Some advice please

ANarcho-Munk

Hmm I'm new to this forum. Anyway to get to the point


Im a second level student and I'm really caught up in philosophy and I've been thinking about doing it in college (well either that or maybe english...quite possibly both )

I've read a few George Orwell books and that Sophies World book and I was just wondering where I should go from there?

All feedback and advice welcomed

DadaKopf

Whatever catches your interest. There's a list of book titles in a sticky thread in this forum. Just delve into whatever catches your interest. Spend hours sifting through philosophy and literature in Waterstones.

Academically, the philosophy course in UCD is excellent, and you can do English, too.

ANarcho-Munk

DadaKopf wrote:

Academically, the philosophy course in UCD is excellent, and you can do English, too.

Would that be the arts course ? Doing both english and philopsy ?

anyway cheers for your advice man

DadaKopf

Arts, yes. Actually now technically School of Philosophy and Human Sciences, I think. Or something like that, they've jerked around the departments and faculties.

Anyway, UCD philosophy = excellent department. UCD English = excellent department (but I chose politics instead of English - very good department).

Are you considering studying it at third level? What year are you in now?

ANarcho-Munk

I'm a young 'un, I'm just in third year. I know that there is still a few years till I do my leaving cert and that there will be a lot more courses out there but at the moment english and Philosophy are the only subjects that are really interesting me.

By any chance do you know if the UCC course is anyway decent as iti s a lot closer to home than Dublin is?

Crubeens

I studied Philosophy and English in Trinity, and left within the first year. I was very disappointed and disillusioned with the Philosophy course there - it was mostly about the scientific side of the subject like 'Is a Chair really there' etc.

I much prefer the human side to it all - existentialism, ethics and that kind of thing. Apparantly UCD is much better for that, so it's important to know what areas most interest you and then to research possible Universities.

DadaKopf

existentialism, ethics and that kind of thing. Apparantly UCD is much better for that

Trinity philosophy is more in the mould of British analytic philosophy, philosophy of mind and philosophy of science. UCD philosophy has a larger faculty and a broader range of philosophical traditions; it's particularly strong on continential philosophy (the best in Europe apparently), but philosophy of science, mind and analytic philosophy is well-represented, as is medieval philosophy, classical philosophy, ethics and logic.

Anarcho-Munk: I got into philosophy in transition year, so you're a year ahead of me! Don't let anyone tell you studying it is a waste of time and don't feel rushed into making a decision. If your interest persists until 6th year, and you still want to give Arts a shot, go for it.

zinc

On a side note, anybody in UCD? Third year here last year, going into the MA.

ANarcho-Munk

DadaKopf wrote:

Anarcho-Munk: I got into philosophy in transition year, so you're a year ahead of me! Don't let anyone tell you studying it is a waste of time and don't feel rushed into making a decision. If your interest persists until 6th year, and you still want to give Arts a shot, go for it.

No your wrong there dadakopf, I'm a year behind you I'm going in to third year.

It's strange I've always had a thing for philosophy, even since I was very young but I guess I didn't notice it back then. Sometimes I just spend hours asking myself questions while lying on my bed at night. I just find it the most interesting subject out there and I really don't want to be studying something irrevelant like commerce or business, bah :rolleyes:

Just one question, is it hard to get into UCD points wise and is the course itself that hard and involve much studying etc?

(okay, thats two if not three questions )

I appreciate all yer help so far : )

zinc

Well when I got into an Arts degree, over 3 years a go mind you it was 375, cant be too much more or less than that I reckon, youll see when the CAO comes out this year. Its fairly hard to study Philosophy I must admit but its the same with anything, you can skim by or get really into it, up to yourself. Be prepared to read a hell of a lot of books all the same.

DadaKopf

Anarcho-Munk:

Like Zinc says, UCD Arts is usually around 380 points - on account of the faculty's size, demand doesn't change the points much.

As far as work goes once you get in, philosophy is in my experience one of, if not the most demanding of Arts subjects, maybe with the exception of Psychology. You're required to answer the most amount of subjects in the exams, but I think it's worth it. This said, it's easy to breeze through philosophy doing minimal work if you're not into studying hard from day one. But don't let that stop you diving into it.

Zinc: chosen your thesis/dissertation title yet?

Flashling

Well, I just did a three week philosophy course in ctyi, you can do correspondance courses there, and saturday courses, but the summer is the best. You take the sats to get in, and its a residential summer course. It was the BEST, and it really taught me alot about philosophy, how to ask and answer question etc. while being fun. Google it. (nerdy post, I know)

zinc

DadaKopf wrote:

Anarcho-Munk:

Like Zinc says, UCD Arts is usually around 380 points - on account of the faculty's size, demand doesn't change the points much.

As far as work goes once you get in, philosophy is in my experience one of, if not the most demanding of Arts subjects, maybe with the exception of Psychology. You're required to answer the most amount of subjects in the exams, but I think it's worth it. This said, it's easy to breeze through philosophy doing minimal work if you're not into studying hard from day one. But don't let that stop you diving into it.

Zinc: chosen your thesis/dissertation title yet?

Not officially, general idea will centre around Foucaults anti-humanism and some ideas Ive been playing with in relation to that area.

DadaKopf

Ideas? Like what?

ANarcho-Munk

Flashling wrote:

Well, I just did a three week philosophy course in ctyi, you can do correspondance courses there, and saturday courses, but the summer is the best. You take the sats to get in, and its a residential summer course. It was the BEST, and it really taught me alot about philosophy, how to ask and answer question etc. while being fun. Google it. (nerdy post, I know)

But isn't that for 3rd level students?

Flashling

If by third level you mean secondary school students....then yes! (it's under 17's only, and over 12's)

ANarcho-Munk

ahh cool, thanks

Karlusss

I can throw in a recommendation for the CTYI Philosophy course as well.

Also, if you're into philosophy enough to read it yourself, you mightn't have to do it in college at all. We all know how Nietzsche felt about university philosophy. Well, maybe we don't. But he didn't like it.