Introduction to Philosophy

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=150 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="www/Images/05c8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="www/Images/08a47790.jpg" border=0 width="71" height="121" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News"><U><B>News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar of Events"><U><B>Calendar of Events</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Courses 20052006"><U><B>Courses 2005-2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Facilities Available"><U><B>Facilities Available</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Staff"><U><B>Staff</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Services at Newman"><U><B>Services at Newman</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ballina"><U><B>Ballina</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><B>Related Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Courses to date"><U><B>Courses to date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="www/Images/05d8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Newman Institute</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Newman Institute"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reading the Scriptures"><U>Reading the Scriptures</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Liturgical Studies"><U>Liturgical Studies</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christian Spirituality"><U>Christian Spirituality</U></A>   |   <B>Introduction to Philosophy</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="www/Images/05d8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Introduction to Philosophy</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>One-Year Part-Time Course</B></div> <div> <B>26 Wednesday Evenings & 6 Saturdays per year</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="www/Images/09e9ed80.jpg" border=0 width="158" height="216" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="565" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="358"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="www/Images/1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="358" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="200"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="www/Images/1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="200" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="358"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="www/Images/1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="358" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="200"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="www/Images/1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="200" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> To study Philosophy is to search for wisdom. It is to explore the fundamental questions that arise in life and to try and answer them-questions like, Who am I?' Where have I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? Philosophy helps us to become clearer in our thinking and able to make connections among ideas of all kinds. Frequently Philosophy will expose and challenge our hidden assumptions. For anyone trying to live a good life, there are decisions to make, there is evidence to weigh, there are opinions to assess, there are mysteries to contemplate. Studying Philosophy helps us find our own answers and empowers us to set our own standards for answers.</div> <div> The following is a broad outline of the course content. Topics may be added or omitted, from year to year, depending on the availability of visiting lecturers.</div> <div> The task of seeking wisdom to live by calls for creativity and intellectual rigour. We need to draw on all our interests and everything we know. This Introductory Course in Philosophy, therefore, reflects the wide range of areas that philosophers engage with today.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The story of philosophy: from origins in ancient Greece, through the development of western philosophy, the enlightenment, to more recent movements such as existentialism and post modernism. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Aesthetics: philosophy of art. What is beauty? What can literature and other art works tell us about the meaning of human life? What role does art play in our lives and culture </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Epistemology: How do we know things? Are we always entitled to our opinion? How much of what we think we know is interpretation? How does our context affect our knowledge? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Metaphysics: What is the nature of reality? How can we distinguish between reality and illusion? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ethics: Why be good? What is 'the good'? Can we tell right from wrong? Is all morality subjective or are there objective truths to which all humanity should conform? How do ethical systems work? What about new ethical issues arising today, e.g., in the medical or genetic areas? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Philosophy of religion: Does belief in God make any sense? Does God exist? Is religion all about myth? What about religious pluralism? Do suffering and death have meaning? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Political philosophy: Are we necessarily social beings? Why should our freedom be curtailed by state laws and authority? </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Modern approaches to philosophy: eco-philosophy, feminist approaches, philosophy of science </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Philosophy of the human person: dialogical philosophy, modern philosophy of mind, the narrative dimension of human existence </div> <div> This course consists of a comprehensive introduction to contemporary biblical studies, the role of Scripture in the liturgy and aspects of speech training. Learners may take the course simply for personal enrichment, or to enhance their ministry of the word. Those who plan to proceed to Phase 2 of the course have the option of having their learning assessed for an academic award by essays, projects and an annual examination. </div> </td> </tr></table></body>