Course Descriptions

550* Meet and Talk
Informal philosophical discussion in the home of one of the faculty members. One semester, 1 credit.

105 Introduction to Ethics
This course presents various traditional and critical approaches to moral and ethical issues and uses them to understand practical problems in daily life. Preference given to freshmen. One semester, 3 credits

120* Theories of Human Nature
A philosophical approach to human nature and the human position in the scheme of things. Topics include free will, personal identity, human excellence, and the difference between human beings, animals, and machines. One semester, 3 credits.

220* Philosophical Issues in Imaginative Literature
Develops an understanding of the philosophical enterprise through discussion of works of fiction that raise issues of a philosophical nature. One semester, 3 credits.

230* Philosophical Issues on Film
Addresses philosophical questions posed by some of the masterpieces of world cinema; students view feature-length films, read relevant philosophical texts, and explore connections between the films and texts. January session, 4 credits.

250* Philosophy of Love and Human Sexuality
An examination of the constructions of female and male sexuality and some of their ethical and political implications; contemporary issues including promiscuity, child abuse, prostitution, pornography, and marriage. One semester, 3 credits.

260* Environmental Ethics
The evolution of theoretical responses to unprecedented environmental crises such as Global Warming and mass extinctions - from application of traditional ethical theories to the development of comprehensive alternative environmental philosophies. One semester, 3
credits.

270* History of Social Thought
Historical approaches to the foundations of the state, and feminist and anti-racist critiques of that social contract tradition. One semester, 3 credits.

300 Early Chinese Philosophy
The early period of Chinese philosophy: Confucianism and Daoism, as well as other thinkers and schools of thought, all of which were influential in the development of cultures across East Asia. One semester, 3 credits.

302* The Development of Buddhist Philosophical Thought
The development of Buddhist philosophical thinking as it began in India and flourished in China and Japan. Not open to freshmen; previous course in philosophy recommended. One semester, 3 credits.

310 Classical Philosophy
Greek and Roman thought as the foundation for Western philosophy; systematic study of the development of philosophy from Thales to St. Augustine, with an emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. Not open to freshmen. One semester, 3 credits.

312* Medieval Philosophy
Examines the period from the beginning of Christian philosophy through the High Middle Ages to the breakdown of the Medieval synthesis; focuses on Augustine and Aquinas. Not open to freshmen; previous course in philosophy recommended. One semester, 3 credits.

315 Modern Philosophy
Major Continental and British philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries, beginning with Descartes and ending with Kant. Not open to freshmen; previous course in philosophy recommended. One semester, 3 credits.

317* Nineteenth Century Philosophy
This course explores the thought of Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard, all very difficult thinkers who were infl uential in forming the modern "continental" tradition in philosophy. One previous course in philosophy and instructor’s permission. One semester, 3 credits.

326* Symbolic Logic
An introduction to formal structures of reasoning through analysis of the logical forms of language and thought; readings and problems in logic and logical theory. Not recommended for freshmen. One semester, 3 credits.

330 Ethical Theories
Problems such as the nature of moral judgments, origin of obligations and responsibility, relation between facts and values, possibility of moral knowledge, and role of rules and consequences in moral reasoning; readings from classical and contemporary sources. Prerequisite:Not open to freshmen, one previous course in philosophy recommended. One semester, 3 credits.

340* Contemporary Issues in Social Philosophy
Concepts in social philosophy such as justice, welfare, the individual, community, and society; contemporary problems such as the just allocation of resources, the individual in relation to society, and the relationship between law and morality. Open to juniors, or sophomores with one previous course in philosophy. Recommended: 270. One semester,
3 credits.

345* Philosophy of Art
Philosophical refl ection on the nature of the arts: the plastic arts (painting, sculpture, etc.), literature, music, and performance; topics include the defi nition of art, critical appraisal, artistic creativity, aesthetic experience, and the role of audience and institutions. Open to juniors, or to sophomores with one previous course in philosophy. One semester, 3 credits.

350* God and Religion
The idea of God; proofs for the existence of God; the nature of religious language; the problem of evil; arguments for and against the supernatural. Open to juniors, or sophomores with one previous course in philosophy. One semester, 3 credits.

360* Philosophy of Mind
Critical examination of the major theories about the nature of mind; an exploration of selected topics, including the mind-body relationship, personal identity, artificial intelligence, intentionality, and free will. Open to juniors and seniors with one previous course in philosophy and sophomores with two previous course in philosophy. Onesemester,
3 credits.

370* Metaphysics
Theories about what sorts of things are fundamental in the universe; readings from classical and contemporary sources. Open to juniors and seniors with one previous course in philosophy, or sophomores with two previous courses in philosophy. One semester, 3 credits.

380* Truth and Knowledge
Various problems of knowledge, such as belief and opinion, the origin of ideas, the certainty of knowledge and truth, and the limits of knowledge. Open to juniors and seniors with one previous course in philosophy, or sophomores with two previous courses in philosophy. One semester, 3 credits.

385* Feminist Philosophy
An examination of the primary feminist responses to the omission of gender as fundamental category of analysis in social and political theory - liberal, socialist, Marxist, radical, anti-racist, and ecofeminist. Prerequisite: one previous course in philosophy or gender and women's studies. One semester, 3 credits.

425 Seminar in Philosophy
A focused study of some aspect of philosophy; contact instructor for details. Open to juniors and seniors with two previous courses in philosophy. May be repeated for credit. One semester, 3 credits.

190, 290, 390, 490* Selected Topics in Philosophy
Variable credits. May be repeated for credit.

295, 395, 495 Independent Studies in Philosophy
Credit and time arranged. Permission. May be repeated for credit.

498 Senior Thesis and Colloquium
This advanced seminar supports and directs senior majors in the research and writing of their Senior Thesis. The Senior Thesis, usually a year-long project, is the required paper-inthe-
major. Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission. Two semesters, 1 or 2 credits each, for a total of 3 credits.

*Not offered every year.