Fall 2024

Explores questions about human beings and their place in nature, including questions about knowledge, mind and body, freedom and determinism, and the existence of God.

Introduction to the central ideas of philosophy, science, politics and economics in western European history between 1450 and 1800.

Explores writings of ancient philosophers who first raised, and continue to influence our thinking about, fundamental questions concerning nature, knowledge, justice, happiness and death.

Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 250a)

Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 250b)

Critical study of controversial social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, war and terrorism, sexual morality, affirmative action and economic justice.

Introduction to the aims and basic techniques of formal logic, including propositional and quantificational logic.

Explores philosophical questions about the human mind and consciousness, and how they relate to the brain and to the physical world more generally.

Major figures in the history of Western philosophical thought from the presocratics to the Hellenistic period; emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.

Explores how language shapes thought, how social norms impact meaning and communication, the nature of speech acts, with applications to hate speech and pornography.

Basic techniques of propositional and quantificational logic, and elements of probability. Especially useful to philosophy, mathematics, science and engineering majors.

Examination of problems in metaphysics and/or epistemology. Conducted at the intermediate level.

Philosophical investigation of sense perception as it relates to issues in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of science.

Philosophical theories about the nature of law, relations between law and morality, and analysis of normative concepts central to law, such as responsibility, punishment, negligence.

The nature of man and society, the nature and justification of state and government, political rights and political obligation, justice and equality.

An historical and critical study of the great moral philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and the British moralists.

Systematic study of the formal limits on what can be counted, expressed in language, systematically computed or rigorously proved, including Goedel's Incompleteness Theorems.

Examination of contemporary theories of mind and its place in the natural world.

The analysis of public policy debates combining the different tools and perspectives of philosophy, political science and economic theory.

A comprehensive introduction to two of the central areas of modern philosophy of physics: the philosophy of spacetime, and the philosophy of quantum mechanics.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Independent studies for philosophy majors, and guidance in the preparation of the senior thesis for students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy.

Analysis of selected philosophical problems and theses of current interest; explication of major contemporary papers and/ or books is emphasized.

Problems in research in selected portions of modern philosophy.

Advanced literature on selected topics in social and political philosophy, including the nature of law, man, and society; ideals such as justice and freedom.

Philosophical issues in the empirical study of language concerning the relationship between linguistic meaning and the use of sentences to assert and convey information.

Advanced topics in epistemology.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Basic principles of philosophical pedagogy, with emphasis on practical applications and the importance of career-long skill development. Required for first-semester teaching assistants in philosophy.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

A focused environment in which to present and evaluate dissertation work-in-progress. Focus on peer and faculty feedback, developing professional presentation skills, improving critical communication skills. Graded CR/NC. Open only to Philosophy doctoral students.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.