The philosophy program at Gettysburg offers both a major and a minor. Students should begin by enrolling in a 100-level Philosophy course or a First-Year Seminar taught by a Philosophy faculty member. Completion of one such course is normally required for enrollment in any Philosophy course at the 200-level or above (rare exceptions are noted in course descriptions). Each course can only be used to satisfy one of the major/or minor requirements.
The Philosophy curriculum at Gettysburg College combines foundational study with advanced exploration, offering both a major and minor that emphasize critical thinking and diverse traditions. Majors complete at least nine courses, including an introductory class, the “Texts in Context” series, Logic or Methods, Ethics or Justice, upper-level courses, and a capstone Senior Seminar, with the option of a thesis. The minor requires six courses, beginning with an introductory class and including a “Texts in Context” course, an Ethics or Justice course, an upper-level course, and electives. Both pathways encourage students to engage with global perspectives, sharpen reasoning skills, and apply philosophical inquiry to real-world challenges.
First Year Advising and Registration
All introductory 100-level courses and many 200 level courses are open to first-year students. All students are encouraged to consider a Philosophy course early in their college career as an opportunity to develop skills in reasoning and argument, explore a new field, and expand intellectual perspective. Completion of a 100-level course or a First-Year Seminar taught by a philosopher entitles a student to enroll in any Philosophy course at any level. Any student completing an introductory level course should feel encouraged to explore all other course offerings in the department. Prospective majors in philosophy should enroll in an introductory-level course in their first year, although students may begin the program in their sophomore year. For advising help, contact Prof. Gary Mullen at gmullen@gettysburg.edu. For complete information please consult the First Year Advising and Registration Guide.
Major
Students should begin by enrolling in a 100-level Philosophy course or a First-Year Seminar taught by a Philosophy faculty member. Completion of one such course is normally required for enrollment in any Philosophy course at the 200-level or above (rare exceptions are noted in course descriptions). Each course can only be used to satisfy one of the major/or minor requirements.
The Philosophy Major consists of a minimum of ten (10) courses, including:
A 100-level PHIL course or FYS taught by a philosophy instructor (taken first as prerequisite to 200- and 300-level courses.)
Three courses from our “texts in context” series including:
One course in the history of traditions commonly taught in the US: PHIL 205, 206, 207, 208, 225), or other designated courses; and
One course in the history of traditions less commonly taught in the US: PHIL 215, 216, 240, 355, 366 Great Philosophers Zhuangzi or other designated courses; and
One additional course from either category
Logic (PHIL 211) or Philosophical Methods (PHIL 212)
At least two PHIL courses at the 300-level or above
Senior Seminar (PHIL 400)
An additional elective (No more than two 100-level courses may be counted toward the major.)
Note: PHIL 466: Senior Thesis is recommended but not required and is taken as an Individualized Study in either the fall or spring term. Students work closely with the entire Philosophy faculty on a subject of their choice.
Minor
The Philosophy Minor consists of a minimum of six (6) courses:
A 100-level PHIL course or FYS taught by a philosophy instructor
At least one course from our “texts in contexts” listings (205, 206, 207, 208, 215, 216, 225, 240, 355, 366 Great Philosophers Zhuangzi or other specially designated courses).
Two additional PHIL electives above the 100-level.
Available Courses
This list is a sampling of the kinds of courses offered through the Philosophy department curriculum. Not all courses shown here will be offered every semester. For a complete list of currently available courses, students may log into their account on Student Center.
Study of selected philosophical issues that deal with such themes as knowledge, happiness, justice, death, and the nature of reality. The goals are to develop an ability to read philosophical texts with understanding and, through analysis and reflection, to form arguments regarding philosophical issues.
In considering the answers to many of the traditional questions in philosophy, a standard approach is to consider the exemplars of the practice. For example, when Aristotle asks how we ought to live, he considers what it would be to be a virtuously magnanimous person. But perhaps insight could come from the other direction as well. In this class we will consider the ethically despicable character of the asshole as explicated by Aaron James and in terms of the search for truth, we will examine the nature of bullshit as analyzed by Harry Frankfurt. Using these accounts of how not to be and think, we will turn to traditional questions in logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and social/political philosophy.
Informal logic course designed to help students reflect on and enhance their ability to think analytically and creatively. Discussions and exercises focus on techniques characteristic of informal logic (classification of arguments, analysis and evaluation of arguments, identifying informal fallacies, etc.), as well as strategies for intuitive and creative thinking.
