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A series of lectures delivered by Peter Millican to first-year philosophy students at the University of Oxford. The lectures comprise of the 8-week General Philosophy course, delivered to first year undergraduates. These lectures aim to provide a thorough introduction to many philosophical topics and to get students and others interested in thinking about key areas of philosophy. Taking a chronological view of the history of philosophy, each lecture is split into 3 or 4 sections which outline a particular philosophical problem and how different philosophers have attempted to resolve the issue. Individuals interested in the 'big' questions about life such as how we perceive the world, who we are in the world and whether we are free to act will find this series informative, comprehensive and accessible.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ History of philosophy • Key philosophical problems • Induction • External world scepticism • Cartesian dualism • Knowledge theory • Perception issues • Free will and determinism • Personal identity debatesThis podcast, "General Philosophy," presents a series of lectures delivered by Peter Millican to first-year philosophy students at the University of Oxford. It offers a comprehensive introduction to various philosophical topics, tracing the historical development of philosophical thought from Ancient Greece to modern times. The episodes are structured to provide both a chronological and thematic exploration of major philosophical concepts and figures.
Listeners can expect to encounter a broad range of topics starting with the foundational aspects of early modern philosophy, moving through the scientific revolutions introduced by figures like Galileo and Descartes, and then advancing to the contributions of later philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Hume. The lectures detail how these philosophers addressed fundamental issues like the nature of the universe, human perception, and the acquisition of knowledge.
Moreover, the podcast delves into specific philosophical problems and debates, such as the problem of induction articulated by Hume, responses to external world skepticism, and the nature of personal identity. It tackles Cartesian dualism and the subsequent discussions on the mind-body problem, provides an introduction to primary and secondary qualities, and examines the competing theories of perception.
The series also explores the complex relationship between free will, determinism, and moral responsibility, surveying different concepts of freedom and how these relate to human autonomy and ethical accountability. Additionally, the latter episodes address issues of epistemology, focusing on the nature and limits of knowledge, and the traditional analysis of knowledge including responses to Gettier cases.
The podcast is designed to be accessible and engaging, aiming to spark interest in philosophical inquiries into life's big questions, such as how we understand the world around us, what it means to be human, and the extent of our freedom in making choices. This structured approach, combined with historical context and thematic exploration, offers an informative guide for anyone intrigued by philosophy.