BA World Philosophies and…

The structure of the BA World Philosophies and… introduces students to core philosophical themes, concepts, problems and approaches drawn from European, Anglophone, and non-European philosophical traditions with an accompanying flexibility built in to enable regional or thematic specialism or language capability. Taken as a joint honours degree, it enables students to combine study of the core and compulsory components of World Philosophies with a number of other subject areas offered in the School.

Courses to the equivalent of 2 units must be taken in each year. In year 1 and 2, courses to the equivalent of 1 full unit are compulsory, with students choosing courses for the remaining unit from a list of defined options. In year 3, both units are compulsory.

The first year of the programme provides an essential foundation in World Philosophies, and introduces core topics in Philosophy, with additional options available that enable focus on discrete traditions, a language, or thematic components.

The second year builds on the foundations established in the first year, enabling students to grapple with questions of interpretation, hermeneutics, phenomenology, and dialogue between and within philosophical traditions. Core components of philosophical methods and concepts are also taught and students are encouraged to develop a regional or thematic specialism, choosing from a wide range of options that address philosophical themes or offer training in specific philosophical traditions. Language training is also encouraged.

The third and final year is characterised by a focus on epistemology and critique, independent research, and the consolidation of a chosen regional or thematic specialism. All students undertake a supervised Independent Study Project which is intended to consolidate and extend a student’s philosophical tradition-based understanding and knowledge applied to prominent themes or debates in the field of World Philosophies.

• Introduction to World Philosophies - 158000197 (compulsory/core, 1 unit)
• Up to 1 unit from Compulsory Options (see List I – students must complete at least 1 unit/two courses from this list in the course of their degree)
• Up to 1 unit from Traditions of Philosophy (optional, see List II – students may select up to 1 unit from this list in the course of their degree)

• Anglo-European Philosophies and Critical Dialogue: Hermeneutics and Beyond -158000135 (compulsory, 1 unit)
• Up to 1 unit from Compulsory Options (see List I, students must complete at least 1 unit/two courses from this list in the course of their degree)
• Up to 1 unit from Traditions of Philosophy (optional, see List II – students may select up to 1 unit from this list in the course of their degree)

• ‘The Margins of Philosophy’: Postcolonial, Gender and Queer Epistemologies -158000116 (compulsory, 1 unit)
• Independent Study Project in World Philosophies - 158000194 (compulsory, 1 unit)

• Comparative Ethics
• Introduction to Logic, Critical Reasoning and Argumentation
• Metaphysics in Comparative Perspective
• Philosophies of Language

• African Philosophy
• Afrophone Philosophies
• Buddhist Philosophy
• Death and the Meaning of Life
• Developments in Muslim Religious Thought
• Jewish Identity
• Modern Indian Philosophy
• Modern Jewish Thought
• Non-Violence in Jain Literature, Philosophy and Law
• Philosophies of the Vedic Traditions: Mimamsa, Vedanta and Vyakarana
• R210 Religion, Power, and Society in Modern Africa
• The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules