Philosophy
About
The Department offers undergraduate (joint honours) and graduate programmes in philosophy (research MA, research PhD).
We enjoy an excellent teaching record, and we have research strengths in Ancient Greek, Roman and Medieval Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, Phenomenology, and Philosophy of Emotions.
The Department also contributes to the Foundation Certificate for Mature Learners and, in collaboration with the International Office, oversees the philosophy modules in short-term international programmes.
Undergraduate programme
Our undergraduate degree programme consists of a broad, accessible, and solid initiation to Philosophy. The following are our modules on the Bachelor of Arts programme, in descending order from First Year onwards:
This module offers an accessible introduction to some of philosophy's most fundamental and hotly debated topics. It provides students with the skills and historical and conceptual background necessary to access, understand and engage with core debates in ethics, social justice, knowledge and unjustified belief, existence, and topics in the philosophy of mind, language, and religion.
Questions discussed in this module include: What is justice? Can we achieve it for all? What is, if any, the goal of our life? How can we explain the difference between science and pseudo-science? What is the philosophical foundation of human rights? The module will also include philosophical debates and moral dilemmas about immigration, emotions, alternative facts, racism, consent, and criminal justice.
The module emphasises developing critical thinking through the analysis of arguments and concepts, evaluation of competing interpretations, and discussion of objections, counterarguments and competing evidence. It also aims to develop precise, efficient, and coherent academic writing and oral communication skills.
This module begins by tracing the roots of Western culture's shared views and ideas about love and desire. The historical moments considered are Classical Greek and Roman, Medieval, and Modern Philosophy. In this section, we will study the concepts of Eros (erotic love), Pietas (affection), Philia (friendship), the education of desire in Stoicism, and Divine Love in Medieval Philosophy. The second part of the module focuses on contemporary philosophical debates. We will discuss puzzles about the definition of love, socialisation and romantic love, the value of personal relationships, and the ethics of caring for others. The module closes with a section on non-western approaches to love and desire.
In this module, we will consider the foundation of Ethics as a philosophical discipline, beginning with its origins in the civic and practical speculation of Plato and the theory of Aristotle, who gives it a scientific structure. We will then move on to key variations on that, critically appraising each theory. Key writers are Aristotle (Weeks1-3), Kant (Week 4), and J. S. Mill (Week 5) in terms of historical origins; notable contemporary writers include Elizabeth Anscombe, Roger Scruton, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley and Alasdair McIntyre (Weeks 6-10). Finally, we will examine some issues in current ethical discourse (Weeks 11-12 – Lumet, McIntyre), using what we have studied to think about them.
This module covers some of the most important questions of contemporary political philosophy. These include the following: How should societies and communities, great and small, be organised? How are citizens formed, and how should they be educated? What are the rights and obligations of citizens, and from what do they stem? What should be the spaces for, goals of, and obligations for civic participation? Who is the global citizen, if one exists, and what is their role and function in society? What is global justice, and how can we make sure it applies to everyone? Does something like intergenerational justice exist, and what is it based upon?
This module offers a complete overview of ancient Greek philosophy in chronological order, from Early Greek to Hellenistic philosophy, including Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
The aim of this course is to complete a survey of the developments in philosophy that occurred through the different periods and locales of the ‘Enlightenment’ in Europe. Particular attention is given to the legacy of these developments today in contemporary research and contemporary society and cultures, as well as to how these developments are being challenged and re-evaluated today from a variety of quarters (philosophy of mind, cogntive science, and phenomenology feminism, philosophy of race, critical and postcolonial theory). In examining such developments of the ‘Enlightenments,’ our focus shall have two components: on the one hand, questions about metaphysics, knowledge, and the theory of science, and on the other, questions about morality and social philosophy.
BA students follow the Off-Campus Programme for both semesters of the third year. This is comprised of international study placement and/or relevant work placement. Philosophy students who wish to study abroad are advised by department staff on the availability of appropriate courses. Guidance is also provided for those who wish to use the opportunity to begin research work for final year projects in Philosophy.
The aim in this course is twofold: to cover both historical and contemporary philosophical conceptions of science and technology, and to cover and problematise the relation of philosophy to science and technology.
This module focuses on a major and influential branch of contemporary European thought, namely phenomenology. This contemporary approach to philosophy, whose findings and research have impacted many areas of the human sciences, is primarily introduced via a ‘learn by doing’ approach. By looking at some of the major philosophical issues with which phenomenology has been concerned, in authors such as Brentano, Husserl, and Stein, we situate the findings of phenomenology historically and highlight their exploration in contemporary research. As such, this module offers students an in-depth understanding of the historical and conceptual development of phenomenology and the specific impact it has had had upon the contemporary human sciences.
