Practical Philosophy Courses
Practical Philosophy is the exploration of knowledge, wisdom and ideas you can use to make sense of your world. It’s about discovering the truth of things – not in theory, but in our own experience.
- Meet online or connect in-person
- Course runs for 10-12 weeks
- 3 terms each year with new courses starting in January, May and September
- No prior knowledge is required
Introductory Module - Wisdom Within
This ten week introductory course looks at profound principles that lead to a new outlook, and suggests simple steps towards living a better, more meaningful and serene life.
The course is practical in the sense that it is designed to be of direct use in our everyday lives. The intention is to stimulate enquiry and through this expand the way we look at the world and ourselves, conferring happiness and freedom.
Ongoing Courses
We would encourage you to explore and deepen your understanding beyond the Introductory Module and we offer a range of opportunities to enable you to do so from Part 2 onwards. For students who have completed the Introductory Module, we run follow-on courses. Each course runs for 10-12 weeks.
Part 1 - Wisdom Within
Practical Philosophy is the exploration of knowledge, wisdom and ideas you can use to make sense of your world. It’s about discovering the truth of things – not in theory, but in our own experience. This ten week course looks at profound principles that lead to a new outlook, and suggests simple steps towards living a better, more meaningful and serene life.
Part 2 - Philosophy & Happiness
The true nature of happiness. Being in tune with one’s own nature. The principle that all be happy. Observing the movements of the mind.The present and passing time.The difference between pleasure and happiness. Natural values continued. Attention and efficiency.
Part 3 - Philosophy & Love
The importance of love. How it is gained and how it is lost. The nature of love overcoming limits. The things that conceal love. What it is that is loved. The nature of gratitude. Love and law. Freedom of love and law together. Love guided by wisdom.
Part 4 - Philosophy & Presence of Mind
What in truth is present and receiving knowledge from what is present. Plato’s analogy of the cave. The importance of nourishing the mind. The power of decision and attention. The nature of criticism. The powers of thought, decision, love and will as universal powers.
Part 5 - Philosophy & Freedom
What is the true nature of freedom? How may freedom be experienced fully and constantly? In what ways is freedom lost? How does this apply both to individuals and to societies?
Part 6 - The Way of Action
The way of action is said to be one way in which the individual may seek to experience and become universal. We have considered the analogy of the actor both on-stage and going backstage. With this knowledge it is possible to act in a universal manner. We tend to spend all day long engaged in action. But what does philosophy say as to how this can take place in a way that is not binding but liberating?
Part 7 - Emotional Freedom
The many different situations that life contains require responses which make use of action, emotion and knowledge. Not only are the realms of action, the heart and knowledge essential for life, but they are also realms where we may discover freedom. Accordingly, our course adopts this structure. Last term we looked at freedom through the lens of action and this term we will consider emotional freedom.
Part 8 - Knowledge & Freedom
We will seek to open up how knowledge may assist us towards freedom through consideration of: The desire for knowledge, higher or spiritual knowledge, how we may know what is true, reason, Plato's description of the soul, the characteristics of good reasoning, attachment to knowledge, universal knowledge, and the nature of truth, consciousness and bliss.