Analytic Philosophy: Ten Classic Papers



Overview

Philosophy is not a spectator sport - it's an activity. This course encourages students to engage with some of the best and most interesting writing done by analytic philosophers on a wide range of topics, including the existence of God, how language functions, what distinguishes science from pseudo-science, whether minds are private, and whether we could survive the death of our bodies.

We will work on unpacking, analysing, and presenting as clearly as possible the arguments presented in the papers. And of course we will also engage with the arguments, spotting flaws, gaps, and hidden premises.

The emphasis in this course is very much on thinking for yourself. It provides an opportunity to sharpen up your critical thinking skills while engaging with some fascinating issues and questions.

Programme details

Course starts: 23rd Jan 2025

Week 1: Blaise Pascal: 'The Wager' and Richard Swinburne: 'Why God Allows Evil'.

Week 2: A.J. Ayer: 'The Method of Philosophy' and B. Russell: 'The Value of Philosophy'.

Week 3: Karl Popper: 'The Problem of Demarcation'.

Week 4: Hilary Putnam: 'The Meaning of Meaning'.

Week 5: Thomas Nagel: 'Moral Luck'.

Week 6: Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Diary and The Beetle in The Box.

Week 7: Thomas Nagel: 'What is it Like to be a Bat?' P.M.S. Hacker 'Is There Anything It's Like to Be a Bat?'

Week 8: Daniel Dennett: 'Where am I?' Derek Parfit: 'Personal Identity'.

Week 9: Isaiah Berlin: 'Two Concepts of Liberty'.

Week 10: Analytic vs Continental Philosophy.

Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Stephen Law

Stephen Law is a Departmental Lecturer in Philosophy and Director of the Certificate of Higher Education at OUDCE. His research focuses on the philosophy of mind, language, metaphysics and on philosophy of religion. He also writes many accessible online articles and edits the Royal Institute of Philosophy journal THINK: Philosophy for Everyone.

Course aims

To introduce a number of classic papers in analytic philosophy, paying close attention to the text.

Course objectives:

The central aim is to familiarise students with some of the key issues in analytic philosophy and the methods employed by analytic philosophers. Several key papers are investigated and parts of the text subjected to close analysis, with the aim of giving students a hands-on experience of engaging with and in analytical philosophy.

Teaching methods

The sessions combine slide-based lectures and presentation and close investigation of parts of the text. The course includes a workshop-style approach in which students are invited to paraphrase, analyse, and critically engage with the texts. Each session has a reading assigned beforehand. There is also written feedback on students' assignments.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • show knowledge of the arguments presented in a range of classic papers of analytic philosophy;
  • have gained some ability in unpacking and clarifying, and also identifying some of the strengths and weaknesses of those arguments. 

Assessment methods

1.500 word essay

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support