Why do Philosophy?

The word philosophy comes from the Greek words philo- and sophia– and together they mean, the love of wisdom. Philosophy is an argumentative enquiry into fundamental issues of beliefs, human life and the various contexts of life as we know it. The primary features of philosophy include articulation, argument, analysis & synthesis. Critical thinking plays an important role in doing philosophy and this is our core function as the philosophy department, to teach students how to think critically. The foundation of critical thinking goes well beyond the discipline of philosophy and can be readily applied in other areas of academic and personal life. We equip students with the necessary tools to become successful in other areas of their lives too and ultimately make them agents of their own learning.

Some of the topics taught at the UJ Philosophy department include Philosophy of Medicine, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics, Feminist theory, African Philosophy, 19th and 20th Century Philosophy, Ethics, Animal and Environmental Ethics, Identity Politics, and Philosophy and AI to name a few.