Undergraduate Courses

Spring 2024
 

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Allan Silverman
TR 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
DL

This course is designed to introduce students to some longstanding and fundamental philosophical issues, including issues regarding the existence of God, the nature and extent of human free will, and issues regarding personal identity. In discussing these issues, we will focus on influential historical texts and well as more contemporary texts.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Abe Roth
MW 11:30 AM - 12:25 PM
in person

Is that a tree you see through the window? And is this a phone in your hand? Can you be sure that these experiences aren’t part of a dream and that at any moment you’ll be startled awake to a very different reality? And what are these experiences anyway? Might they – along with your hopes, desires, and conscious thoughts – be nothing more than states of your brain or body, or something that could just as well be had by a sophisticated computer, robot, or AI? Science aims to accurately depict the world, and it has yielded a powerful understanding of nature. But what can we say about scientific method that would account for its success? Can the scientific outlook be reconciled with our having free will and being morally responsible for what we do? Does God exist? And what bearing does this have on the nature of right and wrong, and leading a meaningful life? What parts of the world and ourselves are natural, and what parts socially constructed? These are some of the central questions that we’ll explore, employing the critical rationality distinctive of philosophy. We will be reading and discussing ancient, modern, and contemporary texts. Historical figures will include a number of Pre-Socratics, Socrates/Plato, Descartes, and Hume.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Jacob MacDavid
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Philosophy investigates important questions often taken for granted by folks in their everyday lives, and even by other academic disciplines. Questions like: Do I have free will? Am I the same person now that I was a decade ago, or completely different? Is it possible to know anything for certain (or is it always possible I’m a brain in a vat)? How do I figure out which actions are moral? How do I convince others about the morally right thing to do? What makes a society, a government, or an economic system just? This course tackles questions like these, and also cultivates important philosophical skills, such as conceptual analysis, logical reasoning, and clear writing.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Jason DeWitt
WF 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
in person

This introductory course will be centered on two important subjects in philosophy: God and persons. Does God exist? What is God like? What is a person? When does personhood begin and end? What moral duties and rights come with being a person? Are there non-human persons? What’s the source of morality: God or our fellow persons? This is just a sampling of the kinds of philosophical questions we’ll investigate in this course. We’ll examine potential answers to these kinds of questions from several philosophical traditions across human history. Along the way we’ll hone some of our skills in analytical writing, critical reading, and logical reasoning.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100H - Honors Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Robert Kraut
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

The world is complex and mysterious.  Various sciences--physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, linguistics, etc.--help us deal with some of the questions that arise.  But other areas are neglected by the sciences: questions and controversies persist regarding the nature of morality, freedom of the will, the existence of God, the nature of consciousness, the limits of political authority, and the just and fair solution to problems concerning abortion, our obligations (if any) to those less fortunate than ourselves, and the achievement of racial justice and equality.  This course provides in-depth exploration of these and related topics. Two midterm exams, cumulative final exam, a term paper, and participation in extensive, collaborative discussion of the issues and arguments.

Prereq: Honors standing or permission of department or instructor.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro to Ethics
Instructor: Aaron Yarmel
MW 1:50 PM - 2:45 PM
in person

What makes an action right, wrong, good, bad, permissible, or impermissible? Is morality merely a matter of cultural norms or are there absolute moral truths? How should we evaluate the truth of moral theories? Why be moral at all? Thinking about questions like these is an inescapable part of being a thoughtful and reflective person, but it is difficult to make significant progress on them without the proper training. This course will provide you with the skills you need to make progress on these questions and more. In this introductory ethics course, we will examine the leading contenders for theories of morality and their real-world implications, collaborate in the search for more reasonable answers to intriguing questions, and foster a warm and inviting classroom community along the way.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro to Ethics
Instructor: Erich Jones
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
in person

Is it morally wrong to eat meat? Is it sometimes permissible to take another life, and if so, when? Are any actions morally right or wrong? Concerns such as these tend to animate many of our thoughts and discussion with others, even if not worded in this way. In this course, we will examine three traditional ways philosophers formulate answers to these questions by studying Consequentialism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. Additionally, we will examine challenges to the possibility of moral knowledge through the lens of moral skepticism. Finally, we will examine and compare some non-Western theories of morality, such as those of Buddhism and Shintoism.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro to Ethics
Instructor: Pranav Ambardekar
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

By surveying the ideas of important thinkers and philosophical traditions from the West as well as the East, this course aims to get students thinking about the nature of right and wrong, good and evil, the grounds of moral choice and decision, and the resolution of moral conflicts.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro to Ethics
Instructor: Scott Harkema
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

This class is an introduction to moral thought in the western philosophical tradition. We begin by examining the most basic question in ethics, “what makes an action right, and what makes an action wrong?” We then turn to looking at the rightness/wrongness of various areas of human practice, including how we treat animals, the environment, and each other.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1332 - Engineering Ethics
Instructor:  Various Instructors
Various dates and times, including asynchronous
DL and in person

An examination of contemporary issues in engineering ethics in the context of major ethical theories.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 1300

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation.

1338 - Computing Ethics and Effective Presentation
Instructor: Scott Brown
Various days and times, lectures on T/Th and recitations on F
in person

Computers have changed our world in wonderful ways, but they also present special challenges. They are ubiquitous, and technology advances quickly enough that it is easy for morally questionable uses of computers to become widespread. This is significant, since the questionable uses often affect our lives in meaningful, tangible ways. This course helps students practice the skills they need to identify, understand, and respond to the moral issues that can arise due to how we use computers across a variety of professional and personal contexts. Topics will include, among others, the ways that people use computers to make money, pursue romance and sex, oppress people, and influence elections. The course also includes student presentations and feedback to help students express themselves more clearly and effectively.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 1300.

GE: Cultures and Ideas

1420 - Philosophical Approaches to Racism and Sexism
Instructor: Amy Shuster
MWF 10:20 AM - 11:15 AM
in person

What sort of existence do “races” and “genders” have, especially given the complicated nature of lived experience? How does ethnicity differ from race, if at all? What does it mean so say that such categories are “socially constructed.” And how do socially constructed categories fit into a broader picture of reality? In virtue of what do individuals, actions, representations, and systems count as racist or sexist? (How)does misogyny differ from and relate to sexism? And what makes such -isms wrong? What is required for racial and gender justice? Given the intersectional nature of oppression, can gender justice be achieved and promoted without racial justice (and vice versa)? We will explore these questions by studying the views of academic philosophers. We will also explore and assess the implications of these views for the “real world.” Race, ethnicity and gender have important connections to our identities, perceptions of others, and opportunities in life. How does philosophy help us to better understand the impact of race, ethnicity and gender in our own lives, the lives of others, and on broader social phenomena? How can philosophy help us to live better, more ethical lives?

