Humanities and culture courses
Humanities and culture courses. We don’t just teach, we inspire.
Humanities and culture short courses at CCE invite you to engage with music, philosophy, and psychology.
Designed for curious learners, these courses offer space to explore ideas, reflect on culture and connect with different ways of thinking. They’re ideal for those seeking fresh perspectives in a welcoming and thoughtful environment.
Whether for personal growth or intellectual development, these courses provide an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and learn alongside others with shared interests.
Enrol now to begin exploring humanities that inform and inspire.
All courses
Improve your understanding of the philosophy of time and learn to discuss key concepts relating to time with confidence.
Over ten weeks, this course explores diverse approaches to understanding the nature of time and its impact on our everyday existence. Drawing from philosophy, chronobiology, psychology, neurobiology and the arts, we investigate how time is experienced, conceptualised and represented. We will also explore objective and subjective experiences of time; the concept of time travel; time in human reasoning; time in physics; neural mechanisms underlying our perception of time; and the role of art and literature in shaping temporal experience.
This course aims to improve your understanding of the philosophy of time. It will also equip you to discuss the perspectives of modern philosophers and schools of thought with confidence.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- discuss key concepts in the philosophy of time
- discuss ancient philosophical perspectives in contrast to modern philosophical perspectives
- identify the many approaches to understanding concepts of time, including: chronobiology, psychology, neurobiology and the arts
- relate the phenomenological aspects of the course to your own experience of memory and identity
- apply these phenomenological considerations to your personal decision making and choices.
What is time?
In this introductory session, we will consider the following themes:
- Presentism
- Eternalism
- Does time has a definitive direction?
- The paradox of modern physics and our ordinary experience of time
- Memories and influence on the past and future.
Ancient ideas of time
"What was God doing before he made heaven and earth?... He was preparing hell for those that would pry into such profound mysteries” — Augustine, Book X1 of the Confessions.
Augustine’s probing analysis of time has influenced many later attitudes toward the nature of time. We will consider:
- the Old Testament
- Chinese and Islamic ideas
- the significant of clocks and calendars.
Modern philosophers on time
We will look at a range of views from all the great modern philosophers, including Descartes.
Time and life
We will discuss chronobiology, the recent science which studies living things in time. We will discuss biological time in human and non-human species.
Einstein issues
We will consider the impact that Einstein had on theories of time, relativity, and the connection between space and time.
Psychological time
Past, present and future are all crucial to our sense of self and identity. How we unify ourselves as temporal beings is a key issue in psychology. We will discuss Jay Lampert’s The Many Futures of a Decision (2018), a text that deals with the impact of decision-making alongside the philosophy of time.
A phenomenological perspective
"A full and interesting content can put wings to the hour and the day" — Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain (1924).
Mann expresses the internal aspects of time perception. Philosophers such as Bergson and phenomenologists like Husserl thought deeply about the concept of subjective time.
Time in literature
We will take a range of poems and literary works written about time, from both the cosmic and the human point of view. Examples to be discussed include T. S. Eliot's poem Burnt Norton (1936).
Time in the arts
We will consider a range of artists and their representation of time through art. This includes Salvador Dali and his work In search of the Fourth Dimension (1979) – a meditation on Einstein’s theory of a temporal fourth dimension.
Time and the brain
Neuroscientists agree that the brain plays an active role in building a mental temporal picture of reality. In considering neuroscientific perspectives, we will explore the following:
- The neural mechanisms underlying our experience of time
- Our awareness of change
- Our ability to anticipate the future
- Our sense of the flow of time
- Our ability to place events into the correct order of temporal succession.
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.
None
Lecture/seminar
Delivery mode
Online via the platform Zoom
Course handouts and readings are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy of Time Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis ten-week course explores the philosophical significance of chaos. We begin with ancient creation mythologies, which describe the beginning of the Cosmos as a transition from chaos to order. Tiamat, the Mesopotamian Goddess of Chaos is a good example here.
In Greek mythology, chaos is a political and social force: it represents the clash between civilisation and primal urges which may culminate in tragic violence and the disintegration of civic order. However they’re also necessary for a vital, creative society.
The course follows the interconnecting themes of chaos in cosmology, physics, metaphysics, social and political theory, and artistic creativity. Brian Klaas’ book Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters? (2024) provides a contemporary social theory. We conclude with the modern science of Chaos Theory.
