The module consists of the following six blocks:
Block 1: Philosophy of Religion
The concept of God is a concept of an all-powerful entity that exists outside time and space. The philosophical puzzles this raises have been studied for millennia by believers and nonbelievers alike. This block draws on a number of different traditions to study the nature of God, the problem posed by the existence of evil, and the occurrence, or not, of miracles.
Block 2: Political Philosophy through Plato’s Crito
Plato’s Crito was written 2400 years ago, but it still has much to teach us. It makes us ask ourselves such questions as “What is the state?” and “Why should we obey the law – if we should?” This block uses Plato’s Crito as the gateway to an exploration of political philosophy today.
Block 3: Philosophy of Mind
Humans and other animals have minds, whereas sticks and stones do not. But what is it to have a mind? The brain seems to have something to do with it, but is it the whole story? Could artificial intelligence be capable of thought, emotion and experience? The block explores these questions.
Block 4: Ethics
This block looks at three philosophical answers to the question of what it is for our actions to be right or wrong. Are the right actions simply the ones with the best consequences? Or do we have ‘moral duties’ we should fulfil regardless of the consequences? Or perhaps we should simply focus on being good, virtuous people and then the right actions will follow?
Block 5: Epistemology
Epistemology is the study of knowledge. How do we know about the world? One obvious answer is by using our senses. Do our senses supply all that we know? Even mathematics? Don’t we, in fact, also acquire knowledge from listening to other people and reading what they have written? But how do I decide whether to trust other people? Do we all have equal access to knowledge, or are some groups better 'knowers' than others?
Block 6: Philosophy of Race
The final block uses the skills you have gained throughout the module to answer questions in the Philosophy of Race. What is race? Is it a biological category? A social category? How is the idea of racial groups linked to broader societal structures? It will also analyse racism: is it a belief, a disposition to think badly of certain people, or something else?
Philosophy trains you to analyse complex texts and arguments, and consider both sides of an issue. It also teaches how to dispel confusion, express yourself clearly, and formulate clear arguments. These are key skills much valued in the workplace.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
The module combines two textbooks with online resources. The books are self-standing, so you will not have to keep jumping back and forth between them and your computer. You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
DA223 is a compulsory module in our:
DA223 is an option module in our:
Investigating philosophy starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2035.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
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There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your personal income is £25,000 or less, or you’re on certain benefits, you could qualify for a grant and OU top-up funding to cover 100% of your course fees. Apply online at the same time as you register on your module.
For more information on how to apply, visit our Part-Time Fee Grants for students in Scotland page.
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Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
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Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
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We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