GE: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Diversity Foundation

1500 - Intro to Logic
Instructor:  Various Instructors
Various days and times
in person

Your courses train you to think a certain way. If you get a major in psychology, you’ll learn to think like a psychologist; if you go to business school, you’ll learn to think like a businessman; if you decide against taking an economics class, you’d be missing a chance to learn to think like an economist. But there’s a more basic way of thinking. Chances are your classes assume it without question, clarification, or instruction. This way of thinking is so fundamental—so seemingly obvious—it’s no wonder we take it for granted. That’s also why it is so important. This way of thinking is the logical—or, if you prefer, rational, reasonable, ...—way of thinking. But what does it mean to think logically? Which ways of thinking are rational, and which ones aren’t? What does irrationality look like, and how can we keep it at bay? This class introduces you to the extraordinary intellectual achievements we have made in answering questions like these. Upon completion, you can expect this class to have prepared you for more advanced philosophy courses, including PHILOS 2500: Symbolic Logic. However, this class will enrich your intellectual training regardless of your degree.

Prereq: Math 1060 or 1075 or equiv; or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher; or Math Placement Level R or better. Not open to students with credit for 1501.

GE: Quantitative Reasons: Math and Logical Analysis and Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

1501 - Intro to Logic and Legal Reasoning
Instructor: Donny Soles
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

This course equips students with the tools of logic and critical thinking especially as they apply to the assessment of legal reasoning. By examining court cases and legal materials, students will learn to assess the strength and validity of legal reasoning, and thus to be able to evaluate and weigh legal evidence and testimony to reach justified conclusions. The critical reasoning practiced in the legal context will generalize to other domains.

Math 1075 or equiv, or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher, or Math Placement Level R or better. Not open to students with credit for 1500.

GE: Quantitative Reasons: Math and Logical Analysis and Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

2120 - Asian Philosophies
Instructor: Steve Brown
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
in person

This class will explore the main philosophical traditions that underlie the cultures of India, China, Korea, Japan, and a number of other countries in south and east Asia. Specifically, we will work toward understanding some of the essential texts from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, and Daoism. However, we will not be approaching these texts merely for their historical value. We will be engaging them as potential sources of wisdom and insight into the nature of the world around us and our place within it. 

GE: Literature; Diversity: Global Studies and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2120 - Asian Philosophies
Instructor: Dylan Flint
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

This course will explore the main philosophical traditions of south and east Asia. Specifically, we will seek to understand, and grapple with, some of the essential texts of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Hinduism. In this course, our approach will not just be historical. Instead, we will approach these texts and traditions as potential sources of philosophical insight and wisdom, which we can use to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

GE: Literature; Diversity: Global Studies and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2338 - Computing Ethics for a Just and Diverse World
Instructor: Matthew Willis
TR 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
in person

As technology becomes more deeply intertwined with our daily lives, how do we ensure that it reflects the values of a just and diverse society? PHILOS 2338 invites you to critically engage with pivotal ethical questions at the heart of computing. In this course, we will consider the implications of biased algorithms, data privacy, and the potential for emerging technology to perpetuate or alleviate societal disparities.  This course will challenge you to ponder the moral fabric of the digital era and its broader implications for global citizenship.  As part of this course, you will learn to conduct your own research project to further advance your understanding of these issues.

GE: Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World

2338 - Computing Ethics for a Just and Diverse World
Instructor: Scott Brown
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

Computers have made our world bigger, by making us all global citizens of an interconnected community, but also more intimate, by making it easy to directly interact with people from all walks of life. Living in a bigger, more intimate world lets us do many wonderful new things, but these new abilities come with new responsibilities. This course will help students understand and navigate the personal and professional responsibilities they have as citizens and engineers of a diverse, interconnected world. How can we design software to make the world more inclusive and just? How can we be good citizens of our local, national, and global communities at the same time? Throughout the course, students will complete a personalized, guided research project of their own design, eventually presenting their project at an end-of-the-semester conference celebrating their work.

GE: Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World

2340 - Future of Humanity
Instructor: Vaughn Papenhausen
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

What will life be like in a hundred, two hundred, or two thousand years? Some believe that furtheradvances in technology will make human life unimaginably joyous and prosperous. Others have a muchdarker vision of our future, one in which our descendants are left with a depleted planet and face extinction at the hands of technological forces they cannot control. The future of humanity raises important philosophical and ethical questions. Why should we act more sustainably for the sake of future people? Should we use technology to enhance ourselves? Will we someday be able to radically extend our lives by slowing or reversing aging, and if so, would this be a desirable thing to do? How might artificial superintelligence change human life, and could it destroy it? These are some of the questions that this course considers.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; Sustainability Theme

2344 - Human Flourishing in a Global Society
Instructor: Steve Brown
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
in person

All too often, global human development has been measured merely by the standards of economic growth. However, philosophers and other thinkers have long offered arguments suggesting that we need an account of development which includes a broader understanding of well-being, equity, empowerment, sustainability, human rights, and cultural freedom. This course will investigate the many challenges that face us as a global society and strive to develop a truly satisfying account of what our goals should be as we move forward into the future.

2367 - Contemporary Social and Moral Problems in the US
Instructor: David Blanks
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Americans have become more divided on controversial social and moral issues than they have been for some time.  Many beliefs and practices that have traditionally been accepted are being challenged.  Should athletes only be allowed to compete in the sports category that aligns with their birth gender?  Should society be colorblind, or should society give advantages to members of certain races to correct for past discriminations?  Many claim that abortion represents the greatest human rights violation of our day, but when do humans begin to have rights, and even if the unborn have rights, would that make abortion wrong?  Social media has become wildly popular, especially among young people, but it also seems to cause mental unhealth.  Should anything be done about it?  Are there right answers to these questions, and if there are, how are we supposed to find them?  Adding to the challenge of answering these questions truthfully is the fact that there is a strong tendency for Americans to engage in tribal thinking.  Often we care more about how the groups we’re in answer these questions, than honestly trying to answer them ourselves.  This course will operate under the assumption that the best way to make progress in answering these questions is to carefully consider diverse perspectives, which will help develop reading skills.  Next we’ll use and hone critical thinking skills to evaluate each perspective, determining which is best.  Finally, students will develop their writing abilities as they learn to better express their positions on these issues to others in a convincing manner.

Prereq: GEL:  English 1100 or equiv and sophomore standing or above. 

GE: Diversity: Social Diversity in the US; Writing and Communication: Level 2; Writing and Informational Literacy Foundation

2367 - Contemporary Social and Moral Problems in the US
Instructor: Matthew Willis
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Contemporary U.S. society presents a myriad of social and moral challenges. In this course, students will dissect pressing issues such as the ethics of wealth disparity, racial and gender discrimination, environmental concerns, and the evolving definitions of freedom and rights. Discussions will cover topics like the impact of social media on public discourse, the moral implications of political polarization, the ethical considerations of healthcare access, and more.  In this course, students will learn how to analyze, construct, and defend moral arguments with careful reasoning and how to apply these skills to philosophical writing.

Prereq: GEL:  English 1100 or equiv and sophomore standing or above.  GEN: none.

GE: Diversity: Social Diversity in the US; Writing and Communication: Level 2; Writing and Informational Literacy Foundation

2400 - Political and Social Philosophy
Instructor: Alex Wolf-Root
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

This course aims to help you (1) gain familiarity with some key topics explored in social and political philosophy, (2) better understand some theoretical justifications that underlie some of our contemporary social practices, and (3) develop your skills for engaging with whatever social and political issues you care about in your life. Some topics to be discussed include speech, toleration, work, resistance, structural (in)justice, and the justification of and limits to state power. To these ends, we’ll be reading (mostly) primary texts, from some classics – e.g. John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government and J.S. Mill’s On Liberty – to works from some more recent influential scholars – e.g. Iris Marion Young and Elizabeth Anderson.

