The Pursuit of Wonder: Tools for Philosophical Literacy

The Pursuit of Wonder: Tools for Philosophical Literacy

This course is about broadening the scope of how we think about ourselves, others, and the world. As Plato has Socrates state at Theatetus 155d, "...wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder". If you are unsatisfied with easy answers to difficult questions, feel a real sense of awe in the face of the depth of human experience, and seek better ways to clarify, articulate, and effectively communicate your point of view, then this course is for you. In this course we develop the tools and requisite philosophical framing that will enable you to engage deeply and critically with the questions of philosophy. In this course you will become acquainted with several of the most foundational issues in contemporary philosophy. Do note that this is an introductory course and as such we will be providing a high level view of the various topics and themes of philosophy.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Recognize and evaluate arguments using the tools of deductive and inductive logic

• construct and defend compelling arguments of your own

• Recognize core philosophical problems in epistemology, metaphysics, and value-theory, and potential responses to them

• Recognize and engage philosophical issues as they show up in media and culture

How to use philosophy to deepen and enrich your experience

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What you will learn

• Recognize central philosophical issues and their application to everyday life.
• Examine differing responses to basic philosophical issues such as the relationship between causality and free will, mind and body, knowledge and experience.
• Learn to construct your own well-crafted arguments.

Rating: 4

Level: Beginner Level

Duration: 26.5 hours

Instructor: Neil Pettijohn