Offered By	ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Areas of Interest	Philosophy

Philosophy is an investigation into fundamental matters of human concern. It is at the same time an investigation into problems basic to all the various special disciplines pursued in a university. It is not normally taught outside universities, and for this reason there are no special prerequisites for admission to a philosophy course.

Courses are grouped into analytical, continental, and moral and political traditions and it is recommended that students complete their major within a tradition, though they are free to choose any combination of philosophy courses to complete their major. 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Due to structural changes in the undergraduate program rules in 2012, the courses that make up the new 2012 majors may be different to the pre-2012 majors, and therefore some courses cannot be counted between majors.  Students are advised to contact the CASS Student Office if they are unsure about their Majors.

 

Learning outcomes

Students who complete this major will have the skills and knowledge to:

• closely analyse and critique arguments in a wide variety of fields and contexts, which may include using formal logic.
• develop cogent arguments and presentations, including engaging with detailed criticism of their ideas.
• apply complex abstract ideas to real-world phenomena in a wide variety of fields and contexts.
• recognise implicit epistemological and ontological assumptions in social, political, scientific, moral, and cultural arguments and positions, and relate them to contesting ideas and real-world scenarios.
• describe western philosophical traditions and their history.

Requirements

This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:

 

A maximum of 12 units from the completion of 1000 level courses from the following list:

MATH1042 - Philosophy of the Cosmos (6 units)

PHIL1004 - Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction (6 units)

PHIL1005 - Critical Thinking and Practical Reasoning (6 units)

PHIL1007 - Philosophy, Society, Humanity Later Year (6 units)

 

A minimum of 36 units from completion of any courses from the following lists:

 

Analytical philosophy

PHIL2016 - Philosophy of Language (6 units)

PHIL2020 - Theories of Social Justice (6 units)

PHIL2042 - Philosophy of the Cosmos (6 units)

PHIL2057 - Philosophy of Science (6 units)

PHIL2060 - Contemporary Metaphysics (6 units)

PHIL2061 - Philosophy of Psychology (6 units)

PHIL2064 - Theories of Ethics (6 units)

PHIL2074 - Modern Theories of Knowledge (6 units)

PHIL2080 – Logic (6 units)

PHIL2082 - Sex and Death: the Philosophy of Biology (6 units)

PHIL2094 - Themes from Wittgenstein (6 units)

PHIL2100 - Origins of Analytical Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL3070 - Reason, Critique and the Self: Kant and German Idealism (6 units)

PHIL3072 - Advanced Analytic Philosophy (6 units)

 

Continental philosophy

PHIL2059 - Love Death and Freedom (20th Century French Phenomenology) (6 units)

PHIL2064 - Theories of Ethics (6 units)

PHIL2087 - European Philosophy A (6 units)

PHIL2092 - Philosophy of The Enlightenment (6 units)

PHIL2097 - European Philosophy B (6 units)

PHIL2101 - Democracy, Difference and Desire (6 units)

PHIL2102 - Film as Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL2111 - Global Citizens (6 units)

PHIL2114 - Sustainability, System and Agency (6 units)

PHIL3070 - Reason, Critique and the Self: Kant and German Idealism (6 units)

PHIL3071 - Advanced Continental Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL3073 - Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy (6 units)

POLS2076 - Frankfurt School and Habermas (6 units)

 

Moral and political philosophy

ASIA2054 – Chinese Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL2020 - Theories of Social Justice (6 units)

PHIL2064 - Theories of Ethics (6 units)

PHIL2065 - Politics and Rights (6 units)

PHIL2082 - Sex and Death: the Philosophy of Biology (6 units)

PHIL2085 - Applied Ethics (6 units)

PHIL2092 - Philosophy of The Enlightenment (6 units)

PHIL2101 - Democracy, Difference and Desire (6 units)

PHIL2110 - Social Philosophy (6 units)

PHIL2111 - Global Citizens (6 units)

PHIL2113 - Global Justice (6 units)

PHIL2114 - Sustainability, System and Agency (6 units)

PHIL2115 - Political Philosophy from Hobbes to Mill (6 units)

PHIL3062 - Advanced Philosophical Topics A (6 units)

PHIL3063 - Advanced Philosophical Topics B (6 units)

PHIL3073 - Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy (6 units)

POLS2063 - Contemporary Political Theory (6 units)

POLS2076 - Frankfurt School and Habermas (6 units)

POLS2102 – Political Philosophy of Deception (6 units)

The information published on the Study at ANU 2012 website applies to the 2012 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2011 website.