The course falls into two parts: the first focuses on evidence for the existence of God and seeks to understand His relationship with the world; the second deals with the nature of religion as a fundamental human phenomenon. The first part of the course will consider contemporary accounts of the origins of life and the universe; metaphysics and the question of origins; the intelligibility of the universe; randomness and order; the structure of intelligence and the structure of being; the act of unrestricted understanding; Persons and Eternal Thou; personal being; interpersonal relationships and their ground; faith and fidelity; suffering and hope.
This modules looks at the field of aesthetics, which can be broadly defined as the philosophical study of, on the one hand, experiences of beauty and the sublime, and on the other, experiences of art. The development and current state of aesthetic theory is examined in connection to three important themes: universality, experience, and politics. In the first theme, questions of the universality, necessity, and subjectivity of aesthetic properties and experiences is explored, both in a historical context and in respect of the contemporary art world. In the second theme, we explore the roles of representation, imagination, and mimesis in aesthetic experience, as well as considering their problematisation in the 20th and 21st century visual arts of painting and photography. In the third theme, we will consider the relation between aesthetic and political experience, in view of the question of whether art can and ought to have political significance or dimension. To explore this last question, we focus on how some contemporary art attempts a reconceptualisation of sexuality, gender, and embodiment, and consider whether and how it reaches that aim.
You can also take some of these modules as BA and BEd electives or as an international Erasmus student.
Postgraduate programmes
The Department invites applications from graduates who wish to pursue postgraduate research programmes in Philosophy to Master's, or Doctoral level. Students with interests in the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply:
- Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy
- Medieval Philosophy
- Philosophy of Religion
- Ethics
- Phenomenology
- Philosophy of Emotions.
You can find all the information on how to apply here.
For available funding, scholarships, and fees information, visit here.
If you studied for your undergraduate degree at MIC, you are also eligible for The President’s Scholarship Awards.
The Research & Graduate School at MIC offers excellent support, training, research funding and facilities.
In collaboration with the Department of Geography, we have recently created the MA in Climate, Justice and Sustainability.
Short-term international programmes
In collaboration with the International Office, the Department of Philosophy oversees the academic delivery of two modules (Ethics and Metaphysics) for the Western European Semester programme developed with St John’s University, New York. These are St John’s University courses offered at MIC.
The module lecturer is Dr. Steven Bond (Steven.Bond@mic.ul.ie).
Subject Overview
Dare to study life’s most fundamental, meaningful, and challenging questions. Become a creative problem-solver, a reflective thinker, and a conscientious leader. Studying philosophy will teach you to think logically and critically about the world we live in, analyse and construct arguments, and be open to new ways of thinking.
Engage with the questions that the greatest minds in human history have grappled with, including perennial problems like:
- What can we know, and how do we know what we know?
- What does it mean to say we are free?
- Can we prove that God exists or not? What are the consequences of our answer to that question?
- What is justice? Can we achieve it for all?
- What sorts of political institutions are best, and why are they needed?
- To what extent are moral values absolute, and to what extent do cultural factors produce them?
- What are our duties and responsibilities to ourselves and others?
And new, pressing, and hotly debated topics, for example:
- How can we achieve racial justice and gender equality?
- What is consciousness?
- Should anger motivate political action?
- How do experiences like emotions or empathy come about? What do they involve, and what do they mean?
- What is the nature of religious experiences?
- What ethical challenges arise with science and technology?
In our programme, you will study, analyse, and examine the most influential works of the ancient Greeks, Medieval and Modern philosophers. In addition, you will engage with the different approaches and traditions in contemporary philosophy.
Come and join our dynamic and intellectually stimulating Department. Our dedicated lecturers will make your time as a Philosophy student as enjoyable and educationally inspiring as possible. The Department provides a supportive and friendly environment with a distinctive range of modules, research, and extra-curricular activities.
Staff
Retired staff
Prof. John Hayes
MA; S.T.L. (Aquinas Institute, 1968); Ph.D (Duke University, 1973).
Lecturer (1975-77); Head, Department of Philosophy (1977-2008); Co-ordinating Head, Arts Departments (1991-2007); Dean, Faculty of Arts (2007-2008).
Email: John.Hayes@mic.ul.ie
Prof. John hayes full profile.
Events
Each year, the Department of Philosophy hosts an Invited Lecturer Series and a Postgraduate Work-in-Progress seminar. We also organize other outreach events and public taster lectures.
