TOPICS COVERED: Epistemology and Scepticism, Philosophy of Mind and Perception, Descartes

The aim of my "Fun Philosophy" series of classes is to discuss the most interesting topics in Philosophy, because if we enjoy our first experiences of thinking, then this encourages kids to keep going (see my other class listing for examples). So this is a great way to get hooked on THINKING, by starting with an easily accessible and enjoyable topic. Kids can then use their new thinking SUPER POWERS in all different kinds of situations, from everyday decisions to doing well at school, to even just impressing their friends. No previous experience necessary, just a willingness to think about the topics introduced and to have some fun having your mind blown! (in a good way). I teach in the tradition of Western Analytical Philosophy, stemming from Ancient Greece to modern times, which means we focus on rational logical arguments and how to critically analyse them.

▬▬▬▬▬▬  CLASS SUMMARY  ▬▬▬▬▬
In this class we will analyse the arguments surrounding one of the most famous Philosophy quotes of all time: Descartes' "I think therefore I am". He said this in order to prove his own existence. He was having a complete break down in front of the fire and doubting everything, including his own reality. What if he was being deceived by an Evil Demon and was really just being fooled into dreaming everything. This is also what happens in the film "The Matrix" but in that situation it is Evil Robot Overlords who have enslaved humans and are making us hallucinate a realistic (but false) world around us. But how would we know this isn't actually what is happening to us right now? Well it turns out it's quite hard to do and Descartes wasn't that good at it either. Which makes it a perfect topic for young minds to figure out where he went wrong! This class is a great introduction into the Philosophical study of Global Scepticism (doubting everything) and Epistemology (the Study of Knowledge). It also touches on Philosophy of Mind and Perception and how secure our knowledge of the world is based on the 5 senses that are registered by our minds.

▬▬▬▬▬▬  CLASS STYLE  ▬▬▬▬▬
I use PowerPoint presentations for all my classes, so I can mix text and multimedia and make the class more interesting. This class will be run using an "intro-discussion-repeat" format. This means I will take a few minutes to introduce a topic, usually via a fun easily accessible thought experiment, and then we will pause to discuss it briefly. Then we'll move on to the next related topic and another great thought experiment and pause for discussion after that one too. This means that you can enjoy the class however you like. Speak up and get involved in the discussions, or just listen and enjoy with no pressure. If you like this class then you can check out my other Fun Philosophy Courses, cherry picked to choose the most interesting, accessible and relevant philosophy subjects for kids, so they learn to enjoy thinking.

▬▬▬▬▬▬  LINKED TOPICS  ▬▬▬▬▬
Fun Philosophy: Do We (Accurately) Hallucinate the World All the Time? Even Now!
Fun Philosophy: What Is Consciousness? Zombies Help Us Explore Inner Space!
Fun Philosophy: Does Our Evolution Control Us? Can Selfish Genes Allow Altruism?

You can also take all six of my FUN PHILOSOPHY classes as a multi-day course:
Fun Intro to Philosophy: Knowledge, Metaphysics, Mind, Self, Evolution & Morals

Please see my class listings for more details!