PHIL 103
Philosophy and Critical Thinking
Course overview
You’ll be on the path to more knowledge by understanding what the fundamental nature of knowledge is, looking at critical thinking and argument, scepticism and the nature of the mind.
Course information
| Prerequisites and Restrictions | You must satisfy the following requirement(s):
|
|---|---|
| Available semesters | Semester 2 2024 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Domestic fees | $794.00 |
What you will learn
After successfully completing this course, you’ll be able to:
- Describe Socrates’ contributions to philosophy, including his role in the critique and conscience of self and society.
- Evaluate the sceptical challenge posed by Rene Descartes to a dogmatic view of human knowledge.
- Explain the basics of epistemology, and how ideas on the relationship between a perceiving subject and the world can affect the possibility of certain knowledge.
- Recognise the problem of mind body interaction, and how different theories of the mind seek to avoid this problem; evaluate whether or not they do in fact avoid the problem.
- Describe how universal causation threatens the prospects for genuinely free will, and the range of responses that have been made to this problem.
- Identify, construct, analyse and criticise arguments.
- Produce clear and reasoned writing on a philosophical topic.
Course examiners
Dr Grant Tavinor
Senior Lecturer
Department of Tourism, Sport and Society
grant.tavinor@lincoln.ac.nz