what kind of philosophy u're looking for?

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/linguistics-and-philosophy/

Deadlocks,

They are ALL available FREE from MIT over the Internet...

You can find those from Princeton and Harvard university too...

Dreamer

Deadlocks,

Why do you want LOW CLASS education when you can get WORLD CLASS education from MIT, Harvard, and Princeton??

Philosophy is THINKING about THINKING...

Why do you need a classroom to THINK??

Dreamer

Deadlocks,

Do you MEAN that YOU are NOT a human being?? YOU cannot interact with YOURSELF??  YOU cannot QUESTION yourself??

Philosophy is THINKING about THINKING.  That also mean the ABILITY to see / think from more that ONE POV.  Nobody can do it for YOU.  YOU have to be ABLE to QUESTION and DEBATE and look from multiple POV.  Including ONE that is TOTALLY opposite your current POV.

Dreamer

Try checking out this distance learning site.  You can get a University of London external degree in philosophy from it.  To be frank, you will not get any philosophy courses in Malaysia, either in local universities or foreign.  Not a "practical" or a degree which can cari makan.  Malaysian mentality.  Do go and learn philosophy, it does broadens one's mind and encourages one to think properly.  But don't expect to get a job from it.  Used to have a friend who studied philosophy in UK, did it for interest.  Still ended up working in a bank and went through their training program.  Could have been promoted faster if had gone through an accounting degree or something more practical and related.

http://www.philosophypathways.com/programs/index.html

philosophically not about learning only, is about how do u feel.

If u study in internet, u just study ppl experince, the concept in his/her mind.
But unfortunely, many things bound with our environmental grow, from era to era, culture to culture, one place to another place, all teori renew & renew again.

What u study today may diference tomoro. Depend on the environment u live.

Example: look at the england riot today, they r too many student (they r lucky bcos can get high educated) involved in the incident. & one of the riot (graduator) who claim that: "I join bcos i want to know is that i'm still valueble to the community? My "price" in this country. Am i importance to this country????

Sometime Things r easy as eat cake, just that we can't accept it.
for me, philosophic is like an Fate (jodoh), one may or may not meet it.
It destiny, It fate.

Good Luck.

Hey Deadlocks!! Good to know someone else other than me is looking for a philo course somewhere xD. HELP used to have an introduction to philosophy class last few years (and a very good lecturer), but the donkey head of dept. for ADP caused stupid problems and made her leave. I'm currently looking for philosophy classes as well, maybe, if you'd like to, we can update one another if we find something? I'll just share with you what I found so far, sorry if they're a bit messy.

The UoL external program is one way you can go about studying philosophy it is accredited and it is pretty good (London philosophy programs are probably some of the best and most difficult ones). Apparently they're accepting applications for the external in September http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/how_t.../malaysia.shtml and I'm planning to take the introduction course first (depending on how I do, I'll decide whether or not to go on with the diploma and degree). Exams will be on next year May.

The philosophy pathways program is also pretty good, from what I've seen, though it can be a little pricey if you couple it both with the UoL diploma/degree program. From what I gather, they'll give you homework and writings to do, and you'll send your answer to them. The tutors will then check and give you a 800 word comment on how to fix and develop your essays further. Correspondence will be through email only, if I'm not mistaken. There're also private tutors that will tutor you through skype. I don't remember where I've seen it, but I'll update the post if I can find it again. There're no prices, but I'm guessing it'll be a lot more expensive than the philosophy pathways programs, because of the guy's supposed PhD  and tutoring experiences in Oxford.

If you want to study in a university, the closest you can get a degree in philosophy will be at Singapore at NUS. I'm not sure of the entry requirements, though, but based on their rankings, I'm guessing it'd be hell getting into the program. I know AIMST in Kedah has introductory philosophy classes as well, but from what my friend recounted to me, it's not worth going there to take.

I was thinking also, if you'd like to, we can put together a reading/study group for philosophy. I am looking for more people atm, so let me know what you think xD And are there any particular fields of philosophy you're most interested in?