Study of moral problems and larger philosophical questions they raise about such issues as the defensible use of violence, limits of freedom, extent of our obligations to others and to nature, rightful state authority, and the nature of duties and obligations. Selected readings focus on moral disputes as they arise in law and medicine, in international affairs, and in private moral reflection. Particular attention is given to ethical theories and to worldviews that shape positions on moral issues and guide moral decision-making.
Exploration of ethical issues that arise regarding what responsibilities human beings have to the natural world. Specific issues such as population, land use, wilderness preservation, biodiversity, and our treatment of animals are examined in light of larger philosophical questions regarding nature and human purpose, obligations to future generations, the aesthetic and religious value of nature, and the possibility of an environmental ethic.
Examination of three related issues: (1) the definition of science, what criteria distinguish real science from pseudoscience?, (2) the qualities of good science, what are the properties that make one theory or one research program better than another?, and (3) the relation between scientific research and the broader culture within which it is placed, what special moral responsibilities do scientists take on?
Revolutionary thinkers give us new ways to view old problems. So it is with Albert Einstein who wrote not only on science, but on philosophy, politics, economics, and religion. This course looks at some of the classic problems in various parts of philosophy through traditional texts and then sees how Einstein challenged the standard positions.
An examination of the philosophical problems that arise around the concepts, ethics, and practice of sport. Sport allows us to strive for excellence in physical activity. Philosophy seeks wisdom, a mental activity. Philosophy of sport combines mind and body, seeking answers to questions about sporting activity.
Study of complex ethical and political situations that arise from tragedies and disasters in human life. Discussion of how to navigate some of the most difficult situations a human might encounter. Consideration of how tragedies and disasters happen, how we should respond to them, and how to heal and repair the damage that has been done. Topics include the structure of tragic events and conflicts, violence, trauma, the social/political contexts of disaster, climate change, decision-making, survival, recovery, mutual aid, and care. Emphasis will be made on tragedy and disaster across differences, including race, class, gender, and nation.
Philosophical study of love, relationships, marriage, sex, sexuality, sexual identity, and sexual representation. Philosophers have deeply explored knowledge, existence, politics and ethics. Yet love and sex, which for most of us are central features of a good life, have received far less attention. In this course material from philosophers who have thought about love and sex will be explored along with contemporary struggles around sexuality, sexual identity, sexual violence, love, romance, intimate relationships, and marriage. PHIL 125 and WGS 125 are cross-listed.
Introduction to bioethics through the study of specific cases and problems. Students will be introduced to major principles in contemporary Western bioethical thought and practice, including concepts of personhood, consent, autonomy, justice, altruism, truth-telling and caring, as well as strategies that promote ethical decision-making. Students will also examine bioethical theories critically and comparatively, while considering ethical dilemmas in various domains of medical research and practice.
Explore monsters in literature, myths, movies, art, pop culture, and philosophy as manifestations of cultural symptoms and counter-values. What do we mean when we call something a “monster”? What does the monster tell us about us versus the other? What are the limits of the monstrous, and how do these limits overlap with, challenge, and extend notions of normality? Which cultural and social roles do monsters play, and what can we learn from them? A parade of zombies, witches, amazons, cyclopes, AI, gigantic cockroaches, and many other extravagant figures will guide us in answering questions about normativity and power (gender and racial norms), fear and fascination (the confrontation of the dissimilar and the other), perception (phenomenological approaches to what appears), self-representation (the monster as external repository of human dubious features), and critique (the power of the monstrous for challenging accepted views). Choose your own monster and let the abominable journey begin!
African philosophy continues to be marginalized at many Western institutions. This course will counteract this exclusion and investigate the philosophical ethics of contemporary African philosophers. Each week will focus on one or two African thinkers and their contributions to ethical issues. Topics discussed will include decolonization, Yoruba ethical thought, feminism, ubuntu, philosophy of disability, and more. The ethical issues will all be discussed under the guiding question: How should we live?
An examination of philosophical questions raised by humor. Humor is a ubiquitous human behavior, yet has long been denigrated as not a serious subject of intellectual inquiry. This is mistaken. In closely examining humor, we can raise traditional human questions and see philosophical methodology in action.
