PPE: Prelims Study Notes - The
Comprehensive Guide
University: Oxford University Academic Level: Undergraduate Year 1 Academic Year:
2024/25
1. Module Overview
Topic focus: Foundational concepts and methodologies across Philosophy, Politics, and
Economics, as studied in the first year (Prelims) at Oxford University. Learning objectives:
● To critically analyse key political values, theories, and their real-world applications.
● To develop a rigorous understanding of formal logic, including propositional and
predicate logic.
● To engage with core philosophical problems in epistemology and metaphysics, such
as the mind-body problem and the nature of knowledge.
● To comprehend and apply the fundamental principles of microeconomics and
macroeconomics.
2. Glossary of Key Concepts
Term / Concept Definition / Explanation
Social Contract A hypothetical or actual agreement between the members
of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for
example by sacrificing some individual freedom for
state protection.
General Will A concept by Rousseau referring to the will of the people as
a whole, which aims at the common good. It is distinct
from the sum of individual private wills.
, Harm Principle A principle from John Stuart Mill's On Liberty stating that a
person's liberty can only be rightfully restricted to
prevent harm to others.
Paternalism The policy or practice of people in positions of authority
restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those
subordinate to them in the subordinates' supposed best
interest.
Proposition A declarative sentence that is either true or false. It is a
fundamental building block of logical reasoning.
Modus Ponens A valid logical argument form where if a conditional
statement (P→Q) is true and its antecedent (P) is also
true, then its consequent (Q) must be true.
Predicate Logic An extension of propositional logic that analyzes the
internal structure of propositions, using predicates,
variables, and quantifiers (e.g., 'all', 'some').
Dualism The philosophical position that the mind and body are
distinct substances.
Materialism The philosophical position that mental states are ultimately
physical phenomena and that only physical matter
exists.
Qualia The subjective, qualitative properties of experiences, such
as the feeling of pain or the color red. They are often
used as a challenge to materialist theories of mind.
Supervenience A philosophical concept where one set of properties (e.g.,
mental properties) is determined by another set of
properties (e.g., physical properties). If the physical
properties change, the mental properties must also
change.
Comprehensive Guide
University: Oxford University Academic Level: Undergraduate Year 1 Academic Year:
2024/25
1. Module Overview
Topic focus: Foundational concepts and methodologies across Philosophy, Politics, and
Economics, as studied in the first year (Prelims) at Oxford University. Learning objectives:
● To critically analyse key political values, theories, and their real-world applications.
● To develop a rigorous understanding of formal logic, including propositional and
predicate logic.
● To engage with core philosophical problems in epistemology and metaphysics, such
as the mind-body problem and the nature of knowledge.
● To comprehend and apply the fundamental principles of microeconomics and
macroeconomics.
2. Glossary of Key Concepts
Term / Concept Definition / Explanation
Social Contract A hypothetical or actual agreement between the members
of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for
example by sacrificing some individual freedom for
state protection.
General Will A concept by Rousseau referring to the will of the people as
a whole, which aims at the common good. It is distinct
from the sum of individual private wills.
, Harm Principle A principle from John Stuart Mill's On Liberty stating that a
person's liberty can only be rightfully restricted to
prevent harm to others.
Paternalism The policy or practice of people in positions of authority
restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those
subordinate to them in the subordinates' supposed best
interest.
Proposition A declarative sentence that is either true or false. It is a
fundamental building block of logical reasoning.
Modus Ponens A valid logical argument form where if a conditional
statement (P→Q) is true and its antecedent (P) is also
true, then its consequent (Q) must be true.
Predicate Logic An extension of propositional logic that analyzes the
internal structure of propositions, using predicates,
variables, and quantifiers (e.g., 'all', 'some').
Dualism The philosophical position that the mind and body are
distinct substances.
Materialism The philosophical position that mental states are ultimately
physical phenomena and that only physical matter
exists.
Qualia The subjective, qualitative properties of experiences, such
as the feeling of pain or the color red. They are often
used as a challenge to materialist theories of mind.
Supervenience A philosophical concept where one set of properties (e.g.,
mental properties) is determined by another set of
properties (e.g., physical properties). If the physical
properties change, the mental properties must also
change.
