Fall 2009 Philosophy Courses

IMPORTANT NOTICE: 200-level courses are without prerequisites and open to first year students. 300-level courses presume some previous exposure to philosophy or a related field of study. If there is any question in your mind about whether you have the right background for any particular philosophy course, talk to the instructor before you enroll.

Philosophy 220 - Contemporary Moral Issues
This is an introductory level course concerned with contemporary, controversial, moral issues. We will examine and evaluate a variety of views about such issues as the justice of war, capital punishment, same-sex marriages, and euthanasia. No previous background in philosophy is required, but participants should have an interest in thinking critically about how we live. (1 unit) Three sections: MWF 12:00-12:50, 1:30-2:20 - McCormick MW 3:00-4:15 - Lefkowitz

Philosophy 251 - Elementary Symbolic Logic
A non-mathematical introduction to symbolic reasoning: translating arguments from English into a symbolic language, and demonstrating which ones are good (valid) and which ones are bad (invalid). Working with truth tables, formal rules of substitution and inference, and simple quantifiers, the course covers both sentence logic (If P then Q, etc.) and class logic (All S are P, etc.). There is frequent written homework, at least two midterm tests and a final examination. Grades will be based on performance. The techniques learned transfer readily to technical tasks such as programming, analyzing contracts, getting ready for the LSAT and debating, and also to everyday tasks such as understanding what one reads, arguing with authority figures, and evaluating editorials, sermons, advertisements and political speeches. Satisfies the General Education Requirement in Symbolic Reasoning. (1 unit) Three sections: MWF 10:30-11:20, 12:00-12:50, 1:30-2:20 - Goddu

Philosophy 271 - Ancient Greek Philosophy
An introduction to ancient Western philosophy, with special attention to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Satisfies the General Education Requirement in Historical Analysis. (1 unit) Two sections: TR 1:30-2:45 and 3:00-4:15 - Schauber

Philosophy 281 - Philosophy of Art
This introductory course poses the question, - What is art?- and explores some of the main theories of art, traditional and contemporary, which attempt to answer that question. Art is understood here as including all of the arts. We will discuss such issues as: the relation between art morality and politics whether art can yield knowledge or tell the truth and how to understand the meaning of works of art. Examples will be drawn from several different arts. This is not a course in art appreciation or art criticism, although we will be considering philosophical questions about both appreciation and criticism. (1 unit) TR 1:30-2:45 - Shapiro

Philosophy 299 - Philosophy of Science
This course introduces students to philosophical thinking about science. We will study different accounts of the - scientific method- - the status of scientific hypotheses, their relation to evidence, and the process through which they are discovered. We will also consider the role of scientific paradigms in the history of science and its practice. Other topics include the nature of laws and scientific explanations. (1 unit) TR 9:00-10:15 - Belkind

Philosophy 353 - Philosophical Methods: Majors and Minors Seminar
This course is required of all philosophy majors and limited to philosophy majors and minors. Its main purpose is the development of philosophical skills related to critical reading, writing, and evaluation. For example, we will work on extracting the author's goal, overall strategy for achieving that goal, and specific arguments, from a wide variety of philosophical texts. In general, we will closely read, discuss, and argue the merits of numerous writings with a wide array of content, including the very nature of philosophy itself. Seminar format. Departmental permission required. (1 unit) TR 12:00-1:15 - Goddu

Philosophy 357 - Nietzsche
This course explores Friedrich Nietzsche- s thought by reading and critically examining some of his most important writings, and a few responses to his ideas by recent thinkers. This semester we will consider a number of Nietzsche- s distinctive thoughts concerning knowledge, morality and the good life, and art. Students enrolled in this course should have some background in philosophy. Prerequisite: Philosophy 271 or 272, or permission from the instructor. Available for graduate credit. (1 unit) TR 10:30-11:45 - Shapiro

Philosophy 380 - Ethics & International Affairs
This course will focus on ethical issues raised by war, human rights, international economic inequality, and immigration. Among the questions we will discuss are: does morality apply to international relations (and more specifically, to war)? On what basis, if any, can a state justifiably wage war? What moral limitations, if any, apply to soldiers fighting a war? Are human rights universal values or merely Western values imposed on other cultures? Which rights are human rights? Which human rights are most important? Are the enormous economic inequalities between states morally justifiable? Does nationalism provide a justification for treating as more important the economic well-being of our co-nationals or fellow citizens than the economic well-being of foreigners? Finally, are states morally justified in placing restrictions on immigration, and if so, what justifies them in doing so? (1 unit) MW 1:30-2:45 - Lefkowitz

Philosophy 390 - Independent Study
Limited to philosophy majors and minors. Departmental approval required. T 8:00-8:50 - Schauber

Philosophy 395 - Honors Thesis
Limited to students enrolled in the philosophy honors program. Departmental approval required. M 8:00-8:50 - Schauber