One last edit: Deadlocks, if you want to read more about philosophy this is a good place to begin. This is an encyclopedia of Philosophy - http://plato.stanford.edu/contents.html online. If you want an easier to read book, I suggest you go to the bookstores and buy The Philosophy Book - it's an encyclopedia by DK, very accessible, very easy to read. Gives you a summary of almost all the prominent philosophers from the past until now. It's 90 bucks, I saw it in Borders and Kinokuniya. For a more classic introductory text, try Bertrand Russell's Problems of Philosophy - http://www.ditext.com/russell/russell.html (and if you want to get the ebook http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5827 ) Compared to other writings by other philosophers, it's quite easy to read, and I know some universities use this as a basic required reading for their philosophy courses.

Also, I'd like to respond to some of the other posts made. First xenotzu, on the practicality of Philosophy, I must say i completely disagree with your view. Philosophy encourages analytical and critical thinking abilities, which are of a lot of value to employers. My uncle, who is a GM with a timber company in Sarawak has banker friends that prefer people with a philosophy degree, because of their ability to think. His friend himself has a degree in philosophy, and outshines the people with financial/banking background. And contrary to what you think, some bosses actually have some knowledge of philosophy - and knowing some popular names in philosophy does help e.g. Karl Marx, Adam Smith. I back my arguments also with the fact that philosophy graduates tend to have higher GRE scores than grads from other fields (in both written and quantitative aspects). Philosophy students can grasp banking fast. But banking graduates might not be able to grasp thinking fast. And this - is a major advantage.

Dreamer 101, thinking about thinking is not philosophy, it's metacognition (I can tell you all about metacognition because I learn it in psychology =)) And while I agree with you that thinking is mainly a personal process, it is difficult to learn about philosophy on your own. I'd like to see you self-learn Heidegger or Kant by yourself, without help from others. Well if you can, I'll concede that your point makes sense. Also, I agree that MIT is world class, no doubt. But what makes their graduates world class is not their lectures. It's their tutors and their discussions. Students are assigned private tutors that help them develop their thinking skills outside the lecture. That is what classroom/university interaction entails, and what makes students step up and become better thinkers. I watched the entire series from Yale about the philosophy of death. Yeah, it's good. I learnt a lot. But honestly, it's not enough. I won't be able to write essays on the subject just by watching the lecture.

And limfreelance, well, it's good to know that you acknowledge the development in thinking processes. I'm a bit concerned though, cause if its true that we're developing so fast, you seem to be thinking that we should just stop learning altogether, since "what u study might be different tomorrow" instead of trying to step up to learn what's new. A bit dangerous, no?

Lol np xD for one I am absolutely certain that education is never a lonesome journey. There are way more people who want to learn more than we might expect (even in Malaysia, just... Less common?)

Philosophy is an invitation to ponder, in the largest possible perspective, the weightier, more stubborn problems of human existence. It is also an invitation to think—to wonder, to question, to speculate, to reason, even to fantasize—in the eternal search for wisdom. In a word, philosophy is an attempt to weave interconnecting lines of illumination between all the disparate realms of human thought in the hope that, like a thousand dawnings, new insights will burst through.

This is only a suggestion, after evaluating your personality based on some of your canny posts. My inference could be less than accurate, but if you like Philosophy so much, and if you really have strong interests in the study of human minds and behaviors, perhaps then you may want to consider Social Psychology. Social Psychology has been defined as “the scientific investigation of how the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others”.

i did my degree in philosophy in lyon, france and i will be returning back home come oct/nov. the reason why i would like to set up a philo meet-up so that we may explore certain themes together, read up, discuss, etc.

deadlocks,

you seem certain that meeting up and discussing philosophical themes won't be useful. in the end, philosophy is the "love of wisdom" and as long as you have that, it is the end that matters, not the means, as said by kant. ultimately, it is your choice and your own will to refuse my proposition and i can't change that.

