Short course
Free Will: An Introduction
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
21/01/2027 - 25/03/2027
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
Is free will an illusion—one over which we would have no control? If it is real, what does it mean to have it, and who (or what) possesses it? Is free will unique to humans, or might it extend to other animals—or even to artificial systems?
The course introduces students to contrasting perspectives on free will, from the libertarian view that it requires the ability to do otherwise to accounts that emphasise forms of control. Some argue that free will is compatible with a law-governed universe, grounding freedom in our capacity for rational deliberation, self-control, and responsiveness to reasons. Others challenge this more radically, suggesting that human thought and action are the products of prior causes—biological, psychological, and environmental—over which we have no ultimate control. On this view, the absence of genuine free will raises difficult questions about moral responsibility, blame, and punishment.
Finally, we consider why free will matters. What is the difference between claiming to have free will and actually having it? What would follow if we recognised free will in non-human animals or artificial agents? By engaging with these questions, students will critically examine whether free will can be preserved, redefined, or abandoned altogether—and what is at stake in each case.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Programme details
Course starts Thursday 21 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: The Free Will Problem
Week 2: Compatibilism
Week 3: Incompatibilism
Week 4: Minds, Selves and Agents
Week 5: Actions, Reasons and Causes
Week 6: Hard Determinism
Week 7: Moral Responsibility
Week 8: Neuroscience and Freedom
Week 9: God and Freedom
Week 10: Ultimate Questions
Teaching methods
Weekly two-hour lectures with plenty of time to ask questions and debate your views. Extensive handouts, and the occasional web article, philosophy paper, or book chapter to read in preparation of our weekly get-togethers.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning free will and determinism;
- describe and articulate the main distinctions and ideas that exercise contemporary philosophy on this topic;
- constructively evaluate the positions that have been explored and develop a position of their own.
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, ie first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Course aims
This course aims to enable participants to develop a critical understanding of key philosophical debates surrounding free will, including questions of moral responsibility, determinism, and choice, and to explore the implications of these debates for individuals and society.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have been given the opportunity to:
- develop an understanding of the concepts of free will, free choice (if such things exist), and their role in moral responsibility
- explore historical and contemporary philosophical approaches to the free will debate, considering arguments for and against the possibility of free will
- engage critically with the ethical, personal and societal implications of free will and develop skills in constructing, analysing and evaluating philosophical arguments
Location: Ewert House Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD
Programme details
Course starts Thursday 21 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: The Free Will Problem
Week 2: Compatibilism
Week 3: Incompatibilism
Week 4: Minds, Selves and Agents
Week 5: Actions, Reasons and Causes
Week 6: Hard Determinism
Week 7: Moral Responsibility
Week 8: Neuroscience and Freedom
Week 9: God and Freedom
Week 10: Ultimate Questions
Teaching methods
Weekly two-hour lectures with plenty of time to ask questions and debate your views. Extensive handouts, and the occasional web article, philosophy paper, or book chapter to read in preparation of our weekly get-togethers.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning free will and determinism;
- describe and articulate the main distinctions and ideas that exercise contemporary philosophy on this topic;
- constructively evaluate the positions that have been explored and develop a position of their own.
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Programme details
Course starts Thursday 21 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: The Free Will Problem
Week 2: Compatibilism
Week 3: Incompatibilism
Week 4: Minds, Selves and Agents
Week 5: Actions, Reasons and Causes
Week 6: Hard Determinism
Week 7: Moral Responsibility
Week 8: Neuroscience and Freedom
Week 9: God and Freedom
Week 10: Ultimate Questions
Teaching methods
Weekly two-hour lectures with plenty of time to ask questions and debate your views. Extensive handouts, and the occasional web article, philosophy paper, or book chapter to read in preparation of our weekly get-togethers.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning free will and determinism;
- describe and articulate the main distinctions and ideas that exercise contemporary philosophy on this topic;
- constructively evaluate the positions that have been explored and develop a position of their own.
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Julia Weckend
Julia has taught philosophy at the Universities of Reading and Southampton before joining Oxford University’s Oxford Lifelong Learning. She regularly teaches weekly classes as well as courses for Oxford University Summer School for Adults and Oxford Experience. Her academic research focuses on issues in metaphysics and epistemology. She has published papers and edited two volumes in the history of philosophy, and she is a co-author of the Historical Dictionary of Leibniz’s Philosophy.
Certification
Academic credit
Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS Points)
Please note, students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you wish to gain credit from completing this course you must register to do so before the course starts.
Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.
Learn more about the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee for assessment and accreditation.
Digital certificate of completion
Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, ie first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee (with no assessment) | £315.00 |
| Assessment and Accreditation fee | £60.00 |
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.
How to register for accreditation and assessment
To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for this course, if you wish to do so, you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.