Prereq: English 1110.xx or 1110.xxH, or equivalent WIL Foundation course.

GE: Cultures and Ideas

2456 - Philosophy of Sport
Instructor: Declan Smithies
WF 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
in person

In the first unit, this course introduces some foundational questions about the nature of sport. Can we define sport? How are sports similar to and different from games and arts? In the second unit, this course turns to questions about the value of sport and its contribution to human wellbeing. What is it to live a happy, healthy, and meaningful life in general? And how can playing or watching sports make a distinctive contribution to human wellbeing? Finally, in the third Unit, this course examines some questions about the mental dimensions of sporting performance, including the challenge of dealing with pressure, and related aspects of mental health, including grit and resilience. We’ll consider how our understanding of these issues can be informed by recent work in philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience on the role of consciousness in action, including sporting performance.

GE: Health and Well-Being Theme

2456 - Philosophy of Sport
Instructor: Owain Griffin
MW 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
in person

Sport is a central part of many people's lives, but despite the popularity and ubiquity across cultures and histories, there are still a number of questions about it that we've yet to answer. In this course, we'll be investigating the philosophy of sport in a broadly thematic way. Unit one begins with the nature of sport: what constitutes a sport? How is sport different from games? In unit two we look at the value of sport and its relationship to wellbeing: why does sport contribute so highly to the wellbeing of so many people? What role does sport have within a happy and flourishing life? In unit three we'll spend some time looking at ethical issues that seem to arise uniquely within sport: how should we understand fairness and cheating? How do these considerations bear on drug use in sport? Should sport be politicized or is it by its very nature political? How do considerations of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and discrimination intersect with sport? In addressing these questions we'll draw on insights from a wide range of subjects including philosophy, psychology, and exercise science.

GE: Health and Well-Being Theme

2465 - Death and the Meaning of Life
Instructor: Steve Brown
WF 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
in person

What is a meaningful life? What role, if any, does the afterlife play in conceptions of meaningfulness? Can things like achievement, happiness, and engaging in valuable projects give meaning to our lives?   Would immortality or an extraordinarily long life increase or decrease the likelihood of a meaningful life? The course will explore these and related questions. 

GE: Literature; Health and Well-Being Theme

2465 - Death and the Meaning of Life
Instructor: Abe Wang
MWF 10:20 AM - 11:15 AM
in person

Some philosophers claim that if there is no afterlife, our lives are meaningless; all of our efforts are hopelessly and absurdly pointless.  Nothing we do in life, according to these authors, can have any genuine significance.  Others are far less pessimistic and argue that even without an afterlife, our existence can be meaningful.  They claim that things like achievement, happiness, and engaging in valuable projects can give meaning to our lives.  In fact, some philosophers even contend that death is a crucial feature of a meaningful life; immortality would inevitably drain our lives of meaning and undermine our happiness.  The course will explore these competing theories and attempt to determine which of them, if any, is correct.

GE: Literature; Health and Well-Being Theme

2500 - Symbolic Logic
Instructor: Neil Tennant
TR 11:30 AM - 12:25 PM
in person

PHIL 2500 satisfies the LEGACY GE of Quantitative Reasoning: Mathematical and Logical Analysis, and the NEW GE of Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning. It is also great preparation for the LSAT.  This course covers the basic concepts and methods of formal logic. The overall aim is to understand valid vs. invalid argumentation. Valid arguments have proofs. Invalid ones have counterexamples. You will learn how to construct both proofs and counterexamples, by formalizing arguments using the standard symbols for the logical words all, some, not, and, or, and if...then... . There are special rules that govern these words when reasoning from premises to conclusions. They form the modern system known as natural deduction. It is the basis for formalizing mathematical reasoning and for designing proof-finding programs in computational logic. This course is also a gateway to more advanced courses of great philosophical and technical interest. These investigate the limitations of formal methods and the possible transcendence of human ingenuity over the `merely mechanical'. PHIL 2500 is foundational for further developments in philosophical logics, computer science, AI, and advanced mathematical logic.

Prereq: Math 1075 or equiv, or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher that is less than 2 years old.

GE: Quantitative Reasoning: Math and Logical Analysis; and Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

2540 - Intro to Phil Rat Choice
Instructor: Daniel Olson
MWF 12:40 PM - 1:35 PM
in person

This course is a brief introduction to rational choice theory and its philosophical, political, and economic significance. It surveys dominant views of rationality and the normative constrains they impose on actions and decisions including decision and game theories. We will also discuss the relationship between individual rationality and the emergence of norms, conventions, and institutions.

2650 - Intro to Phil Science
Instructor: Lisa Downing
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Are you interested in science? Many foundational questions about how science works are addressed in philosophy. This course is an introduction to such questions. They include: What is science, and how does it differ from other sorts of enquiry? How can scientists know about what they have not observed? Do the entities posited by our best scientific theories really exist?  How should we understand scientific explanation?  Why is mathematics so effective in the natural sciences?

GE: Number, Nature, Mind

2670 - Science and Religion
Instructor: Nathan Dowell
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

In the 2010 movie Creation about the development of Darwin’s evolutionary theory, biologist and anthropologist Thomas Huxley tells Darwin, “You’ve killed God, sir, and I for one say good riddance… Science is at war with religion.” We all know the story: faith vs. scientific reason. Is this familiar picture of inevitable conflict between these two mostly correct or far too simplistic? Beyond popular opinions on science and religion, there has been careful philosophical discussion of these issues. This class joins that deeper conversation. For example, we’ll explore questions like: whether it’s ever okay to consider God as an explanation for some scientific phenomena; whether evolutionary theory is compatible with God’s existence and certain religious claims; whether Intelligent Design is a viable scientific theory; whether God’s existence is supported by scientific evidence for either a beginning of our universe or the fine-tuning necessary for life to exist in our universe; whether miracles are possible and if so, whether we could ever rationally believe a miracle occurred.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

2690 - Genes and Society
Instructor: Dana Howard and Susan Cole
TR 9:35 - 10:55 AM
in person

How much of who you are is related to the genetic sequences that you inherited from your parents? Does it matter? The field of genetics was born in the early 1900s when Gregor Mendel defined inheritance patterns in peas. An explosion of research over the next century suggested that changes in DNA sequences affect traits and behaviors in all organisms. The completion of the human genome sequence in 2003 represented the height of genetic optimism, suggesting that if we knew gene sequences we could revolutionize science and medicine. However, our understandings (and misunderstandings) of genetic inheritance have had enormous societal impacts that must be discussed and understood by a broad population of scientists and citizens. We will discuss the science behind, and philosophy underlying issues like the genetic modifications of crops, animals and humans; the impacts of genetics on medicine; and the extent to which genetics influence critical social constructions like race, sex, and sexuality. This class will teach philosophers and ethicists some science, and teach scientists some ethical and philosophical framework so we can engage in robust discussions of the intersections of genetics and society.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for MolGen 2690.