as sartre puts it, you have free will and decision making implies a value judgement on a thing or an action, i.e., water will have value to a thirsty man in a desert but not so much to a man in a café. after all, he has a choice between all the beverages and he might see more value in a cup of tea rather than water. similarly, if the man is suicidal, he will not see water or food as having value at all!

having said that, is there at the very end, an intrinsic value in water, food or life, independent of the subject?

just like the above, i guess to you, my proposition has no value. but does it have an intrinsic value i wonder?

anyway, your question : "Will you shape your life, and will your life shape you? Accept your fate and be happy? Or defy it and be glorious?"

your questions compose of existential and moral philosophy. questions wrestled by philosophers of old like plato, aristotle up to kant and its culminating point in sartre and heidegger. philosophy being a study, it is formalised and contains on its own a specialised jargon by which i have restructured your questions into "philosophy speak" to ease your hermeneutical research in philosophical texts.

the questions posed by them are :

1. "why is there something instead of nothing?"
2. "what is being?"
3. "what is the "thing in itself" (essence) of being?" 
4. "is everything determined or does free will exist?"
5. "if free will exists, what is the meaning/value of our actions?"
6. "how to live a virtuous life?"
7. "how do i behave? according to my desires or the universal law of nature (deontic)?"

i'm afraid due to the lengths at which i will have to write to explain them all along with time constraints, you should do the reading and research on your own.

to start with, u can start by reading about the difference of opinion between "idealism and materialism" and later on sartre and the philosophers i have mentioned. from there you will get a semblance of an answer to your question.

as for meeting up face-to-face, i had the impression that a "human contact" was what you were looking for. but now i  agree with you that there is no need for both of us to do just that. however, i will continue to find someone that i may discuss philosophical themes with.

have a good day deadlocks.

https://www.coursera.org/course/introphil

the above is a free online introductory course to philosophy that'll begin in january 2013.

sign up, participate and you'll get a certificate in the end

deadlocks,

i find this reply unsatisfactory. what is your definition of being a hedonist?

please note what Montaigne said, "Philosophy makes those who are devoted to her, happy and cheerful."

is it then wrong to be a hedonist?

in philosophy, you always need to explain what is the object in question. that means explaining all the different views and opinions that are associated with the object in question. 

personally speaking, from your reply to my proposition, it wasn't implied in any way that you were trying to prevent me from the "dangers of hedonism". but whatever. i don't know what is true (i'm no mindreader) so i choose not to decide / pursue it further (see scepticism).

p.s : concerning the link, you're welcome. good luck with the course.

so what is philosophy then to you my dear deadlocks?

from how you explained the workings of philosophy, we shouldn't reference any source to back up our argument. if you do this in university, you'll fail your first semester exams.

it's funny that you like philosophy if you think you can solve philosophical problems without reading other's approach to them. if that is the love for wisdom and knowledge, then i can only assume it is only the love for your own.

but okay, maybe you're coming up with a  brand new philosophical system that burns all thousands of years of tradition and for that reason, there will be no need to reference anything.

wow really if you accomplish that, you could very well be the first malaysian recipient for a nobel prize in literature! i can't wait... malaysia boleh!

edit : reading philosophy provides a certain disposition to a person to question everything, including his own beliefs and proceed to put them to the test (see Descartes, sorry). can you comfortably say you weren't being dogmatic in your replies? If one does not have any "doubt" or enquiry but see the apex being his own perfect being, i suppose reading An Idiot's Guide to Being a Dictator would make more sense.

haha i laugh as i read your reply.

indeed it is pointless for us to meet up as u mentioned before.

i say this because you are in love with your own self. you potray yourself as a sage, walking a lonely road to whatever truth you're looking for. you my friend should start living life.

btw, your comments about the political environment is incoherent.

race, culture, customs are all but relative. what i cherish are universal values.

anyway, you have shown your true colours so whatever and enjoy your "philosophy" or whatever it is.

kthnxbai

Refreshing discussion. My short definition of philosophy is the search for meaning. I have never studied philosophy, but I can say that I may have had more than may share of existential angst. I have recently been questioning the apparent lack of questioning in this country. I say apparent because I'm not sure if this is the reality or I may be completely wrong and this maybe some illusion that afflicts my view. In any case, my search lead me to this thread.