This course aims to explore the fascinating world of ‘chaos’ and provide you with new ways of understanding the physical, social and personal worlds that we must negotiate to live well. Order and stability can be understood as possible only against the background of disorder, which is a creative, dynamic element that contributes to the rich tapestry of existence, reflecting the complexities of the universe we inhabit.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify key concepts in the philosophy of chaos, its science, psychology, history and development
- understand the implications of “disorder” for the human condition as expressed by our thought patterns, language, intentionality, creativity and much more
- participate in shared discussions with fellow participants on how life’s unpredictability, chance, and accidents affect the trajectory of our lives
- relate these ideas to your personal, social and relationship situations, and broad cultural issues.
Introduction: defining the term chaos
The meaning of the word and concept of ‘chaos’ will itself be a central focus. For example, Heraclitus’ famous saying ‘you cannot step into the same river twice’ is equating chaos with perpetual change, which is an inherent aspect of the universe.
In contrast, Hesiod understands chaos as a prior state of primordial being awaiting the formation of Gaea (earth). We will see that some of these ancient meanings have resonances in modern science.
The cosmic dance: how chaos influenced ancient cosmology
The significance of chaos in the creation of the cosmos is multifaceted, influencing not only mythological narratives but also philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence. We will look at a range of ancient cultures for example: Tiamat – the Mesopotamian Goddess of Chaos and Balor, the Celtic God of Chaos.
Influence of chaos on Greek philosophy
In Hesiod’s Theogony, Hesiod portrays chaos as the first entity, a primordial void that gives rise to Gaea (Earth), Tartarus (the Abyss), Eros (Love), and other primordial beings. The Greek tragedies give a social and cultural dimension to the meaning of chaos. It is defined as a state of disorder, confusion, or unpredictability that disrupts the societal and moral order. Chaos underpins the tumultuous nature of human emotions, illustrating the struggles individuals face when confronted with uncontrollable circumstances.
The psychology of pattern seeking
Humans often attribute outcomes to regularity and order, even when chance and contingency have been repeatedly shown to be at least as causally significant. Much human science and psychology have been devoted to this issue. We will consider some of this research. One theory is that the ability to detect patterns, even if they are false, suggests possible actions one might take, offering the illusion of control.
Art, creativity, chaos
This session will consider various theories on the role of chaos in the making of art. One view states: “The role of the artist or poet is not to impose a pre-existing form upon senseless matter but to allow the material to find its own sense. What is primary is what is given, a chaos of meanings which demands assistance in order to come-into-form.” Stephen K. Levine, in Principles and Practice of Expressive Arts Therapy, (2005).
Chaos: fate, chance and free will
The unpredictability of chaos reflects the complexity of life. Moreover, chaos often represents the tension between fate and free will. Characters grapple with their destinies, revealing the extent to which they can exercise agency in the face of overwhelming odds. In his new book Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters (2024), Brian Klaas raise this issue again in our contemporary context.
Science of chaos theory
Chaos theory describes how small changes to a complex system’s initial conditions can produce dramatically different outcomes. The butterfly effect was most prominently researched by meteorologist Edward Lorenz in the early 1960s. A more accessible example is the pinball machine: the ball’s movements are precisely governed by laws of motion and elastic collisions—both fully understood—yet the final outcome is unpredictable.
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.
None
Lecture/seminar
Course handouts and readings are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
Recommended reading
There are no prescribed texts for this course. Some referenced works include:
Almqvist, Olaf; Taylor, John; Edwards, Mark. 2022. Cosmos and Creation in Early Greek Theogonies: An Ontological Exploration. London, Bloomsbury Academic.
Bell, Jeffrey A., author. 2020. Philosophy at the Edge of Chaos: Gilles Deleuze and the Philosophy of Difference.
Klaas, Brian. 2024. Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters? Avid Reader.
Mosko, Mark. Damon, Fred (editors). 2005. On the Order of Chaos Social Anthropology and the Science of Chaos. Licensed. Published by Berghahn Books.
Sears, Kathleen. 2013. Mythology 101: From Gods and Goddesses to Monsters and Mortals, Your Guide to Ancient Mythology. Bloomfield, London.
View Philosophy of Chaos Course: From the Ancient World to the Present detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listSpinoza was one of the towering philosophers of the 17th century, described by Bertrand Russell as “the noblest and most lovable of all the great philosophers”. His work investigates some of the deepest questions of philosophy. He made significant contributions to understanding the human mind, the emotions, moral philosophy and politics.