3000 - Gateway Seminar
Instructor: Declan Smithies
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

The Gateway Seminar is designed to introduce new students to the philosophy major. The main aim of the course is to help you develop the intellectual skills you’ll need to succeed in upper-level philosophy courses. As a result, we’ll spend time talking about how to read a philosophy paper, how to write a philosophy paper, how to evaluate arguments, and how to design counterexamples. We’ll develop these skills through an exploration of some central problems in ethics, epistemology, and philosophical methodology.

Prereq: Philosophy major or permission of instructor

3002 - PPE Core 2:  Tradition, Progress, Utopia
Instructor: Piers Turner and MacGilvray
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

This course examines three ways of thinking about social and political change, each of which captures something important about social and political life, and each of which has significant blind spots.  The first focuses on traditional values or ways of life that should be protected and preserved.  The second envisions a future of steady progress toward a social or political ideal.  The third calls for a radical social change that enables us to transcend existing institutions and values.  We will explore each of these ways of thinking on their own terms and then consider how they can help us to think about the relationship between human beings and nature and the proper scale of human societies.

Prereq: PPE majors only

3230 - History of 17th Century Philosophy
Instructor: Lisa Downing
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
in person

In this course, we will examine the transformation of western European philosophy in the 17th century.  René Descartes developed a novel physics, metaphysics, and epistemology.  In doing so, he radically changed the history of western philosophy by framing problems that his successors continued (and continue) to grapple with, even while they contested Descartes’ solutions to those problems. We will seek to understand and critically evaluate the varying solutions posed by Descartes, Elizabeth of Bohemia, Cavendish, Malebranche, Leibniz, and Locke to a range of connected problems including the nature of the physical world (hotly debated in the midst of the scientific revolution), self-knowledge, the relation between the human mind and the human body, whether and how our senses and our intellects give us knowledge, causation and the laws of nature, the existence of God and God’s role in the world.

Prereq: 3 cr hrs in Philos, or permission of instructor.

3300 - Moral Philosophy
Instructor: Alex Wolf-Root
MW 10:20 AM - 11:15 AM
in person

What does it mean to do wrong? To do good? To be good? Do only the consequences of an action matter? Do they even matter at all? Can we intentionally harm one person to help another? Can we be morally blameworthy for doing something good? Are we morally responsible for our inaction as well as our action? Who, or what, matters morally? How demanding are our moral obligations? In this course, you’ll critically address morally important questions such as the above. In doing so, you’ll not only learn what some philosophers think about important aspects of moral theory, you’ll also develop your own moral reasoning skills to help you navigate the morally complex world you move through every day.

Prereq: 6 cr hrs of Philos course work, or enrollment in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Major, or permission of instructor.

3410 - Philosophical Problems in the Law
Instructor: Alex Wolf-Root
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

“You ought to obey the law, and, if you violate the law, you ought to be punished.” On first glance this might seem obviously true, but it’s deceptively difficult to engage with justifications for those claims. We’ll start the course by investigating what, if anything, justifies a duty to obey the law. From there we’ll investigate legal punishment, including engaging with prison abolitionist challenges to how we conceptualize and enact both punishment and safety. In addition to exploring what academic philosophers have to say on these subjects, we’ll also be drawing from both empirical work and law journal articles.

GE: None

3440 - Theorizing Race
Instructor: Spencer Dew
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Introduction to issues of "race," consideration of the historical emergence and development of ideas of "race" and of racist practices, along with their contemporary formations.

Prereq: 3 credit hours in PHILOS or AAAS, or enrollment in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Major, or enrollment in AAAS major, or enrollment in Philosophy major, or permission of instructor.

GE: Citizenship for a Diverse and Just World Theme

3800 - Intro to Phil Mind
Instructor: Richard Samuels
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

Over the last few decades, the philosophy of mind has become a central subfield of philosophy. The aim of this course is to provide a survey  of the major themes, theories and issues that have dominated this subfield. Specifically, we will focus on three fundamental issues:  the traditional mind-body problem (roughly, how mental and physical phenomena are related to each other); the problem of consciousness (roughly, what consciousness is and how physical organisms can have conscious experiences); and the problem of intentionality (roughly, how it is possible for our thoughts to represent the world).

Prereq: 6 cr hrs of Philos course work, or permission of instructor.

5010S - Teaching Philosophy
Instructor: Tristram McPherson
WF 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
in person

If you love philosophy, you may want to share that love by teaching philosophy to others. But how can we help others to develop the skills for reasoning and discussion that philosophers tend to value? What can we do to make our lessons engaging, inspiring, and memorable? This course will explore ideas and strategies for teaching philosophy, and participants will put these ideas and strategies to work teaching each other, and co-teaching philosophical ideas at a local high school.

Prereq: 6 cr hrs of Philos course work at the 2000-level or above, or Grad standing in Philos, or permission of instructor.

5260 - Studies in 20th Cen Philosophy
Instructor: Chris Pincock
MW 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
in person

This course considers the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951). Although widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, there is no consensus on what Wittgenstein thought or why he thought it. In this class we will focus on his two most famous works: the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921) and the Philosophical Investigations (1953). Throughout Wittgenstein is concerned with the nature of language, mind, logic and the world as a whole, but it is difficult to know what aspects of the earlier work are preserved in the later work. To help figure out why Wittgenstein might have changed his mind on some key philosophical questions, we will supplement our readings with a selection of material that he generated during his “middle” period, from roughly 1930 until 1939. We will try to do justice to Wittgenstein as an essentially dynamic thinker who continually reflected both on the cogency of his philosophical views and the desirability of pursuing philosophical reflection in the first place.
6 cr hrs of Philos course work at the 2000 level or above; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor.

5420 - Phil Topics in Feminist Theory
Instructor: Sahar Heydari Fard
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
in person

In today's complex social landscape, understanding the theoretical underpinnings of feminism is more crucial than ever. This course aims to explore core philosophical topics in feminist theory, offering a comprehensive deep dive into its multifaceted concerns. Students will examine key texts and philosophical debates that have shaped feminist thought, investigating issues related to social explanation, social change, metaphysics of gender, ethics and politics of care, gender performativity, intersectionality, reproductive rights, and more. We will engage with canonical feminist philosophers as well as contemporary voices, allowing for a nuanced understanding of the ongoing discussions within the feminist community.

Prereq: 6 cr hrs of Philos course work at the 2000 level or above; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor.

5440 - Philosophical Perspectives on Race, Education and Citizenship
Instructor: Winston Thompson
M 4:30PM - 7:15 PM
in person

This course in philosophy of education presents its participants with a unique opportunity to engage in a close study of race and education within a political context. It takes seriously the large body of scholarship in philosophy and the social sciences that suggests that race functions within, across, and through educational institutions to confer dis/advantage of various sorts. This course will focus on the consequences of this idea, carefully investigating some of the underlying claims, implications, and normative obligations that accompany them.

