courses

Philosophy and Ethics – – Newcastle University Combined Studies Centre, January 2015-

Wild Minds – Philosophy for Fine Art Students, Department of Fine Art, Newcastle University

HS1001 Philosophy of Religion – Newcastle University Combined Studies Centre, October, 2008-
Visiting Lecturer MSc. Applied Animal Behaviour & Animal Welfare, Edinburgh University, 2010-

Teaching for Sunderland University

2013

Philosophy Today

A long running course in which students engage with contemporary texts and then ask questions to the author. Philosophy Today participants include:

Galen Strawson (Reading), Stephen Davies (Auckland), James Hamilton (Kansas), Kendall Walton (Michigan), Mary Midgley (Newcastle), Ray Tallis (Manchester), Derek Matravers (OU), Tim Thornton (Lancaster), Dan Kaufman (Missouri State), Jonathan Friday (Kent), Rosalind Hursthouse (Auckland), Avner Baz (Tufts), Matthew Kieran (Leeds), Dawn Phillips (Warwick), Vincent Bergeron (British Columbia), Tom Lubbock (UK Art Critic) David Cooper (Durham), Bernard Harrison (Utah and Sussex), Emily Brady (Edinburgh), Maria-Jose Alcaraz (Murcia), Colin Allen (Indiana), Dorit Bar-On (North Carolina.), David Davies (Michigan) Tim Crane (Cambridge), Naomi Eilan (Warwick).

2012

16/04/2013

E201316PE001086 Philosophy Today: Self-Consciousness and Communication

2012

15/01/2013

E201315PE001036 Reading Wittgenstein

2012

09/10/2012

E201214PE000989 Philosophy Today: Subjective Facts

2011

17/07/2012

E201213PE000939 Philosophy Today: Aesthetics

2011

17/01/2012

E201211PE000812 Philosophy Today: Theories of Animal Communication

2011

08/10/2011

E201110PE000796 Philosophy Day School: The Enactivist Mind

2011

04/10/2011

E201110PE000728 Philosophy Today: Allen on Animals

2010

09/07/2011

E20119PE000648 Philosophy Today: Aesthetics and Nature

2010

12/04/2011

E20118PE000638 Philosophy Today: The Sublime

2010

18/01/2011

E20117PE000565 Philosophy Today: Philosophy of Literature

2009

11/09/2010

E20104PE000373 Mysteries of Mind

2009

06/10/2009

E20091PE000129 Beginnings: Philosophy

2012

03/06/2013

E201316PE001084

The Word

Why Dogs Don’t Talk

2012

07/01/2013

E201315PE001070

Explore Essentials

Essentials of Philosophy

2012

13/03/2013

E201315PE001067

The Appliance of Science: Perspectives Talks

Who Wants to Live Forever?

2012

08/10/2012

E201214VI000957

Visions Lunch

Guernica

2012

17/10/2012

E201214PE000991

Illuminating Meetings: Real and What If’s

What Can ‘what If’s” Teach Us?

2012

24/11/2012

E201214RE000979

Illuminating Stories Day School

Avison on Music

2012

26/11/2012

E201214VI000976

Tea Time at the Theatre Royal

The Kitsch, the Chic, the Naff and the ‘naice’

2012

28/11/2012

E201214PE000991

Illuminating Meetings: Real and What If’s

A Game of Billiards: What If Mozart and Kant Had Met?

2011

23/07/2012

E201213VI000896

Summer Departures: Lunch

Why Do People Matter?

2011

10/09/2012

E201213VI000944

Autumn Discoveries: Mondays

A (Very Short) Introduction to Philosophy

2011

17/04/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Introduction

2011

18/04/2012

E201212PE000909

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

Introduction to Debate

2011

23/04/2012

E201212VI000935

Tea Time at the Theatre Royal

Why Do We Find Things Beautiful?

2011

24/04/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Being There

2011

25/04/2012

E201212PE000909

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

The Greatest Good?

2011

01/05/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Existenz

2011

15/05/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Memento

2011

16/05/2012

E201212PE000909

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

Memory and Self

2011

22/05/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Blade Runner

2011

28/05/2012

E201212VI000875

The Creative North East – Past, Present and Future

The Aesthetics of Charles Avison

2011

29/05/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Drive

2011

12/06/2012

E201212PE000892

Movie Meditations

Wittgenstein

2011

18/01/2012

E201211PE000840

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

Very Popular Ways of Arguing Badly

2011

25/01/2012

E201211PE000840

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

Where’s the Art in Conceptual Art?

