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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to Philosophy by The University of Edinburgh

4.7
stars
9,676 ratings

About the Course

This course will introduce you to some of the main areas of research in contemporary philosophy. Each module a different philosopher will talk you through some of the most important questions and issues in their area of expertise. We’ll begin by trying to understand what philosophy is – what are its characteristic aims and methods, and how does it differ from other subjects? Then we’ll spend the rest of the course gaining an introductory overview of several different areas of philosophy. Topics you’ll learn about will include: Epistemology, where we’ll consider what our knowledge of the world and ourselves consists in, and how we come to have it; Philosophy of science, where we’ll investigate foundational conceptual issues in scientific research and practice; Philosophy of Mind, where we’ll ask questions about what it means for something to have a mind, and how minds should be understood and explained; Political Philosophy, where we'll investigate whether we have an obligation to obey the law; Moral Philosophy, where we’ll attempt to understand the nature of our moral judgements and reactions – whether they aim at some objective moral truth, or are mere personal or cultural preferences, and; Metaphysics, where we’ll think through some fundamental conceptual questions about free will and the nature of reality. The development of this MOOC has been led by the University of Edinburgh's Eidyn research centre. To accompany 'Introduction to Philosophy', we are pleased to announce a tie-in book from Routledge entitled 'Philosophy for Everyone'. This course companion to the 'Introduction to Philosophy' course was written by the Edinburgh Philosophy team expressly with the needs of MOOC students in mind. 'Philosophy for Everyone' contains clear and user-friendly chapters, chapter summaries, glossary, study questions, suggestions for further reading and guides to online resources. Please click "Start Here" and navigate to the "Optional Reading" page for more information. This course is also available with captions in Chinese: https://www.coursera.org/learn/zhexue-daolun Learners can apply for Financial Aid directly with Coursera to assist with the cost of accessing the full course and gaining a certificate for successfully completing the course....

Top reviews

EG

May 13, 2020

Clear, complete, rigorous, user friendly, open to different levels of engagement, great and wide extra materials and peer discussion, covers the Big Questions and the mains ways to focus them.

RT

Dec 7, 2022

Very informative and enjoyable. Pitched at the right level for beginners. Provided an appropriate level of challenge. Also plenty of further reading links available at the end of each module.

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By Sergio A C F

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Oct 20, 2016

good

By Kyle K S

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Oct 17, 2016

good

By Тәжібай Г Б

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Oct 12, 2024

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By Anisha R

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Jun 22, 2021

100

By Pradip G

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May 25, 2021

Yes

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Dec 11, 2020

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Oct 25, 2024

:)

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Sep 7, 2023

OK

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Sep 27, 2021

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Aug 10, 2021

👍

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Apr 17, 2021

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Oct 4, 2015

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Nov 27, 2024

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Oct 7, 2024

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Oct 7, 2024

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Jun 21, 2017

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By Shiferaw H

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Jan 18, 2017

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By Maarten R

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Nov 24, 2016

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By Cliff S

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Aug 22, 2015

I enjoyed this course very much. Like many survey courses that are well-conceived, this one stimulated enthusiasm for learning more about some of the topics. So much so in my case that I have enrolled in another course from the University of Edinburgh relating to philosophy and science. I expect it will be equally thought provoking as its delivery involves some of the same faculty.

I believe this course would be improved if there was a mechanism for constructive feedback on missed exam questions that illustrate how the questions at hand are integral and in context to the presentations and supplemental readings (some of which I pursued). Simply referring a student back to the course outline does not assist learning when a student does not understand why a chosen answer is incorrect in context. I realize this is a tall ask for an online course. In my own experience as a university faculty member having developed computer assisted instruction and simulations (physiology and anesthesiology) there is no replacement for contact and conversation with an engaged teacher whose interest lies in helping people learn. That said, I reflect that my constructive comments are made in light of my overall satisfaction that this course has succeeded in stimulating interest in learning more about the interface and complementary nature of science and philosophy.

Borrowing a phrase from the course itself, "well done".