In this course we will think deeply and critically about the ideas, practices, and institutions that shape our relationship to the Internet, data, and algorithms. First we will look at work on the philosophy of technology and the development of the Internet to situate the Internet as a still emerging technology. After this, we will look at the challenges that technology poses to concepts of personal identity, friendship, and public space, particularly by focusing on social media and epistemic bubbles. Then we will focus on the ethics of data and algorithms specifically as they relate to questions of privacy, fairness, and navigating false data. Finally, each of these previous themes will bridge together as we will consider the broader history of data as it has shaped personhood and institutions through an analysis of infopersons and the development of infopolitics.
An introduction to the methods, subfields, and questions of philosophy through the lenses of questions about religion and the meaningfulness of human life. Questions of evidence for the existence of God, the existence and immortality of the human soul, and the meaning of life will be considered.
Study of philosophers and philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome. Emphasis is on the Pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, and Skepticism. PHIL 205 and CLA 205 are cross-listed.
Study of leading thinkers in the Islamic philosophical tradition. Covers topics such causality and free will, reason and revelation, imagination, metaphysics, epistemology, and divine unity. Special emphasis is on such figures as Al Ghazali, Ibn Arabi, Suhrawardi, Jalal ad din Rumi, Mulla Sadra, and Ibn Sina and thinkers of the eighth to fifteenth century. PHIL 206 and REL 206 are cross-listed.
Study of such major figures as Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume in seventeenth- and eighteenth- century European philosophy.
Study of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and selected nineteenth-century European philosophers such as Hegel and Nietzsche.
Introduction to formal logic and a study of the formal uses of language, with particular reference to the nature of inference from premises to conclusion; rules for deductive inference; construction of formal proofs in sentential and predicate logic; and the nature of language.
Study of the distinctive methods by which philosophical arguments are explored and defended across cultures, traditions, and historical contexts. The course will examine four broad methodological categories: interpretation, translation/comparison, critique, and argument/analysis. Emphasis will be given to both the theoretical articulation and practical application of different methodologies. In addition to more traditional methods of argument and analysis, the course will include such approaches as phenomenology, hermeneutics, genealogy, dialectic, decoloniality, critical philosophy of race, feminist theory and gender theory. Readings will be drawn from diverse philosophical traditions, historical periods, and philosophical movements and schools.
An examination of a central issue of metaphysics: free will and the factors that may constrain or deny it. The affirmation that human beings may choose their actions, which provides the basis for moral responsibility, is set against the deterministic view that all changes in behavior, all “choices” are caused. The course considers various theories—libertarianism, compatibilisim, and “hard” and “soft” determinism; in addition, attention is given to interpretations of chance, randomness, luck, and fate as affecting human possibilities.
Historical survey of philosophy in the Americas, highlighting authors from various eras. Students will be exposed to ideas in all branches of philosophy, discussing metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics through the study of philosophical ideas from various sources, including indigenous, enslaved, and female authors. This course of study questions geographical and disciplinary boundaries, including the very idea of Latin America, itself. PHIL 215 and LAS 215 are cross-listed.
Have you ever heard of Confucius or read Laozi’s Daodejing? Do you know Mencius’s argument for the goodness of human nature, or the philosophical import of Chinese dragons relying on clouds to fly? Warring States Philosophy lies at the foundation of many Asian cultures, and the questions we’ll explore have a striking contemporary relevance.
In this class, you’ll learn to do philosophy from a different worldview and to think starting from different assumptions (e.g., relations as opposed to individual substances), using new concepts (e.g., dao), and adopting alternative philosophical formats (e.g., dialogue, parable). Additionally, the course features a strong experiential learning component, allowing you to put into practice the views of these philosophers in real-world contexts. PHIL 216 and REL 216 are cross-listed.
An examination of the question of whether or not gender is an essential and defining feature of personal identity, largely socially constructed, or perhaps a more fluid and dynamic interplay between nature and culture. Readings will explore biological accounts of sexual identity, the distinction between sex and gender, the significance of gender in the history of philosophy, the influence of race and class on gender, and the contemporary theory of gender as performance.
Study of philosophical arguments about pacifism and nonviolence. Readings and films will explore the concepts and issues involved in considering peace as the absence of war between nations, peace as a social and economic goal, peace as an ethical principle, and peace as a personal ideal. Particular attention will be paid to an analysis of different ways to conceptualize peace; as eradication of conflict, dialectical tension between diverse perspectives, or harmony and consensus.
