The aim of this course is to ask the basic questions about existence - about love, death, morality, creativity and mortality - in other words about what it means to be human. We will not limit ourselves to the field of academic philosophy but will look also at the work of novelists, poets and artists, even of theologians.

The issues which we could consider for the first 10 weeks might include:

• 1. The Greek versus the Hebrew: A look at the two major patterns of thinking which have governed western philosophy.
• 2. Plato: Probably the most influential thinker of our culture. A look at the beginnings of western thinking.
• 3. William Blake: A look at a revolutionary attack on Platonic thinking.
• 4 & 5. The Inter-testamental Period: What are the origins and influence of Christianity and a glance at what it owes to the platonic tradition.
• 6. Shakespeare: Perhaps our greatest writer and another radical questioning of Platonic thought. Also an attempt to delve into some problems of creativity.
• 7. Innocent Suffering: A fundamental religious and ethical question.
• 8-10. Authenticity and Inauthenticity.

With this preparation we might then go on to consider some major thinkers of our tradition or look more closely at some literary texts. Members of the group might like to make suggestions or introduce favourite writers.