IPS Conference 2023
The Department of Philosophy at MIC will host the 2023 Irish Philosophical Society Conference.
The theme of the Conference is "Moral Development and Moral Failure” and the Keynote speakers are Lisa Tessman (Binghamton University in New York), Christopher Crowley (UCD) and Katy Dineen (UCC).
The Conference will take place on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 October 2023.
Philosophy Cafés
Philosophy cafés are events open to the public where interested individuals can discuss complex questions in welcoming settings. Everyone is invited to participate, but participation is not mandatory. The format will include a brief presentation and a round-table discussion.
The next Philosophy café will be on 28 March, room G08, at 10.30 am.
This session will discuss three related topics: justice worldwide, solidarity with those in need, and hope in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Drury Archive
The Department of Philosophy at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, was presented with an important and valuable archive when Paul and Luke Drury gifted their father's collection of papers to the College.
Maurice (or Con as he was more commonly referred to) Drury was born in 1907 in Exeter, of Irish parents. He read philosophy in the University of Cambridge where he studied with G. E. Moore, C. D. Broad and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Drury studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 1939, and worked for most of his life in Saint Patrick's Hospital, Dublin. He maintained a close, lifelong friendship with Wittgenstein; the basis of their friendship appears to have been their common interest in medicine and Psychiatry subjects.
Drury is the author of The Danger of Words (1973) and the articles 'Some Notes on Conversations with Wittgenstein' and 'Conversations with Wittgenstein' (included in Ludwig Wittgenstein: Personal Recollections, edited by Rush Rhees).
Following consultation with the former Dean of Arts at MIC, Prof. John Hayes, Drury's sons, Luke O'Connor Drury, Professor of Astrophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and Paul Drury, Managing Editor, Associated Newspapers, decided to donate their father's papers to the College.
The papers were archived by Jacqui Hayes, Limerick City Archivist, on behalf of the College. Emma O'Connor of MIC library completed the task of imaging the papers electronically, which means that interested researchers who wish to consult the papers in the library can do so without handling the original material.
Intellectual Property
The donated materials shall be made accessible to bona fide scholars for purposes of private study and research only, in accordance with Mary Immaculate College policies. Such scholars will be entitled to publish limited extracts from the material (no more than about 10 per cent of any one document) in line with standard ‘fair usage’ practice and provided there is due attribution of the source. For any more extensive publication, prior permission would have to be sought from the relevant copyright holders (Luke and Paul Drury for the Drury material, the Rush Rhees Archive for the Rhees material).
Full information on how to access the archive is here.
Funding
The Department of Philosophy invites applications from outstanding applicants who wish to pursue postgraduate research programmes in Philosophy.
Mary Immaculate College offers a range of MA and PhD funding opportunities, and we would like to highlight the following three funding schemes
MIC Doctoral Award
Consists of an annual stipend of €12,600 and a full fee waiver renewable for three years, with a fee waiver in the fourth year of normal registration (College-wide competition).
The closing date for applications is 28 April 2023.
More information about this award here.
MIC Studentship Awards
Consist of an annual stipend of €6,900 and a full fee waiver renewable for three years, with a fee waiver in the fourth year of normal registration (College-wide competition).
The closing date for applications is 28 April 2023.
More information about this award here.
MIC Philosophy Departmental Assistantship
The Department of Philosophy at MIC is accepting applications for one Departmental Assistantship in Philosophy beginning in September 2023 (PhD or MA by research).
The Departmental Assistantship provides an annual stipend of €6,900 per annum and a fee waiver. Awards are annually renewable for up to three years, with a fee waiver in the fourth year of normal registration. The successful applicant will provide up to 120 hours of tutoring, research assistance, or other departmental work across the academic year to the Department of Philosophy (an average of 5 hours per week per semester and may not exceed 10 hours in any given week). The scheme includes induction sessions, close monitoring and mentoring by the Head of the Department, and training opportunities available to all staff members at MIC.
The deadline for applications is on Thursday, 1st of June 2023
(Late applications will be welcome if the Departmental Assistantship remains unfulfilled after the deadline; please contact Dr Daniel Vázquez Daniel.Vazquez@mic.ul.ie)
More information about the Departmental Assistantship in Philosophy here.
Minerva Archive
For 19 years (1997-2015), the Department of Philosophy at MIC published Minerva, an online open-access journal of Philosophy edited by Dr Stephen Thornton.
The contents of the 19 published volumes of the journal are available here.
- About
- Subject Overview
- Staff
- Events
- Drury Archive
- Funding
- Minerva Archive
