Introduction to Philosophy: What is Philosophy? (PHIL1002)

Information valid for Semester 1, 2025

Course level

Undergraduate

Faculty

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

School

History,Philos,Religion&Class

Units

2

Duration

One Semester

Attendance mode

In Person

Class hours

2L 1T

Incompatible

PHIL1010 PHIL1012 PHIL7140

Assessment methods

A combination of essay and tutorial exercises

Course enquiries

Doctor Peter Evans (Semester 1, St Lucia, In person)

Doctor Josh Szymanski (Semester 1, St Lucia, In person)

Professor Marguerite La Caze (Semester 2, St Lucia, In person)

Professor Deborah Brown (Semester 2, St Lucia, In person)

Study Abroad

This course is pre-approved for Study Abroad and Exchange students.

Current course offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025) St Lucia In Person Profile unavailable

Please Note: Course profiles marked as not available may still be in development.

Course description

The questions of what philosophy is and what philosophers do are approached through a discussion of the work of philosophers such as Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, and Beauvoir. The first section of the course is devoted to questions of what there is (metaphysics) and what it is to know (epistemology), and topics covered include scepticism, the relationship between mind and body, and idealism. The second section provides an introduction to philosophy from the existential and phenomenological perspectives of embodiment, sexuality, and love.

Archived offerings

Course offerings Location Mode Course Profile
Semester 1, 2024 (19/02/2024 - 15/06/2024) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 1, 2023 (20/02/2023 - 17/06/2023) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2023 (20/02/2023 - 17/06/2023) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 2, 2023 (24/07/2023 - 18/11/2023) St Lucia In Person Course Profile
Semester 1, 2022 (21/02/2022 - 21/06/2022) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2022 (21/02/2022 - 21/06/2022) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 2, 2022 (25/07/2022 - 19/11/2022) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 2, 2022 (25/07/2022 - 19/11/2022) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2021 (22/02/2021 - 19/06/2021) St Lucia Flexible Delivery Course Profile
Semester 1, 2021 (22/02/2021 - 19/06/2021) External External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2021 (26/07/2021 - 20/11/2021) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 2, 2021 (26/07/2021 - 20/11/2021) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2020 (24/02/2020 - 11/07/2020) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2020 (24/02/2020 - 11/07/2020) St Lucia External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2020 (03/08/2020 - 21/11/2020) St Lucia Flexible Delivery Course Profile
Semester 2, 2020 (03/08/2020 - 21/11/2020) External External Course Profile
Semester 1, 2019 (25/02/2019 - 22/06/2019) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2019 (25/02/2019 - 22/06/2019) St Lucia External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2019 (22/07/2019 - 16/11/2019) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2018 (19/02/2018 - 23/06/2018) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2018 (19/02/2018 - 23/06/2018) St Lucia External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2018 (23/07/2018 - 17/11/2018) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2017 (27/02/2017 - 24/06/2017) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2017 (27/02/2017 - 24/06/2017) St Lucia External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2017 (24/07/2017 - 18/11/2017) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2016 (29/02/2016 - 25/06/2016) St Lucia Internal Course Profile
Semester 1, 2016 (29/02/2016 - 25/06/2016) St Lucia External Course Profile
Semester 2, 2016 (25/07/2016 - 19/11/2016) St Lucia Internal Course Profile