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# Title Instructor Time Gen
Ed		 Philosophy
Major
old new
100 A Intro to Philosophy Kornblith MW 2:30 + disc AL – –
Two lectures, one discussion section per week.  This first course in philosophy will be divided into two parts: in the first, we will discuss some central questions in ethics; in the second, we will address questions in the theory of knowledge.  Readings include Plato's Gorgias, John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism, Bertrand Russell's Problems of Philosophy, and W V Quine's Web of Belief. 
100 B Intro to Philosophy Antony TuTh 9:30 + disc AL – –
An introduction to the methods and subject matter of philosophy, through detailed examination of several important philosophical issues: personal identity and the possibility of immortality, the rationality of belief in God, and the nature of ethical obligation.  Readings will be drawn from historical and contemporary sources.
100H Intro to Philosophy (Honors) O'Neill TuTh 1:00-2:15 AL – –

This course is restricted to Commonwealth College first-year students.

An historical introduction to Western philosophy through the interpretation of early modern (16th-18th centuries) texts by canonical male, and recently rediscovered female, philosophers. Students are expected to utilize the reasoning skills that they acquire at the beginning of the course in their critical evaluations of these arguments.  For example, we will use our knowledge of valid argument forms to reconstruct some 17th-century arguments for the view that women ought to be educated (Schurman). Students will have ample opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of textual interpretation and argument analysis in the weekly at-home writing assignment, the take-home essay questions, quizzes and essay exams. The wide-ranging themes of the course have an underlying sub-theme: sceptical arguments.  For example, we will examine sceptical challenges to: the theses that "might makes right" and that "women are by nature intellectually inferior to men" (Gournay), our belief that the senses are a reliable guide to the truth (Descartes), and our belief that our inductive practices are rationally justifiable (Hume).  Given the importance and breadth of the texts and topics covered, the stress on critical evaluation of arguments, and the focus on written and verbal expression, this course meets the objectives of the General Education (Arts and Literature) curriculum. This is a 4-credit course.

110 Intro to Logic Klement TuTh 1:00-2:15 R2 Logic Logic
Introduction to symbolic logic, including sentential and predicate logic. Focus on translating English statements into symbolic notation, and evaluation of arguments for validity using formal proof techniques. Text: Hardegree, Symbolic Logic: A First Course, 4th ed. Requirements: homework and exams. Prerequisites: none.
160 Intro to Ethics Meacham TuTh 4:00 + disc AT Ethics Value
In the first half of the class we'll discuss some of the main theories that have been offered for evaluating what one ought and ought not to do, such as Ethical Relativism, Ethical Skepticism, the Divine Command theory, Utilitarianism, Kantianism, and the Social Contract Theory. In the second half of the class we'll turn to look at some controversial issues in ethics, with possible topics including animal  rights, euthanasia, abortion, infanticide, parental responsibilities,  neonatal circumcision and children's rights.
160H Intro to Ethics (Honors) Lisa Cassell TuTh 2:30-3:45 AT Ethics Value

This course is restricted to Commonwealth College students.

How ought I to act? What kind of person should I be?  What is the good life for human beings?  This course offers an introduction to some fundamental debates in ethics.  In the first half of the course, we look at the three major ethical schools of thought defended by Aristotle, Kant, and Mill, and address broad themes related to cultural relativism, egoism, and the relationship between God and morality. In the second half of the course, we look at several contemporary debates in applied ethics regarding affirmative action, abortion, animal rights, familial obligations, and world poverty.

164 Medical Ethics Matthew Gifford MWF 9:05 AT Ethics Value
This class will provide a survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Daniel McGloin MWF 10:10 AT Ethics Value
A survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Luis Oliveira MWF 11:15 AT Ethics Value
A survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Jordan Kroll TuTh 4:00-5:15 AT Ethics Value
A survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Peter Marchetto

TuTh 9:30

 AT Ethics Value
RESTRICTED TO RAP STUDENTS.
A survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Pengbo Liu

TuTh 11:15

 AT Ethics Value
RESTRICTED TO RAP STUDENTS.
A survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164 Medical Ethics Brandy Burfield

TuTh 1:00

 AT Ethics Value
RESTRICTED TO RAP STUDENTS.
This class will provide a survey of some of the topics in medical ethics, with possible topics including cloning, distribution of medical resources, homosexuality, abortion, and animal experimentation.
164H Medical Ethics (Honors) Julietta Rose TuTh 11:15-12:30 AT Ethics Value

This course is restricted to Commonwealth College first-year students. [It does not currently appear on Spire, since registration will not be possible until New Student Orientation this summer.]

