An introduction to philosophy focusing on problems concerning the nature of society, the nature of the state, justice and human rights, freedom and censorship, etc.Course credit exclusion: GL/PHIL 2923 3.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2060 3.00, AK/PHIL 2440 3.00.
What is law and what is a legal system? Is there anything special about judicial reasoning? What is the relationship between law and morality? What justifies the use of law? What, if anything, justifies punishing those who break the law?Course credit exclusion: GL/PHIL 2925 3.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/PHIL 3530 6.00 (prior […]
An introduction to some of the key figures, seminal texts, and main themes of Islamic philosophy in the classical period. Authors may include: al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd (Averroes).Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AS/PHIL 2550 3.00.
An introduction to the major philosophical traditions of India and China.Course credit exclusions: None.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AS/PHIL 2035 3.00.
Locke, Berkeley and Hume manifested an approach to philosophy that emphasized sense experience and the development of all knowledge from it. This course explores this tradition and its impact on our current world view.Course credit exclusions: AP/PHIL 2025 3.00 (prior to Fall 2010), GL/PHIL 2620 6.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2025 3.00.
The works of Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz are crucial building blocks of our contemporary understanding of the world. This course examines their work.Course credit exclusions: AP/PHIL 2020 3.00 (prior to Fall 2010), GL/PHIL 2620 6.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AS/PHIL 2020 3.00.
An examination of some of the most influential and enduringly relevant works of Plato and Aristotle, the two great pillars of western philosophy, demonstrating how all modern philosophy has its roots in their corpus.Course credit exclusion: GL/PHIL 2630 6.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AS/PHIL 2015 3.00.
An examination of the origin and early development of western philosophy. The works of the first philosophers, the Presocratic, will be introduced and contextualized, providing an indispensable background to Plato and Aristotle, and the continuing development of philosophy.Course credit exclusions: GL/PHIL 2630 6.00.PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 2010 3.00.
An exploration of a number of fundamental practical philosophical questions, including: What is the meaning of (my) life? What is happiness, and how can I achieve it? What is wisdom? What is death, and what does it mean to me?Course credit exclusions: None. PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusions: AK/AS/PHIL 1100 3.00.
An introduction to the development of philosophical thinking about law, justice and punishment, from its origins in classical Greek, Hebrew and Roman thought, up to common law and civil law, and such modern theories as Mill's, Rousseau's, Burke's, Hegel's and Marx's.Course credit exclusions: None. PRIOR TO FALL 2009: Course credit exclusion: AK/PHIL 1002 6.00.