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Foundations of Western Philosophy: From Ancient Greece to the Enlightenment

5 weekly sessions on campus, on Thursdays at 6 - 8pm, starting from Thursday 8 October

Overview

What is philosophy? How do we know what is true? What makes a good life? Can reason alone provide certainty?
This five-week course introduces participants to the foundations of Western philosophy through five of its most influential thinkers and the enduring questions they sought to answer. Beginning with the birth of philosophy in Ancient Greece, we explore how thinkers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle transformed humanity's understanding of knowledge, ethics and politics. We then examine how Augustine integrated classical philosophy with Christian thought before concluding with Descartes' revolutionary search for certainty at the beginning of the modern age.

Each session combines an accessible introduction to key philosophical ideas with guided discussion, short readings from original texts, and opportunities to relate these ideas to contemporary issues including artificial intelligence, social media, ethics, politics and personal identity. No previous experience of philosophy is required, only curiosity and a willingness to engage with some of history's greatest questions.

This course aims to introduce participants to the major foundations of Western philosophy from Ancient Greece to the early modern period. Participants will develop an understanding of key philosophical concepts, learn how influential thinkers approached fundamental questions about knowledge, justice, virtue and reality, and gain confidence in reading and discussing classical philosophical texts.

Suitable for anyone with an interest in philosophy, history, politics or ideas. No previous knowledge is required. Sessions combine short lectures with interactive discussion, group activities and close reading of accessible extracts from primary philosophical texts, making the course suitable for complete beginners as well as those wishing to revisit philosophy in a structured and engaging way.

Syllabus

  • Week 1: The Birth of Philosophy: Pre-Socratics and Socrates (Heraclitus, Parmenides, Socrates)
  • Week 2: Plato's introduction to The Republic
  • Week 3: Plato & Socrates
  • Week 4: Medieval Synthesis: Saint Augustine
  • Week 5: Reason and Enlightenment: Descartes’s Meditations

Course lecturer

Dr Shereen Hamed Shaw is a Senior Lecturer and researcher at Edge Hill University’s Faculty of Education. She holds a double honours BA in English & Comparative Literature and Philosophy from AUC, an MA in Philosophy and Literature from UEA, and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Liverpool. With experience teaching across secondary, further, and higher education in the UK and the Middle East, her work bridges the gap between philosophy and education, enriching both fields. She is the author of Britishness, Identity and Belonging in Education: Social Justice in Troubling Times. (2024) Springer Nature. 

Course fee

  • Standard fee: £85
  • Concession fee: £45