An introduction to ethics through issues of medicine and health care. Topics include abortion,  treatment of impaired infants, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, truth-telling, medical experimentation on human beings and on animals, and the allocation of scarce medical resources.  (Gen.Ed. AT)
170 Problems in Social Thought Darin Harootunian MWF 12:20 SB – Value
An introduction to modern Western political and social philosophy. We will focus on key works by Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Marx and on questions about the nature and limits of political power, rights, and liberty.
320 History of Ancient Philosophy deHarven TuTh 1:00-2:15 HS History Hist(A)
A survey course that explores why the ancient Greeks are considered the founders of Western Philosophy.  Starting with pre-Socratic rational cosmology, we will see the advent of inquiry guided by reason and argumentation rather than prophetic testimony.  With Socrates, we will see the turn to definition, with a focus on morality and the good life; and in Plato's Republic we will follow a sustained account of justice, human psychology, politics, and the nature of knowledge and reality.  Finally, with Aristotle we will see the birth of formal metaphysics (the study of reality), epistemology (theory of knowledge), virtue ethics (the idea that what makes an action good is the state of character behind it), the philosophy of science, and a return to rational cosmology.
336 Existential Philosophy Benjamin Rancourt MWF 12:20 AL Hist –
An introduction to the main themes of Existentialism through seminal writing by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Sartre.
341 Intro to Metaphysics Eddon TuTh 11:15 – – M&E
An introduction to analytic metaphysics by way of fundamental problems in ontology. In particular, we will examine contemporary views about (i) universals and particulars (ii) propositions and facts and (iii) possible worlds and individuals. In each case our focus will be on careful formulation of the relevant doctrines and arguments. Requirements: participation and attendance, two exams, a short presentation and a term paper. Text: M. Loux, Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction, 3rd Edition (Routledge: 2006).
342 Intro to Epistemology Josh DiPaolo MWF 10:10 – – M&E
This course will be divided into two parts: individual epistemology and social epistemology. We will begin with Descartes?s Meditations on First Philosophy, tracking the development from traditional individual epistemology to social epistemology. Topics to be discussed likely include: Certainty, Skepticism, the Analysis of Knowledge, Internalism vs. Externalism, Naturalized Epistemology, Virtue Epistemology, Disagreement, Testimony, Identification of Experts, Feminist Epistemology.
No prior knowledge of epistemology will be presupposed, but this course is not a survey.
Requirements: Exams, Problem Sets, Regular Attendance/Participation, Paper.
Prerequisite: At least one college level course in philosophy, preferably including Phil 110 or its equivalent.
353 Intro to Philosophy of Science Dennis Kavlakoglu MWF 2:30 – – M&E
An introduction to core topics in the philosophy of science. Topics include the nature of scientific explanation, the status of theoretical entities (e.g., quarks and fields), and confirmation theory.
355 Intro to Philosophy of Mind Perez Carballo TuTh 9:30-10:45 – – M&E
Imagine you had all the time and money you could ever want. All the brain power you could ever need. Could you build a machine that could *think*?
Alan Turing famously said this question was 'too meaningless to deserve discussion'. The point of this course -- in a nutshell -- is to try to prove Turing wrong. Or at least, to see whether there are more meaningful questions in the vicinity that do deserve discussion. Candidates will include: What is it to have thoughts? If a machine cannot have thoughts, what is it about human beings that allows us to have thoughts? Does having thoughts require understanding some language or other? What does it take to understand a language? Could a machine do that? What is consciousness? Is consciousness necessary for thought?
360 Intermediate Ethics Miles Tucker TuTh 4:00-5:15 – Ethics Value
This focus of this course is contemporary value theory. We will attempt to answer three questions: (i) what is value? (ii) what has value? and (iii) what role does the concept of value play in a complete moral theory?
Requirements: participation and attendance, exams, homework, quizzes, and a short presentation.
Prerequisites: At least two courses in philosophy, including Philosophy 160.
370 Social-Political Philosophy Aaron Washington MWF 12:20 – – Value
 