Where does one go to find the "native" Malaysian philosopher? where does one find the Nietzsche of Malaysia? Does one look for him among the political elite? or the university academics? Is he malay, chinese or indian? What are the philosophical basis that underlie life in Malaysia? Who formulated them? who imported them? Or maybe the question should be what is the spirit of Malaysia? the ghost that animates this country?

Please forgive my naive questions. I'm only trying to say that I think it is healthy to question because for man, to understand the meaning behind the form is perhaps more important than the form itself.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but without details of the kind of private school you speak of we really can't say much about that story of yours. To be sure, there are a lot of shady, dodgy, or not very well run private, 'international' schools out there, and they may be profitable for many reasons, one being the attraction of parents who prioritise English-medium learning for their children given the unpredictability in public education policy, the other being the considerable wealth and influence of the owners/operators of such schools. I think most schools hire principals for their experience and ability, while the average graduate who hasn't even left school for longer than 12 months will hardly be able to demonstrate adequate quantities of either.

I'm not saying your friend is merely an average graduate. He/she may be an exceptional individual for all we know. But the reality is that there are a lot of people around the world doing Arts-type degrees (International Relations, Politics, Sociology, Languages, Asian/Oriental Studies, History, and Philosophy which is relatively rare) and most of them are not destined for huge corporate jobs. They are more likely to venture into politics and government, NGOs, journalism etc. Of course some may be qualified for banking jobs, and we have all heard the stories of investment bankers with Philosophy and Sociology degrees. I have also known people with upper-management jobs in banks who studied languages. But note that the school they graduate from is usually quite exceptional.

The backgrounds of those holding/having/who had top jobs who are not self-made (e.g. Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Roman Abramovich, Henry Ford, JP Morgan) is quite clear - they usually have practical or 'applicable' degrees (applicable here refers to those not traditionally seen as practical, but which can have commercial/professional applications and which are in demand, such as Mathematics and Physics). Most of them have some background in Business, Commerce, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Management, Engineering, Mathematics etc.

Now, if we talk about practicality and the Malaysian mentality, it's not easy to change what is in place. Preferences for Commerce or Quantitative degree-holders may be in policies. Many 'Business' graduates are hard enough to train once employed, so management may not want to take a chance with Arts graduates, who have every possibility of knowing less about Commerce, Banking and Finance than 'Business' graduates.

It is a good thing to have a passion for the subject you study.

wow this thread is up again. let's see, mr. deadlocks the self proclaimed sage. i have 3 individual responses to your points.

1. so who are these people that you claim to be great philosophers? from what u wrote, it is assumed that u know them.
2. relativity is a universal value no? look at the theory of relativity that reigns the universe. when i said what i cherish are universal values, that means, each and ever culture has an equal amount of importance and therefore non should proclaim itself a master culture. i guess, i have to spell everything out for u as u think talking about philosophy is pointless. just look at your previous writings (your take on philosophy) and you will see.
3. on the face of things, u will have seen that you should ask yourself the question concerning pride and humility. u don't seek the truth and it has been shown in your previous writings. what u want is recognition (as a sage, philosopher, etc), and that, i'm afraid i don't think i can give. you are but a sham and a proud man.

LOL

okayla all u want to hear is, "yes you're right" isn't it? okay i'm gonna say it then. wait for it.... breathe....

*drum rolls*

YES YOU'RE RIGHT!

*cymbals fade*

are u happy now? was it all worth it? do u feel like a philosopher now? i bet you do don't you.

go forth and spread your message deadlocks! the world awaits!