2011

15/02/2012

E201211PE000840

Perspectives: Lunch Time Debates

The Principle of Double Effect

2011

20/02/2012

E201211VI000832

Tea Time at the Theatre Royal

Ethical Dilemmas: The Principle of Double Effect

2011

03/03/2012

E201211PE000842

Another Chance to See..

A Very Quick Introduction to Philosophy

2011

05/10/2011

E201110PE000732

Perspectives Lunch Time

How to Lose an Argument

2011

12/10/2011

E201110PE000732

Perspectives Lunch Time

Is Immortality Desirable?

2011

23/11/2011

E201110PE000732

Perspectives Lunch Time

Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder?

2010

01/08/2011

E20119VI000659

Visions Lunch

Art V Nature

2010

11/05/2011

E20118PE000643

Ideas of Nature

Kant and the Natural Order

2010

16/05/2011

E20118OR000662

Nature’s Inspirations – Multi-disciplinary

Can We Enjoy Damaged Nature?

2010

08/06/2011

E20118PE000643

Ideas of Nature

Concluding Discussion

2010

23/02/2011

E20117PE000571

Rebels and Iconoclasts

Wittgenstein

2010

05/10/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

The Purple Rose of Cairo

2010

12/10/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

Kingdom of Heaven

2010

19/10/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

Surrogates

2010

02/11/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

Gattaca

2010

09/11/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

Perfume

2010

16/11/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

The Three Faces of Eve

2010

23/11/2010

E20106PE000455

More Movie Meditations

It’s a Wonderful Life

2010

24/11/2010

E20103PE000457

Eurekas and Epiphanies!

Searle Discovers the Chinese Room

2010

29/11/2010

E20106VI000564

Teatime at the Theatre Royal

Painting Versus Photography

2009

19/07/2010

E20104PE000445

Members’ Forum

Members’ Forum 1

2009

26/07/2010

E20104PE000372

Philosophy Fortnight

Animal Minds

2009

06/09/2010

E20104PE000372

Philosophy Fortnight

Preview of the British Society of Aesthetics Conference

2009

20/04/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Memento

2009

21/04/2010

E20103PE000374

A Day in the Life…

October 18th 1911: When Wittgenstein Met Russell

2009

27/04/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Minority Report

2009

04/05/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

The Prestige

2009

11/05/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Being John Malkovich

2009

18/05/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Moon

2009

25/05/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Groundhog Day

2009

01/06/2010

E20103PE000371

Movie Meditations

Antz

2009

21/06/2010

E20103VI000366

Visions Lunch

The Kitsch and the Cool

2009

01/02/2010

E20102PE000323

Members’ Forum

Members’ Forum 1

2009

07/10/2009

E20091PE000179

Perspectives: Lunch Hour

Hume on the Self

2009

22/10/2009

E20091PE000164

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books 1

2009

05/11/2009

E20091PE000164

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books 2

2009

12/11/2009

E20091PE000164

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books 3

2009

19/11/2009

E20091PE000164

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books

Beginning to Read Philosophy’s Big Books 4

2009

25/11/2009

E20091PE000179

Perspectives: Lunch Hour

The Opening Pages of the Philosophical Investigations

20073725 Philosophy Today

The latest philosophical thinking is found in current journals of philosophy. Our discussions of articles published recently will give you first-hand encounters with philosophy in the making, usually including direct contact with the authors.

20072715 Philosophy Today

The latest philosophical thinking is found in current journals of philosophy. Our discussions of articles published in the last twelve months will give you first-hand encounters with philosophy in the making, sometimes including direct contact with the authors.

20071705 Philosophy Today

Tuesday | 02/10/

2007 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The latest philosophical thinking is found in current journals of philosophy. Our discussions of articles published recently will give you first-hand encounters with philosophy in the making.

20063625 Philosophy Today

Tuesday | 24/04/

2007 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The latest philosophical thinking is found in current journals of philosophy. Our discussions of recently published articles will give you first-hand encounters with philosophy in the making.

