Philosophy and the human situation
On this page
|
|
|
|
|
| 7 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown.
Summary
This introduction to philosophy shows how philosophical issues arise in familiar questions about our own nature and situation, and is designed to show philosophy as an active enquiry. It teaches the techniques of analysis and argument needed to engage with these questions, and gives you a sound basis for more advanced study. You will develop a familiarity with the subject and its methods that can be applied in other academic disciplines and in everyday life, discussing problems such as: the acceptable limits of individual freedom; attitudes towards animals; environmental ethics; Darwinism and human nature; mind and matter; and philosophy of religion.
Course content
This course aims to:
- provide an introduction to philosophy through the study of a selection of philosophical problems, chosen for their intrinsic interest and practical relevance
- present philosophy as an active enquiry and an essential part of problems that arise in most academic disciplines and in everyday life
- introduce extracts from the work of a broad range of philosophers, past and present
- teach basic techniques of argument and analysis that provide a firm foundation for further study of philosophy and are clearly relevant to the development of many other academic subjects.
The course introduces some important problems of philosophy by showing how they arise in a series of familiar questions about ourselves and our place in the world. Some books deal, broadly, with the ethics of our relationships: with each other in society, with other animals and with the wider environment. Others take a step back from these questions to consider the kind of being we ourselves are and our place in the wider scheme of things.
The six books of the course deal with:
- The acceptable limits of individual freedom. To what extent should we be at liberty to do what we want, and why? Can there be any justification for curtailing such activities as certain sexual practices; or boxing, for example?
- Attitudes to and treatment of other animals. Should they be regarded as having rights? If not, should other moral considerations radically change traditional attitudes towards them? How, if at all, should our attitudes towards animals differ from attitudes towards our own species?
- Attitudes towards the environment in general. Is the preservation of ecosystems, landscapes and species important only because they matter to us, or are there other, perhaps deeper, reasons?
- The implications of post-Darwinian research into evolution and genetics for our understanding of ourselves. Does the scientific study of human nature imply that we are incapable of free will or genuine morality? Does it show that many political ideals must be abandoned?
- Minds, bodies, and machines. What kinds of thing can be conscious? Will machines ever be able to think? Can minds exist independently of matter? Are minds really nothing but matter?
- The philosophy of religion. Is there an afterlife? Should we believe in miracles? Is God’s benevolence compatible with human suffering?
The course does not provide a potted survey of ideas about these subjects. Rather, it engages in detailed discussion of parts of them, often through extracts from the work of classical or modern philosophers, and always with close attention to techniques of analysis and argument. It is designed to show philosophy as an active enquiry, dealing with questions that are an essential part of many other academic subjects and everyday discussion, and using techniques that will be invaluable for specialists in other areas as well as philosophy. By the end of the course you should:
- appreciate what makes a question a philosophical one, and be able to recognise the philosophical elements in complex problems
- be familiar with a range of philosophical problems and be able to reason effectively about them
- understand and be able to use basic philosophical terminology
- recognise and critically assess a wide range of techniques of reasoning and be able to apply them in a variety of contexts
- develop your ability to understand, analyse and criticise philosophical texts
- be thoroughly equipped to go on to higher-level philosophy courses.
If you would like more information about this course you can visit the A211 website which has additional information on the course, including outlines of course books and extracts from interviews with A211 students.
Associated optional residential school course
In the optional Level 2 free-standing philosophy residential school Doing philosophy (AXR271), you will find a strand relevant to A211 (see separate course description).
Entry
The course does not assume that you have any knowledge of philosophy, and you are not necessarily expected to have taken any other Open University courses before it. Nevertheless, it is a Level 2 course that builds on Level 1 study. The arts past and present (AA100) (or the discontinued course A103) develops relevant study skills such as good reasoning, clear expression, essay writing, and the ability to select and interpret relevant material. More than this, it offers an introduction to all eight disciplines taught in the Arts Faculty, as well as to interdisciplinary work. While AA100 is the only Level 1 course that contains an explicit Philosophy component, a clear alternative route to A211 is via Introducing the social sciences (DD101). This is not designed as a foundation for Arts study more generally, but it does provide a good introduction to philosophical skills pertinent to progress on to A211. Your regional or national centre will be able to tell you where you can see reference copies of AA100, DD101 and A211, or you can buy selected materials from Open University Worldwide Ltd
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service. We particularly recommend doing so if you have not taken AA100, DD101, or done equivalent work at another university.
Preparatory work
No preparatory work is necessary but, if you would like to do some reading in advance, two suggested introductory books are N. Warburton Philosophy: the Basics (Routledge) and T. Nagel What Does It All Mean? (Oxford University Press, 1998). You might also like to look at the set book.
Qualifications
A211 is a compulsory course in our
- BA (Honours) Humanities (B03) (with Philosophy)
- BA (Honours) Philosophy and Psychological Studies (B43)
- BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics (B45)
A211 is an optional course in our:
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The printed course materials are available on audio in DAISY Digital Talking Book format and in comb-bound format. The course materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Some PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and scientific, mathematical, foreign language, musical or graphic materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Written transcripts are available for the audio-visual material. Other materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, audio CDs, course website.
You will need
Audio CD player.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Materials to buy
Set books
- Warburton, Nigel Thinking from A to Z (3rd edn), Routledge £9.99 - ISBN 9780415433716
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day - schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You can choose whether to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper or online through the eTMA system. You may want to use the eTMA system for some of your assignments but submit on paper for others. This is entirely your choice.
Assessment is an essential part of the teaching, so you are expected to complete it all. But if you unavoidably miss or do badly in an assignment, some courses allow you a ‘substitution score’. In A211 this rule can apply to one assignment only. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in February 2011 when it will be available for the last time.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Arts and Humanities.
Study explained
- Course
- - a module of study that can count towards a qualification.
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Level
- - indicates how difficult a course is. Undergraduate study starts at Level 1.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Student Reviews
This is an excellent course. Very thought provoking, the sort of course that can literally change your life. Rather than ...
Read more
I loved the scope of this course, and found the subjects fascinating. I was also very happy to find that ...
Read more
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Got a question?
Contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service
Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90
Browse the prospectus
Request a print prospectus
Share
This PageThe University wishes to emphasise that, while every effort is made to regularly update this site, the material on it is subject to alteration or amendment in the light of changes in regulations or in policy or of financial or other necessity.