An exploration of the nature of mind and leading theories of the relationship between mind and brain such as dualism, behaviorism, and mind/brain identity. In light of contemporary developments in neuroscience and cognitive science, topics include consciousness and subjectivity, the language of thought and other accounts of mental content, the problem of other minds, physical versus psychological accounts of personal identity, and ethical issues in contemporary neuroscience.
Study of the meanings and significance of justice for individuals and societies. Course examines principles and questions regarding distributive and retributive justice raised in central texts of the western philosophical tradition and uses them to analyze students' own views and engage contemporary challenges for individual, local, and global justice.
Study of practical and theoretical issues of human rights and the philosophical questions they raise. Are human rights applicable to all cultures? Are women's rights human rights? Can economic rights override political rights? Are some rights more important than others? How should we understand charges of cultural relativism against the universal applicability of human rights? The course will explore methods of terror such as killing, torture, disappearance, sexual assault and forceful recruitment by oppressive governments and war zone combatants.
Inquiry into what it means, in the view of existentialist philosophers, to "step forth" in the journey of becoming a self, a journey involving freedom, anxiety, despair, risk, choice and the possibility of inauthenticity. The writings of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky are examined as the inspiration for twentieth-century existentialism (Sartre, de Beauvoir, Beckett) as well as the phenomenological and postmodern responses to existentialism.
Study of the philosophy of social and political resistance as it arises from social unrest and the experience of structural violence. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between injustice and social resistance, and on systems of structural violence such as slavery, caste systems and dictatorships. Selected readings explore such issues as the nature of political and social resistance, the social conditions underlying resistance, the relationship between resistance and social change, and the paradox of violent resistance against injustice.
A study to provide a sound knowledge of the issues of terrorism and counter terrorism, and its impact on civil society. By encouraging debate on practical and theoretical aspects of terrorism and counter terrorism, the course challenges students to develop a deeper understanding of many faces and consequences of terrorism. Students look at successful negotiations; ceasefire and peace settlements in ending terrorism. Overall this course addresses the question of how to preserve the values of civil society in the face of terrorism and counter terrorism.
Study of trans theory as a way of thinking philosophically about identity, community, and politics. Looking at the context through which trans experience has become politicized with an emphasis on writing by trans people about their lives. Consideration of history and differences between the experiences of trans people based on race and class. Analysis of violence, oppression, institutions, media, cultural production, self-identification, resistance, activism, community-building, and care. PHIL 228 and WGS 228 are cross-listed
What is right and wrong? How to become a better person? Is it even possible to be or do good? With so many different and competing ideas in the world, how do we know which ideas to believe? Consider these and other fundamental questions in ethics across a range of theories and systems, including consequentialist, duty-, and virtue-based models, environmental ethics, and human rights, among others. Engage with a global range of philosophical texts and authors, through a diverse range of course material and assignments, including film, poetry, journalism, and speeches, as well as philosophical essays. PHIL 230 and PP 230 are cross-listed.
A study of the foundational issues, questions and philosophical frameworks that shape our relationship with the natural environment. The course will examine some of the most fundamental and influential movements and schools of thought within contemporary environmental philosophy and environmental ethics, including ecofeminism, ecophenomenology and deep ecology. Fatal flaws within the history of the Western philosophical tradition will also be assessed as we address the pressing issues and questions raised by the various ways in which we understand the environment and our relationship to it. Questions addressed in the course will include: How ought we to value nature and the environment? How should we understand the distinction between nature and culture? What ethical obligations do we have to non-human animals? How ought we to understand justice in relation to our environment and the environment we leave for future generations? Other issues including biodiversity loss, global climate change and environmental activism will also be explored throughout the course. PHIL 232 and PP 232 are cross-listed.
Examination of the foundations of scientific reasoning. Science draws conclusions about the working of the universe from observational evidence, but what kinds of arguments do they use to arrive at their results? Applying the theoretical views of philosophers of science to case studies in the history of science, this course examines what is meant by "the scientific method." Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or one course in any social or natural science.
A study of the relationship of philosophy to literature and the philosophical questions which arise from reflection on selected literary and philosophical works. Readings explore themes of narrative masquerade, human identity, and the search for meaning, and debate questions of textual interpretation and the reader-text relationship.
Study of philosophical efforts to understand and justify religious beliefs. Course examines writings of philosophers who have answered such questions as: What is Religion? What is the importance or significance of specifically religious experiences? What account can we give of the meaning of religious claims? How can we mediate between apparently conflicting religious beliefs?
