What is consciousness? And what is the best way to understand self awareness.

Exploring Philosophy - Audio

The problem of consciousness

Nigel Warburton applies philosophical questions to every day life.

Philosophy in the real world

Thought experiments use hypothetical questions to create philosophical dilemmas.

Thought experiments

Nigel Warburton and Professor Anthony Grayling discuss what defines personal identity.

Personal identity

Is religious belief based on blind faith or evidence?

Faith and Reason

How can a world created by an all powerfull all good God contain so much evil?

The problem of evil

A discussion about morality of abortion and the rights of the foetus and the mother.

Philosophers on abortion

A debate over wether citizens consent to political obligation by living within that state.

Two theories of political obligation

Can citizens decide which laws to follow for moral reasons?

Courage to refuse

A discussion about how Descartes used doubt as a means to clarifying his understanding of the world.

Descartes, doubt and knowledge

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Have you ever considered what being conscious actually means? By choosing to live in a particular state are you consenting to be subject to all its laws? For some there’s an assumption that philosophy might not be relevant to modern life but Dr. Nigel Warburton, senior lecturer in Philosophy at The Open University argues that many of us today are faced with philosophical questions such as these as we live our lives in the twenty first century. In this collection we ask academics to discuss these questions in addition to other important philosophical issues and concepts such as the morality of abortions and the reconciling a world with evil and a good God. 

This material forms part of The Open University course A222 Exploring philosophy.