In this introductory course, we will focus on Spinoza’s ideas and cover all of his major works. The central text for discussion is Ethics, Demonstrated in Geometrical Order, written by Spinoza in 1664. We will also discuss his relationship to the Jewish Sephardic community in Amsterdam where he lived, which is pertinent to his political philosophy. The course will conclude with an assessment of Spinoza’s ideas for the now.
This course aims to:
- provide an overview of the origins and complexities of the many theories developed by Spinoza
- make the connection between Spinoza’s personal history and the development of his ideas on ethics and politics
- demonstrate the important role played by Spinoza in our understanding of human nature and the human mind
- demonstrate the substantial contribution which Spinoza made to later philosophy
- provide an understanding of the complex structure of the internal workings of the emotions.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- discuss the main events of Spinoza’s life and times
- identify the important concepts in his philosophy
- relate Spinoza’s theory to personal ethical decisions
- relate Spinoza’s theory to contemporary issues in ethics and politics.
Introduction to concepts
Given that Spinoza was excommunicated for his misbelief in a transcendental God or an afterlife, we will discuss what he means by the word ‘God’. The other central concept to be worked out at this point is his idea of ‘intelligibility’.
Biography
Spinoza (1632-77) was born into the Jewish Sephardic community in Amsterdam. His relationship to this community and Jewish philosophy is complex and underpins many of his views on ethics and politics.
Philosophy of mind
Spinoza’s philosophy of human mental states is rich and well ahead of its time; it influenced many later thinkers. A primary question is – how does the mind represent the world?
Between mind and body
Spinoza is an antidote to Descartes dualism. For Spinoza, the mind is the ‘idea’ of the body. We will examine this complex issue.
Psychology: striving and self-preservation
‘Conatus’ is a linchpin term for Spinoza which entails our striving in the world and the power of acting effectively to achieve self-preservation and flourish.
Emotions: positive and negative
Spinoza has much to say about our emotional states. He considers desire, joy, love, sadness and hate. Joy for him is the transition of the mind to a greater power.
Ethics
Spinoza has been described in many different ways: as a pragmatist, hedonist, egoist, determinist, religious moralist; some of these positions are paradoxical. We will examine his Ethics and work out his theory which encompasses some unusual crossovers.
Ethics and freedom
Spinoza correlates the notion of freedom with the idea of ‘goodness’. His political philosophy and his ethics are dependent on each other.
Politics and the State
Spinoza’s politics were very controversial for his time, and we will discuss that they still are and that we have much to learn from his ideas.
Spinoza now
What does Spinoza still have to say to our time on ethics, religion, politics and psychology?
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.
None
Lecture/seminar
Course handouts and readings are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy Course: Spinoza detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis introductory philosophy course provides an understanding of the history of philosophy and the major contribution it has made to areas of thought such as political theory, ethics, aesthetics and the sciences. It encourages the development of critical thinking and the use of informal logic techniques as you explore some of history’s great thinkers and philosophers including the Greek pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Kant, Nietzsche and Foucault.
Come along, extend your intellectual horizons and find out why this introductory course creates a loyal following for our philosophy program.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- discuss the main features of the idea of philosophy, its history and significance
- discuss the individual thinkers in the course, and their contribution to the development of philosophy, politics and psychology
- compare the implications of the history of philosophy with our contemporary world view
- use the insights of the course to deepen your knowledge of yourself and your life issues
- apply some of the ideas to personal decision-making mechanisms.
Introduction to philosophy
We commence with an overview of the course content and then consider the question: What is philosophy?
Greek philosophy
How did Greek philosophy begin? We consider this question through an analysis of the Pre-Socratic philosophers: Thales, Heraclitus, Parmenides and Democritus. We also introduce the topic of formal logic, the issues of truth and validity, and methods of good argumentation.
Plato on justice
Plato's political utopian text the Republic had a profound influence on most later political philosophy. We discuss Plato's concept of 'justice' and how he builds his utopian society based on that founding concept.
Aristotle
Aristotle's philosophy in the Nicomachean Ethics is studied as an introduction to the topic of ethics. Particular attention is given to the problem of human 'free will'. We also consider the system of informal logic, and discuss some examples of good and bad arguments.
Seventeenth Century England
We now move from the Ancient Greek world to seventeenth century England and further develop the study of political philosophy through Thomas Hobbes' work: Leviathan (1651). Problems such as the justification of political power and the problem of individual rights will be discussed. We also continue our work on the problem of how to assess a sound argument.
