This roadmap provides a structured, self-paced program equivalent to a 4-year undergraduate foundation in philosophy, condensed into approximately 1–2 years at 20 hours per week.
It assumes a commitment to rigorous reading, critical analysis, and written reflection to build analytical skills, ethical reasoning, and philosophical argumentation.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings or extras/other_curricula.
The structure is divided into phases:
- Introduction (fundamentals and orientation, ~3–4 months)
- Core (essential subjects building historical and conceptual depth, ~8–12 months)
- Advanced (specialization tracks for focused exploration, ~4–6 months)
- Capstone (integrative project, ~1–2 months).
Subjects are sequenced logically, with prerequisites noted to ensure progression. Each phase includes milestone assessments for self-evaluation.
Duration. 1–2 years, assuming ~20 hours/week. Learners may speed up or slow down.
Process. Students can work through the curriculum alone or in groups, in order or out of order.
- We recommend doing all courses in Core, only skipping a course when you are certain that you've already learned the material previously.
- For simplicity, we recommend working through courses (especially Core) in order from top to bottom. Some students choose to study multiple courses at a time in order to vary the material they are working on in a day/week.
- The courses in the Advanced section are electives. Choose one track to specialize in and complete all the courses listed under it.
- Forums:
- Subreddits:
- Discord servers:
- Other:
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
This phase orients learners to philosophical inquiry, key questions, and basic tools. It builds foundational skills in reasoning and exposes core themes like existence, knowledge, and morality.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Philosophy | To grasp the scope of philosophy, its major branches, and enduring questions, fostering curiosity and critical perspective on life, reality, and values. | The Problems of Philosophy | Introduction to Philosophy: God, Knowledge and Consciousness |
| Critical Thinking and Logic | To develop skills in argument analysis, fallacy detection, and deductive/inductive reasoning, essential for all philosophical work. | Introduction to Logic | Logic I |
Milestone: After completing this phase, write a 5–10 page reflective essay on a philosophical question (e.g., "What is the good life?"), incorporating basic logical analysis. This confirms readiness for historical and systematic study.
This phase covers the historical development of philosophy and its primary branches, equivalent to the bulk of an undergraduate curriculum. It emphasizes understanding ideas in context, comparing thinkers, and applying concepts theoretically and practically (e.g., ethical dilemmas or epistemological puzzles).
Subjects build sequentially: Start with historical surveys before branching into systematic areas.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Philosophy | To explore foundational Western thought from pre-Socratics to Aristotle, understanding origins of metaphysics, ethics, and politics. | Early Greek Philosophy | A History of Philosophy |
| Medieval Philosophy | To examine the integration of faith, reason, and classical ideas in thinkers like Aquinas and Avicenna, bridging ancient and modern philosophy. | Medieval Philosophy: A New History of Western Philosophy, Volume 2 | Covered in A History of Philosophy |
| Modern Philosophy | To study the shift to rationalism, empiricism, and enlightenment ideas in Descartes, Hume, Kant, and others, focusing on knowledge, mind, and reality. | Modern Philosophy: An Anthology of Primary Sources | Covered in A History of Philosophy |
| Ethics | To investigate moral theories, virtue, duty, and consequentialism, enabling evaluation of personal and societal decisions. | Nicomachean Ethics | Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? |
| Epistemology | To analyze theories of knowledge, belief, truth, and skepticism, sharpening skills in justifying claims. | Epistemology: A Contemporary Introduction | Kant’s Epistemology |
| Metaphysics | To delve into questions of being, reality, time, and causation, synthesizing historical insights with abstract reasoning. | Metaphysics: A Very Short Introduction | Introducing Philosophy |
Milestone: At the end of this phase, complete a comparative analysis paper (10–15 pages) on a core theme, such as "free will across historical periods," demonstrating integration of history and branches. This signals preparedness for specialized depth.
This phase allows specialization through elective tracks, encouraging deeper focus on subfields. Choose one track (or mix if time allows) comprising 3–4 subjects, studied sequentially within the track.
Tracks are designed for adaptability: Ethics for applied moral issues, Epistemology for knowledge and science, Logic for analytical rigor. Each track balances theory with practical synthesis, such as case studies or argumentative essays.
Focuses on moral and societal applications, ideal for interests in justice, policy, and human rights.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Ethics | To explore contemporary moral debates like utilitarianism vs. deontology and applied ethics in bioethics or environment. | Contemporary Moral Problems | Bioethics: An Introduction |
| Political Philosophy | To examine theories of state, justice, liberty, and power from Plato to Rawls. | A Theory of Justice | Introduction to Political Philosophy |
| Philosophy of Law | To analyze legal systems, rights, punishment, and jurisprudence through philosophical lenses. | Law's Empire | Social and Political Philosophy |
Emphasizes knowledge, evidence, and scientific inquiry, suitable for interdisciplinary ties to science or cognition.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Epistemology | To investigate reliabilism, foundationalism, and social epistemology in depth. | Knowledge and Its Limits | Epistemology |
| Philosophy of Science | To critique scientific method, realism, and paradigms, connecting philosophy to empirical disciplines. | Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction | Philosophy of Science (University of Pennsylvania) |
| Philosophy of Mind | To explore consciousness, intentionality, and mind-body problems in relation to science. | Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings | A Romp Through the Philosophy of Mind |
Centers on formal tools and language, perfect for precision in arguments and ties to mathematics or linguistics.
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Logic | To master predicate logic, modal logic, and formal systems for complex reasoning. | Intermediate Logic | Argument Diagramming |
| Philosophy of Language | To study meaning, reference, speech acts, and semantics. | Philosophy of Language | Philosophy of Language |
| Analytic Philosophy | To survey 20th-century thinkers like Wittgenstein and Quine, emphasizing clarity and analysis. | Analytic Philosophy: An Anthology | Political Philosophy: Ideas of the 20th Century |
The culminating experience synthesizes the program through independent application.
- Project: Develop a 20–30 page original philosophical paper or thesis on a topic bridging core and advanced areas (e.g., "Ethical Implications of AI Consciousness" for Ethics and Philosophy of Mind tracks). Include research, argumentation, counterarguments, and personal synthesis. Optionally, present it via self-recorded debate or outline for a hypothetical symposium.
- Why? To demonstrate comprehensive understanding, critical originality, and the ability to apply philosophy to real-world or abstract issues.
- Recommended Resource: How to Write a Thesis
- Prerequisites: Completion of all prior phases.
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Philosophy.
Congratulations!