20062611 Philosophy Today

Tuesday | 16/01/

2007 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The latest philosophical thinking is found in current journals of philosophy. Our discussions of articles published in them very recently will give you first-hand encounters with philosophy in the making.

20061600 Philosophy Today

Tuesday | 03/10/

2006 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

This course will introduce and discuss three pieces of contemporary philosophy, allowing students with some experience of philosophy to get to grips with the latest issues, controversies and trends.

20053323 Being Conscious

Tuesday | 25/04/

2006 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the philosophy of mind with special emphasis on contemporary accounts of the character of consciousness.

20052311 Being Conscious

Tuesday | 24/01/

2006 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the philosophy of mind with special emphasis on contemporary accounts of the character of consciousness.

20051306 Being Conscious

Tuesday | 04/10/

2005 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

What is it to be conscious? According to many philosophers and scientists, the nature of consciousness is the last great mystery facing human knowledge. The field has seen enormous activity in recent years and this course will provide an introduction to fascinating issues in the philosophy of mind with special emphasis on recent contributions.

20043324 Inside Animal Minds

Tuesday | 19/04/

2005 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

The natural world is rich in its diversity not only of skin and teeth, flesh and bone. It also contains a cornucopia of minds. But how do we make sense of this diversity of mind and sense? How can we begin to understand the mind of the inscrutable cat or of the alien octopus? What lessons does the existence of other kinds of mind teach us about our own? Drawing on the philosophy of mind and recent researches in animal cognition, this course will provide a fascinating introduction to the issues surrounding the existence and nature of animal minds.

20042318 Beginning Philosophy

Tuesday | 18/01/

2005 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

Philosophy is an inquiry into the fundamental assumptions by which we live, directed by questioning, arguments, and reason. Using a variety of approaches – encounters with the work of a philosopher of genius, analysis of different views on a single issue and the study of a contemporary philosophical text – this course will provide a stimulating introduction for those wishing to begin study of this fascinating subject.

20041304 Philosophy of Art

Tuesday | 05/10/

2004 | 10 Meetings | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

Why do we enjoy things for the sake of their appearance? What distinguishes works of art from natural objects of aesthetic interest? Are there limits on what can count as a work of art? What do we mean when we say ‘design’ that we don’t mean when we say ‘art’? This course will provide an introduction to the central questions and theories of philosophical aesthetics of the philosophy of art, providing a foundation for critical explorations of music, the visual arts and popular culture.

20033326 Philosophy Today

Wednesday | 28/04/

2004 | 10 Meetings | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

Philosophy is not an impersonal collection of doctrines but an activity engaged in by real people who feel passionately abut their ideas. This makes the professional journals and magazines the arenas of often fierce and fascinating battles. These arguments reflect and often anticipate the concerns of the wider culture. By exploring the background and following the progress of some important recent debates in ethics and in the philosophy of mind, this course will provide a stimulating insight into philosophy today.

20032316 Beginning Philosophy

Wednesday | 14/01/

2004 | 10 Meetings | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

20031305 Wittgenstein 1

Wednesday | 01/10/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

Arguably the greatest philosopher of the last century, Wittgenstein continues to inspire and infuriate in equal measure. This course will provide an introduction to his most important work, Philosophical Investigations, exploring issues in the philosophy of mind and language and investigating the question of whether Wittgenstein can be regarded as the first post-modern thinker.

20031251 Contemporary Art at the Biscuit Factory

Wednesday | 01/10/

A unique opportunity to engage in discussion with artists exhibiting at the UK’s largest commercial gallery: The Biscuit Factory. In this course, you’ll learn to make critical and interpretative judgments about contemporary art, and then get the chance to try out your ideas with the artists as you hear them talk about their own work. Learn too about the issues that affect artists working today in the modern art market.

20023326 Philosophy Today

Monday | 28/04/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 11:00 AM-1:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

20023325 Philosophers on the Meaning of Life

Thursday | 01/05/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

Does life have a purpose? Does death make human existence absurd? Do we have a true nature which we should strive to achieve? Western analytic philosophy has traditionally been wary of the great questions of life, death and meaning, fearing pretension and hubris. But over the last ten years, a number of philosophers have used the resources of the analytic tradition to return to the questions which, as many see it, must be at the heart of philosophical inquiry. All are welcome

20023283 Behind the Buzz: A Tour of the City of Culture

Tuesday | 29/04/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

As we go to press, 100,000 people have given their support to the Newcastle-Gateshead bid to be European City of Culture

2008. But what exactly is a City of Culture? What concepts of culture inform it? In what kinds of way can the region expect to benefit? Through a series of guided, in situ visits to major cultural platforms in the region, this course will provide fascinating insights into the concepts of culture underlying our City of Culture bid, and give you the chance to assess its likely impact on the region and its identity.

