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Philosophy: An Introduction to Western Philosophy

At a Glance

Classroom course (South Kensington)
Tuesdays 18:00 - 20:00
20 weeks | October - March
Starts 22 October 2024
Fees from £288
Tutor: Dr Matthew Rowe

Enrol-by Date

14 October 2024

Brief sample of Dr Matthew Rowe teaching philosophy at Imperial College London

In this course Dr Matthew Rowe will introduce us to the ideas, lives and social contexts of some of the greatest Western philosophers in human history. This will take us on a journey stretching back to the sixth century BC and coming forward to the present day.

Beginning with the idea of philosophy itself, and the changes in the definition of philosophy over the centuries, the course will focus on the works of a number of key historical and more contemporary philosophers. It will examine some of the key concepts philosophers have sought to address, their relationship to the societies in which they lived, and their influence on social thought and action, as well as their impact on subsequent thinkers.

Philosophers studied might range from Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, to Kant, Nietzsche and de Beauvoir, amongst others, and students will be encouraged to consider the work of historical and contemporary philosophers in light of their own experiences, and to address the question whether philosophy is still relevant in our lives today.

The course is aimed at complete beginners, and so no previous knowledge of philosophy is necessary.

Class Recordings

These classes are not recorded

Attendance Certificate

Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an Imperial College attendance certificate

Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment

Course Programme

Your Tutor

Course Fees and Rate Categories

Weeks	Standard Rate	Internal Rate (Imperial students & staff)	Associate Rate
20	£536	£320	£422
All fee rates quoted are for the whole 2-term course. Part-payments are not possible.

Rate Categories and Discounts

Standard Rate

Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.

Internal Rate

Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School

Associate Rate

Austrian Cultural Forum staff
Co-operative College members
Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
Friends of the Royal College of Music
Harrods staff
Historic Royal Palaces staff
Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
Members of the Friends of Imperial College
Members of the Kennel Club
Members of the London Zoological Society
Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
National Health Service (NHS) employees
Natural History Museum staff
Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
Royal Geographical Society staff
Science Museum staff
Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
Students (non-Imperial College)
Teachers and other staff of UK schools
The American Institute for Foreign Study
Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
Victoria and Albert Museum staff

Late enrolment

It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.

Friends and Family Scheme

This course is eligible for allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.

Term Dates 2024-2025

Weeks	Autumn term	Spring term	Summer term
20	Week starting 21 October - week ending 14 December 2024 (8 weeks)*	Week starting 6 January - week ending 29 March 2025 (12 weeks)*	n/a
*This is a 2-term course - Autumn term PLUS Spring term - with the Christmas break in between****

Enrolment Process

Enrolment via the blue booking link is open. Early-bird discounts are available until the end of 30 September 2024

Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:

Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.

When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:

What is sent	When is it sent	What does it contain
1. Payment confirmation	Is sent straight away following submission of your online application	This is a receipt for your payment and includes payment date, order number and course title Confirmation of your place on your chosen course will follow later as long as the course recruits enough students to run. If not you will receive a refund of your payment.
2. Enrolment confirmation	Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received	Confirms your course choice Shows your course's term dates Confirms the day and time of your course
3. Programme information	Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts	Contains joining instructions for your course, either online or in the classroom, depending on the course
	If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756 / +44 20 7594 8756. All enrolments are provisional until the course is confirmed to run. This will be dependent on the course reaching the minimum number of enrolments. All enrolments are subject to our Terms and Conditions. It is not possible to join one of our courses without agreeing to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

Any Questions?

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Contact us

Imperial after:hours Adult Education
Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
Level 3 - Sherfield Building
Imperial College London
London SW7 2AZ
eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk
Tel. +44 20 7594 8756

Philosophy: An Introduction to Western Philosophy

At a Glance

Enrol-by Date

Matthew Rowe Teaching Video

Class Recordings

Attendance Certificate

Course Information

Useful Links

Contact us

Imperial College London

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