Philosophy

Program Overview

It develops students' critical thinking, writing, and reading skills through seminars and supervised research projects. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in business, public service, ethics, and other fields that require analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) at the University of Western Australia is a three-year full-time program that explores some of life's biggest questions. It teaches students crucial skills in critical thinking, clear writing, and careful reading. The program delves into questions such as:

• What is justice?
• How do we know things?
• What does it mean to be conscious?
• Does God exist?
• Do the sciences tell us the truth about the world?
• Is time travel possible?
• What is truth?
Students learn to distinguish between good and bad arguments and make informed recommendations on contentious issues. The Philosophy major is an excellent combination with more vocational programs of study, including Law, Medicine, Computer Science, Business, and Psychology.
• PHIL1002 Introduction to Critical Thinking (6 points): This unit develops students' critical thinking skills, enabling them to analyze arguments, identify fallacies, and construct sound reasoning.
• PHIL1003 God, Mind and Knowledge (6 points): This unit examines the relationship between God, the mind, and knowledge, exploring philosophical perspectives on the existence of God, the nature of consciousness, and the limits of human understanding.

Level 2:

• HUMR2001 Global and Environmental Justice (6 points): This unit explores the ethical dimensions of global and environmental issues, examining concepts of justice, responsibility, and sustainability in a global context.
• PHIL2001 Bioethics (6 points): This unit delves into the ethical issues surrounding biotechnology, medicine, and healthcare, exploring topics such as genetic engineering, reproductive technologies, and end-of-life care.
• PHIL2002 Logic: How to Defeat Your Foes with Reasoning (6 points): This unit introduces students to the principles of formal logic, equipping them with the tools to analyze and evaluate arguments, identify fallacies, and construct sound reasoning.
• PHIL2003 Philosophy of Religion (6 points): This unit examines the philosophical foundations of religious belief, exploring arguments for and against the existence of God, the nature of religious experience, and the relationship between faith and reason.
• PHIL2004 Philosophy of Mind (6 points): This unit investigates the nature of consciousness, the mind-body problem, and the relationship between mental states and physical states, exploring theories of perception, memory, and free will.
• PHIL2005 Exploring the Nature of Science (6 points): This unit examines the philosophical foundations of science, exploring the nature of scientific knowledge, the role of observation and experiment, and the limits of scientific explanation.
• PHIL2006 Philosophy of Psychology and Psychiatry (6 points): This unit explores the philosophical underpinnings of psychology and psychiatry, examining concepts such as mental illness, the nature of mental states, and the relationship between mind and behavior.
• PHIL2007 Knowledge and the Justification of Belief (6 points): This unit investigates the nature of knowledge, the justification of beliefs, and the relationship between evidence, reason, and truth, exploring different theories of knowledge and skepticism.
• PHIL2008 Machine Minds and Superintelligence: The Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (6 points): This unit examines the philosophical implications of artificial intelligence, exploring topics such as the nature of intelligence, the possibility of machine consciousness, and the ethical challenges posed by AI.
• PPHE2211 History of Political Ideas (6 points): This unit explores the development of political thought from ancient Greece to the present day, examining key thinkers and their ideas on justice, liberty, and the nature of government.

Level 3:

• PHIL3001 Metaphysics (6 points): This unit investigates fundamental questions about the nature of reality, existence, and time, exploring theories of substance, causality, and the relationship between mind and matter.
• PHIL3002 Aesthetics (6 points): This unit examines the nature of beauty, art, and aesthetic experience, exploring theories of artistic creation, interpretation, and appreciation.
• PHIL3003 Moral Theory (6 points): This unit explores different ethical theories, such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, examining their strengths and weaknesses and their implications for moral decision-making.
• PHIL3004 Meaning, Truth and Language (6 points): This unit investigates the relationship between language, meaning, and truth, exploring theories of meaning, reference, and truth conditions.
• PHIL3005 Continental Philosophy: The Origin and Influence of Phenomenology (6 points): This unit explores the development of Continental philosophy, focusing on the origins and influence of phenomenology, a philosophical movement that emphasizes the importance of lived experience and subjective consciousness.
• PHIL3006 Philosophy East and West (6 points): This unit compares and contrasts philosophical traditions from the East and West, exploring key concepts and thinkers from both regions.
• PHIL3007 Advanced Logic (6 points): This unit builds on the foundations of formal logic introduced in PHIL2002, exploring more advanced topics such as modal logic, set theory, and proof theory.
• PHIL3008 Rationality and Society (6 points): This unit examines the role of rationality in social life, exploring topics such as decision-making, social norms, and the relationship between individual and collective rationality.
• PPHE3327 Contemporary Political Theory (6 points): This unit explores contemporary debates in political philosophy, examining issues such as justice, equality, democracy, and the role of the state.

Assessment:

• Seminars: Each seminar typically requires a 4000-word essay (submitted on the last day of semester or a week before), worth 60%, and an unseen 1.5-hour examination worth 40%.
Logic seminars may have different requirements.
• Dissertation: The dissertation component (24 points) consists of a research proposal, oral presentation, and written thesis.
• Research Proposal: A 900-1100 word research proposal of the dissertation topic, worth 5% of the dissertation component, is due to the supervisor one month after the commencement of honors.
• Oral Presentation: An oral presentation, worth 5% of the dissertation component, is to be given in the second semester of the honors program.
• Research Dissertation: A research dissertation, between 12,000-15,000 words (including footnotes but not bibliography), worth 90% of the dissertation component, is to be submitted by 5 pm on the last day of the teaching semester immediately preceding the candidate's last examination.

Teaching:

• Seminars: Seminars are the primary mode of teaching in the Philosophy program.
They provide a forum for students to engage in critical discussion and debate, explore different philosophical perspectives, and develop their analytical and argumentative skills.
• Supervision: Students undertaking the Honors program receive individual supervision from a faculty member who provides guidance and support in developing their research project.

Careers:

• Business and Public Service: Philosophy graduates are highly valued in areas such as strategic planning, where their conceptual and analytic skills and the ability to interpret the big picture are highly valued.
• Ethics: With a growing awareness of corporate, medical, and environmental ethics, students who specialize in ethics have the skills and opportunity to make an important contribution to work in these areas.

Other:

• Honours Program: The program offers an Honors program in Philosophy, which provides students with the opportunity to undertake advanced research and develop their philosophical expertise.
• Joint Honors: Students can pursue joint honors in Philosophy and another discipline, allowing them to combine their interests in philosophy with other areas of study.
• Cognate Studies: Students can include minor studies in another discipline in their Philosophy Honors course or minor studies in Philosophy with Honors in another discipline.
• Professional Experience Units: Current UWA students are eligible to take professional experience units, which provide opportunities to gain hands-on, practical experience in the workplace.