20022738 Designing a Database

Saturday | 18/01/

2003 | 5 Meetings | 10:00 AM-4:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

No matter how user-friendly our IT systems become, databases remain the most difficult of all ITC applications to understand. However, a grasp of the essential principles of design can set you on the right track to building effective and efficient database systems. By working through a practical example, using Microsoft Access, this course will provide you with the essentials of relational database design. Recommended to those who wish to prepare for the Dataweb course.

20022737 DataWebs II

Saturday | 22/03/

2003 | 6 Meetings | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

This second course will provide explore more extended techniques in the construction of Active Server Pages and enable participants to incorporate these techniques into their individual projects. Outcomes By the end of the day, participants will be able to: • Write basic control loops in VBscript • Understand the syntax relevant to using the ASP object model • Understand and be able to employ hyperlinks as models for database relations • Construct a live webpage allowing entering and updating of data in an Access database • Incorporate these techniques in their individual projects. Requirements Participants should have: • Experience in the use of HTML to create WebPages • Experience with the use of relational databases and the construction of SQL statements in e.g. Microsoft Access • Some limited exposure to a programming environment. Topics Basic Scripting with VB Script Basic Techniques Variables Loop Constructs Decision Constructs The Object Model What is an Object? Properties, Events and Methods Session Object Request Object Response Object Making the Connection Controlling your data display Using Hyperlinks to model your database relations Writing your first ASP page Implementing these techniques in your project

20022736 Datawebs I

Saturday | 22/02/

2003 | 6 Meetings | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

If you’ve ever used the web to buy a book, book a flight or even find someone’s phone number, you’ll have used a database-driven website. But the enormous usefulness of “datawebs” is not limited to the big e-commerce players. Your SME, office or community group can also benefit from a web presence that harnesses the power of databases to drive the site. This course, consisting of 3 linked days, will provide a fast-track to giving you the knowledge and skills to start building your own datawebs, based on your own project developed in conjunction with the course leader. Participants enrolling on all three courses will receive on-line support for their project development. Three linked Saturdays | £120 per course or £300 for booking on all 3 courses DataWebs I This first course will provide foundational knowledge for the course and enable participants to outline an individual project which will form the focus of their learning. Outcomes By the end of the day, participants will be able to: • Understand the key advantages of datawebs over static WebPages • Understand some key principles in database development • Understand the structure of Active Server Pages • Write simple VB scripts • Construct a live webpage displaying data from an Access database • Outline an individual project which will provide a focus for further learning. Requirements Participants should have: • Basic familiarity with the use of HTML to create WebPages • Some experience with the use of relational databases e.g. Microsoft Access Topics Datawebs A Short History of the Web What is a dataweb? The key advantages of datawebs ASP Introduction to Active Server Pages (ASP) Files Why Should You Use ASP Pages? Databases Introduction to Databases Structured Query Language Setting up an Database Connection Making the Connection Simple VB scripting Writing your first ASP page Outlining your project

20022734 DataWebs III

Saturday | 03/05/

2003 | 6 Meetings | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

This third course will provide explore intermediate-level techniques in the construction of Active Server Pages, enabling participants to complete their individual projects and acquire an overview of future developments in the creation of datawebs. Outcomes By the end of the day, participants will be able to: • Identify and deploy the key techniques for writing generic code • Incorporate these techniques in their individual projects, including a. authentication system for their application. • Identify some key resources for further development of their projects • Acquire an overview of the limitations of Active Server Pages and the background to ASP.Net. Requirements Participants should have: • Experience in the use of HTML to create WebPages • Experience with the use of relational databases and the construction of SQL statements in e.g. Microsoft Access • Experience in a programming/scripting environment. Topics Generic Scripting with VB Script Why use generic scripts? Include files The Object Model What is an Object? Properties, Events and Methods Session Object Request Object Response Object Securing the Connection Developing a user authentication system Implementing authentication in your project Script Examples Sending Mail ASP Navigation Beyond ASP The limitations of ASP Towards ASP.Net

