Moments of Truth
About the Course
Have you ever had a eureka moment, where the truth suddenly appears as if from nowhere? From philosophy to art, epiphanies shape our experiences and values. But how do they create our vision of the world and why should we take notice of them? Can we rely on a moment of clarity to help us tell right from wrong?
In this course, Professor of Philosophy and author of Ethics Beyond the Limits, Sophie-Grace Chappell, explains how epiphanies can be the foundations of our personal, political and moral beliefs, and makes the case for taking these revelations seriously. She explores how we can utilise epiphanies to construct moral and political frameworks, starting by defining a epiphany and then describing how to spot one in the hustle and bustle of modern life. In the second part of the course, Sophie-Grace delves into the use of epiphanies in everyday life, exploring the meaning of value, recognition and epiphanic ethics.
By the end of the course, you will have learned:
- The eight points of analogy between epiphanies and other perceptual encounters
- The distinction between a moral manifesto and a moral theory
- Nagel and Wittgenstein's approaches to moral theory
- The inconsistent nature of epiphanies
- How our awareness of epiphanies affects our actions
- The role of passivity in ethics
As part of the course there are in-video quiz questions to consolidate your learning, and discussion boards to have your say.
IAI Academy courses are designed to be challenging but accessible to the interested student. No specialist knowledge is required.
About the Instructor
Sophie-Grace Chappell is the author of numerous books and articles on ethics, ancient philosophy, epistemology, and philosophy of religion. She has taught at universities including the University of Oxford, the University of British Columbia, the University of East Anglia, and the University of Manchester. Since 2006 she has been Professor of Philosophy at The Open University.
Part One: Epiphanies and ExperienceFrom philosophy to art, epiphanies shape our experiences and values. Sophie-Grace considers how they create our vision of the world and why we should take notice of them.
Part Two: Epiphanies and EthicsCan we rely on a moment of clarity to help us tell right from wrong? Sophie-Grace explores how we can utilise epiphanies to construct moral and political frameworks.