Human rights
John Locke introduces the idea of 'human rights' as a basis for his political theory. This idea is the foundation of Liberalism and integral to all Western political thinking. We consider Locke's theory of private property including his concept of 'property in the body'.
Immanuel Kant
The eighteenth century German philosopher Immanuel Kant is considered to be the founder of modern aesthetics. We consider Kant's theory of the importance of aesthetics to human life and his concepts of the 'beautiful' and the 'sublime'.
Romantic Movement
The next development in philosophy is the Romantic Movement. The Romantics shift the analysis of the human condition away from reason and social order to issues of emotion and the unconscious, irrational drives which subvert our rational intentions.
Friedrich Nietzsche
The late nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche will be studied for his aesthetic theories which represent a core nineteenth century romanticism, and for his critique of morality which introduces many of the themes which preoccupy continental philosophy during the twentieth century.
Michel Foucault
This week we introduce postmodern philosophy with the work of the French thinker Michel Foucault. We look at his theories of how power works in social and political life; how the concept of 'truth' functions; and the role of the body in the political machinery of history. We discuss his texts: The History of Sexuality Vol 1 (1976) and Discipline and Punish (1975).
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy.
None
Lecture/seminar
Course handouts and readings are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Introduction to Philosophy Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listWould you like to understand why and how people think, feel and behave the way they do? In this course, we will explain the nature of psychology as a scientific discipline and how it can answer this question, so that psychological knowledge can be applied to everyday life. Topics covered will include the history of psychology, personality theories, learning, child development and intelligence, psychobiology, abnormal psychology and social psychology.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- describe the major trends in psychology
- define the key issues in psychology
- evaluate human behaviour from different theoretical perspectives
- apply psychological concepts to everyday life and the workplace.
Introduction
We will commence with an overview of content, look at the history of psychology so that we can consider the question: what is psychology?
Personality I
We will look at the question - what is personality? – with special reference to the foundational theories of Sigmund Freud and the psychoanalytic school’s views about the structure (id, ego and superego) and development of the psyche through the oral, anal-sadistic and phallic stages.
Personality II
Other theories of personality and the impact of personality differences on relationships will be assessed by covering Jung’s typology and his archetypal perspective, Rogers’ humanist reaction to psychoanalysis, Behaviourism and trait theories of personality including the Five Factor model of personality.
Learning theory
How do humans learn? We will look at the foundational research by Pavlov on classical conditioning, Skinner on instrumental conditioning and consider the everyday applications of learning theory to child rearing, advertising and the explanation of addictions.
Child development
We will consider how early foetal and infant experience affects later child development by examining attachment theory research derived from Harlow’s early work with monkeys, by considering temperament studies and Piaget’s views on how cognition (thinking) develops in children.
Intelligence
What is intelligence and how can we measure it? We will consider these questions by looking at the foundational research by Binet, by examining the strengths and weaknesses of intelligence tests and by considering the nature (heredity) versus nurture (environment) debate within psychology.
Psychobiology
What is the connection between our brain, our feelings and our behaviour? We will approach this question by looking at the anatomy and physiology of the human central nervous system and how these underpin psychology. Discoveries through contemporary scanning technology will also be considered.
Abnormal psychology I
What is mental illness? We will look at this question by reviewing the history of mental disorders as understood by the French dissociationists, Freud’s early discoveries and the behaviourists’ contributions. The main clinical disorders will be discussed beginning with Anxiety Disorders and Mood Disorders (Depression and Bipolar Disorder).
Abnormal psychology II
We will continue our examination of the main clinical disorders by looking at Schizophrenia, Eating Disorders and Personality Disorders.
Social psychology
In our final week, we will look at some ways humans behave when around others by considering the early studies on social influence (conformity and obedience), group dynamics including Groupthink, leadership research and prosocial behaviour.
Suitable for anyone interested in understanding why and how people think, feel and behave the way they do, so that such psychological knowledge can be applied to everyday life in terms of personal understanding and personal relationships. It is also suitable as an introduction to other CCE courses in psychology.
Delivery mode
Face-to-face, interactive lecture
Delivered as an interactive lecture with open and structured discussion, including DVD’s with summaries.
View Psychology Course: An Introduction detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listCounselling is being increasingly sought as the pressures of work and personal life continue to increase. This reflects the rapidly changing world we live in and the increasing choices we face as individuals. This counselling course introduces you to the concepts that underpin counselling so that you can offer this assistance to your work colleagues, employees, family members and network of friends when needed.
