In this module, you’ll survey some of the most philosophically interesting paradoxes; for your own intrinsic interest, for the light that they shed on their respective philosophical topics, and as a fun application of philosophical methods and analysis.

• Buddhist Philosophy

  Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions with approximately 400 million followers. It is a deeply philosophical religion that portrays human suffering as being based on a metaphysical delusion about the nature and existence of the self. 

  In this module, you’ll explore the central philosophical themes in Buddhist thought beginning with the account of the teachings of the Buddha in the Abhidharma. You’ll then examine philosophical work in the later Madhyamaka, Yogacara and Dignaga and  Dharmakirti schools. 

  You’ll go on to investigate how Buddhist philosophy relates to contemporary Western concerns and can enrich our philosophical outlook and help us deal with the challenges of everyday life.

• Thinking in Dark Times

  Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why do so many bad things happen? And can philosophy combat evil? In this module, you’ll dive into the problem of evil, and the philosophical ideas which underpin it. You’ll look at how philosophers have responded to dark events throughout history, and consider the social contexts of their ideas.

  We move on from this to what is, perhaps, a more interesting and important question: how do we live when confronted with dark times? How might we act in such ways as to cultivate the good and to ensure that wickedness cannot flourish?

• Independent Study Module

  In this module, you’ll gain excellent skills for work and your degree. You’ll work independently on projects that fascinate you, with the support of our leading Philosophy academics. You’ll build on your knowledge of philosophy, and hone your ability to manage your projects and time successfully. Whether you’re focusing on eastern philosophy, the nature of the self or existentialism, you’ll shape your project around your passions and gain the skills for a fantastic career.