Study of selected writings from the world’s philosophical traditions, including the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, African, Feminist, and Latina. This year’s guiding theme is the understanding of the self across diverse philosophical traditions. Related topics and questions include the meaning and purpose of doing multicultural philosophy, the existence of such a thing as one’s “self,” mind-body dualism, conventional and nondual approaches to non-self, the autonomy of the self, the gendered and racialized self, the adaptive self, the relational self, self as an activity and a project, the fictional self, the hybrid self, and the self as multiplicity.
Study of selected topics in colonial, early republic, nineteenth- and twentieth-century U.S. philosophy. Topics include deism, transcendentalism, pragmatism and historicism. Important secondary movements such as puritanism and evolutionism may also be considered.
Study of race and racism from a philosophical perspective. Racial categories shape human lives, not simply by highlighting difference, but also by defining social, political, and cultural realities. In an effort to understand these realities, this course considers philosophical treatments of race alongside concrete social issues to address the following questions: What are the origins of the idea of race? What is the relationship between the use of racial categories and racial oppression? What role does race play in forming human identities?
Think about any of the ordinary actions that you undertake during a day, like walking, reading a book, texting on your phone, riding a bike, and listening to music. In this course I’ll challenge you to consider that none of these actions is individual, that you aren’t the sole actor of your actions. Rather, you’re participating in a process along with many others, both human and nonhuman. We’ll explore the relational and collective constitution of agency and the agency of things like sofas, rocks, manufacture technologies, ideologies, bacteria, social roles, landscapes, and cities. We’ll discuss the sociopolitical implications of such a broad account of agency in light of current issues. Readings include Anglo-European and Chinese philosophy. The course is reading-intensive and discussion-based.
An examination of the most influential philosophers in the history of social and political theory and an assessment of how their philosophical frameworks succeed or fail to provide guidance regarding contemporary political problems and issues.
Exploration of the social and cultural impact of technology and the philosophical questions that technology raises. Readings will explore issues related to the autonomy of technology, virtual worlds, technology, power and knowledge, the globalization of technology, the social technologies and emergent lifeworlds, and ethics and technology. Discussion will also focus on the social construction of facts and artifacts and the technological mediation of the relationship of self to world.
An examination of the nature of knowledge. Traditionally, knowledge has been defined as true, justified belief. We will examine each of these three notions in detail and the various views about what they are. We will then question the traditional definition and look at contemporary challenges to the existence of objective knowledge.
Examination of the development and cultural context of American Jewish humor through the 20th century. Jews played a significant role in the development of American comedy on stage, on radio, on the big screen, and on television. This contribution comes from a cultural context in which Jews were both assimilating into the mainstream culture and aware of their alienation from it. The use of humor is a double-edged sword, both bringing joy and laughter, but also allowing an oppressed minority group to make sharp points about injustices in the culture in which they live -- sometimes uncomfortably.
An examination of the development of analytic philosophy. Starting with the crisis in mathematics at the end of the 19th century, leading to the development of formal logic and a re-evaluation of epistemology as a result of Einstein's theory of relativity, analytic philosophy developed new tools to solve and dissolve long-standing philosophical problems.
The purpose of scientific theories is to describe the content and behavior of the universe. Few scientific theories, however, leave us more confused about these matters than quantum mechanics. The theory is empirically successful, but it is unclear what the theory means, that is, what the universe it describes actually looks like. This course will examine the history of the theory and the range of interpretations that it has been given. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or one course in a natural science
Study of the philosophical foundations of mathematics starting with the concept of number and culminating the Godel's groundbreaking incompleteness result. Specific topics include the historical developments and mathematical and philosophical ramifications of zero, rational, irrational, imaginary, and transfinite numbers as well as an examination of the completeness of arithmetic.
Study of the notion of space as it has developed from Aristotle to Einstein. Particular focus will be given to relations between scientific accounts of the structure of space and the larger philosophical context in which they arose. Course cross-listed as Philosophy 315. Course does not count toward the physics major.
Study of the philosophical foundations and ramifications of the historical development of geometry. Euclid's axiomatic system was held up by philosophers for centuries as the template for all thought. But the development of non-Euclidean geometry gave rise to crucial questions about the foundations of mathematics and about the nature of knowledge more broadly. Is geometry, or mathematics more broadly, a science? Why are its results exact where other sciences are not? If it is not a science, why is it indispensable for science?
