Conscience: a short history
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- Start Date: 07 Jun 2025End Date: 07 Jun 2025Sat (Daytime): 10:30 - 13:30In PersonFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
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What is the course about?
This half-day course will introduce and discuss theories of conscience that have been proposed throughout the last 2,000 years, from theologians, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists and neuroscientists.
What will we cover?
• The definition of conscience
• Religion, philosophy and conscience
• Modern psychology, sociology, neuroscience and conscience.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Outline multiple theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon of conscience.
• Discuss strengths and weaknesses of different theories of conscience.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
•The course is introductory and therefore suitable for beginners – no prior understanding of conscience is necessary. An open mind and a willingness to listen and respond to ideas with which you may not always agree are more important than specific levels of skill.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
This will be a face-to-face, interactive lesson with group discussion and short individual written tasks. There will be optional additional reading suggestions but no mandatory work outside the class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
• Bring a pen and paper.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please see City Lit's website for details of forthcoming courses.
Andrew has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Theology and Ethics from the University of Oxford, and has taught at City Lit since 2017. He works in online education, and is the author of a number of publications about religion, morality and healthcare. Most recently he wrote 'The Meaning of Dignity: What's Beneath the Assisted Dying debate?' for Theos think tank. He has appeared as a speaker and panellist on BBC One, radio and at the Oxford Literary Festival.
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.