PHILO 101 is an overview of the classical and modern problems of philosophy. Students will consider the source and limits of knowledge and ethical values, and will investigate a range of philosophical issues, including problems about political justice, the self, death, art, and truth itself.

PHILO 115 examines the ideas and philosophical debates from the world’s religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Islam. In the process, students think through and discuss some of the biggest questions that have concerned humanity: What is the nature of ultimate reality? What is the purpose of human life? Why does evil exist in the world? Note: This course may not be taken by students who have completed PHILO 113 or PHILO 114 prior to Fall 2018

PHILO 116 analyzes ethical concepts like the notion of goodness, the scope of morality, and the role (or lack of) free will. Students are introduced to major ethical systems including utilitarianism, modern Aristotelianism (or virtue ethics), Kant’s deontology, Marxism, existentialism, and feminist critiques of those systems. Students also apply these framework’s to today’s moral questions. 

PHILO 117 is a study of the structure and function of language, inductive and deductive forms of reasoning and argumentation. The course includes the study of formal argumentation, the predicate calculus, the methods of experimental inquiry, and the nature of scientific proof.

PHILO 119 is a critical study of the philosophic systems of the ancient Greeks and Romans, with special emphasis on the PreSocratics, the Sophists, Plato, Aristotle, and post-Aristotelian philosophical thinkers.

PHILO 120 is a critical study of the philosophic systems and ideas of the early modern period that have had a dominant impact on Western civilization, with special emphasis on Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.

PHILO 121 introduces students to the traditions and debates of philosophy in the Islamic world. We explore the relationship between philosophy and religion; the nature of divine knowledge (what does God know?) and of human knowledge (what can humans know?); the world’s creation (is it eternal or created in time?); and ideals of government and political leadership. Students read selections from multiple religious traditions and from thinkers such as Al-Fārābī, Ibn Sīnā (or Avicenna), Al-Ghazālī, Ibn Rushd (or Averroës), and Maimonides. The course also covers necessary historical and cultural context: there is no assumption of prior study in philosophy or history. 

PHILO 130 introduces students to the most influential theories and thinkers of social and political philosophy. We will discuss issues including justice, freedom, power, authority, labor, and racial and gender equity from perspectives such as liberalism, Marxism, and post-colonialism. We will also examine contemporary social and political issues with these frameworks.