Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.
What will we cover?
What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. Consider what a philosophical argument is with some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion - Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
This taster course is a good preparation for our term-long Introduction to Philosophy course beginnning in September (HP004). Please check the website (www.citylit.ac.uk) for further details.
Karl White completed a Ph.D on the Romanian-French philosopher EM Cioran at King’s College London, having originally been educated at University College Cork. He has tutored students of all ages at university level in various areas such as Philosophy and Literature, Philosophy and Film, and Classical Civilisation. He has published work on Samuel Beckett and written educational works on Shakespeare. He believes in making philosophy accessible to people of all backgrounds and educational levels and promoting lively and open discussion in the shared journey of learning.
From reading Philosophy at a young age to the formal study of Cognitive Science, Philosophy & Psychology at the Universities of London and Sussex - after a prior career in video-arts - John Goff has been presenting philosophy courses to adults since the early 2000s. He uses a cross-disciplinary, seminar-based approach in his courses, drawing on Philosophy, Psychology and the wider Humanities & Social Sciences with an emphasis on the intersection of contemporary and classical European and Asian philosophical thought. He is the author of several works of philosophical fiction concerning artificial minds and organisms and alternative-human worlds including the novel 'The Last Days of the Most Hidden Man' and the novellas 'Eidopolis', 'Agents of Erasure', 'Jupiter|Saturn' and 'Sleep|Nothing|Asylum'. His academic writings can be found on his academia.edu page at 'https://independentscholar.academia.edu/JohnGoff'.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/a-taste-of-philosophy135924A taste of philosophyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1.jpg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Philosophy, religion, & ideas/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Philosophy, religion, & ideas/Philosophy/Courses/Taster courses/Courses/Taster courses/Humanities tasters/Courses/vm/Courses under £69/Courses/Top rated courses/Courses/Online courses/Courses/vm/Summer courses/Summer courses in humanities22851177140415791803180913551166217311357212285117714041803165313457Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out. <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>144.72815806A taste of philosophy1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1_59.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-07-25T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersJul 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHP0651919A taste of philosophy151219Karl Whitea-taste-of-philosophy/hp065-2526Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2026-07-25 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. Consider what a philosophical argument is with some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.This taster course is a good preparation for our term-long Introduction to Philosophy course beginnning in September (HP004). Please check the website (www.citylit.ac.uk) for further details.Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyvirtual3031108A taste of philosophy1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1_61.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-12-05T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersDec 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHP1611919A taste of philosophy151219Karl Whitea-taste-of-philosophy/hp161-2627Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2026-12-05 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. What a philosophical argument is, and some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion.<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.To check the full range of philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk.Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyvirtual3056083A taste of philosophy1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1_63.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-09-12T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersSep 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHP0511919A taste of philosophy151219John Goffa-taste-of-philosophy/hp051-2627Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2026-09-12 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. What a philosophical argument is, and some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion.<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.<p>You may wish to join our Introduction to philosophy (HP004) Introduction to moral philosophy (HP012), Introduction to political philosophy (HP110), or Buddhist philosophy (HP054) all running from September 2026. To check all the philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk</p>Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyvirtual3071041A taste of philosophy1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1_64.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-01-09T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersJan 2027Culture, history & humanitiesHP0561919A taste of philosophy151219John Goffa-taste-of-philosophy/hp056-2627Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2027-01-09 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. What a philosophical argument is, and some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion.<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.<p>You may wish to find out more about the following courses:</p><p>HP006 Philosophy and the meaning of life<br>HP112 Philosophy of Christianity<br>HP133 German Idealism from Kant to Hegel: the beginnings of continental philosophy<br>HP162 Philosophy and the self<br>HP288 Philosophy reading group: Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality<br>HP289 History of ideas: to be or not to be ideological<br>HP130 Phenomenology and critical theory: philosophies of art and culture<br>HP232 The ethics of artificial intelligence: philosophical and practical approaches<br>HP253 21st century philosophical movements: exploring new intellectual frontiers<br>HP278 Philosophy and AI<br>HP254 Spinoza and Leibniz: making sense of the world<br> </p><p>To check all the philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk</p>Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyvirtual3071134A taste of philosophy1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/-/a-taste-of-philosophy-hp056_1_65.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-03-20T00:00:00+00:00Mar 2027Culture, history & humanitiesHP3061919A taste of philosophy191219Karl Whitea-taste-of-philosophy/hp306-2627Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2027-03-20 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. What a philosophical argument is, and some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion.<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.<p>You may wish to find out more about the following courses:</p><p>HP006 Philosophy and the meaning of life<br>HP112 Philosophy of Christianity<br>HP133 German Idealism from Kant to Hegel: the beginnings of continental philosophy<br>HP162 Philosophy and the self<br>HP288 Philosophy reading group: Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality<br>HP289 History of ideas: to be or not to be ideological<br>HP130 Phenomenology and critical theory: philosophies of art and culture<br>HP232 The ethics of artificial intelligence: philosophical and practical approaches<br>HP253 21st century philosophical movements: exploring new intellectual frontiers<br>HP278 Philosophy and AI<br>HP254 Spinoza and Leibniz: making sense of the world<br> </p><p>To check all the philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk</p>Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyvirtual15,191912HP065,HP161,HP051,HP056,HP306NONESat25/07/2610:30 - 12:3010:3012:301 session1One-off onlyWeekendOnlineOnline,Keeley StreetKarl White,John GoffAvailable courses2026-07-25T00:00:00+00:00,2026-12-05T00:00:00+00:00,2026-09-12T00:00:00+00:00,2027-01-09T00:00:00+00:00,2027-03-20T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeJul 2026,Dec 2026,Sep 2026,Jan 2027,Mar 2027Culture, history & humanities1919A taste of philosophya-taste-of-philosophy/hp065-2526,a-taste-of-philosophy/hp161-2627,a-taste-of-philosophy/hp051-2627,a-taste-of-philosophy/hp056-2627,a-taste-of-philosophy/hp306-2627Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.0000-Available|2026-07-25 00:00:00The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.,The course is designed for those who wish to learn about the philosophical manner of thinking, and how to use philosophical texts. We will explore how philosophy is used to analyse concepts such as justice, freedom, and anything else that the would-be philosopher has in mind.Have you ever wondered what philosophy is? What do philosophers talk about? Can they tell you the meaning of life or is it just jargon and navel gazing? Come along and find out.What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. Consider what a philosophical argument is with some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.,What is it that philosophers do? A simple examination of the relation between thinking, concepts and reality. How to think about a concept such as 'justice' or 'freedom'. What a philosophical argument is, and some examples of philosophical arguments taken from diverse philosophical writings.- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.,- Analyse a concept in a philosophical fashion.<br>- Construct a simple philosophical argument on a topic of your own interest.This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required.,This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.,This is a general introductory course and no prior knowledge is required. An open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&amp;A and open discussion. No outside work is required.,The course will run in a 'seminar' format with short tutor presentations followed by Q&amp;A and open discussion. No outside work is required.None. Handouts of relevant texts will be provided. Bring pen/pencil and notebook.This taster course is a good preparation for our term-long Introduction to Philosophy course beginnning in September (HP004). Please check the website (www.citylit.ac.uk) for further details.,To check the full range of philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk.,<p>You may wish to join our Introduction to philosophy (HP004) Introduction to moral philosophy (HP012), Introduction to political philosophy (HP110), or Buddhist philosophy (HP054) all running from September 2026. To check all the philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk</p>,<p>You may wish to find out more about the following courses:</p><p>HP006 Philosophy and the meaning of life<br>HP112 Philosophy of Christianity<br>HP133 German Idealism from Kant to Hegel: the beginnings of continental philosophy<br>HP162 Philosophy and the self<br>HP288 Philosophy reading group: Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality<br>HP289 History of ideas: to be or not to be ideological<br>HP130 Phenomenology and critical theory: philosophies of art and culture<br>HP232 The ethics of artificial intelligence: philosophical and practical approaches<br>HP253 21st century philosophical movements: exploring new intellectual frontiers<br>HP278 Philosophy and AI<br>HP254 Spinoza and Leibniz: making sense of the world<br> </p><p>To check all the philosophy courses on offer, please go to our website www.citylit.ac.uk</p>Philosophy, religion, & ideasPhilosophyconfigurable
15791404Philosophyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/philosophy-religion-belief/philosophy1/2/285/1177/1404/15791/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Philosophy, religion, & ideas/Philosophy
