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This course aims to teach the central skills of philosophy-creative thinking plus precision. We look at deep philosophical questions through the eyes of several of the most challenging philosophers of the 20th and 21st centuries. For example: Do we think in words? If I say 'I'm in pain' or ‘I see blue’, do you really know what I mean? Can humans or machines learn to speak ‘Whale’? Is human-level AI possible? How can we talk about what doesn't exist-tomorrow, Harry Potter, or the possible world where you win $50 million on Lotto? Is there an impossible world where you can square the circle? Why does every attempt to solve a philosophical problem simply raise more problems, sometimes even worse ones?
The aim of PHIL497 is that you will:1. Understand and analyze central problems in recent and contemporary philosophy, to an advanced standard2. Think rigorously and independently, question assumptions, and search for different approaches to complex philosophical problems3. Communicate effectively and unambiguously, to an advanced standard.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Employable, innovative and enterprising
Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.
Subject to approval of the Head of Department.
PHIL311
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Diane Proudfoot
Contact Diane for further information.
Please check the course LEARN page for further details and updates.
There is no textbook for this course. Core readings will be available online, in Learn or through the Library. For Part One of this course, however, there is a recommended book: A. Kenny (ed.) The Wittgenstein Reader, 2nd edition (Blackwell, 2006); copies are available in UBS andon 3-hour loan in the High Demand Collection.
Domestic fee $2,299.00
International Postgraduate fees
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .