Yesterday on a whim I looked at the Open University web site thinking about doing some study. I wondered about doing some courses in Philosophy. Because of my relatively poor ability in Maths I think it unlikely that I would pass any degree course in Physics. Though there was a time when I was a jolly good member of the Institute and officially qualified as a chartered physicist. That qualification is lapsed and cannot be resurrected.
I wondered how any tutor might mark / respond to my efforts. Clearly, I would be very undisciplined. When I looked into the possibilities, I foresaw problems.
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It occurred to me that the course was not Philosophy per se, rather the history of human ideas dressed up as Philosophy. I never liked the part of science that gave personal names to equations, like the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. That method was a sure way of encouraging me to forget. The hagiography of dead people has never really lit my candle. A little closer look suggested that what passes as Philosophy contains a lot of discussion of socio-political interaction and social conditioning.
I reckoned that were I to proceed there would be disagreement. The strict definitions would not work for me under the umbrella of Buddhist impermanence and non-attachment. Arguing the toss for arguing the toss’s sake seemed to be a core part. Anyway for France the prices are not low, around four grand a module. It suggested to me that what I think I know is not suitable for the normal Venn diagram discussions of traditional ways of thinking. It does not fit to that socio-political framing which seems to be a big part of a philosophy degree.
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“Block 3: Philosophy of Mind
Humans and other animals have minds, whereas sticks and stones do not. But what is it to have a mind? The brain seems to have something to do with it, but is it the whole story? In the distant (or not so distant) future, might there be robots, or other artificial intelligence, capable of thought, emotion and experience? The block explores these questions.
Block 4: Ethics
This block looks at three philosophical answers to the question of what it is for our actions to be right or wrong. Are the right actions simply the ones with the best consequences? Or do we have ‘moral duties’ we should fulfil regardless of the consequences? Or perhaps we should simply focus on being good, virtuous people and then the right actions will follow?
Block 5: Epistemology
Epistemology is the study of knowledge. How do we know about the world? One obvious answer is by using our senses. Do our senses supply all that we know? Even mathematics? Don’t we, in fact, also acquire knowledge from listening to other people and reading what they have written? But how do I decide whether to trust other people? Do we all have equal access to knowledge, or are some groups better ‘knowers’ than others?”
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The conclusion I came to was that it would be better all round not to apply or try to start a course. I don’t think that the contextual setting would sit well with me. I would become a problem.
Yet I do consider myself to have some kind of a philosophical approach to life.
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Is a mystic different from a philosopher?
What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Dreamyoga 