Philosophy - BA (Hons)

University of Manchester

Philosophy is the study of the most general and fundamental features of reality - including ourselves - and the knowledge and beliefs we have about that reality which are embodied in our concepts, theories and practices.The BA (Hons) in Philosophy course enables you to learn how to develop and justify your own answers to some of the most fundamental and important questions:- Can I know that I'm not trapped inside The Matrix?- What makes something the morally right thing to do?- Do we have free will?- Does God exist?- Is the human mind just a lump of grey matter?While we'll explain some of the existing answers to these questions, and the reasons why one might think those answers are correct, our focus is on learning how to critically assess these arguments and to develop and argue for your own answers.You will develop useful skills including:- how to present an effective and rigorous argument- how to develop criticisms of other people's arguments and views- how to explain difficult material clearly and concisely and- how to deal with the fact that on most of the questions in life, reasonable people can believe radically different things.These skills are value for your career as well as in everyday life, whether you're deciding what to do, having an argument with a friend, or simply reading a newspaper.

School of Social Sciences