Philosophy

Everyone does philosophy.

Everyone thinks about life, the way they live, what is right and wrong, and how we know things at least some of the time. The word philosophy is from the Greek meaning the love of wisdom, so if you enjoy questioning fundamental aspects of life, our existence, reason, and the human mind then this is the elective for you!

Philosophy teaches us not what to think but how to think. Different ideas about people, rules and how to live are introduced, debated and applied to real life. We examine philosophers from Plato to Walt Disney and explore ideas of our world reflected in celebrity, pop culture and ourselves.

This unit covers the key concepts addressed in the Stage 1 course, and is an exciting introduction to critical thought in everyday life, a skill that is increasingly needed in our society. Three basic questions are asked: How do we know? What is real? And how should we live? We will also look at ideas of reason and happiness. You will examine the basic components of argument: the concept of fairness; concepts of human fulfillment and wellbeing; and the ethics and values of friendship.

Group work and discussion is a major focus and students will explore some basic elements of reasoning; the distinction between opinion and evidence; the idea of the person; work and leisure; and rights and obligations in society.