Combining Philosophy with Other Subjects
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Philosophy can be successfully combined with many other courses of study.
Philosophy and Cognitive Science
Cognitive science involves research into the nature of minds and intelligence by people working within the fields of philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, neuroscience, anthropology, and computer science. While other fields focus on experimental research into the nature of the mind, philosophy is concerned with more theoretical questions, about human, animal and artificial cognition.
Undergraduate courses on offer with the Philosophy Department's programme in Cognitive Science and Philosophy of Mind include PHIL 235 Cyberspace, Cyborgs, and the Meaning of Life and PHIL 238 Cognitive Science. Other courses that can be taken as a part of the cognitive science programme are PHIL 110 Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus, Phil132 God, Mind, and Freedom, Phil133 Philosophy and Human Nature, PHIL 233 Epistemology and Metaphysics, PHIL 208 Logic A, PHIL 251 Semantics, PHIL 308 Logic A, and PHIL 305 Philosophical Logic. At the postgraduate level courses in cognitive science include PHIL 453/454 Cognitive Science, PHIL 463 Contemporary Philosophy A, and PHIL444 Philosophical Logic. (Please note that not all of these courses are on offer in any one year.)
Philosophers at the University of Canterbury are actively involved in research in many areas of cognitive science, including, among others, artificial intelligence, the history and philosophy of computing, evolutionary psychology, psychology of religion, philosophical psychology, and computational models of mind. Students interested in graduate research in any area of cognitive science should contact the Graduate Studies Co-ordinator.
Philosophy and the Sciences
All of the philosophers at the University of Canterbury have experience in the sciences as well as in philosophy; many have degrees in science as well as philosophy, and all have worked, taught or carried out research within various scientific fields.
Most courses on offer from Philosophy can be taken as part of a BSc as well as a BA, but a number of courses are particularly relevant to science students. Undergraduate courses on offer for students with an interest in science include PHIL 110 Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus, Phil133 Philosophy and Human Nature, PHIL 229 Philosophy of Religion: Rationality, Science, and the God Hypothesis, PHIL 233 Epistemology and Metaphysics, PHIL 235 Cyberspace, Cyborgs, and the Meaning of Life, PHIL 238 Cognitive Science, PHIL240 Bioethics: Life, Death, and Medicine, PHIL 305 Philosophical Logic, PHIL310 Early Modern Philosophy, and PHIL 318 Philosophy of Religion: Rationality, Science, and the God Hypothesis. At the postgraduate level courses with a combined focus on philosophy and science include PHIL434 Moral Philosophy and the Health Sciences, PHIL444 Philosophical Logic, PHIL453/454 Cognitive Science, and PHIL456 Philosophy of Science. (Please note that not all of these courses are on offer in any one year.)
Graduate students who are interested in working towards an MA, MSc, or PhD that combines an interest in philosophy and any of the sciences should contact either the Graduate Studies Co-ordinator, or, if they have an interest in the History and Philosophy of Science, Philip Catton.
Philosophy and Mathematics
The University of Canterbury offers several degree programmes in Mathematics & Philosophy. The flagship BSc(Hons) Mathematics & Philosophy programme is designed to produce honours graduates in mathematics with a substantial background in philosophy and an awareness of the connections between the two fields. There are also routes through Mathematics & Philosophy to double-major BA or BSc or to the double BA-BSc degrees. The intellectual training given by this combination of disciplines noted for their rigour will not only prepare graduates for postgraduate research in the philosophy and foundations of mathematics but also make them attractive to employers who value the ability to think and argue clearly.
Students considering Mathematics & Philosophy should speak with the co-ordinators of the programme, Douglas Bridges (Mathematics) and Philip Catton.
Philosophy and Politics
Studying philosophy and politics will help you to think about the philosophical foundations of government and relations between government and individuals.
Relevant courses in the Philosophy Programme include PHIL 139 Ethics, Politics, and Justice which introduces basic moral theories and arguments and then examines moral justifications for government, arguments for and against democracy, and arguments about individual freedom; PHIL236 Ethics, PHIL 239 (=POLS 201) History of Political Thought covers major political thinkers. PHIL 317 Contemporary Political Philosophy addresses arguments about markets and distributive justice.
Other programmes offer papers which combine well with the philosophy courses above. In Political Science , there is POLS 102 Introduction to Political Science, POLS106 Political and Social Philosophy, and POLS 207 Democracy, Technology, and Power. In the Law School, there is LAWS 301 Jurisprudence, which examines concepts of law, justice, and authority. In Maori there is MAOR 113 The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand Society.
If interested in combining philosophy and politics, contact Derek Browne for more information.