This course is designed for a work setting but is equally applicable for family and friends.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- appreciate the basics of the counselling process
- have a practical understanding of how to counsel work colleagues, employees, family, friends
- identify the importance of maintaining a healthy distance during the counselling process
- manage special situations involving anger, depression, grief and loss
- enable counselling to become part of one's everyday life skills.
Exploring emotions
- Building rapport and helping to relax
- Active listening skills
- Reflection of content
- Reflection of feelings
Identifying the real problem
- Summarising
- Reframing
- Probing
- The 'five whys'
Generating options
- Reframing
- Encouraging self-generation of options
- How and when to add options
Developing an action plan
- The client choosing the preferred option
- Facilitating action
- Encouraging change
- Establishing a follow-up mechanism
Professional issues
- The counselling environment
- The need for confidentiality
- The influence of the counsellor’s values and beliefs
- Looking after yourself with healthy boundaries
Dealing with particular problems
- The angry client
- The depressed client
- Grief and loss counselling
- The suicidal client
Designed for those who have had little to no prior experience in counselling.
None
Delivery mode
Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Counselling Course: An Introduction detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listDreams can be a rich source of information about our real selves, but many people wonder if they communicate anything of significance. In this psychology course, a practising Jungian analyst will introduce you to the symbolic language of dreams. By learning how to correlate dreams with events in waking life, you can use the creative potential of the dreamscape for greater self-awareness.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify psychic imagery
- describe the symbolic nature of dream imagery
- hold an ennhanced self-awareness through reflection on your own dream experience.
Dreams in history and culture
- Dreams in history, culture and the psychodynamic tradition
- The place of dreams in ancient, mediaeval and non-western societies
- The work of Sigmund Freud and dreams as wish fulfillment
- Carl Jung’s prospective perspective on dreams
The jungian model of the psyche
- The unconscious (both personal and collective) in the process of dream generation
- The place of libido, complexes and individuation in dream generation
- Dream structure and language
- An examination of the general characteristics of dreams (structure, imagery and practical meaning)
Consciousness, persona and shadow
- The four functions of consciousness in relation to dreams
- The archetypes of Persona, Shadow and their personifications in dreams
Anima, animus and self
- The archetype of the Anima in the process of dream generation and its personification in men
- The archetype of the Animus in the process of dream generation and its personification in women
- The archetype of the Self in the process of dream generation and its symbolisation
Working with dreams
- Making associations to dream images
- Connecting dream images to personal inner dynamics
- Dream interpretation
- Dream connections to projection within personal relationships
Types of dreams
- The compensatory function of dreams
- Reductive, reactive, prospective, somatic, telepathic and archetypal dreams
Suitable for those interested in dreams and Jung’s position on them. This can facilitate one’s own personal understanding and psychological growth. It is also suitable for those who have already completed a course on Jung’s psychology, for example the Jung and Archetypes Course.
Delivery mode
Face-to-face, interactive lecture
Delivered as an interactive lecture with open and structured discussion, including DVD’s with summaries.
View Jung and Dreams Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis philosophy course aims to develop your critical thinking skills through practical sessions and the study of informal logic techniques. We will learn the basics of a good argument and evaluate the reasons why arguments go wrong. We will work through practical exercises and evaluate examples from everyday life.
The aim of the course is to provide you with an understanding of how to construct a clear and persuasive argument, and to assess the clarity of arguments.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand of the structure of arguments
- construct a good argument yourself
- critically assess the arguments of others.
Introduction to critical thinking
We will discuss various concepts and ideas.
Elements of an argument
An argument may be very simple, with only a single premise and a conclusion, or it may be composed of a convoluted series of premises and sub conclusions. One technique for working out the relationship between the different elements of an argument is to reconstruct it in the form of a structure diagram. We will discuss a variety of examples associated with this technique.
Language and definitions
The problem with an argument is often because of it's lack of clarity or precision in defining its terms. We will discuss stipulative and operational definitions.
Appeals to authority
Why do we accept the truth of some arguments as reliable and others as unacceptable? We will look at the ways in which arguments appeal to different authority sources and consider the merits of these appeals to truth.
Problems of relevance
Many bad arguments work by diverting attention from the main issues of the argument. For example, by attacking the personality of the opposition rather than debating his or her claims. We will discuss a number of these divisional fallacies including the Straw person fallacy; Ad Hominem; Tu Quoque; Appeals to Ignorance; The Gambler's Fallacy.
