Philosophy: The Basics

a 6-session introductory course led by Nigel Warburton

Books by Nigel Warburton

  • Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Basics

    Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Basics

  • Nigel Warburton: A Little History of Philosophy

    Nigel Warburton: A Little History of Philosophy

  • Nigel Warburton: Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

    Nigel Warburton: Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

  • Nigel Warburton: The Basics of Essay Writing

    Nigel Warburton: The Basics of Essay Writing

  • Nigel Warburton: Thinking from A to Z

    Nigel Warburton: Thinking from A to Z

  • Nigel Warburton: Erno Goldfinger: The Life of an Architect

    Nigel Warburton: Erno Goldfinger: The Life of an Architect

  • Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Essential Study Guide

    Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Essential Study Guide

  • Nigel Warburton: The Art Question

    Nigel Warburton: The Art Question

  • Nigel Warburton: Freedom: An Introduction with Readings

    Nigel Warburton: Freedom: An Introduction with Readings

  • Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Classics

    Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: The Classics

Books I've edited

  • Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: Basic Readings

    Nigel Warburton: Philosophy: Basic Readings

  • Bill Brandt: Bill Brandt: Selected Texts and Bibliography: Vol 5 (World Photographer's Reference)
  • Nigel Warburton: Reading Political Philosophy: Machiavelli to Mill

    Nigel Warburton: Reading Political Philosophy: Machiavelli to Mill

  • David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton:
  • David Edmonds: Philosophy Bites

    David Edmonds: Philosophy Bites

  • Edmonds & Warburton: Philosophy Bites Back

    Edmonds & Warburton: Philosophy Bites Back

Philosophy: the Basics course from March 11th 2014, Central London

A six-session introductory course in Philosophy led by Nigel Warburton

maximum class size 40

teaching style: a mixture of lectures and discussion

No prior knowledge of philosophy assumed

For further details of the content, see this Course Outline and Suggested Reading

115 New Cavendish Street
London W1W 6UW

a short walk from Oxford Circus, Great Portland Street, Goodge Street, and Warrent Street Tube stations.

(NB Although this is a University of Westminster campus, this course is entirely independent of the University)

This course runs on 6 Tuesday evenings from 11th March, 18th March, (NB no meeting 25th March), 1st April, 8th April, 15th April, 22nd April.

The course will run from 6.15 p.m. - 7.45 p.m. 

A second sitting of the same course will run from 8 p.m. - 9.30 p.m. in the same venue on the same days. Please be sure to indicate which sitting of the course you intend to come to.

NB There are now no more places available for the  earlier Philosophy: The Basics course at Conway Hall.

The price for the 6-session course is £100 payable in advance via Paypal using the buttons below.  (consessions - full time students and unemployed - £80 use drop down menu on Paypal button)

Book now for Philosophy: The Basics course  at 115 Cavendish Street, 6.15pm start, first session 11th March 2014: 

Full Price/Concession

Book now for Philosophy: the Basics course at 115 Cavendish Street,  8pm start, first session 11th March 2014:

Price/Concession

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Topics Covered in the Course

Week 1

What is Philosophy?

God Design and Evil

David Hume's Critique of the Argument from Design

 

Week 2

Three types of Ethical Theory

Aristotle's Virtue Ethics

Kant's Deontological Theory

J.S. Mill's Utilitarianism

 

Week Three

Practical Ethics

Sacrificing one to save many - The Trolley Problem

Peter Singer and the Life You Can Save

 

Week Four

Mind and Body

Descartes' Dualism

John Searle's Chinese Room Thought Experiment

 

Week Five

Science

Karl Popper's Falsificationism

Thomas Kuhn on Scientific Revolutions

 

Week Six

Art

Plato on Censorship

The Aesthetic Status of Forgeries

 

 

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Background Reading

There is no compulsory reading for this course. You might find some of the books below useful. 

Thomas Nagel What Does It All Mean? (Oxford University Press)

Nigel Warburton Philosophy: The Basics 5th edn (Routledge)

Nigel Warburton A Little History of Philosophy (Yale University Press)

Julian Baggini The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten, and 99 Other Thought Experiments (Granta)

Stephen Law The Philosophy Gym (Headline)

David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton (ed) Philosophy Bites (Oxford University Press)

David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton (eds) Philosophy Bites Back (Oxford University Press).

For more detailed suggestions about introductory reading in Philosophy, see this interview for Five Books

 

 

 

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