A seminar on issues at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, and economics: the explanation and evaluation of human actions and choices. Are we-as many thinkers have claimed-rational, self-interested, autonomous decision-makers? How do such factors as altruism, risk and uncertainty, discounting the future, fairness, luck, and loyalties affect our choices? How do pleasure, happiness, and well-being, and life itself serve as economic and ethical values? How can we be both moral agents and consumers, making rational, ethical choices in an uncertain world?
Study of the social dimension of knowledge, collective intelligence and group decision-making and agency. Traditional epistemology has focused largely on individual knowers abstracted from social contexts. Social Epistemology focuses on knowledge as a collective enterprise and on the social creation and dissemination of knowledge. Issues of epistemic dependence and epistemic authority, testimony, peer disagreement, community standards of justification and critique, the nature and function of expertise and issues of social and moral responsibility are examined.
Study of different conceptions of democracy and what procedures insure fair and inclusive deliberation. Students consider what constitutes the best form of government and whose vision should prevail? Emphasis is placed on the debate between liberalism and communitarianism, the role of religion in democracies, the limits of free speech, the role of dissent, the basis of human rights, and the risks entailed in open spaces. Particular focus is given to transitional and emerging democracies across the globe.
Examination of the construction of notions of evil. Using classical and contemporary texts from Western philosophy, religious thought, and literature, the course thematically engages five shapes of evil: 1) Evil and the Tragic (guilt and innocence in Greek thought); 2) Evil as Sin (the wicked will and God's role vis-a-vis evil); 3) Evil and Power; 4) The Mystique of Evil (the attraction of evil as embodied in the demonic "hero"); 5) Genocide and the Rhetoric of Evil.
Study of some major contemporary efforts related to traditional metaphysical issues. Topics include: Can philosophy tell us anything about the nature of our world? If so, how and what? To what extent is reality mind dependent? What is the relationship between language and reality?
A philosophical exploration of the nature and role of emotion in human life. Course examines emotionality as a human capacity, emotional response as an experience, and specific emotion types, such as anger or fear. Topics include the traditional opposition between reason and passion, between the cognitive and the emotive; the relation of emotion to morality; the possibility of "educating the emotions"; and philosophical issues related to particular emotions such as envy, jealousy, and embarrassment.
Philosophical examination of mystical texts in the western tradition. In readings drawn from Jewish Christian, and Muslim traditions, students will explore the mystical understanding of God and human nature, the nature of love, the relationship between morality and mysticism, and the truth status of mystical experiences.
A study of the contentious and, at times, subversive role that the artist and artwork have played in diverse philosophical traditions. Drawing on readings from within and beyond Western aesthetics, as well as traditional and contemporary poetry, painting, and music, the course examines the threat that the persuasive power of art poses to the philosopher, the homecoming that is promised by our experience of an artwork’s beauty, and the methods of resistance and critique that are opened up by artistic expression in a global and postcolonial world.
The study of film as an artifact that both illuminates philosophical problems and poses new questions for philosophers about the nature of the self and community. The course will examine how humans experience time and organize events and information through viewing film as a model of consciousness. Students will also study film to identify how culture shapes both our identity and our perception of the "Other".
Study of enduring themes of legal philosophy, such as the nature of law, law and morality, liberty, responsibility, and justice, as well as such specific issues as civil disobedience, freedom of expression, privacy, compensation, and punishment. Emphasis is placed on differing philosophical perspectives that underlie disagreements about the law and on ethical questions that arise from the practice of law.
A course that addresses philosophical questions about music, such as: What is music? What is a (particular) musical composition? How is music related to our cognitions and emotions? What is the tie between music and mathematics? What is the relation of music to moral character? Exploring such concepts as musical understanding, representation, expression, performance, and profundity, the course draws upon readings and music that span the centuries and the globe, and research from a range of disciplines.
Study of contemporary European and European-influenced philosophy. Course readings may include works by Heidegger, Derrida, Foucault, the French Nietzscheans (Bataille, Blanchot, Klossowski, Haar, Deleuze), French feminists (Kristeva, Irigaray, Cixous), and critical theorists (Adorno, Horkheimer). Course explores the interrelations between philosophy and disciplines- such as literature, psychoanalysis, political theory, and cultural criticism-and the ways in which contemporary continental philosophers both take up and alter the historical traditions of philosophy.
