BA in Philosophy course in Nepal: Introduction and Features

When your belly is stuffed, body is draped in cloth, and have a roof overhead, and perhaps when life doesn't go as you had imagined, or perhaps when you have a different perspective to observe the world, you begin to wonder: who am I? Why am I here? What should I do with this life? Why are there so many religions when their goal is same? Why do political parties need different 'slogans' if all they want is to develop the country? Why it has to be gravity that attracts everything towards its center? Why should you be different or common? Based on what matters does a society defines 'good' and 'bad' conduct? Can't a man who hasn't ever known that every object is made up of small particles-atoms, survive in this world? Why should (not) you vacant your seat for a lady standing nearby? What is your identity if neither your sex, nation, name, caste, nor religion were chosen by you? Etc. etc.

When you are asking these questions you are entering into the debate started since the early human civilization. Philosophical questions cover wide range of areas: religion, politics, sociology, psychology, physics, astronomy, literature and so on. It is believed that when it became impossible for an individual to know everything about every problem, different sciences and streams of concentration sprang out from philosophy.

Derived from the Greek words 'philos' and 'sophia' meaning 'love of wisdom', philosophy is the only study that doesn't force you to accept the assumed reality. While studying Karl Marx, you may have to accept the society divided into two classes, or you may have to accept that Bramha has created this world in Hindu mythology, philosophy gives you the freedom to question anything, be it the assumption of Marx or any religion. But the problem with it is that it doesn't give you the 'answer', and claim that this is the ultimate and absolute truth of everything. It shows you how different things can be true and untrue at the same time.

You may start studying philosophy with question inside your head: who am I, and may not be able to answer it even after the graduation certificate is at your hand! But you will have different 'insights' to look at this—'I'. You won't have anything to prove or disprove your view, but reasons, your logic. But most importantly, philosophizing will save you from 'life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of [your] age or nation, and from convictions which have grown up in [your] mind without the cooperation or consent of [your] deliberate reason' (Russell, 1912 ). Thus, when you happen to speak about something, you will not be babbling 'views' blared by 'media' or 'representative authorities', rather you will have your fresh opinion of yourself!

Currently (till now: 2017), there's no Master's program for Philosophy in Nepal. Tribhuvan University has designed Bachelor's level course for philosophy in Humanities and Social Sciences. It is (till now) a 3 years program, where you shall study about eastern philosophy, western philosophy, ethics, religion and so forth.

I don't know much about which colleges offer this course. But I'm sure that you can pursue this course at Tri Chandra Multiple Campus, Ghantaghar, Kathmandu.

You can contact the author in this email address: aashishghimire.lit@gmail.com

We are grateful to Aashish Ghimire for sharing his views about this course. If you want to share anything related with education sector/which might be of interest to students, you can mail us the article in edusanjal@gmail.com