Philosophy - 2008

Philosophical Issues and Great Ideas in Philosophy or Science, Philosophy and History

Introduction

Philosophy is a controversial subject which deals with the most fundamental aspects of reality and value. Every area of inquiry and endeavour - from physics and mathematics through to art and history - generates philosophical problems. Philosophers will debate the meaning of life and the meaning of adverbs, the analysis of Divine foreknowledge and the analysis of colour, the nature of mathematics and the ethics of nuclear deterrence. Hardly any philosophical question has a "correct" answer agreed on by all the qualified experts, but this does not mean that in philosophy anything goes. There are some very good answers as well as some quite incompetent ones, and many in between.

Career Opportunities

Arts degrees usually require some supplementary training in preparation for non-academic employment, but philosophical training provides an excellent base for many careers. Employers in many fields do value philosophical skills. Some graduates go on to advanced study and teach in universities; some teach secondary students at VCE level; some teach philosophical skills to younger students in philosophy for children programs or in various informal ways at school or home.

VCE Prerequisites

There are no prerequisite studies. Students must achieve an A/A+ average in essay writing subjects and a B+ average across all other subjects.

Teaching Location

All classes are taught at the University of Melbourne.

Contact Hours

• Total class hours per week: 3
• Total days per week: 2

Credit Arrangements

Please read section on Credit Policy for further information.

Subject Descriptions

One subject each semester must be successfully completed in order to obtain the ENTER increment.

Semester 1

161-108 Philosophical Issues

Semester 2

161-111 Great Ideas in Philosophy

or

136-105 Science, Philosophy and History

More Information

Enquiries
Tel: 8344 5142

School of Philosophy
Old Quad Building
The University of Melbourne VIC 3010

Web: www.philosophy.unimelb.edu.au