Darren Harper

A flowering in philosophy occurred between the 1790s and the 1880s in the German-speaking world, equal in the apex of thought to that of the ancient Greeks. This began with Kant, augmented by Schopenhauer, before Nietzsche assailed the whole of existing morality. This day course will explore the wealth of ideas produced by these philosophers.

What is art? What is the difference between Tracey Emin’s My Bed and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus? Have we reached a stage where almost anything can be called art? This course will explore some of the theories used to help us define art, including idealist theory, significant form and the institutional theory.

What is art? What is the difference between Tracey Emin’s My Bed and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus? Have we reached a stage where almost anything can be called art? This course will explore some of the theories used to help us define art, including idealist theory, significant form and the institutional theory.

Much of the world’s philosophy has historically been ignored by the West. Yet, if philosophy is the love of wisdom, there is no doubt that the philosophy of other cultures can enrich us further still.  This half-day course will explore Jainism and its metaphysical and ethical similarities and differences to other Indian religio-philosophical systems.

Much of the world’s philosophy has historically been ignored by the West. Yet, if philosophy is the love of wisdom, there is no doubt that the philosophy of other cultures can enrich us further still.  This half-day course will explore Jainism and its metaphysical and ethical similarities and differences to other Indian religio-philosophical systems.

What is philosophy?  Is it a search for wisdom, truth or knowledge?  Is it simply just an esoteric academic discipline, or can it really tell us something about the meaning of life?  In this talk we will briefly explore the beautiful possibilities of philosophy.

Much of the world’s philosophy has historically been ignored by the West. Yet, if philosophy is the love of wisdom, there is no doubt that the philosophy of other cultures can enrich us further still.  This half-day course will explore two key texts of Ancient Indian philosophy, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, and then consider their value to modern Western society.

What is happiness? Is it nothing more than feeling good, which underpins the philosophy of utilitarianism? Is it merely the temporary cessation of suffering? Or is it to fully flourish; to live the best life we can live? In this talk we will explore these questions in the esteemed company of J. S. Mill, Arthur Schopenhauer and the Buddha, as well as Aristotle.