Doing Philosophy: Ethics, Knowledge, and Reality
UndergraduateTAS-HPH1202027
Course information for 2027 intake
Contemporary problems often lead back to enduring philosophical questions. Examine morality, knowledge, truth and reality alongside AI and misinformation. Strengthen argument analysis and your ability to form reasoned views.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 27 June 2027
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Start dates
- 5 July 2027
- Price from
- $2,328
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Doing Philosophy: Ethics, Knowledge, and Reality
About this subject
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Identify and explain foundational philosophical concepts in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics.
- Analyse and evaluate basic philosophical arguments related to core philosophical theories.
- Express philosophical ideas in written and spoken formats.
- Engage in respectful dialogue with a range of viewpoints
- Doing Philosophy: Ethics, Knowledge, Reality
- Worldviews and Thought Experiments
- What is Morality?
- Normative Ethics
- Deontological Ethics
- Virtue Ethics
- Metaethics
- Reason or Passion
- Morality and Metaphysics
- Determinism, Free Will
- Ethics, Knowledge and Reality
- AI: A Philosophical Analysis
- Personal Identity and Death
Today’s burning questions often have deep philosophical roots. In this subject, you’ll explore those roots by examining some of the most enduring and provocative questions in philosophy. Here are some questions you may explore: What is morality? Do animals have rights? Who possesses knowledge? What is the status of scientific knowledge? What is ‘truth’? What is the nature of reality? These timeless inquiries are brought into conversation with contemporary challenges like the rise of artificial intelligence, misinformation, and the ethical implications of scientific and technological change. These real-world challenges will serve as entry points into key philosophical debates relating to the subdisciplines of moral philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, and ontology.
This subject gives you the basis to start doing philosophy. In this introductory subject, you’ll develop foundational skills in critical reflection, argument analysis, and clear communication. You’ll learn to ask thoughtful questions, evaluate competing perspectives, and articulate your own reasoned views on complex issues. No prior experience in philosophy is required.
- Short Written Task (15%)
- Take-Home Exam (35%)
- Essay (30%)
- Participation (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangements: Recorded lectures- 1 hour per week ; Cross-campus synchronous seminar with all students- 1 hour per week ; Online asynchronous discussion- 1 hour per week.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
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