This course will allow participants to pursue many of the practical and conceptual questions that rest at the intersection of race and education. Among these are the following: How does education play a specific role in racialized patterns of benefit and detriment? What role, if any, should race play in our understanding of educational policy and practice? How does race affect our understanding of  the ways that education might prepare persons for the complex work of citizenship (and what might this mean for you, at a university with the motto” Education for Citizenship”)? How does race impact the ways that educational experiences shape the persons that students are able to become? How does a historical study of approaches to these questions prepare us to deal well with race and education in our increasingly complicated present – and future? In what ways does a philosophical study of race and citizenship offer any clarity regarding other identity categories and their impact on education? How, if at all, does race intersect with other identity categories (gender, class, sexuality, etc.) in educationally significant ways? How does race present special challenges to abiding concerns within the field of philosophy of education?

5500 - Advanced Symbolic Logic
Instructor: Neil Tennant
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
in person

This course covers the metatheory of first-order logics and languages. It studies systems of natural deduction (and associated sequent calculi) for propositional and predicate logic, and relates these to appropriate kinds of formal semantics, via soundness and completeness theorems. Other philosophically and foundationally important results expose the fundamental tension between expressive power and deductive power in any language for mathematics; the existence of countable models for any consistent first-order theory; and the reducibility in principle of all of mathematics to a theory of sets that is based on first-order axioms that govern a single binary relation.

Prereq: PHILOS 2500.

7080 - Engineering Ethics
Instructor: Tyler Cook
M 10:20 AM - 11:15 AM
in person

Equip engineering grad students with skills for resolving moral issues that may arise in professional contexts. Includes an introduction to ethics, followed by contemporary issues in engineering ethics, such as the nature and moral status of technology; responsibility; privacy; honesty and integrity, safety and risk; environmental ethics; and the ethics of artificial intelligence.

Prereq: Grad standing.

 

Autumn 2023
 

 

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Steve Brown
MW 11:30 AM – 12:25 PM (+ recitations)
In person

What is the ultimate nature of right and wrong? Can values be objective? Why is there something rather than nothing? Does God exist? Do we have free will? Does it matter? Does anything matter, really? Believe it or not, these are all serious philosophical questions that have important implications for how we should live our lives. This class will strive to engage them using historical and contemporary philosophical sources from around the globe.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Jacob MacDavid
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
In person

Philosophy investigates important questions often taken for granted by folks in their everyday lives, and even by other academic disciplines. Questions like: Do I have free will? Am I the same person now that I was a decade ago, or completely different? Is it possible to know anything for certain (or is it always possible I’m a brain in a vat)? How do I figure out which actions are moral? How do I convince others about the morally right thing to do? What makes a society, a government, or an economic system just? This course tackles questions like these, and also cultivates important philosophical skills, such as conceptual analysis, logical reasoning, and clear writing.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100 - Intro to Philosophy
Instructor: Jesse Loi
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

This course surveys philosophical problems from across history, like: What makes mathematics seem objective and morality seem subjective? Can we have knowledge of God? What makes us the same person over time? Can we be certain about anything? These problems persist even today. Not only will we survey different historical debates, but we will also develop critical thinking skills to effectively evaluate those ideas. By the end of this course, students will be able to express their views clearly and concisely to others, and hopefully, even convince some.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1100H - Honors Introduction to Philosophy
Instructor: Neil Tennant
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
In person

Here are just some 'philosophical' questions and problems, among many:  Does God exist? How does mind relate to body? Are all truths knowable? How do facts relate to values? Does human life have meaning? Do we have free will? How do these questions and problems differ, if at all, from those dealt with in mathematics and the sciences?  This course explores these issues in depth. It aims to challenge your preconceptions, re-consider your cherished beliefs, and get you thinking more carefully about the 'Big Picture'. It will also help you to define your terms, make important distinctions, and think more rigorously.

Prereq: Honors standing, or permission of instructor.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro To Ethics
Instructor: Justin D'Arms
MW 1:50 PM - 2:45 PM (+ recitations)
In person

An introduction to philosophy through the discussion of questions about ethics and morality. We begin with some foundational questions: Can we rationally debate moral questions? Do value and morality depend on God’s commands? Are they relative to the views of an individual or culture? What makes a person’s life go well? Are people fundamentally selfish? Then we consider how philosophical issues are relevant to some controversial social questions. Some topics will be chosen by student interest. Possible options include: freedom of speech and hate speech; the justification of mask and vaccine mandates; the ethical treatment of animals; the case for and against affirmative action and reparations; performance enhancement through drugs, genes, and technology; the moral status of abortion and euthanasia; the nature and justification of punishment; the ethics of war.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1300 - Intro To Ethics
Instructor: Erich Jones
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
In person

Is it morally wrong to eat meat? Is it sometimes permissible to take another life, and if so, when? Are any actions morally right or wrong? Concerns such as these tend to animate many of our thoughts and discussion with others, even if not worded in this way. In this course, we will examine three traditional ways philosophers formulate answers to these questions by studying Consequentialism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. Additionally, we will examine challenges to the possibility of moral knowledge through the lens of moral skepticism. Finally, we will examine and compare some non-Western theories of morality, such as those of Buddhism and Shintoism.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1332 - Engineering Ethics
Instructor:  Various instructors
various days and times
In person and distant learning

This course aims to provide future professionals in engineering fields the conceptual tools necessary to grapple with ethical challenges in their profession. We will consider both “macro” issues concerning the role of engineers in society and “micro” issues concerning the obligations of engineers with respect to issues such as confidentiality and conflicts of interest. We will survey major moral theories in the Western tradition and evaluate case studies from various engineering fields.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 1300.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

1338 - Computing Ethics and Effective Presentation
Instructor:  Scott Brown
various days and times
In person

An introduction to ethical theory with a special focus on ethical issues that arise in the computing profession. It includes student presentations and feedback to improve discussion skills.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 1300.

GE: Cultures and Ideas

1500 - Intro to Logic
Instructor: Pranav Ambardekar
MWF 9:10 AM - 10:05 AM
In person

What makes for a good argument? Advertisers, politicians, friends, and even family try to make you believe things daily. Often, they aim to convince you by giving arguments, i.e. by providing reasons or evidence for accepting some claim. It’s our responsibility to work out which of these arguments are worth accepting and which are inadequate. This class focuses on the skills needed to satisfy this responsibility. Since acquiring these skills requires knowing how toanalyze and evaluate arguments, the question opening this paragraph will guide our studies for the semester.  This class offers an introduction to the study of logic and the principles of good reasoning. You’ll learn and practice various techniques of analyzing and assessing arguments in written English, some argument forms that make arguments good or bad, various informal fallacies, and the a few kinds of inductive reasoning. By the end of the course, you’ll be on your way to reasoning like a champion!

Prereq: Math 1060 or 1075 or equiv; or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher; or Math Placement Level R or better. Not open to students with credit for 1501.

GE: Quantitative Reasons: Math and Logical Analysis; Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

1500 - Intro to Logic
Instructor: Owain Griffin
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

We often hear people praise critical thinking and reasoning skills, but what really constitutes these? In this course, we'll be exploring what it takes to reason well, and how to distinguish between good and bad arguments. In particular we'll examine structures and types of arguments, general patterns of reasoning which go hand in hand with arguments, and when arguments can go wrong. In doing so we'll develop our own skills of deductive and inductive reasoning, and by examining a variety of sources from politics, popular culture, and advertisements we'll demonstrate the wide applicability of these developed skills.

