This is a skills-based course focusing on critical thinking, persuasive writing, and strategic argumentation. Examples are drawn from various forms of persuasion including advertising, propaganda and political argument. Course credit exclusions: AP/MODR 1730 6.00, AP/MODR 1760 6.00. Note: This is an approved LA&PS General Education course: Humanities OR Social Science. PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course […]
This is a skills-based course focusing on critical thinking, critical writing, and logical and linguistic analysis. The course uses examples drawn from areas in the humanities where value judgements are made. Different sections will stress different topics in ethics, aesthetics, religion or law. Course credit exclusiosn: AP/MODR 1730 6.00, AP/MODR 1770 6.00. Note: This is […]
This is a skills-based course focusing on critical thinking, research-based writing, and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The particular focus will be on different positions taken within the social sciences on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, pornography, immigration etc. Typical examples are to be analyzed. Course credit exclusions: AP/MODR 1760 6.00, AP/MODR 1770 6.00. Note: This […]
This course takes up the topics, questions and debates that have shaped the development of feminist philosophy, and which have been changed by feminist philosophy, in turn. Topics include rationality, knowledge and emotion, personal identity, mind and body, political power and oppression, the nature and origin of moral values and the roles of sameness and […]
An investigation of the epistemological questions that scientific change poses, beginning with historical examples, and moving to contemporary science and technology. The resulting insights are used to consider the ethical impact of science. Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AK/PHIL 2430 3.00.
An introduction to philosophy focusing upon traditional and contemporary views of human nature. The course focuses on the question of whether we are basically good or evil, rational or irrational, free or unfree, altruistic or egoistic. Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2420 3.00.
An examination of some conceptual and normative questions about gender and the nature, forms and regulation of human sexuality.Course credit exclusions: None.Prior TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2250 3.00.
An introduction to metaphysical theories about the relationship between the mind and the body. We examine Descartes' mind-body dualism as well as 20th century theories including: behaviourism, the identity theory, machine and causal functionalism, instrumentalism, eliminativism, and emergentism.Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AS/PHIL 2240 3.00, AK/PHIL 2240 3.00.
A systematic study of practical argument, formal and informal fallacies, and the relationship between arguing well and winning an argument. Methods of identifying and undermining specious arguments will be explored as well as the question of when argument becomes propaganda.Course credit exclusion: AP/MODR 1770 6.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/MODR 1770 6.00, AK/MODR […]
An investigation of different concepts of freedom, and how they relate to arguments for free will and determinism, the adjudication of people's responsibility for their actions, the justification of punishment and some related moral problems.Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/PHIL 2170 3.00, AS/PHIL 2170 3.00.