Courses

A critical examination of some of the basic problems of philosophy. Topics of discussion include the nature of reality; of human knowledge; and of moral, aesthetic and religious values.

Race and gender, and their interfaces with social identities such as sexuality, (dis)ability, and class, structure almost every aspect of our social and political lives. This course will critically explore the concepts of race, gender, and justice using historic and contemporary philosophical texts.

Introduction to the formal study of logical implication. Propositional and first-order logic will be treated in detail. Additional topics will include alternative logics such as modal and deontic logic and selected topics in metalogic.

A Bidisciplinary course offered in partnership with Psychology. This course is a survey of central philosophical and psychological concerns in the new field of neuroethics. Personal, ethical, legal and social implications of contemporary neuroscience are explored. Two categories of ethical work are addressed in this course. The “neuroscience of ethics” addresses the neuroscientific understanding of brain processes that may underlie moral judgments and behavior. The “ethics of neuroscience” addresses the potential impacts of advances in neuroscience may have on social, moral, and philosophical ideas and institutions as well as the ethical principles that should guide brain research, treatment of brain disorders, and cognitive enhancement. Special emphasis will be placed on the ways in which neuroscience might impact our sense of self and personal responsibility, and our understanding of the structure of moral judgments. Students will learn the basics of neuroanatomy and neuroscientific methodologies as well as philosophical and psychological discourse concerned with issues of free will, autonomy, responsibility, privacy, and identity.

A survey of the philosophical tradition of the Western world from the beginnings among the pre-Socratics, through the classic periods of Greece and Rome.

A study of the development of modern systems of philosophical thought, including Continental rationalism, British empiricism, and Kantianism and the idealist tradition.

An analytical and critical examination of classical and contemporary moral theories, supplemented by an examination of selected moral problems. Topics include the principles and methods of both ethical theory and moral choice.

Consideration of classical and contemporary theories of the nature of art and the aesthetic experience. Attention to problems inherent in any attempt to understand, interpret and evaluate works of art.

A study of ethical theory as applied to individual and corporate behavior in business as it functions in a complex society.

Emphasizes careful thinking about ethical concepts such as right and wrong, justice and injustice, duty and obligation, in relation to environmental concerns: population, pollution, land development, preservation of ecosystems and the rights of animals and future generations.

An introductory study regarding the nature of law and legal authority and obligation. Emphasis is placed on naturalist versus positivist theories of law; legal rights (explored via U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence); and criminal responsibility and punishment. Especially recommended for students planning to apply to law school.

Application of classical ethical theories to problems encountered in health care fields. Theories of prominent ethical philosophers provide conceptual grounding for discussions of the moral issues confronted in health care.

A close examination of the major texts and figures of both European and postcolonial existentialism. Topics to be covered include: the nature of human freedom, human identity, different attitudes toward death, and ethical responsibility.

A historical and topical orientation to several central problems of social and political philosophy. Topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: justice, equality, citizenship, authority, institutions and law.

A Bidisciplinary course offered in partnership with Political Science. This course is offered in conjunction with The Washington Center. Students will examine issues facing the incoming administration, more specifically, factors that shape the relationship between the President and his/her administration, the executive branch and Congress, and that set priorities and influence policymaking. Students will investigate the ethical relationship between the media and federal politics, the question of the ethical responsibilities of a free press, the the changing role of the individual voter in a media-saturated culture, and the challenges (foreign and domestic) facing newly elected federal officials. Students will visit several sites around Washington D.C. including embassies, think tanks, media organizations, and Capitol Hill. These field trips, as well as lectures and discussions led by politicians, journalists, and professors from around the country, allows for an in-depth look at the relationship between ethics, politics, and the media.

A critical and constructive examination of basic religious beliefs and concepts such as God (including arguments for the existence of God), faith, immortality and the problem of evil.

A study of one or several of the main movements in philosophy from the latter half of the 19th century to the present, such as phenomenology, existentialism or analytic philosophy.

Prerequisite: One course in philosophy. Fall Term.

Is the mind produced by the workings of the brain, or is it more than this? Is the mind like a computer? Do we have free will, or are our choices determined by unconscious brain events? Is your mental life permanently private and accessible only to you? How might the brain produce the mind? What are concepts? How does the human mind achieve the skills needed to speak a language? Will advances in science change the way we speak about our minds? These questions will be addressed by reading current texts and by analytical writing, as well as class discussions.

Regular meetings are arranged with the instructor. The topic must be approved by the staff of the department two weeks prior to the beginning of the term. A written report must be submitted at the conclusion of the course. Repeatable for credit.

.50 credit

This course gives Honors Program students the opportunity to design and implement a significant research project in the field of philosophy, culminating in an appropriate public dissemination of research methods and findings. This research must build upon previous coursework taken within the major or minor, facilitating faculty supervision and guidance. Repeatable for credit. Permission of the faculty supervisor and the director of the Honors Program required prior to registration.