Online Philosophy Courses
Explore life’s biggest questions and the thinkers who’ve tried to answer them with City Lit’s online philosophy courses. From ethics and logic to metaphysics, political theory and existentialism, our expert-led courses offer a flexible and accessible way to engage with the key ideas that have shaped human thought — all from the comfort of your own home.
Study the works of philosophers from Plato to Simone de Beauvoir, explore different schools of thought, and reflect on timeless and contemporary questions about truth, justice, freedom, and identity. With live interactive sessions, group discussion and supportive tutor feedback, our courses provide space to think critically, share perspectives and deepen your understanding of philosophy in a collaborative environment.
Open to all levels, whether you're completely new to the subject or looking to build on previous knowledge, our online philosophy courses welcome curious minds and big thinkers alike.
Explore our online philosophy courses today and join a community of learners asking thoughtful questions about the world and our place within it.
14 courses available
A taste of philosophyHave 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.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00- The many faces of timeDo we perceive time or the passage of events? Einstein famously considered time - or the distinction between past, present, and future - as an illusion. We examine subjective time or how we experience time, discussing the roles of memory, emotion, and narrative.
Online
Mon 14 Sep 2026Anita KasabovaFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Chinese Philosophy: the nature of nature
“Heaven and earth are produced from Nature. The myriad things are produced from Heaven and Earth. Nature has nothing outside it; thus it is the name of heaven and earth together.” (Ruan Ji)
Online
Sat 19 Sep 2026John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Philosophy reading group: Kierkegaard's fear and TremblingFear and Trembling is a moving, challenging and influential work of philosophy: short but powerful. This course will offer an introduction to the work of Kierkegaard, explanation of some of the book’s knottier passages and group discussion.
Online
Wed 28 Oct 2026Karl WhiteFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00 - The pre-socratic philosophers: philosophy in the beginningThe beginnings of philosophy and science are found in the thinking of early Greek, ‘Presocratic’, philosophers. Who were they? Why is their thinking still relevant?
Online
Thu 29 Oct 2026John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi: His message and relevance to the modern world
Mahatma Gandhi’s messages are profound and based both on his lived experience and intellectual power. His views on truth seeking and non-violent action have inspired many, particularly in the civil rights movements. Join this online course to find out more about his philosophy and consider its continued relevance in the 21st century.
Online
Mon 16 Nov 2026Ketan VariaFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00 - Chinese philosophy: ethics and politics
“Why should the king ask about profit? There is only benevolence and respect worth talking about. … Benevolence is the secure dwelling of human beings. Respect is the correct road …” (Mengzi)
Online
Sat 16 Jan 2027John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Philosophy and colonialism
This course aims to clarify the philosophical concepts that have emerged in relation to colonialism, postcolonialism and decolonisation, while also interrogating philosophy’s entanglement with empire.
Online
Mon 18 Jan 2027Jessica FeelyFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £123.00 - Philosophy reading group: Adorno's Minima Moralia
This reading group explores Theodor W. Adorno’s 1951 text Minima Moralia, written during his exile from Nazi Germany in the 1940s. As a collection of aphorisms, the text examines how capitalist society shapes everyday life, subjectivity and culture.
Online
Tue 19 Jan 2027Jessica FeelyFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Greek philosophy: PlatoPlato’s philosophy is the foundation of Western thought. It remains essential to a philosophical understanding the human condition.
Online
Thu 21 Jan 2027John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Philosophy reading group: Nietzsche's Twilight of the IdolsTwilight of the Idol is one of Nietzsche’s last texts. Subtitled ‘How to do Philosophy with a Hammer,’ he taps at traditions and dogmas to sound out its hollow gods.
Online
Wed 3 Mar 2027Karl WhiteFull fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £58.00 - Philosophy Reading Group: Aristotle's poetics
In the Poetics, Aristotle outlines his theory of poetry and drama. His views on Greek tragedy have marked literary studies to date. We discuss the main themes of the Poetics and consider its relevance today.
Online
Tue 13 Apr 2027Anita KasabovaFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00 - Chinese philosophy: thinking and imagining
“ … we should not deplore incompleteness, but completeness: knowing that a thing is complete [by itself], why complete it? Because [unfinished] does not mean incomplete. Not knowing how to recognize completeness is true incompleteness.” (Zhang Yanyuan)
Online
Sat 1 May 2027John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00 - Greek philosophy: AristotleThis is a basic introduction to the philosophy of Aristotle, of which his ‘Ethics’ & ‘Politics’ will form the core.
Online
Thu 17 Jun 2027John GoffFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
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