An introduction to some of the central questions of philosophy, concerning our knowledge of the external world, causation, God, mind and body, freedom, justice, and moral judgment, via analysis of classical and contemporary philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Mill, Kant, Russell, Wittgenstein and Rawls.
3 hr./wk.
An informal analysis of inference and evidence employed in everyday arguments, including study of the principles held to justify forms of argument in morality, politics, the law and aesthetics. The aim of the course is to develop critical skills in reasoning and the evaluation of arguments, and sensitivity to the distinction between substantive argument and persuasive rhetoric, through a detailed analysis of examples drawn from a wide variety of sources, including the media. Attention will be paid to some elementary but critical distinctions relating to meaning, definition, and implication.
3 hr./wk.
Students will study of the role of evidence and inference. Special emphasis is given to developing skills in reasoning and the appraisal of arguments. Arguments in the sciences, social sciences, law, and politics will be considered.
4hr/wk
Selected topics and experimental courses are offered on a variety of topics. No prerequisites.
Is knowledge one type of thing, or a number of different things? Does it make sense to integrate scientific, mathematical, humanistic and artistic knowledge? If so, how do we do that while respecting the distinctive contributions of each field? We will explore what knowledge is and how we make sense of it
3 hr./wk.
This course will survey canonical texts in four mainstream Asian philosophical traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. In the process, it will compare their similarities and contrast their differences, developing an appreciation of their profound influences on society, culture, and politics. Ultimately, it will show how Asian philosophies and their unique views of mind, consciousness, ethics, purpose, and the fulfillment of human potential are exerting trans-formative effects on Western arts and sciences, and upon global civilization as a whole.
3 hr./wk.
In this course students will examine philosophical aspects of race and gender, with interdisciplinary perspectives from fields that may include history, sociology, and biology. Students will use philosophical tools to examine the nature of the social world, how it affects what we think, and its ethical ramifications. In particular, students will engage with questions including: Are race and gender natural or socially created? Should we think race and gender are real or fictional? How have cultural and social forces, scientific theories, and public policies affected how we understand race and gender? How have race and gender led to oppression and privilege today and throughout American history? Students will engage with texts drawn from disciplines including philosophy and other disciplines such as history, sociology, and/or biology.
3 hr./wk.
An introduction to philosophical questions about art and our relationships with art. What is art, and how do we interact with art? What do different art forms, such as music, painting, performance, and poetry, have in common, if anything? Must art be beautiful? What does it mean to have “good taste” when it comes to art? How do we interpret art? Is art merely “subjective”? Readings will be drawn from the history of art philosophy, and also contemporary art philosophy. Students will also study artworks that support or challenge theories about art.
3 hr./wk.
What moral obligations do we have to the environment? Are our obligations to the environment just obligations to take care of resources needed by future humans? If you were the last person on earth, would you have moral reasons to care about the animals and plants that would continue after you, or would they be meaningless without human beings to use them? Is the beauty of nature morally valuable? Students will learn and apply central philosophical theories of ethics and aesthetics to propose answers to these questions, and to discuss their implications for social decisions about the environment and governmental environmental policy.
3 hr./wk.
This course is an examination of ethical issues that arise in business. Business ethics is the area of inquiry in which normative ethical theories are applied to issues that arise out of the relationships and activities surrounding the production, distribution, marketing and sale of goods and services. In this course, we will focus on ethical decision-making from both personal and policy-level perspectives. Readings will be drawn from philosophical writings, business articles, and real-life cases.
3 hr./wk.
What is justice? What does it require of us as citizens and as individuals? What is a just society, and what are the obligations of people in positions of authority? This course will introduce you to the major philosophical theories of justice and political philosophy. We will use philosophical theories to illuminate our understanding and analysis of real life cases of justice.
3 hr./wk.
What makes an action right or wrong? In this course students will engage with ethical theories and grapple with moral problems that individuals and societies are asking today. For example students may examine questions about the ethics of the death penalty, racial profiling, abortion, climate change, genetically modified food, and physician assisted suicide.
3 hr./wk.
As culture and society become increasingly automated and technologized, the distinction between persons and machines has evolved into a complex question with ethical, social, scientific and legal dimensions. Persons are becoming more integrated with machines through workplace automation and social media, and machines are becoming more like persons as robotics and AI research creates machines that aim to mirror human thought processes, behavior, and functioning. In this class, students will explore the concept of personhood as it was understood by prominent philosophers prior to the technological age and go on explore how this concept has changed since. We will discuss what this new state of affairs implies for various aspects of life and society, including a special look at the person-machine relation as depicted in science fiction and popular culture.
3 hr./wk.
Science and technology influence society more with every generation, so it is important to understand their impact. The aim of this class is to provide a survey of issues arising from the interaction between science, technology and society in the last century, and allow the student to begin grappling with these topics. This course will take a special interest in applications of technology in medical treatment, genetic modification, and the expansion of human capacities (physical and mental). Some questions of particular interest will be: How may we modify human nature to make it more immune to disease and, ultimately, immune to death? What are the limits of technological innovation in expanding human perceptual capacities, memory, and learning? Does a “technologized" world promise utopia or dystopia?
3 hr./wk.