Short course
The Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
30/09/2026 - 02/12/2026
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant prospect—it is already embedded in our everyday lives. It connects us across continents, tracks our habits, recommends what we watch and buy, predicts relationships, and now demonstrates forms of reasoning that in many contexts outperform human thought in speed, scale, and precision; it assists in diagnosing disease, and is increasingly used in intelligence gathering and warfare. But what is artificial intelligence, really?
This course offers an accessible introduction to the philosophy of AI, exploring the deep questions that arise as these technologies evolve. Together, we will grapple with some of the most pressing and fascinating questions of our time: can machines truly be intelligent, or merely simulate intelligence? Is the human mind just a kind of computer? Could a machine ever be conscious, alive, or self-aware? How can we design AI systems that reflect human values—and whose values should those be? And what happens if AI surpasses human intelligence altogether? Would that be progress, or a profound risk to humanity?
Blending philosophy, technology, and ethics, this course invites you to critically engage with the ideas shaping our immediate future—and to question what it means to be human in an increasingly artificial world.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Programme details
Course starts Wednesday 30 September 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Wednesdays, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Week 1: Introduction – What is Intelligence?
Week 2: Descartes and Turing on the Question ‘Can Machines Think?’
Week 3: Searle’s Chinese Room Thought Experiment
Week 4: Do Minds Compute? Fodor’s Language of Thought
Week 5: Deep Learning and Lady Lovelace’s Objection to Machine Creativity
Week 6: Floridi and Life in the Information Age
Week 7: Ethics of AI: Theoretical Questions, Value Alignment
Week 8: Ethic of AI: Practical Concerns
Week 9: Future Projections: The Pessimists (Singularity, AGI, Superintelligence, Existential Risks)
Week 10: Future Projections: The Optimists (Transhumanism, Effective Altruism, Longtermism)
Teaching methods
Interactive lectures accompanied by extensive handouts. Students will occasionally be asked to read a relevant web article, philosophical paper or chapter from a book to gain an understanding of the status of the current debate, and to prepare for seminar discussions.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning AI and any future developments;
- 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 artificial intelligence, its philosophical foundations and its impact on contemporary society, and to explore the ethical and moral questions arising from its development and use.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have been given the opportunity to:
- explore key metaphysical issues raised by AI, including questions in the philosophy of mind—such as consciousness, intelligence, and rationality—and whether, and in what sense, these can be realised in machines
- think critically about AI, our ways of engaging with it, and our moral obligations towards it
- consider the potential societal consequences of the development of AI, and any ethical, moral and safety dilemmas this raises
Location: Ewert House Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD
Programme details
Course starts Wednesday 30 September 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Wednesdays, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Week 1: Introduction – What is Intelligence?
Week 2: Descartes and Turing on the Question ‘Can Machines Think?’
Week 3: Searle’s Chinese Room Thought Experiment
Week 4: Do Minds Compute? Fodor’s Language of Thought
Week 5: Deep Learning and Lady Lovelace’s Objection to Machine Creativity
Week 6: Floridi and Life in the Information Age
Week 7: Ethics of AI: Theoretical Questions, Value Alignment
Week 8: Ethic of AI: Practical Concerns
Week 9: Future Projections: The Pessimists (Singularity, AGI, Superintelligence, Existential Risks)
Week 10: Future Projections: The Optimists (Transhumanism, Effective Altruism, Longtermism)
Teaching methods
Interactive lectures accompanied by extensive handouts. Students will occasionally be asked to read a relevant web article, philosophical paper or chapter from a book to gain an understanding of the status of the current debate, and to prepare for seminar discussions.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning AI and any future developments;
- 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 Wednesday 30 September 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Wednesdays, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Week 1: Introduction – What is Intelligence?
Week 2: Descartes and Turing on the Question ‘Can Machines Think?’
Week 3: Searle’s Chinese Room Thought Experiment
Week 4: Do Minds Compute? Fodor’s Language of Thought
Week 5: Deep Learning and Lady Lovelace’s Objection to Machine Creativity
Week 6: Floridi and Life in the Information Age
Week 7: Ethics of AI: Theoretical Questions, Value Alignment
Week 8: Ethic of AI: Practical Concerns
Week 9: Future Projections: The Pessimists (Singularity, AGI, Superintelligence, Existential Risks)
Week 10: Future Projections: The Optimists (Transhumanism, Effective Altruism, Longtermism)
Teaching methods
Interactive lectures accompanied by extensive handouts. Students will occasionally be asked to read a relevant web article, philosophical paper or chapter from a book to gain an understanding of the status of the current debate, and to prepare for seminar discussions.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to:
- be able to understand the main philosophical issues concerning AI and any future developments;
- 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 Department for Continuing Education in 2014. She gives public lectures and regularly teaches weekly classes, short online courses, as well as courses for Oxford University Summer School for Adults and Oxford Experience. Her academic research focusses 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.