Arguments from analogy
Good persuasive arguments can be made through the use of analogies. For example, the use of precedent in the legal system is a form of argument from analogy to a previous case. However, in making these arguments one must be careful that the analogy supports the primary case.
Arguments from experience
Arguments from experience use information about things we have experienced to draw conclusions about outcomes in the future, or they generalise the experiences of a few individuals to make claims about many others. We will evaluate the reliability of these forms of argumentation.
Statistical arguments
How reliable are statistics in arguments and what are the rules of statistical usage?
Application of techniques
We will apply the techniques we have learnt to a number of complex arguments.
Contemporary debates
In this last session we will discuss some contemporary arguments (and see if we can do better)!
Anyone with a general interest in the course themes.
Prerequisites
None
Lecture/seminar
Course notes are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy Course: The Art of Critical Thinking detailsThere are no current classes. Please check back later.
Phenomenology has been, and still remains one of the most significant philosophical movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Phenomenology attempts to take the relationship between body and experience seriously, and find the complex inter-relation of body to mind, consciousness and language.
Phenomenology is a vibrant part of contemporary philosophy and the theory has had many applications in fields such as medicine, psychology and the arts. We will consider a range of philosophers who are currently working in the field including one of the top researchers at present, Prof. Dan Zahavi of the University of Copenhagen.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- identify the key concepts in phenomenology
- discuss the ideas of Edmund Husserl, Max Scheler, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Prof. Dan Zahavi and more, and apply them to practical domains such as medicine
- relate phenomenological ideas to our contemporary world and current issues, and apply these ideas to their personal lives and choices.
Week 1: What is phenomenology?
The philosophical background of phenomenology is discussed in this lecture. We will discuss the relationship between thought and perception; the idea and its expression; reason and emotion.
Week 2: Edmund Husserl: Phenomenological reduction
Husserl (1859-1938) is generally considered to be the founder of Modern Phenomenology. We will discuss Husserl's theory of perception, time, intentionality, and the phenomenological reduction.
Week 3: Max Scheler
Like many of the Lebensphilosophen (philosophers of life) who had influenced him, Scheler strove to save philosophy and thought from the reductive mindset of the positive sciences and to a degree, American pragmatism. For Scheler, practical knowledge and practical consciousness are genetically the first form of knowledge for the individual. Yet, human beings are not necessarily tied to practical affairs and have the ability to comprehend and regard the world in terms of its essence or being.
Week 4: Martin Heidegger: Being-with-others
Heidegger (1889-1976) took phenomenology in a new direction with his concepts of: Being-with-Others; Care and Authenticity; and his original concept of truth as Revealing and Concealing. We will consider aspects of his most important text Being and Time (1927).
Week 5: Martin Heidegger: Technology of the body
Heidegger was one of the first theorists to think seriously about the human relationship to technology. He considers questions such as: Is our fundamental human nature changed by the kinds of technology we use?
Week 6: Maurice Merleau-Ponty
This week we will discuss Merleau-Ponty’s (1907-1961) concept of the body as a synergic system. Merleau-Ponty understands the human body and mind as a synergic system in which all the senses play an integrated part.
Week 7: Merleau-Ponty: The Visible and the Invisible (1964)
In his book The Visible and the Invisible, Merleau-Ponty develops a theory which attempts to understand how meanings become embedded in the ‘fabric of being’.
Week 8: Contemporary phenomenology
In this lecture we consider the contemporary situation. Some of the best new work being done in Phenomenology is coming from the continent. Prof. Dan Zahavi of the University of Copenhagen is one of phenomenology's top researchers. His recently published Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Phenomenology (2012) has been widely discussed. We will consider some of these new developments.
Week 9: Practical phenomenology
Phenomenology has many contemporary applications in medicine, psychology, anthropology, and many other areas. We will consider some of these applications.
Week 10: Phenomenology and the arts
By adopting the phenomenological attitude, we pay attention to how objects such as paintings, symphonies, films, waterfalls appear to us not as ‘useful’ but as ‘contemplative’. We will consider the difference this aesthetic intentionally makes to our consciousness of art objects.
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.
Lecture/seminar
Course notes are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy Course: Introduction to Phenomenology detailsThere are no current classes. Please check back later.
