Philosophy is about trying to understand how things relate to each other, in the broadest sense. Philosophers attempt to define concepts and arguments, to interpret and explain various debates, fundamental questions and first principles. At its heart, philosophy is about applying reason to a problem in order to better understand the issue at hand.

Programme taught in Icelandic.

Is the program for you??

• Are you interested in the nature of reality?

• Are you curious about the relationship between mind and matter?

• Do you want to tackle diverse projects under the guidance of Iceland's leading philosophers?

• Do you enjoy reasoning and logic?

• Do you want a diverse selection of courses that suit your interests?

• Do you want to open up future opportunities in challenging careers?

What is the study about?

This is a 180 ECTS BA programme that takes 3 years to complete, based on full-time study.

Students take general and historical introductory courses, four courses in the major branches of philosophy, several elective courses in specialised areas of philosophy and at least two seminars, as well as writing a BA thesis.

Course topics include:

• Ancient philosophy

• Critical thinking

• Politics and society

• Logic

• Ethics

• Modern philosophy

• Epistemology

• Philosophy of art

• Feminist philosophy

• Political philosophy

• Medieval philosophy

The major branches of philosophy

Are generally considered to be four:

• Metaphysics, which examines the nature of reality and objects in the world. What is the difference between body and spirit? What is the relationship between mind and matter? What is the nature of causality, of time? Is there an ultimate rationale behind life and the world?

• Ethics, which examines the basis of ethical behaviour. Is there an objective way to determine right and wrong, good and bad? What is good will? How should I live my life?

• Epistemology, which examines the nature of knowledge. What is truth? Can we know anything for certain? What is the relationship between opinions and knowledge?

• Logic, which examines the rules and principles of thought. How is it possible to distinguish valid arguments from invalid arguments? What are logical conclusions?

Objectives

The objective of the philosophy BA programme is to provide students with a good foundation in philosophy:

• general knowledge of the history of Western philosophy

• systematic insight into the major branches of philosophy

• deeper understanding of certain specialisations, periods, movements, authors or topics in historical and modern philosophy

• the ability to think critically, read carefully and clearly explain and rationalise their views verbally and in writing

Programme options

120 ECTS major in philosophy, taken alongside a 60 ECTS minor in another subject.

Students take general and historical introductory courses, four courses in the major branches of philosophy, several elective courses in specialised areas of philosophy and one seminar, as well as writing a BA thesis. They must also take a 60 ECTS minor in another subject.

60 ECTS minor in philosophy, taken alongside a 120 ECTS major in another subject.

Students take one general and two historical introductory courses, two elective courses in the major branches of philosophy and one elective course in a specialised areas of philosophy. They must also take a 120 ECTS major in another subject.

Specialisms in philosophy

• Political philosophy examines the nature and basis of the state and its justification. What is justice? What is just government? Why does the state have a monopoly on force?

• Aesthetics examines the nature of art and beauty. Is beauty subjective or objective? Is there an objective way to measure beauty? What role do the arts play in society? What is a work of art?

• Religious philosophy examines the existence of God and humankind's relationship with God. Is it possible to prove the existence of God? Can God be completely good when evil exists in the world?

• The philosophy of science is concerned with the basic premises and methods of the natural and social sciences and the humanities. The philosophy of science examines, for example, attempts in the social sciences and humanities to adopt the methods of the physical sciences. Can science be objective and what does it mean for something to be 'scientifically proven'?

• Jurisprudence examines the ethical foundation and societal role of law. What are laws? Why should laws be enforced? Why are people obliged to follow laws that disadvantage them?

• Philosophy of mind is about exploring the reality of consciousness. What does consciousness entail? Can thought be explained as chemical processes in the brain?

• Philosophy of language is about exploring the boundaries between language and the world. What is the relationship between a word and that which the word denotes? What is the nature of communication?

• Social philosophy explores the relationship between individuals and institutions in society and the ethical questions that arise in that context.

• Feminist philosophy explores the ways that men have shaped philosophical thinking over the ages and women's attempts to reassess and reshape philosophy in the light of more feminine values. Feminist philosophy examines e.g. ethics, philosophy of science and epistemology with the aim of ensuring that philosophy better reflects the worlds of both men and women.

• Existentialism explores human existence, based on the idea that it can only be explained and understand in the context of personal experiences and decisions.