is a general introduction to the study of Philosophy both as a contemporary intellectual discipline and as a body of knowledge. It introduces philosophy’s forms of enquiry, the nature of its concepts, and its fields (epistemology, logic, metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, and political philosophy) by way of the critical study of primary works by major philosophers. Authors may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, de Beauvoir, Arendt.

is an approach to philosophical thinking by way of analysis and critique of theories of human nature, classical and modern, and the world views associated with them. This course is of particular value to students interested in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

introduces philosophy by way of the question of the nature of knowledge. Is knowledge a possession or an activity? Is truth an illusion, a correspondence, or a form of coherence? What does it mean to ‘hold a belief’ or ‘affirm a proposition’? Short classical texts form the basis of the works studied and may include Plato, Descartes, and Ayer.

aims to improve the student’s ability to formulate and evaluate arguments. At the end of the course, the student will have a thorough understanding of the essentials of argument, the rules of valid inference, and ways of proving the validity of good arguments and the invalidity of bad arguments. Open in any year to all students wishing acquaintance with basic logical skills.

is concerned with the social and political institutions and practices by which human life is organized. Historical and/or contemporary texts will be engaged to explore some of the following issues: What is the nature of political authority? What is the nature of freedom? What material and social conditions must be met in order for societies to be just? How are existing societies unjust, and how should that injustice be addressed?

examines concepts of health and illness and their ethical implications.

is a philosophical approach to issues in ecology. Topics may include historical and contemporary concepts of nature, technology, the ethical status of animals and the non-human, the application of traditional ethical paradigms to environmental issues, and the future of humanity in an age of climate change, ballooning human population, disappearing wilderness, and dwindling resources.

introduces students to the origins of philosophy in the West. Topics include cosmology, metaphysics, physics, ethics, God, and the ancient ideal of philosophy as a ‘way of life.’ We will examine the texts and fragments of the most influential and foundational philosophers of the ancient world, focusing primarily on the thought of Plato and Aristotle, their engagement with the Pre- Socratic philosophers who came before them, and their influence upon philosophers since.

is a survey of the development of Western philosophy since the 17th century until the late 18th century. Topics may include the existence of God, whether nature is determined and if there is free will, the rise of early modern science, and the debates over rationalism and empiricism.

engages philosophically with different literary forms such as poetry, drama, and fiction. Possible topics include the use of literary works to express philosophical ideas, the nature of literary expression, and different traditions of literary criticism and interpretation. Course readings will comprise both literature and philosophy.

introduces some of the central philosophers, topics and themes in the philosophy of film. Topics and themes include: the nature of film image, the relationship between film and “reality”, the social/ political role and function of film and the nature and value of the documentary. The course will also consider the representation of broader philosophical ideas in film. A film or films will accompany each section.

examines Plato’s philosophy from selections representing the Socratic, transitional, eidetic, and stoichiological dialogues, as well as Plato’s philosophy of the concrete. Plato’s thought will be examined as a development of ideas and problems raised in Pre-Socratic philosophy, and the development of his own philosophy will be traced throughout a selection of his writings.

examines Aristotle’s philosophy of nature, logical works, metaphysics, psychology, and ethics. Attention will also be given to Aristotle’s philosophy as a development of and response to Plato’s thought. Whether one is a student of Philosophy, History, English, Religion, Classics, Political Science or History of Science, a familiarity with the thought of Aristotle is indispensable. For all these disciplines, not only is his place in history foundational, but his influence often remains formidable today.

is a study of post-Kantian classical German philosophy from 1787-1831. The generation of philosophers immediately following Kant - most notably Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel - took his ideas and developed systematic interpretations of human experience, emphasizing its embodied and social nature, and interpreting history in terms of the struggle between freedom and oppression. This course studies these "German Idealists" who have continued to shape major developments in European philosophy.

is leading philosophical ideas concerning the origin and justification of political institutions.

is a philosophical tradition dedicated to thinking through the experience of human freedom and to casting doubt on conventional answers to the question of how we should live. Human beings are free to define themselves, according to existentialism, but with that freedom comes a forbidding challenge: the responsibility to define themselves, without any easy answers to the question of how. This course will address some of the central figures associated with existentialism. Authors may include Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Camus.

is a study of the interrelationship of thought and imagination in philosophical and literary forms of writing.

focuses on a primary text or texts surrounding a particular metaphysical question. Topics may include: the nature of being, causality, order, unity, essence and existence, and freedom.

will have topics to be studied announced by the Department.