For Heidegger “we ourselves are the entities to be analyzed” and this is both a rational, objective task and a subjective introspection on ourselves. His phenomenology of ‘lived experience’ is a corrective to the enlightenment idea of reason:
“Thinking begins only when we have come to know that reason, glorified for centuries, is the stiff-necked adversary of thought”.
This course will approach Heidegger’s profound and challenging philosophy thematically, drawing from his works on issues of human existence; our relationship with ourselves and to others; the nature of time; technology; language; literature; truth and poetry. The essential text will be his opus work: Being and Time (1927).
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify the main ideas in Heidegger’s works
- describe Heidegger’s theory of human nature
- describe Heidegger’s theory of technology, literature and the visual arts
- apply Heidegger’s theory to the everyday life that we as humans must live
- apply Heidegger’s ideas to contemporary political life
- identify Heidegger’s relation to National Socialism.
Introduction
Heidegger’s central question is: What is the nature of Human Existence? But first he asks: Do all things exist in the same way? Is a dog present in the same way as the dog’s act of running is present? Is a myth present as an atom is present?
Being with others
“Being alone is a deficient mode of being-with; its possibility is a proof for the later”.
Being with yourself: care and authenticity
Who you are is both what you care about and what you tend to: “to dwell is to garden”.
Time
“Time is not a thing, yet it remains constant in its passing away”. Time is the essential feature of Heidegger’s philosophy; it constructs every aspect of human existence.
Phenomenology of time
In ‘everydayness’, the past and future matter to us only in relation to the present and our projects. I do not keep track of time primarily by using numbers: I keep track of time primarily in terms of what it means to my activities.
Language
“Man acts as though he were the shaper and master of language, while in fact language remains the master of man”.
Technology
Heidegger’s philosophy of technology is complex. He proposes firstly that our essential human state is that we use ‘technology’, but he also warns against how this may enslave us: “Everywhere we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it”.
Heidegger on truth
What kind of ‘truth’ is possible for a species whose very nature is ‘concealment’?
Art and poetry
What is the role of art in human existence? Heidegger proposes that unlike pragmatic or technological activities, art can reveal a ‘truth’ about existence if we are open to it.
Heidegger, National Socialism and the German people
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.
None
Delivery mode
Online via the platform Zoom
Lecture/discussion
Course notes are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy Course: Heidegger detailsThere are no current classes. Please check back later.
This philosophy course explores the idea that art is not marginal to human concerns, but a key element in emotional, social and psychological life. Many philosophers have proposed that art is not only the highest human achievement but an essential realm which allows humans to imaginatively reconstruct themselves and the worlds they inhabit. From Greek tragedy to Postmodern conceptualism, we will explore the human drive not only to live life, but to make representations of it. Over ten weeks, we will examine the ideas of philosophers such as Schopenhauer in The World as Will and Representation (1969); Friedrich Schelling’s idea of art as religion; Marx’s critique of art as a form of bourgeois religion; the Avant-Garde’s idea of ‘the new’; and end with a wide ranging discussion of contemporary art.
Content
- The dispute between Aristotle and Plato hinges around the role of emotions in the art of dramatic tragedy. Plato feared the poets and dramatists because he believed that they had too much power over the attitudes of the people, Aristotle agrees about the power of art but proposes that the power of emotions in art could be harnessed for good social purposes.
- Aristotle's philosophy of the theatre is the first comprehensive attempt by a critic to work out the mechanisms which produce the emotional effects of theatre. We will study his theory of 'mimesis' and the role of 'cathartics' in dramatic art.
- Immanuel Kant is often called the father of modern aesthetics. He makes a rigorous philosophical attempt to understand the nature of aesthetic experience by working out how it differs from other kinds of experiences, such as the experience of erotic desire. This distinction becomes complex for example, when one is dealing with issues such as the viewer's response to nude paintings.
- Friedrich Schelling proposes that the function of art is to create a domain in which humans can 'dream' their way to their fullest human potential. Without the domain of art he proposes humans could not imaginatively play out their hopes and fears and would have no way of constructing for themselves the blueprints of a better future.
- Arthur Schopenhauer in The World as Will and Representation argues that in the contemplation of art, and particularly the engagement with music, humans can share the most valuable human gift of freedom with each other. He sees art as the high point of human development.
- Romanticism. We will discuss the philosophical concepts which give the foundation and rational to the Romantic arts. Friedrich Nietzsche agrees with Schopenhauer that art is the high point of human civilization, however he disagrees that its value is in its distance from man's animal nature. For Nietzsche art, because of its sensual nature, returns humans to their most passionate, unrestrained state.
