PHIL 103R Introduction to Ethics
(4 credits)
Evangelist
(Two sections)
This course is designed as an introduction to some of the fundamental questions pursued in moral philosophy. We will study the works of philosophers from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods who have made significant contributions to the Western tradition of moral philosophy. The field of ethics is very broad, so we will narrow the focus by exploring the theme of human nature and its relation to “the good” for humankind. Each of the philosophers we will study has a different conception of what kind of beings we are and what our place in the natural world is. Those views, in turn, influence the philosopher’s conception of what the highest good for human beings is and how we must live our lives in order to achieve that good. As we study these views, we will also discuss issues concerning moral responsibility, free will, moral luck, the transcendence versus the immanence of the human good and the relationship between personal conduct and the conduct of society. Grades are based on quizzes, midterm and final.
PHIL 110R Logic and Critical Reasoning
(4 credits)
Martinez-Saenz
(Two sections)
This course is divided in two parts. The first part of course considers important aspects of philosophical reasoning in relation to the Aristotelian tradition by way of the study of categorical logic, the analytic tradition by way of the study of prepositional/predicate logic and its different applications. Students will take three exams and weekly quizzes to determine their competency during this part of the semester. The second part of the course helps students develop their critical thinking skills. Students will engage in exercises evaluating landmark Supreme Court decisions. Students, for example, will evaluate Dred Scott v. Sanford, Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. These are just a few examples of landmark cases that not only had undeniable political implications, but forced us to question our willingness to accept others. The second part of the class will be evaluated by weekly quizzes, in-class exercises and one final paper. Math reasoning intensive. Prerequisite: Minimum math placement 22.
PHIL 200R Topics: The Fragility of Knowledge
(4 credits)
Evangelist
We often take for granted that the basic assumptions we make about the world are fixed and necessary truths. For instance, we assume that the sun will rise tomorrow morning because it always has in the past or that the world conforms exactly to our perceptions of it. However, throughout the history of philosophical inquiry, surprisingly forceful arguments have been raised against our justification for such basic beliefs. They suggest instead that the convictions that help us navigate the world are little more than fragile, unwarranted beliefs. In this class we will examine the history of skeptical arguments and how they can affect our sense of trust and security in what we take to be indubitable knowledge of the world. We will examine some of the fundamental philosophical works on the limitations of human reason as a tool for understanding the nature of reality. Most of these works will focus on ancient and medieval sources; although, several will also come from the early modern period. The psychological impact of these skeptical arguments can often be profound. To illustrate the range and complexity of human responses to skepticism we will also read several literary texts. Grades to be based on papers and class discussion.Writing intensive.
PHIL 211 Modern Philosophy
(4 credits)
McHugh
This course will analyze the modern period in philosophy, the seventeenth-century through the nineteenth-century. We will read modern thinkers as Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Kant, and Darwin and contemporary analyses of these thinkers by philosophers such as Charles Mills, Carole Patemen and Susan Bordo. During the semester we will consider a wide variety of issues. Some of these will be what is the proper role of government, how does one know if others have thinking minds, the role of the individual in society, what is reason, who has reason. There will be weekly writing assignments focused on developing philosophical skills and tests/quizzes. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: PHIL 210 or permission.
Phil 380 1W. Advanced Topics: Constructing Bodies
(4 credit)
McHugh
Constructing Bodies begins by grounding our study in epistemology. We will be addressing the following questions: What can I know? How can I know? How do I go about knowing? As we pursue these questions we will find to answer them we must address metaphysical questions of where knowing takes place and what is the relation between the mind and knowing, the body and knowing, and to use Dewey's term the body-mind and knowing. Through this rethinking of the body we will come to the study somaesthetics, the aesthetics of bodily practices. The argument that I will put forth by the end of the course is that it is the very process of embodied knowing and the acknowledgement of the importance of bodies and embodiment that makes the goals of a philosophical life even possible. Furthermore, I will argue that significant social change can't take place until we recognize how bodies are constructive of knowledge, ways of life, and ways of being. There will be weekly quizzes, Midterm and Final Exams, a book review and a final paper focused on developing critical philosophical skills. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: one course in Philosophy or permission.
PHIL 400 1W Senior Seminar: The Power of Narrative
(4 credits)
Martinez-Saenz
Do stories have “more power” than theories to make us change who we are? We will be focusing on this question throughout the semester. By the end of the semester students should not only have an answer to the question, but should be able to recognize how some narratives have theory embedded within them. Looking at the intersection of philosophy and literature especially as it relates to ethical reasoning, students will be asked to evaluate how philosophy is understood through literature. Students will be required to participate in class discussions, write an abstract, annotated bibliography and a final research paper. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: PHIL 312.