383 Intro to Philosophy of Religion Kristian Olsen MWF 9:05 – – M&E
In this course, we will discuss some of the central topics in the philosophy of religion. We'll discuss the nature of the divine attributes and whether they are consistent. We'll also discuss the central arguments for and against God's existence; we'll talk about the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the design argument, and the problem of evil. Finally, we'll discuss some issues in religious epistemology; in particular, we'll discuss whether we can be justified in believing in the existence of God even if we lack good arguments supporting this belief.
395S Seminar – Space and Time Bricker TBA TuTh 4:00-5:15 – M&E

Selected topics in the philosophy of space and time, including: Zeno¹s paradoxes (and infinity machines); substantival vs. relational view of space and time (Newton, Leibniz, Mach); the epistemology of geometry (Poincare, Reichenbach); the foundations of special relativity (space vs. spacetime, the twin paradox, conventionality of simultaneity); and the possibility of time travel.

Texts: to be determined. Requirements: takehome midterm and final, and two short papers.

Prerequisites: Two previous philosophy courses and high school algebra and physics, or consent of instructor.
398W Junior Year Writing de Harven by arrangement JYW – –
A 1-credit pass/fail course that must be taken in conjunction with Philosophy 320.
It satisfies the University Junior Year Writing Requirement.
500 Contemp Problems (Integrative Experience) Garcia M 3:30-6:00 IE – M&E
Topic: Philosophy and the Self
This course explores metaphysical, epistemological, and political/ethical issues related to the nature of the "self".  Some topics to be discussed include: personal identity, self-knowledge, self-deception, the nature of agency and action, autonomy, and moral egoism.
513 Math Logic 1 Klement TuTh 9:30 – Logic Logic
Elementary meta-mathematics and logical meta-theory. Topics include completeness and consistency proofs for first-order logic, model theory, elementary number theory (especially Peano arithmetic), and Gödel's incompleteness theorems and related results. Text: Mendelson, Introduction to Mathematical Logic, 4th ed. Requirements: problem sets and exams. Prerequisite: Philosophy 310, or consent of instructor.
541 Topics in Metaphysics Eddon W 12:30-3:00 – – M&E
 
542 Topics in Epistemology Kornblith Tu 1:00-3:30 – – M&E
What is the proper method for justifying philosophical claims?  We will look at the role of intuitions, both about hypothetical cases and about principles, in philosophical methodology.  Some have claimed that such intuitions play a role in philosophy not unlike the role which observation plays in science.  On this view, intuitions serve as data which philosophical theories seek to systematize and, perhaps, explain.  Some have argued, however, that much as intuitions play this role in a good deal of philosophical practice, such a practice simply cannot be justified.  We will examine the role, if any, of intuition in philosophical theory construction, and consider alternative approaches to philosophy as well.  Readings from Bealer, Cappelen, Goldman, Kornblith, Nagel, Pust, Sosa, Stich, Weinberg, Williamson and others.
583 Topics in Philosophy of Religion Antony W 3:30-6:00 – – M&E
We will be examining the connections -- or alleged connections -- between naturalism on the one hand, and a variety of theses about God, mentality, and morality on the other:  Does the natural world give us evidence that God exists?  Does it give us evidence that God does not exist?  If we deny the existence of supernatural beings and forces, can we explain the reliability of our own cognitive faculties?  If we are primed by our genetic heritage to form religious beliefs, does that make them less likely to be true?  Can the same be said about our moral beliefs?   Readings from classical and contemporary philosophical works, supplemented by some readings in cognitive science.  Authors will include: David Hume, William Paley, William Rowe, Paul Draper, Alvin Plantinga, Peter van Inwagen, Michael Rea, Roger White, Joshua Greene, Scott Atran, Paul Bloom, Sharon Street, and myself.
592M Topics in Early Modern Philosophy O'Neill M 3:30-6:00 – Hist Hist(B)
 
594E Topics in Meta-Ethics Garcia Th 1:00-3:30 – Ethics Value
This course explores various debates in contemporary metaethics.  For this semester, we will focus on two main topics: (1) moral psychology (e.g., practical reasoning, the internalism/externalism debates, and the overall relationship between motivation and reasons); and (2) different approaches to normativity, including moral realism, moral constructivism, and moral sentimentalism.  Some philosophers we will read include Blackburn, Harman, Korsgaard, McDowell, Railton, Scanlon, Smith, Velleman, and Williams.