Prereq: Math 1060 or 1075 or equiv; or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher; or Math Placement Level R or better. Not open to students with credit for 1501.

GE: Quantitative Reasons: Math and Logical Analysis; Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

1501 - Logic and Legal Reasoning
Instructor: Jason DeWitt
MW 5:30 PM - 6:50 PM
In person

What is an argument and what makes for a good one? When is one legal case stronger than another? What styles of reasoning do lawyers use and how exactly do they use them?  In this class, we will study the various types of logical reasoning and how to use logic effectively. We'll also look at various famous legal arguments from across different sub-fields of law. Along the way, we'll even spend some time practicing the sort of "Logic Games" one would find on the LSAT. This should be an exciting course if you are interested in learning about styles of reasoning, rules of logic, critical thinking, developing focused arguments, reading the law attentively and carefully, famous legal arguments, and logic puzzles.

Prereq: Math 1075 or equiv, or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher, or Math Placement Level R or better. Not open to students with credit for 1500.

GE: Quantitative Reasons: Math and Logical Analysis and Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

2120 - Asian Philosophies
Instructor: Steve Brown
TR 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
In person

This class will explore the main philosophical traditions that underlie the cultures of India, China, Korea, Japan, and a number of other countries in south and east Asia. Specifically, we will work toward understanding some of the essential texts from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, Sufism, and Sikhism. However, we will not be approaching these texts merely for their historical value. We will be engaging them as potential sources of wisdom and insight into the nature of the world around us and our place within it. 

GE: Literature; Diversity: Global Studies and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2120 - Asian Philosophies
Instructor: Dylan Flint
TR 5:30 PM - 6:50 PM
In person

This course will explore the main philosophical traditions of south and east Asia. Specifically, we will seek to understand, and grapple with, some of the essential texts of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Hinduism. In this course, our approach will not just be historical. Instead, we will approach these texts and traditions as potential sources of philosophical insight and wisdom, which we can use to better understand ourselves and the world around us.

GE: Literature; Diversity: Global Studies and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2340 - The Future of Humanity
Instructor: Eden Lin
WF 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
In person

What will life be like in a hundred, two hundred, or five hundred years? Some believe that further advances in technology will make human life unimaginably joyous and prosperous. Others have a much darker vision of our future, one in which our descendants are left with a depleted planet and face extinction at the hands of technological forces they cannot control. The future of humanity raises important philosophical and ethical questions. Why should we act more sustainably for the sake of future people? How large should the human population become? Should we use technology to enhance ourselves? Will we someday be able to transcend our bodies by uploading ourselves into computers, and if so, would this be a desirable thing to do? How might artificial superintelligence change human life, and could it destroy it? These are some of the questions that we will consider.

GE: Cultures and Ideas and Sustainability

2342 - Environmental Ethics
Instructor:  Staff
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

This course surveys major ethical issues concerning our treatment of, and reliance on, the natural environment. Questions include: What is the moral status of non-human animals, plants, and ecosystems? Is climate change a justice issue? What constitutes human well-being? And what does sustainability mean for our obligations to future generations?

GE: Sustainability

2367 - Contemporary Social & Moral Problems in the US
Instructor:  Staff
various days and times
In person

In this course, we will consider a number of controversial issues that arise in our contemporary moral and political lives. In doing so, we will learn how to analyze moral arguments and civilly debate contentious topics. We will also hone our ability to defend our own positions with careful reasoning and to sharpen our skills at writing, communicating, and critical thinking.

GE: Diversity: Social Diversity in the US; Writing and Communication: Level 2 ; Writing and Information Literacy Foundation

2400 - Political & Social Philosophy
Instructor:  Alex Wolf-Root
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
In person

Philosophical bases of social and political institutions and practices; analysis of such fundamental conceptions as rights, justice, equality, political obligation, and civil disobedience.

Prereq: English 1110.xx or 1110.xxH, or equiv.

GE: Cultures and Ideas

2450 - Philosophical Problems in the Arts
Instructor: Robert Kraut
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

Our goal is to understand (and evaluate) several theories about the nature and function of art.  We will consider such questions as: What is the difference between creative innovation and fraudulence?  Is there a "correct interpretation" of a literary text or painting?  Is objective criticism possible, or is art criticism merely the expression of subjective preferences?  Can artworks be understood in isolation from social-historical forces?  Do artworks express emotions?  Is it worth theorizing about art?  Why? 

GE: Visual and Performing Arts; and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2455 - Philosophy & Videogames
Instructor: Yonghao Wang
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

In this course, we will first attempt to answer some philosophical questions about videogames. What are (video) games? Are video games art, and what are their unique aesthetic values? What are the ethical responsibilities of developers when designing a game? Is it wrong to develop and market video games that are highly addictive for users? Are achievements that you are awarded in video games real achievements? We will then examine broader philosophical issues discussed in video games: what can we learn from games about, for instance, personal identity, freedom, or fictional characters? Are fictional characters and worlds real in some sense?

GE: Visual and Performing Arts; and Literary, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation

2456 - Philosophy of Sport
Instructor: William Marsolek
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
In person

On December 3rd, 1988, Adrian Porumboiu was stuck in a bind. He was asked to referee a soccer match between two rival teams—FC Steaua and FC Dinamo—each of which was known to “incentivize” the referee to call the game in their favor. See, Adrian was living in Cold War-era Romania, and its ruthless dictator, Ceaușescu, favored FC Steaua (which was owned by the state military) against FC Dinamo (which was backed by the secret police—Ceaușescu’s greatest political rival). What should Adrian have done? Should he have considered the political implications of his calls when refereeing the game? How about his personal safety? What if the fans caught on that he threw the game—what then? Should he have considered the dangers the fans may pose to him? Why would Ceaușescu even bother manipulating the game? Would he have gained anything by cheating his way to a win? What about the players? Should we give them a pass if we find out they took performance-enhancing drugs to stave off state punishment? Should the military or secret police even be allowed to play in the league? With all this in the air, do these Ceaușescu-era games even count as bona fide matches, or should we put an asterisk next to the players’ records. In this class, we will talk about these sorts of questions. We will cover topics like what it means to be a good sport, the value of sports, who should be allowed to play which sports, what is bad about cheating in sports, and the effects of sports on our well-being.

GE: Health and Wellbeing

2465 - Death and Meaning of Life
Instructor: Allan Silverman
WF 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
Distance learning

What is a meaningful life? What role, if any, does the afterlife play in conceptions of meaningfulness? What is the relation of achievement, happiness, or engaging in valuable projects to the meaning to our lives?   Would immortality or an extraordinarily long life increase or decrease the likelihood of a meaningful life? We’ll read short essays from a reader and spend weeks on Susan Wolf’s Meaning in Life and Why it Matters, which was the required first-year reading at Princeton.

