1 Unit Course
Philosophy
Rationale (an excerpt from NESA Syllabus)
"This course aims to develop students' understanding of themselves in their worl. It confronts students with authentic ethical, social and political dilemmas and challenges them to formulate consistent and rational solutions. The course explicitly teaches the skills of critical thinking, logic, reasoning and thesis construction. In grappling with these problems, the students develop a deeper understandingof the way that ethical and philosophical commitments shape personal, social and political decisions.
For the purpose of this course, 'Philosophy' is defined as 'a set of values, perceptions, beliefs and understandings that we, as humans, use to make decisions and choose course of action that have the power to shape our world, both personally and on a larger scale.' All students will be encouraged to think of themselves as 'Practical Philosophers' and to gain a deeper understanding of what drives and informs their personal and shared beliefs. Most importantly, thorough the study of Philosophy, students will gain the ability to think freely, challenging assumptions, ideologies and beliefs through the use of reason and logic."
Topics Studied:
- Logic
- Epistemology
- Ethics
- Metaphysics
Skills this course will focus on:
- developing skills in logic, critical thinking and metacognition.
- higher order thinking.
- providing knowledge relevant to life and the world.
- developing communication, literacy skills and skills in reasoned argument.