Course Summary
This philosophy course explores some of the most fundamental questions about human existence, knowledge, and ethics. Students will learn about ancient and modern philosophical ideas and their relevance to contemporary issues.Key Learning Points
- Explore the most fundamental questions about human existence, knowledge, and ethics
- Learn about ancient and modern philosophical ideas and their relevance to contemporary issues
- Develop critical thinking and analytical skills
Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have
- Philosophy Professor
- USA: $70,000 - $120,000
- India: INR 6,00,000 - INR 12,00,000
- Spain: €30,000 - €50,000
- Philosophy Writer
- USA: $30,000 - $70,000
- India: INR 3,00,000 - INR 6,00,000
- Spain: €20,000 - €30,000
- Ethics Consultant
- USA: $60,000 - $100,000
- India: INR 5,00,000 - INR 8,00,000
- Spain: €25,000 - €40,000
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop a deeper understanding of philosophical ideas and their relevance to contemporary issues
- Develop critical thinking and analytical skills
- Learn to articulate and defend your own philosophical positions
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- No prior knowledge of philosophy is required
- Ability to read and analyze complex texts
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Pre-recorded lectures
- Reading assignments
- Interactive quizzes and exercises
Similar Courses
- Moral and Political Philosophy
- Introduction to Philosophy
- The Ethics of Eating
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Peter Singer
- Daniel Dennett
Related Books
Description
This course will introduce you to some of the main areas of research in contemporary philosophy. Each module a different philosopher will talk you through some of the most important questions and issues in their area of expertise. We’ll begin by trying to understand what philosophy is – what are its characteristic aims and methods, and how does it differ from other subjects? Then we’ll spend the rest of the course gaining an introductory overview of several different areas of philosophy.
Outline
- What is Philosophy?
- Introduction: What is Philosophy?
- Philosophy: Difficult, Important and Everywhere
- Philosophy: How Do We Do It?
- Is There A 'Right Way' To Think About Things?
- About this Course
- Module: What is Philosophy?
- Optional Reading
- Practice: What is Philosophy?
- What is Philosophy?
- Morality: Objective, Relative or Emotive?
- The Status of Morality
- Objectivism, Relativism and Emotivism
- Objections to Objectivism, Relativism and Emotivism
- Further Discussion
- Module: Morality: Objective, Emotive or Relative?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Morality: Objective, Relative or Emotive?
- What is Knowledge? And Do We Have Any?
- The Basic Constituents of Knowledge
- The Classical Account of Knowledge and the Gettier Problem
- Do We Have Any Knowledge?
- Further Discussion 1
- Further Discussion 2
- Module: What is Knowledge? And Do We Have Any?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: What is Knowledge? And Do We Have Any?
- Week 2 review: Lesson Choices
- Morality: Objective, Relative or Emotive?
- What is Knowledge? And Do We Have Any?
- Do We Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?
- Do You Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?
- The Grounds of Political Obligation
- Gratitude and Benefit
- Consent
- Fairness
- What if the Problem Can't Be Solved?
- Summary
- Module: Do We Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Do We Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?
- Should You Believe What You Hear?
- Introduction: Hume on Testimony and Miracles
- Reid's Challenge to Hume
- Reid's Argument
- Kant, the Enlightenment and Intellectual Autonomy
- The Value of Intellectual Autonomy
- Module: Should You Believe What You Hear?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Should You Believe What You Hear?
- Week 3 review: Lesson Choices
- Do We Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?
- Should You Believe What You Hear?
- Minds, Brains and Computers
- Descartes' Substance Dualism Theory of the Mind
- Physicalism: Identity Theory and Functionalism
- Functionalism and What Mental States Do
- Functionalism and Functional Complexity
- Minds vs. Machines: The Turing Test and the Chinese Room
- Minds vs. Machines: Problems for the Computational View of the Mind
- Further Discussion
- Module: Mind, Brains and Computers
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Minds, Brains and Computers
- Are Scientific Theories True?
- The Aim of Science: Saving the Phenomena vs. Truth
- Saving the Phenomena? Ptolemeic Astronomy
- Truth? Galileo and Copernican Astronomy
- Scientific Realism and the No Miracles Argument
- Scientific Anti-Realism: Constructive Empiricism
- Realist Rejoinders: Inference to the Best Explanation
- Concluding Summary
- Module: Are Scientific Theories True?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Are Scientific Theories True?
- Week 4 review: Lesson Choices
- Minds, Brains and Computers
- Are Scientific Theories True?
- Do We Have Free Will and Does It Matter?
- What is Determinism?
- Libertarianism
- Compatibilism
- Hard Determinism
- Summary
- Module: Do We Have Free Will? Does it Matter?
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Do We Have Free Will and Does It Matter?
- Time Travel and Philosophy
- What Might Time Travel Be Anyway?
- Grandfather Paradoxes
- Two Senses of Change
- Causal Loops
- Where Next?
- Further Discussions
- Module: Time Travel and Philosophy
- Related work by Philosophy staff at the University of Edinburgh
- Practice: Time Travel and Philosophy
- Week 5 review: Lesson Choices
- Do We Have Free Will and Does It Matter?
- Time Travel and Philosophy
- Peer review
Summary of User Reviews
Discover the fundamental principles of Philosophy with Coursera's online course. The course provides an in-depth understanding of the central themes of philosophy, including ethics, logic, and metaphysics. Users have praised the course for its engaging professors and interactive content, with many noting the course's ability to challenge their critical thinking skills.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Engaging professors and interactive contentPros from User Reviews
- Challenging and thought-provoking content
- Clear and concise explanations of complex concepts
- Great platform for discussions and interaction with other learners
- Flexible scheduling and pacing to fit individual needs
Cons from User Reviews
- Some users found the course too basic or introductory
- Limited feedback on assignments and quizzes
- Some technical glitches in the platform
- Not all topics covered in depth
Dr. Dave Ward
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