GE: Literature; and Health and Well-being

2465 - Death and Meaning of Life
Instructor: Nathan Dowell
MWF 12:40 PM - 1:35 PM
In person

There may be few areas where people are as divided and passionate about their positions on philosophical topics than death and the meaning of life. This is unsurprising given how central these things are to our lives. Obviously, some people claim that death is the end and there is nothing afterwards while others say that there is life after death. But even beyond this, there are many heated debates. Some people claim that life is completely meaningless if there is no God or an afterlife. Others claim that no afterlife actually makes our lives more meaningful, and God is unnecessary for meaning. Some claim that eternal life is eternal bliss or at least would be more desirable than nonexistence. Others claim eternal life would be inevitably and unbearably boring. Some claim that death is always a bad thing and should be avoided at all costs. Others claim that it is irrational to ever fear death. Some claim that we somehow “create the meaning” in our lives. Others claim that there are some ways to live that are better than others regardless of what people think. This raises still other questions. What makes for a meaningful life? Are some ways to die more meaningful than others? We will explore these debates and others in this course to help you think more clearly about your own views on them.

GE: Literature; and Health and Well-being

2500 - Symbolic Logic
Instructor: Staff
MW 11:30 AM - 12:25 PM (+ recitations)
In person

This is a first course in symbolic logic, which satisfies the GE requirement in mathematical and logical analysis. We will study the basic concepts and techniques of logic, including truth values, arguments, validity and soundness, and will develop formal methods for symbolizing sentences and constructing truth tables and derivations. We will cover the syntax and semantics of both sentential logic (also called truth-functional logic) and first-order predicate logic (also called first-order quantificational logic.) In this course, students will develop an acute grasp of the structure of deductive arguments and, so will be better equipped to evaluate them.

Prereq: Math 1075 or equiv, or an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher that is less than 2 years old.

GE: Quantitative Reasoning: Math and Logical Analysis; and Math & Quant Reasoning or Data Analysis Foundation

2540 - Intro to Philosophy of Rational Choice
Instructor:  Staff
MWF 12:40 PM - 1:35 PM
In person

This course is a brief introduction to rational choice theory and its philosophical, political, and economic significance. It surveys dominant views of rationality and the normative constrains they impose on actions and decisions including decision and game theories. We will also discuss the relationship between individual rationality and the emergence of norms, conventions, and institutions.

GE: None.

2660 - Metaphysics, Magic and the Scientific Revolution
Instructor: Lisa Downing
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
Hybrid

The seventeenth century saw revolutionary developments in natural science, specifically, in matter theory, mechanics, chemistry, and astronomy.  These developments were intertwined with magical traditions, religious doctrines and disputes, and, especially, philosophical theories and arguments.  This course will examine some of these connections in the works of some of the most influential natural philosophers of the period.  Our main goal is a richer understanding of this crucial period in the development of modern science.  In addition, as with any philosophy class, we will evaluate the cogency of the arguments and the consistency and plausibility of the views we encounter. 

GE: Historical Study; and Number, Nature, Mind

2670 - Science and Religion
Instructor: Donny Soles
WF 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
In person

On its face, the relationship between science and religion seems strained.  The church’s censure of Galileo could be cited as an example of how religious authorities attempt to restrict scientific progress. Others might believe that religion, not science, was undermined by the church’s censure of Galileo since the church’s plausibility was ultimately undercut.  At its very worst, the relationship between science and religion might even seem uninteresting. After all, hasn’t science continually contradicted central religious claims with impressive evidence? This course explores whether faith and reason can exist harmoniously, or whether science-based claims enjoy a kind of superiority over faith-based claims. Central to this task will be clarifying what exactly is meant by faith, religion, and science. We’ll also explore concepts that seem to play important roles in both religious and scientific inquiry (such as causation and evidence). Finally, we think about the role of religious and scientific inquiry in our conception of the ethical.

Prereq: Not open to students with credit for CompStd 2670 or RelStds 2670

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

2680 - Scientific Controversies
Instructor: Chris Pincock
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
In person

Modern science raises many difficult questions about the nature of the universe and our place in it. This class considers several controversies that arise within science and investigates their broader philosophical significance. How does science work in different domains and at different times, and what can science tell us about ourselves and the nature of the world? This semester we will consider four questions: What is life? Can computers think? What is intelligence? Are there male and female brains? Readings will be drawn from the sciences and the philosophy of science.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

2850 - Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
Instructor: Steve Brown
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
In person

Should we believe in God? The concept of God has been defined in many different ways throughout history, and a wide variety of arguments have been offered for and against believing in such a being. This class will provide an in-depth look at issues such as: possible explanations for the existence and complexity of the world, the nature of morality, the occurrence of apparently gratuitous evils, the role of faith and personal religious experience, and the challenge of religious diversity.

GE: Cultures and Ideas; and Historical and Cultural Studies Foundation

3000 - Gateway Seminar
Instructor: Abe Roth
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
In person

This course is meant for new philosophy majors.  The purpose of the gateway seminar is to coach students in reading and thinking about philosophical texts, and to train them in expressing their ideas both orally and in writing.  The aim is to provide the intellectual tools and resources that will help students succeed in more advanced philosophy courses as well as further afield, both inside and outside academic settings.  Various topics will be covered, but on this occasion there will be some emphasis on action, shared agency, and social ontology.   

Prereq: Philos major, or permission of instructor.

3001 - PPE Core 1
Instructor: Sahar Heydari Fard and Emma Saunders-Hastings
TR 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
In person

This course examines three models of human nature, each of which captures something important about social and political life, and each of which has significant blind spots. The first model sees human beings as rational actors who seek to maximize the satisfaction of their preferences. The second model sees human beings as citizens with public responsibilities that orient them toward the pursuit of the common good. The third model sees human beings as members of communities that provide an identity and a set of values that enable them to navigate the social world. We use these models to explore two fundamental social and political questions: first, the question of what makes a society a “good” society, and second, the question of whether and to what extent a good society should rely on individualistic or collective processes – markets or politics – to organize its affairs.

Prereq: Econ 2001.XX or 2002.01 or 2002.03H; and Philos 2400 or PolitSc 2400 or 2400H; and Econ 5001 or Philos 2500 or 2540 or PolitSc 3500 or 4553 or 4553H; and Philos 3300; and Econ 3400 or IntStds 3400 or PolitSc 3780 or 3780H; and PolitSc 3280 or 4280 or 3380

3210 - Ancient Philosophy
Instructor: Allan Silverman
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
Distance learning

This course is an introduction to the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. Roughly, we will  spend weeks 9 weeks on Plato and  6 on Aristotle. While we will discuss the metaphysics—the study of what there is-- and epistemology—the study of how we know—the main focus will be on the moral psychology  and ethics of these seminal thinkers—how and why we act, what we should do, and what is happiness for a human being. Readings will include the Apology, Phaedo, and parts of Republic, De Anima, and Nichomachean Ethics.

Prereq: 3 cr hrs in Philos, or permission of instructor.

GE: Literature; Diversity: Global Studies; Traditions, Cultures and Transformations

3250 - 19th Century Philosophy
Instructor: Chris Pincock
WF 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

This class considers the philosophical views of John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche, with a special emphasis on their conceptions of historical progress. Mill develops an account of knowledge and morality that recommends gradual improvements in human capacities and institutions over time. This broadly progressive approach is sharply criticized by Marx, who argues that revolutionary changes in our economic and material practices are needed in order to achieve a stable understanding of ourselves and our political institutions. Nietzsche challenges Mill’s account of progress and Marx’s revolutionary program with his own distinctive examination of the historical origins of our accounts of morality and progress. While Marx says “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it”, Nietzsche complains that all past and present philosophers “lack a consciousness of the extent to which the will to truth itself needs a justification ... The will to truth needs a critique – let us define our own task with this ...”

