200

A study of philosophical methods and concepts via selected philosophical systems and problems.

Studies principles of correct reasoning: formal and informal arguments.

Examines major systems of thought regarding problems of moral value and the good life.

Examines major concepts and methods of 20th- and 21st- century philosophy.

An examination of selected topics in the philosophy of art and critical appreciation such as the nature of art, aesthetic experience and aesthetic objects.

An introduction to feminist philosophy and philosophical questions about gender. Readings will include classic and contemporary sources.

Examines the nature and validity of religious beliefs.

An examination by case study of moral problems in the business world. Topics include the obligation of industry to the natural environment, governmental regulation of private enterprise, employee rights and truth in advertising. Develops a number of ethical theories to assist the analysis.

An investigation of selected moral problems that arise in the contemporary biomedical setting. Issues include abortion, euthanasia, patient rights, animal experimentation, in-vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood and genetic engineering.

An examination of issues that arise from human beings interacting with their natural environment. Initial discussion involves selected ethical problems that arise from human use of "common systems" (e.g., the atmosphere, oceans, wilderness). Further discussions consider whether ecological systems, natural features and non-human animals have moral worth independent of their utility for human commerce.

Designed to strengthen students' skills in reasoning about problems and issues of everyday life by helping them to distinguish between good and bad arguments. Students work to achieve these goals through reading and discussion of course materials, written analyses of others' arguments or development of their own arguments, and class debates for practice in persuasive argument.

An examination of ancient philosophy in the Western world with a concentration on the philosophical views of Plato and Aristotle.

A study of major social and political systems and issues from Plato to the present.

What is the mind? How is it related to the brain and body? How is it connected to the world? What exactly is consciousness? This course is an introduction to the philosophy of mind, with a focus on issues of metaphysics. Topics covered may include mind-brain dualism, logical behaviorism, mind-brain identity theory, functionalism, connectionism, artificial intelligence, philosophical questions about mental representation and the nature of consciousness, embodied cognition and other current trends in philosophy of mind.

An investigation into a set of issues at the intersection of philosophy and sport. Sport plays a significant role in public consciousness. This course provides the opportunity for students to participate in an in-depth analysis of major metaphysical, social, and political questions pertaining to the world of sport. Topics may include:  what constitutes a sport; ethical questions about sport; fandom, identity, and racism; sports and gender; and fairness in sport.

An in-depth study of selected philosophers or philosophical problems. May be repeated if content varies.

This course examines philosophical problems related to Asian martial arts and military philosophy, looking at classic texts and at more recent academic and popular writings. It is also an introduction to the emerging academic field of martial arts studies. We will emphasize the cross-cultural comparison of philosophical traditions, methods and commitments.  This course has an experiential learning component: We will learn and practice a form of taijiquan (i.e., t’ai chi) inside and outside of class. The taijiquan practice will be modified for those who are physically unable to perform it.

An introduction to yoga practice and philosophy. This course has an experiential learning component: We will do hatha yoga postures, breathing techniques and meditation as part of class. This course examines yoga and its associated philosophical, cosmological and religious beliefs. We will compare and contrast traditional Indian conceptions of the body and health with those of other cultures and of modern medicine. We will examine appropriations of yoga tradition by practitioners. Contemporary and classical readings by scholars and practitioners will supplement the practices. Appropriate for beginners and advanced practitioners. Practices will be modified for those physically unable to perform them.

An introduction to Indian and East Asian philosophy. Surveys the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, early Indian Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism (a.k.a. Taoism) and East Asian Buddhism.

Please note: This course was cross-listed as REL 217 prior to the 2013-2014 academic year. Students who took the course as REL 217 may not repeat it.

This course introduces analytic and continental approaches to the study of aesthetics through philosophical explorations of Hip Hop. Students will analyze scholarly themes, perspectives, and critiques, centered on questions of the social, political, and philosophical import of a variety of forms of local and global hip hop aesthetical productions and topics including sexism, homophobia, class, and race. Students will also critically engage others in a group project, while developing their own theoretical attitudes towards critical questions of epistemology, classical aesthetics, post-modernity, and existentialist thought through analyses of traditional and contemporary thinkers, artists, texts and media.