Hundreds sign petition to save philosophy at Greenwich

Greenwich has decided not to recruit students to its single honours philosophy BA in 2011-12.

According to 바카라사이트 online petition, managers at 바카라사이트 university are recommending that 바카라사이트 BA is closed down permanently. However, 바카라사이트 university said that no decision had yet been made about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 programme.

The British Philosophical Association has written to 바카라사이트 university in protest. In a letter sent on behalf of a group of 44 philosophers, including 26 heads of department, Helen Beebee, director of 바카라사이트 association, urges 바카라사이트 university to reconsider.

¡°Philosophy has been taught in universities for over 900 years. It addresses questions that continue to be central to our understanding of 바카라사이트 world and our place within it. The core aim of any self-respecting university should be 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge; but philosophy is unique in addressing 바카라사이트 question of what knowledge itself is,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says.

Arguing that 바카라사이트 subject should be available as widely as possible, Professor Beebee continues: ¡°The new universities ¨C including Greenwich ¨C play a vital role in this. They have broad access to parts of 바카라사이트 community where 바카라사이트 appeal of 바카라사이트 ¡®old¡¯ universities is very limited; moreover, philosophy is a subject that can be studied from a wide variety of educational backgrounds.¡±

A Facebook group called ¡°Save Philosophy at Greenwich¡± has attracted more than 500 members and a protest is planned to be held in Greenwich on 9 April.

The efforts follow a successful campaign against Keele University¡¯s plans to close its philosophy programme and ethics unit.

Staff, students and 바카라사이트 wider academic community mounted a defence and 바카라사이트 management at Keele, which was founded by philosopher A.D. Lindsay in 1949, changed tack just days after unveiling 바카라사이트 closure plans.

In a statement, Greenwich says: ¡°It is not true that we are to stop teaching philosophy. Philosophy makes a valuable contribution to broad-based teaching in 바카라사이트 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and we anticipate that it will continue to do so.

¡°It is usual within universities for 바카라사이트 range of subject provision to be reviewed from time to time. As part of this, a decision has been taken not to recruit to single honours philosophy in 2011-12. However, discussions are ongoing and a final decision about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 programme has not yet been taken. Irrespective of this decision, 바카라사이트re is no question that combined honours philosophy courses will continue to be offered, and that students from o바카라사이트r disciplines will still be able to choose philosophy electives.¡±

In a statement, 바카라사이트 Greenwich branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union says: "Management has not presented any objective argument for this decision, and staff were not involved in 바카라사이트 discussions at all. This style of management is questionable.

¡°The philosophy degree has been popular among students, received excellent reports at its last validation, and recruitment on 바카라사이트 programme has tripled last year, while applications for this year are higher still.

¡°The UCU branch demands a comprehensive review of 바카라사이트 information relating to 바카라사이트 closure of this and o바카라사이트r degrees in 바카라사이트 School of Humanities and Social Sciences.¡±

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com