Academic Bulletin Philosophy - Course Descriptions - 2009-10

A course in some selected philosophical topic or range of topics designed to provide an example of philosophical reflection and inquiry.

No prerequisite and not open to junior or senior majors without permission of the instructor.

Thought about what is good, what is right, and what ought to be done pervades our lives. Philosophy can contribute to this thought by providing ways of organizing it and reflecting on it critically—which is done in this course using both historical and contemporary sources. This course is offered in the fall semester.

A survey of the Ancient Greek philosophy, including Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle; Hellenistic philosophy may also be included. This course focuses on acquiring and improving abilities in philosophical reading, thinking and expression. In class, the norm is close textual analysis through lectures and discussion. Topics include the nature of the physical and human world, and questions about knowledge and ultimate being. This course is offered in the fall semester.

An introduction to some of the primary existentialist texts of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works of fiction, philosophy, and psychology from such writers as Kierkegaard, Dostoyevski, Nietzsche, Camus, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Jaspers.

An introduction to philosophical issues concerning the analysis of legal concepts and the moral justification of the law. Typical issues include the nature of law and its relation to morality, the grounds for criminalization, the justification of punishment, and the moral basis of liability rules.

Seminar discussion of a topic or area in ethical theory, applied ethics, or social and political philosophy.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

A survey of work in the philosophy of art both prior to and during the 20th century. Topics considered include the concept of art and a work of art, the relation between art and truth, the objectivity of aesthetic evaluation, the nature of representation, and issues concerning meaning and interpretation.

Readings and discussion of the classical modern philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries, focusing on questions such as scientific method and the possibility of knowledge, the nature of reality, ethics and the relation of the individual to society, and the existence of God. Readings from among Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, and Rousseau. This course is offered in the spring semester.

Seminar discussion of a historical period, figure or topic.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

Seminar discussion of a topic or area in metaphysics or the theory of knowledge.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

An introduction to the principles of deductive logic for connectives (“and”, “not,” “or,” “if”) and quantifiers (“all,” “some”). Attention is given to the logical structure of English sentences and its representation in symbolic notation and to formal proofs establishing the logical properties and relations of sentences.

An introduction to philosophical issues concerning the logical structure and historical development of natural science. Among the issues considered will be the relations among theory, observation, and experiment; the reality of theoretical entities; and the significance of scientific revolutions.

Additional topics in formal or informal logic or the philosophical study of science and its historical development.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

Open to students with consent of the department chair. Independent Studies at a more advanced level will be numbered 387 or 388.

Open to students with consent of the department chair. Independent Studies at a more advanced level will be numbered 387 or 388.

A course in some selected philosophical topic.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

Seminar discussion at a more advanced level of a topic or area in ethical theory, applied ethics, or social and political philosophy.

Prerequisite, if any, will depend on the topic in a given year.

A survey of phenomenology and existential philosophy and of the variety of contemporary European philosophy that is heir to these trends. Primary texts will be selected from Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Marcuse, Derrida, Foucault, and others. Offered in the fall semester.

Prerequisites: Philosophy 140 and 242 (old 142) or consent of the instructor.

A survey of 20th century philosophy in the analytic tradition. Readings from figures and schools such as Russell, Wittgenstein, logical positivism, ordinary language philosophy, Quine, and Kripke. This course is offered in the spring semester.

Prerequisites: Philosophy 242 (old 142) and 270 or consent of the instructor.

Seminar discussion at a more advanced level of a historical period, figure or topic.

Prerequisite will depend on the topic in a given year.

Seminar discussion at a more advanced level of a topic or area in metaphysics or the theory of knowledge.

Prerequisite will depend on the topic in a given year.

Additional topics in formal or informal logic of the philosophical study of science and its historical development offered at a more advanced level.

Prerequisite will depend on the topic in a given year.

Open to students with consent of the department chair. Independent studies at a less advanced level will be numbered 287 or 288.

Open to students with consent of the department chair. Independent studies at a less advanced level will be numbered 287 or 288.

An advanced course in some selected philosophical topic.

Prerequisite will depend on the topic in a given year.

A detailed study of a major philosopher or philosophical topic. Required of majors and open to other students. Normally taken in the fall of the senior year. This course is offered in the fall semester.

An independent study based on previous work leading to a major paper that will be presented for public discussion. Normally taken in the spring semester of the senior year.