Courses and Syllabi
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.
Philosophy Fall 2023
Undergraduate
Introduction to the nature of philosophical reasoning and some of the main problems of philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
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4 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Examines ethical issues associated with new developments in information technology, including privacy rights, intellectual property rights, and the effect of information technology on society. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Introduction to philosophical reflection on the arts by looking at the critical issues in the history of aesthetics. Applies considerations to specific works and explores these works in terms of their historical contexts and influences. Concentrates on one form of art or one period and always emphasizes questions of critical evaluation and art historical analysis. Limited to three attempts.
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3 Sections Currently Scheduled
Basic concepts and techniques of deduction, emphasizing the modern treatment of such topics as quantification and rules of inference, with study of the classical treatment. Basic principles of induction, informal fallacies, and uses of logic in everyday life. Limited to three attempts.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Addresses the question "How do I live a happy life?" by drawing on 2,500 years of philosophy as well as the much more recent science of happiness. Encourages students to develop and live their own answer in light of some of the best available science and philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines differences and relations between literary and philosophical texts. Examines texts from a given period in the history of literature and philosophy. Topics include the presence of common issues in literary and philosophical writings, the influence of philosophical ideas on the production of literary texts and literary theory, and the development in literary texts of issues that are possible objects of philosophical inquiry. Limited to three attempts.
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8 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Introduction to the philosophy of science that examines a range of questions about what science is, how it works, and how it manages to be as successful as it is. Explores the goals, methods, principles and practices that characterize scientific enquiry. Surveys major milestones in the philosophy of science, and addresses such questions as: How are scientific claims justified? What constitutes a good explanation? How do we know if our scientific theories are true? How does scientific understanding change over time? What roles do social, political, and cultural factors play in the generation of scientific knowledge? Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Classical Greek philosophy, including pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines some major moral issues involved in practice and research in medicine and health care. Topics to be chosen from medical experimentation, definition of death, physician-assisted dying, genetics and human reproduction, distribution of scarce resources, fertility, and organ transplants. Limited to three attempts.
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8 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Investigation of theories of natural law, legal positivism, and legal realism as they pertain to some of the central philosophical questions about law. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Exploration through lecture and discussion of developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the Renaissance to the middle of the 19th century, focusing on such topics as the rise of individualism in political theory, early developments in social contact theory, theories of radical popular sovereignty, and early criticisms of liberal theory. Equivalent to GOVT 324.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores figures, movements, and topics in analytic philosophy from its early days to the present. Examines attempts of philosophers working in the tradition of formal logic and empiricism to solve philosophical problems by an analysis of language. Possible figures and movements covered will include Frege, Russell, Moore, Carnap, Wittgenstein, Anscombe, Quine, Lewis, Kripke, logical positivism, and ordinary language philosophy. Possible topics include recent metaphysics and philosophy of language. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines themes in continental philosophy from the late twentieth century to the present day. Particular themes will be explored through a variety of thinkers, such as Agamben, Cavarero, Deleuze, Derrida, Foucault, Irigaray, Kristeva, Lyotard, Nancy, Ranciere, or Stiegler, and approaches, such as postmodernist, poststructuralist, decolonial, or feminist. Possible themes will include temporality, alterity, language, history or technology. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
An in-depth examination of selected environmental issues from a philosophical perspective. Such issues might include the value of nature, the moral status of animals, duties to protect wilderness areas, economics and environmental protection, environmental justice, and environmental aesthetics. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
This course will consider ethical questions that arise in global health policy, practice and research. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines the philosophical implications of technology. Analyzes the relationship between technology and human beings and explores ethical issues raised by the uses of technology. Social, existential, human, post-human, ontological or political questions concerning technology will be explored through a variety of possible philosophical approaches and in relation to one or more kinds of technology. Topics will vary by section. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
In-depth examination of selected topics and debates in contemporary philosophy of science. Studies the aims and methodology of science through the work of key thinkers in the field. Questions of concern may include: the demarcation of science from pseudo-science; the rationality of scientific change; problems of induction, prediction and evidence; objectivity, values and scientific practice; the unity of science; and the relation between scientific knowledge and truth. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Investigation of such theories as dualism, behaviorism, and materialism as they pertain to some of the central philosophical questions about mind. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Study of predicate calculi by means of a step-by-step construction of artificial languages. Topics include procedures for constructing a calculus, proof techniques, significant properties of predicate calculi, and procedures for recognizing phrases. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores topics in current philosophical research in a seminar format. Topics vary. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 18 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Seminar for students enrolled in the honors program in philosophy. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Seminar for students enrolled in the honors program in philosophy. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Graduate
Introduces MA students to the areas and methods of philosophical scholarship. Notes: Graduate students outside of the philosophy program may take this course with permission of the department. May not be repeated for credit.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Analysis of the critique of patriarchy offered by contemporary continental feminist philosophers. Examines contemporary moral, political, and epistemological issues in feminist theory. May not be repeated for credit.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Topics vary. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Close study of selected topics in current philosophical discourse. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Topics vary. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 9 credits.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Close study of selected topics in current philosophical discourse. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
