Print this page Great Philosophical Essays

Some philosophical essays have transformed the way we understand ourselves and the world. This course examines a selection of influential philosophical writings from different periods, introducing participants to the ideas, arguments and historical contexts that continue to shape modern thought. Through guided discussion, you'll explore how these essays address enduring questions about truth, justice, freedom, morality and the human condition. Suitable for both returning students and newcomers with an interest in philosophy and ideas.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face to face
• Online

COURSE OUTLINE

• The Eighteenth Century :"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift (1729) Perhaps the most famous piece of satire in English literature. "What is Enlightenment?" by Immanuel Kant (1784) In this essay, Kant defines enlightenment as humanity's release from its "self-incurred tutelage".
• The Nineteenth Century: "On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense" by Friedrich Nietzsche (1873.  “The Modern Hep! Hep! Hep!” by George Eliot. Before she was a famous novelist, George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) was a formidable critic and essayist. "What the Tortoise Said to Achilles" – Lewis Carroll (1895).
• The Twentieth Century: "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell (1946). "The Idea of Perfection" by Iris Murdoch (1964) This essay is one of the most important contribution to 20th-century moral philosophy. "Reflections on My Eightieth Birthday" (or "Postscript") by Bertrand Russell (1969).
  Written at the end of his life, this short, moving essay summarizes his philosophy of life. .
• The Twenty-First Century. Various essays on contemporary topics.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Have gained an overall understanding of the key concepts in philosophy as presented in the essay format.
• Have read and discussed extracts from the history of the essay to the present.
• Be able to relate the essay ideas to their personal lives and contemporary issues.
• Be encouraged to further their interest in the philosophical essay through the many good sites such as Aeon which have taken up the short form as their mode.