click here for ordinary reading click here for a high contrast version

The Value of Knowledge

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Discussion is at the heart of our way of doing philosophy. We take a single topic - Knowledge - but with lots of interesting issues that arise, and we try and get hold of these. The format I shall begin with anyway - you will tell me if you want another way - is: me saying a bit to raise a question, we discuss it, I say a bit more. Discussions have a life of their own. I think you'll have to leave it to me to sense when it has lost momentum and it's time to move on.

The format of discussion I like is rounds.

So long as everybody knows their right to silence is respected, I find it works really well.

We simply invite each other to say what they want one at a time while the rest of us shut up. Once we've gone round, the floor is open for a bit for people to take up anything they have heard. Then we move on.

There's a webpage for each topic, where I try and present the ideas I draw on in class.

Written work

It's not all discussion! Philosophy is about writing well - especially writing clearly and forensically.

I want you to start writing without delay. The sooner you get feedback the better.

There's a coursework assignment and then a pre-seen exam.

Reading

And there's reading.

You should draw on some reading/research to strengthen and develop the argumention that comes straight out of your head. I offer one piece of reading for each topic, on the WeekByWeek page, and a list. But there's lots lots more!

Thinking

And thinking.

.