A majority of the world’s preeminent universities offer extramural tuition in the arts and humanities. The University of Birmingham has, for instance, pioneered research-based distance learning resources in all humanities topics. The University of Oxford boasts an impressive offering of DPhil courses via the Continuing Education Unit. Few UK (United Kingdom) universities offer extramural tuition in a combined Philosophy, Politics, and Economics course that contains substantive mathematical content. The University of London distance-learning BSc diplomas are modular and rigorous mathematically but do not permit systematic interdisciplinary study of all of Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and econometric analysis. One possibility for a student desiring this tuition may be to craft a programme based upon the University of London syllabus but also containing accredited level 4 CATS modules in Philosophy and Politics from Oxford’s extramural scheme. The resulting qualification would be awarded by the University of London as usual but would be enriched by Oxford’s tradition of small-group tutorials and deep reading of primary source texts. It is the contention of the current author that such an approach may be of benefit to students in the developing world who could, with sufficient effort, obtain a BSc from the University of London’s “Mathematics and Economics” stream whilst undertaking concomitant work in the University of Oxford’s Philosophy department.
The University of Oxford Level 4 CATS scheme offers modules in all fundamental philosophical disciplines, including Logic, Epistemology, Metaphysics, Ontology, and various bespoke modules regarding the philosophy of culture. These modules are of exceptional quality, often drawing upon intellectuals from across the UK and across the world. It is frequently the case that matriculation on this scheme produces the sort of academic success required of the tripos in economics at LSE (London School of Economics). The opinion of the current author is that the Oxford Level 4 syllabus be supplemented with additional primary-source readings that could be discussed with tutors or other interested intellectuals with whom adequate supervisory provision could be made. The resulting course of study – combining the strengths of London, Oxford, and a philosophical perspective on both – would be an asset to the cultivation of thoughtful leaders who are well-equipped in the foundations of mathematical practice and possess a robust understanding of data and the analytics of prevalent social problems. The modularity of the London and Oxford curricula may make them ideal starting points for mathematicians who, in light of current geopolitical circumstances, desire to register a more substantive impact on the internal affairs of European political life. It is the opinion of the current author that the combination of mathematical and philosophical tuition rendered by a joint tuition scheme as previously proposed would produce an undergraduate education of outstanding distinction for future leaders in politics, finance, economics, mathematics, and other aspects of civil service.
About the Author
Dr. Jonathan Kenigson is the Acting Academic Don of Athanasian Hall, Cambridge Limited, an independent think-tank drawing top mathematicians, physicists, philosophers, and natural scientists around the world. He is a specialist in the dynamics of Black Holes, Combinatorics, and classical education. In the opinion of U.S. and UK commentators, Athanasian Hall is likely the world’s leading think-tank in Quadrivium studies in 2021-2022 and has the largest and most academically diverse faculty of any such institute in Europe or North America.
