Philosophy
The Philosophy programme examines the nature of reality and the mind, ethical and artistic value, the structure of logical arguments—and the meaning of life.
Major in thinking—study Philosophy
Some of our courses are of particular interest to students studying psychology, politics, law, science, or media studies.
Philosophy students develop critical thinking skills—they learn to analyse arguments, write clearly, solve problems, and think creatively. These add value to other areas of study and are skills that are sought after by employers.
Studying Philosophy in Wellington
Philosophers explore the nature of argument and justification and examine the rational basis of belief in all areas of enquiry. Philosophers seek to answer questions like “What things exist?”, “Is there a single truth about what's right and wrong?”, “What can we know for sure?”, and "Is there a god?"
The literal meaning of the word ‘philosopher’ is ‘lover of wisdom’. However, Philosophy is also about the love of critical and creative thinking, intelligent discussion, and cogent argument. These are skills that can be applied to almost any issue in almost any context.
Creative, critical, and cogent thinking
Philosophy courses are an important component of any degree at our university. Since creative, critical, and cogent thinking is fundamental to every subject, the concepts and methods of contemporary philosophy can be useful for students majoring in most other fields. Philosophy gives you a competitive academic edge and enhances the overall quality of your degree.
Links to other disciplines
The Philosophy programme at the University has strong links to other disciplines outside the School, including connections with computing and mathematics through logic; with science through the philosophy of biology, and ethics and genetics; and with art and art history through the philosophy of art.
Research strengths
Philosophy staff at the University are engaged in research across a large range of topics within Philosophy. We have particular strengths in logic, ethics, metaphysics, aesthetics, and philosophy of biology. Logic is reflected in a range of Philosophy postgraduate offerings: BA(Hons), MA, and PhD degrees in Logic or Logic and Computation.