Where the oldest debates and theories meet the newest technology.

Through learning with others, you’ll build up a network of people with the same interests as you too, many of whom could go on to become friends for years! 

Skip to courses

What topics do our philosophy courses cover?

From exploring some of the biggest controversies in philosophy, to examining the great moral issues in contemporary society, our small class sizes ensure you can immerse yourself in the subject in a supportive and friendly environment.

You’ll have the opportunity to tackle some of life's big questions and critique the work of some of the most well-respected philosophers that have emerged in society. Whether you’re examining the works of Plato, or debating some of Aristotle’s most significant findings, all that’s left to decide is which course is right for you.   

Find a philosophy course near you 

Whether you choose one of our online courses that are accessible from the comfort of your home, or in-person learning at one of our venues, you’ll have an experienced tutor on hand to facilitate the conversation and prompt discussion on some of the most important aspects of philosophy. 

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode or town for your search in the boxes below.

We have defaulted the search to ten miles, but you can change this number in the box as you wish.

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Results per page

Days

Other Filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

Philosophy: The Existence of God

Religion has played a highly important part in the lives of human beings. The principal claim of the great monotheistic religions of the world is the following: God exists. This course considers this claim. It considers to begin with some of the traditional arguments for this claim: an ontological argument; some cosmological arguments; some design arguments; and an argument from the religious experience of God. It then considers (briefly) the principal argument against this claim: the problem of evil. It proceeds rationally and rigorously. No prior specialist knowledge is required to attend this course.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 09/10/2024 -
Wed 13/11/2024
Times:
10:45am - 12:45pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Leighton Buzzard Theatre Lounge (Leighto
Lake Street
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 1RX
Tutor:
Karim Esmail
Course code:
Q00018541
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£50.40

Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

Western philosophy begins with the ancient Greeks in the 6th century BCE. This course considers some of the key elements in the thought of the three greatest philosophers of the ancient Greek period: Socrates; Plato; and Aristotle. It considers Socrates on questions of ethics It then considers Plato on the soul and its immortality in the Phaedo and, in particular, on the perfectly just city-state in the Republic. Finally, it considers Aristotle on among other things language and logic in the Organon and on change and cause in the Physics and on “happiness” in the Nichomachean Ethics. No prior specialist knowledge is required to attend this course.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 10/02/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Friends Meeting House (Berkhamsted)
289 High Street
Berkhamsted
HP4 1AJ
Tutor:
Karim Esmail
Course code:
Q00018330
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£42.00

Philosophy: Philosophy behind the Headlines

The course will briefly introduce the principal ideas of a selection of philosophers and apply these to the discussion of the news headlines and the controversies that lie behind them. This course will encourage discussion and sharing of ideas about current affairs and will involve reflecting on how to make philosophy a part of this discussion. Reading material will be provided on Canvas and the tutor will introduce the key ideas of relevant articles. However, reading before class is not essential. The main activity is to share ideas on news stories.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Blue Beetle Room (London)
Hendon Lane
Finchley
London
N3 1TR
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017510
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£100.00

Philosophy: Great Contemporary Moral Issues 2

There are several issues which are of great moral concern in contemporary society. This course considers some of these issues. The issues are Immigration, Capital Punishment, World Hunger, Economic Justice, and War. We’ll arrive to begin with at an understanding of the issue and then consider some of the academic discussion surrounding it. No prior specialist knowledge is required to attend this course.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 21/05/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
The Cornerstone (Wokingham)
Norreys Avenue
Wokingham
RG40 1UE
Tutor:
Karim Esmail
Course code:
Q00017429
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£50.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Philosophy: Philosophy behind the Headlines

The course will briefly introduce the principal ideas of a selection of philosophers and apply these to the discussion of the news headlines and the controversies that lie behind them. This course will encourage discussion and sharing of ideas about current affairs and will involve reflecting on how to make philosophy a part of this discussion. Reading material will be provided on Canvas and the tutor will introduce the key ideas of relevant articles. However, reading before class is not essential. The main activity is to share ideas on news stories.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 01/05/2025 -
Thu 05/06/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Blue Beetle Room (London)
Hendon Lane
Finchley
London
N3 1TR
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017388
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£60.00



The courses below have already started, but are still available to book.

Philosophy: Reasons, Explanations and Justifications

When people ask why someone does something (for example why they lie) or what the reason for something is (for example for flooding or increased support for a political movement,) what exactly are they asking ? This course introduces you to three philosophical answers to this question. The first is to distinguish types of reason – ‘explanatory’, ‘motivating’, and ‘normative’. The second consists in pointing out that there are different reasons for accepting a statement as valid – truth, rightness (e.g. moral), and truthfulness. The third is to specify criteria for what creates or maintains moral or political justification. The course is intended to help you think more clearly about the ‘why question’ and to bring useful insights to what can be contentious topics.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 23/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
9:00am - 11:00am
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Bettina Lange
Course code:
Q00017669
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
1 place remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£59.20

Philosophy: Beginners Philosophy

“Everyone has their own truth and their own values.”; “What counts as knowledge changes over time – for example, we no longer believe that the sun goes round the earth.” “Different societies have different moralities.” “People will never agree on how best to organise society.” Statements like these can be heard and read in public debates and on social media. The course uses philosophical ideas to explore 1. that how we think, which moral values we think we should follow and what we think is the best society to live in varies between individuals, cultures and historical periods 2. that it is not possible to reach agreement and 3. that if we all agreed our societies would be less vibrant and less worth living in. This is an introductory course, so no previous knowledge of Philosophy is expected.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 25/09/2024 -
Wed 27/11/2024
Times:
4:45pm - 6:45pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Bettina Lange
Course code:
Q00016351
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
£75.60