- Marx was not content to analyse society; he wanted to play a role in bringing about political change. Bourgeois art was part of the problem: in its content it proliferated and reinforced the bourgeois status quo in terms of morality and economics. Art for Marx is only valuable if it prompts humans into action. Humans must be made to want to change society and one way for art to do that is by the realistic presentation of the actual state of affairs under which most people must live their lives.
- The Modern Movement’s typical strategy was to provoke by the shock of the new, the decadent or outrageous, they insisted on arts autonomy: "Art for Art's Sake".
- The rise of the Avant-Garde entails both an endorsement of Nietzsche's return of art to the body and emotions, but is at the same time deeply suspicious of the elitism of the art world and its high aesthetic ideals.
- The Postmodern Movement. From the 1980’s to the present the art world has been dominated by postmodernism we will explore this movement: its benefits and its disadvantages and end the course with a discussion of whether we are now in a post-postmodern age.
Anyone with a general interest in philosophy.
None
Lecture/seminar
Course notes are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy of Art Course: Introduction from Plato to the Postmodern detailsThere are no current classes. Please check back later.
Hannah Arendt wrote some of the most profound philosophy of the twentieth century. Her work is rich and subtle and she engaged critically with the key intellectual ideas of philosophical history, including: What makes humans ‘human’? What makes an ethical life? The nature of evil; How do we forgive the unforgivable? What does it mean to have ‘common sense’? What is the nature of ‘story telling’?
Hannah undertook the considerable task of understanding the political events of her own time and produced works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) and Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963).
In the late sixties, she turned her attention to the Civil Rights movement, feminism and the Vietnam War. Her last work The Life of the Mind (1977) was published posthumously. In this work, she asks: What are we ‘doing’ when we do nothing but think? We will connect some of her ideas to our current situation and the possibilities in the post-COVID-19 world.
The aims of this course are to:
- provide you with an overview of the origins and complexities of the philosophy of Hannah Arendt
- make the connection between the history of Totalitarianism and the contemporary situation, including the outcomes of a post-COVID-19 world
- demonstrate the important role played by Hannah Arendt in our understanding of human nature
- provide you with an understanding of the complex structure of the internal workings of political theory through Hannah Arendt’s critical analysis.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify the main theories of Hannah Arendt and discuss them in relation to our contemporary situation
- discuss the issues involved in questions concerning the role of narrative and drama in political theory
- discuss Anna’s warnings concerning the rise of totalitarian governments in relation to the post-COVID-19 world.
Introduction to key concepts
- Power
- Evil
- Thought
- Speech
- Truth
Life and times
Hannah Arendt’s life experiences as a Jew in Germany, the imperative to leave Germany and flee from the Nazis, and her life in America, are crucial in understanding the problems which she believes philosophy must address and give some answer to. She does not think that philosophy has the right to remain on the sidelines of history.
The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951)
For four weeks, Kerry will give an overview of Hannah' four major books. We will discuss their major themes and arguments, followed by an analysis of sections of the work. We will begin with The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951).
The Human Condition (1958)
Purposive behaviour is possible because humans experience their ability through ‘work’ to shape the world they inhabit; without it we could only live moment to moment. Arendt’s arguments are subtle and complex. She draws on some aspects of Nietzsche’s philosophy, but rejects other aspects; she has elements of both Existentialism and Phenomenology and yet comes to her own conclusions.
Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963)
Published in 1963, this was Hannah’s most controversial work. However it survived the initial outrage to become arguably her most read and discussed theory.
The Life of the Mind (1977)
She has a dynamic theory of thought. We will study her ideas on how humans make judgements, and the nature of ‘willing’ amongst others.
Political activism
On the Civil Rights movement, Feminism, Vietnam. We will analyse the text Reflections on Little Rock.
Arendt on narrative and drama
We will analyse the text Unlearning with Hannah Arendt, by Marie Louise Knott.
Arendt amongst the poets and playwrights
Arendt had many wonderful insights into the works of poets such as Auden and playwrights such as Shakespeare: to say she was ‘well read’ would certainly be an understatement.
Interpretation
We will review some recent interpretations of Arendt’s ideas and do an analysis of the film Hannah Arendt (2012).
Anyone with a general interest in the philosophy of Hannah Arendt.
Lecture/seminar
Course notes are provided electronically using Dropbox.
View Philosophy Course: Hannah Arendt detailsThere are no current classes. Please check back later.
