Fall 2025

The philosophical foundations of modern political and economic thought, including economic rationality, neoclassical economics, free-market vs. socialist economies and behavioral economics.

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

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)

Explores philosophical treatments of the problem of the meaning or purpose of human life. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 155)

Topics include economic models of human behavior and their limits; models of justice, morality and law, and the politics and administration of institutions.

Explores the nature of justice, and how apparently conflicting ideals, such as freedom and equality, are to be balanced within a just society.

Feminist perspectives on various political problems; evaluate and apply different analyses of complex social phenomena like patriarchy, misogyny and intersectionality.

Philosophical theories of law and applications to controversies of importance to society and our legal system, such as free speech, civil disobedience, and selfdefense.

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

A study of existentialist philosophy and its influence in 19th and 20th century culture, including both literature and film. Focus on works by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, Dostoevsky, Godard, and others.

Explores formal tools for thinking about uncertainty. In an uncertain world, how is it rational to form our beliefs, make decisions, and interact with others?

Explore the nature of interpersonal conflict: war, polarization, abuse, silencing, public reason, democracy, cancel culture and resistance.

The trials of Socrates, Joan of Arc, the Salem witches, Galileo, Scopes and the Nuremberg and Eichmann trials; their social and cultural consequences.

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

Analysis of some of the main political philosophies of the modern era; emphasis on the ethical and metaphysical foundations of political philosophy.

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.

Introduction to possible worlds as a tool for asking and answering questions about what might be, what must be, and what can never be.

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.

A systematic presentation of the main philosophical perspectives on the interactions between law and the social-political aspects of our lives.

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.

Elements of propositional and quantified modal logic and the logic of counterfactual conditionals with an eye to some of their applications in contemporary philosophy.

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

Topics of current interest at the crossroads of philosophy of language, philosophy of mind and linguistics.

A detailed study of the philosophical works of Ludwig Wittgenstein.

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

The nature of mathematical truth and the nature of mathematical entities.

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.

Contemporary philosophical issues and literature.

Problems in research in selected portions of ancient and medieval 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.

Advanced topics in metaphysics.

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

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.