Philosophy

专业详情

Philosophy explores human thought, the basis of knowledge, the nature of reason, consciousness and cognition, as well as the foundations of value and political theory. Its questions are intriguing and its study requires complex critical thinking, rigorous analysis and consideration of new perspectives. 

Cambridge occupies a distinguished place in the history of philosophy. It was here, in the early twentieth century, that Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Ramsey and others developed the analytic style of philosophy that is now prominent in much of the world. Today, the Faculty retains a strong commitment to this analytic tradition, combining it with study of the history of philosophy from Plato to the present day to offer one of the most far-reaching courses of its kind available anywhere in the world.

Teaching and learning

Our approach emphasises the values of the analytic school: rigour, clarity and independent thought. But its content extends well beyond the analytic tradition and its main preoccupations. For instance, we currently offer papers on Greek and Roman, and early modern philosophy, as well as political philosophy and aesthetics. You don’t need to have studied philosophy previously, but we do recommend you do some preliminary reading (see the Faculty website for suggestions).

The Faculty has close links with related faculties such as Classics, Psychology, and History and Philosophy of Science, so you can take advantage of a wide range of specialised lectures and seminars. You also have access to many excellent libraries.