Prereq: 3 cr hrs in Philos, or permission of instructor. PHILOS 3230 or PHILOS 3240 recommended.

GE: Literature and Diversity: Global Studies

3261 - Fundamental Concepts of Existentialism
Instructor: Tamar Rudavsky
WF 11:10 AM - 12:30 PM
In person

This course will cover basic 19th and 20th century existentialist writings, selected from among the following authors: Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Dostoyevsky, Kafka, Sartre, and Camus. We will read both literary and philosophical works, with an eye to understanding the underlying themes (nihilism; despair; angst) of classical existentialist writers.  midterm exam, final exam and several short written assignments.

Prereq: 3 cr hrs in Philos, or permission of instructor.

GE: Literature

3300 - Moral Philosophy
Instructor: Justin D'Arms
MW 9:10 AM - 10:05 AM (+ recitations)
In person

What things are good? Whatever we want? Or are some things worth wanting in ways that others aren’t? What makes a person’s life go well? What is it right to do? Is this determined by the consequences of actions, or by considerations of some other kind? What is the relationship between being a rational person, on one hand, and wanting what’s good and doing what is right on the other? This course will critically assess some philosophically influential answers to these questions, and to other, related ones. This course will emphasize the development of essential philosophical skills: reading texts carefully for philosophical comprehension, writing papers that analyze arguments and philosophical positions clearly and raise critical points about them, discussing philosophical issues rigorously in a group setting.

Prereq: 6 cr hrs of Philos course work, or enrollment in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Major, or permission of instructor.

3341H - Ethical Conflicts in Health Care
Instructor: Dana Howard
TR 3:55 PM - 5:15 PM
In person

The advances made in medicine over the past century are an impressive collective human achievement. However, not all people have benefited equally from the explosive growth of biomedical technology and some have suffered greatly both in the development and the procurement of medical care. This course offers a philosophical approach to analyzing some key moral dilemmas that have arisen in health care research, policy, and practice. Topics that we will cover in the course include the ethics of human and animal research, particularly the means we may take toward laudable ends; the ethics of genetic enhancement and what the ends of medicine should be; philosophical perspectives related to addiction; and the ethics of health care provision and what sort of society we should aspire to be. 

Prereq: Honors standing; or Jr or Sr standing and permission of department or instructor.

3420 - Philosophical Perspectives on Issues of Gender, an OPEEP college course
Instructor: Amy Shuster
W 5:30 PM - 8:15 PM
In person

“One is not born, but rather becomes a woman”—or so thought Simone de Beauvoir in 1949. This groundbreaking statement is part of an on-going conversation about how and whether gender is related to biological sex, sexuality, class, race, ethnicity, and nation. What does it mean to be a woman or man? Can one be neither? How does gender inform what we think about the good, truth, rationality, and justice? (How) Can answers to these questions help those who seek to resist and end domination, exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, imperialism, and/or violence? This course explores these questions from a broad range of feminist perspectives as well as from ones that are not feminist.  This course takes place at a local prison as part of the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project (OPEEP). Application required by April 21.

Prereq: 3 cr hrs in Philos, or permission of instructor.

GE: Diversity: Social Diversity in US

3530 - Philosophy of Logic
Instructor: Neil Tennant
TR 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
In person

Ever wondered how "chicken scratch" (logical syntax) came to be? Having problems getting a deeper understanding of those logical concepts that passed you by like ships in the night in 2500? Quaking in your boots at the prospect of having to take 5500 without any sense of why it's philosophically important? Then 3530 is the course for you! In it we shall examine, in more philosophical vein, all the main concepts in and about Logic. This will deepen your mastery of the technical material in 2500 and give meaning and purpose to the more formidable technicalities that await you in 5500.

Prereq: PHILOS 2500.

5400 - Advanced Political and Social Philosophy
Instructor: Piers Turner
TR 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
In person

This course will address disagreement, diversity, and tolerance in an open society. Voltaire wrote: “Dissension is the great evil of [hu]mankind, and toleration is its only remedy.” What are the costs and benefits of living in a pluralistic society? Is tolerance enough to overcome its challenges? And are there principled limits to reasonable disagreement and tolerance?  We will explore philosophical challenges facing attempts to justify and sustain a shared life in a fractured social and political world.

Prereq: 2400, or 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 2000-level; or enrollment in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Major; or Grad standing in Philos; or permission of instructor.

5460 - Philosophy in Literature
Instructor: Tamar Rudavsky
WF 9:35 AM - 10:55 AM
In person

An introduction to some of the most interesting points of intersection between philosophy and literature. In this course we will explore two kinds of connections between them, most notably:  Philosophy on literature – philosophical approaches to understanding literary texts (truth; authorship; selfhood)  and Philosophy in literature – literary texts that explicitly invoke philosophical problems or approaches.  Specific topics and authors will be chosen from the following list:  a) What is time; can we travel forward or backward in time? Is time even real? (Augustine; Borges; Lightman; McTaggart; Lewis; LeGuin);  b) How can we, if at all, account for personal identity over time? (Kafka; Dostoyevsky; Parfit; Hume);  c)  Do we actually have free will – do we make free choices? (Sophocles; Borges; Chisholm; Taylor);  d) Reality, Truth and Illusion (Plato; Borges; Baudrillard; Rashomon (film)); e) If something is conceivable, is it possible?;  f) Is there a meaning to life? (Sartre; Tolstoy; Calvino; Yablo); and g) The fine line between literary philosophy and philosophical literature (Kundera).

Prereq: 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 3000-level, or Grad standing, or permission of instructor.

5750 - Advanced Theory of Knowledge
Instructor: Abe Roth
TR 12:45 PM - 2:05 PM
In person

The class starts by getting some epistemological concepts and concerns on the table with a look at several papers on internalist and externalist notions of epistemic warrant or justification.  The main focus of the course, however, will be on epistemic issues as they arise in social situations where individuals relate to one another and with institutions.  We will look at some literature on testimony, trust, and the epistemology of groups.  A concern will be to reconcile practical and moral considerations regarding how to act with epistemic norms concerned with knowledge and truth.  Recent literature in epistemology speaks of wronging, injustice, and accountability to one another.  To what extent can properly epistemic sense be made of these notions?  Or do they inevitably reflect a compromising of epistemic standards, something that must be done to get on with our (social) lives?

Prereq: 2500, and 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 3000-level; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor.

5840 - Advanced Philosophy of Cog Science
Instructor: Richard Samuels
WF 2:20 PM - 3:40 PM
In person

Cognitive science is an exciting interdisciplinary field of enquiry that has, over the past few decades, exerted a profound influence on longstanding philosophical debates about the mind. In this course we focus on some of these debates. Topics include: Is consciousness amenable to scientific explanation? How is possible for us to represent world in thought? Is the human mind a computer of some sort? Although a background in cognitive science is not assumed, we will read papers by prominent psychologists and neuroscientists, as well as philosophers .

Prereq: 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 2000-level; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor.