Philosophy 12

Senior Philosophy is for students wanting to explore the big questions of their existence and the world around them in a structured and fun environment. This course will tackle traditional approaches to philosophical issues by examining the various branches of philosophy and their development over time. Students will explore strategies of argumentation starting with Socratic Dialogue and move into logical fallacies developed by the ancient Greeks. Next, students will see how various philosophers have used these strategies to explore questions like: Are we free in our day to day actions? Can we know that we actually exist? Even if I know I exist, can I be sure of the existence of others? Is it reasonable to believe in an all knowing consciousness (other than the internet!)? Are there better or worse ways to live one’s life? Bring any questions, beliefs and especially all of what you hold presently to be true. Charlie will engage students in lively discussion about what matters most in a way that prepares everyone to think and reason confidently for the rest of their lives – if any of us even exist that is 😉

Your Educator – Charlie Wu

Charlie has been in love with life and learning since 2004, when a very special teacher in his grade 3 class introduced him to the works of Roald Dahl upon noticing that he did’?t like books very much. After that moment, Charlie’s life changed in trajectory. He became fascinated with almost every subject at school, especially English. Later on, he would graduate from UBC with a double degree in Psychology and English Literature, all the while still being in love with life and learning. He has been teaching for over 5 years, and much of what he knows to be important in the world he has learned from children. His favorite things to discuss include theoretical psychology, poetry, and the history of science. If you ask Charlie what his favorite book is, he would probably give you a different answer every time. In the past, the answers have included Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Norwegian Wood, and Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus. Ultimately, Charlie looks forward to teaching and learning about anything and everything at BrainBoost.