20022310 Philosophy of Art

Thursday | 16/01/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

20022309 Philosophy Today

Monday | 13/01/

2003 | 10 Meetings | 11:00 AM-1:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

20021733 DataWebs II

Saturday | 07/12/

For more information contact on either i.r.ground@ncl.ac.uk or 0191 222 5680

20021732 DataWebs 1

Saturday | 09/11/

2002 | 6 Meetings | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

For more information contact i.r.ground@ncl.ac.uk or 0191 222 5680.

20021306 Philosophy of Art

Thursday | 03/10/

2002 | 10 Meetings | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

20021305 Philosophy Today

Monday | 30/09/

2002 | 10 Meetings | 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

Philosophy is not an impersonal collection of doctrines but an activity engaged in by real people who feel passionately about their ideas. This makes the professional journals and magazines the arenas of often fierce and fascinating battles. These arguments reflect and often anticipate the concerns of the wider culture. By exploring the background and following the progress of some important recent debates in ethics and in the philosophy of mind, this course will provide a stimulating insight into philosophy today.

20011302 Engaging with Wittgenstein

Saturday | 06/10/

2001 | 8 Meetings | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Joseph Cowen House | Newcastle University Campus

Wittgenstein produced two masterpieces; the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and the Philosophical Investigations. We will examine themes from these works in the light of contemporary philosophy and cognitive science. Learn why his work is so vital and relevant to us today, living as we do in a world of intelligent machines and thinking brains. The course will suit beginners as well as those already familiar with these unique ideas.

20011248 An Introduction to the Philosophy of Music

Wednesday | 26/09/

2001 | 10 Meetings | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | Centre for Lifelong Learning | Newcastle University Campus

Of all the arts, music presents the most intractable philosophical problems. In this course, a musicologist and a philosopher will help you explore the fascinating issues concerning music, its meaning and why it matters.

20001260 For The Sake Of Appearances – An Introduction To Aesthetics

Friday | 06/10/

2000 | 20 Meetings | 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | King George VI Building | Newcastle University Campus

991323 Philosophy Day School: Wittgenstein Hypertext

991307 Philosophy Today

983391 Philosophy Today

981313 The Wittgenstein Project

Join the on-going project of constructing a hypertext on Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. The topic for this day-school is “following a rule”. You can prepare by reading the Investigations para. 143 – 242.

981303 Philosophy Today

972319 Philosophy Today

972314 Shap Philosophy Conference: The Ethics of Dialogue

This annual conference held in conjunction with the Philosophical Society of England will examine the roots of morality in interpersonal communication.

971311 Philosophy Day School: Wittgenstein Hypertext

Join the on-going project of constructing a hypertext on Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations comprising glosses, commentaries and illustrations.

971304 Philosophy Today

963322 Philosophical Investigations Hypertext – Day School

Join the on-going project of constructing a hypertext on Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations comprising glosses, commentaries and illustrations.

963320 Philosophy Through Experiment

“What would you say if…. “. From Plato to Parfit, philosophers have used thought experiments – fantastical or even logically impossible, counter-factual situations – to test our intuitions or reveal deep assumptions in our thinking. This course will seek to assess the role of thought-experiments in philosophy, through the classification and study of classical, modern and contemporary examples.

963319 Beginning Philosophy

Philosophy is a response to deep anxiety about the ways we think and live. This course offers a stimulating introduction to the problems and methods of philosophical thinking using various approaches – encounters with the work of a philosopher of genius, analysis of different views of a single issue and the study of a contemporary philosophical text.

961304 Philosophy Today

952355 Spring Philosophy Conference: Philosophy and the Media

951352 Philosophy Day School: Taste

951303 Beginning Philosophy

951302 Beginning Philosophy

943325 Animal Minds Revisited

941352 Plato’s Symposium

941312 Philosophers On The Meaning Of Life

941309 Philosophers On The Meaning Of Life

941308 Beginning Philosophy

941307 Beginning Philosophy

930321 Use Your Reason

930320 Use Your Reason

930318 Philosophy Today

930306 Wittgenstein