Examination of philosophical issues underlying chemistry. Does all of chemistry reduce to physics or are there purely chemical laws of nature? Does the use of models in chemistry mean that chemical explanations are true or merely useful heuristics? Is there a single method underlying chemistry from physical to organic or is it a historical accident that these fields are grouped together?
Examination of the development of views about the origin and evolution of the universe. From ancient times, humans have tried to answer the biggest of the big questions: where did it all come from? This course traces the course of the answers given from ancient mythology through contemporary models of contemporary Big Bang cosmology, focusing the interaction between advances in physical science and their philosophical ramifications.
An exploration of the concept of place (versus space) and how place matters in our lives. The course examines the meaning of particular places-home, gardens, cemeteries, battlefields (and athletic fields), prisons, sacred places, etc.-in the context of philosophical theories of place (historical and contemporary), moral geography, the representation of place, and the philosophy of architecture. These issues are studied in dialogue with the contrasting claim that the human good is independent of place.
Exploration of the relationship between philosophy and Christian belief. Course examines the extent to which a "Christian philosophy" is possible; epistemic, metaphysical, and normative analyses of selected Christian doctrines; and critical examination of Christian and non-Christian perspectives on whether philosophy and faith are compatible. Readings are drawn primarily from contemporary analytic and continental traditions.
A philosophical exploration of the phenomenon of color. Our experience of color - an important aspect of our experience of the world - poses puzzling problems of metaphysics, epistemology, and aesthetics. To address these and related philosophical issues, this course draws upon multidisciplinary sources, examining: the science, natural history, and aesthetics of color; the symbolism of colors and color patterns in culture and in literature; the relation of color and emotion; and the claim of Western “chromophobia.”
The purpose of this course is to examine the development of the philosophy of humor. We will examine two primary areas – humor theory (what is humor?) and humor ethics (are there humor acts that are morally problematic?). We will examine the history of philosophical discussions concerning humor, but focus on contemporary works in the field.
Asian philosophies started from examining absence, nothingness, and emptiness, rather than presence, being, and existence. Hinduist, Mahayana, Daoist, Zen, and Kyoto School philosophers employed ideas of nothingness to depict metaphysical principles, create ethical and self-cultivational ideals, and develop philosophies of knowledge, language, and action. Different versions of nothingness will become fundamental to explain continuity and change; argue for space-time causality; reflect on life, death, and rebirth; explore the self and its relation to the world; and understand how we think, how we use language, and how we can think, speak, and act differently. All philosophies of nothingness have a transformative power: they aim at transforming how we live by acquiring subtler insights on what is (not). Prerequisite: One 100-level PHIL course, or a FYS taught by Philosophy faculty.
An immersion in the life and works of a single major philosopher. The course offers a three-dimensional perspective on the writings, biography, social context, and intellectual development of a significant philosopher, including interests that cut across disciplines. It also incorporates the best of contemporary scholarship on the subject’s thought and its continuing relevance. The figure chosen will vary, but exemplars are: Plato, Rousseau, Tagore, Nietzsche, Mill, Heidegger, de Beauvoir, or James.
An immersion in the life and works of an important thinker who, though not normally identified as a philosopher, produced a body of work with philosophical significance. The course offers a close reading of major works, in the context of biography, social milieu, and intellectual developments. The philosophical impact and continuing importance of the selected thinker will be examined also through contemporary scholarship. Exemplars include: Wollstonecraft, Darwin, Freud, Gandhi, or Einstein.
The capstone course in Philosophy, in which a range of philosophical and other texts are examined through the lens of a selected theme or topic. Recent topics include: the Image, the Meaning of Life, the Seven Deadly Sins, Forgiveness, and Propaganda. This course is required for the major and is normally limited to senior majors.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements for the major or minor, graded A-F. This is an instructor-guided study of a philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum during the student’s tenure. Open to philosophy students who arrange with a faculty member for supervision.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
Individualized tutorial counting toward the minimum requirements for the major or minor, graded A-F. This is an instructor-guided study of a philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum during the student’s tenure. Open to philosophy students who arrange with a faculty member for supervision.
Individualized tutorial not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
An individualized, philosophical research project that applies work from previous courses to a more advanced or specialized inquiry. An original product of philosophical scholarship is required. Open only to philosophy majors who arrange for supervision of their project with a faculty member.
Individualized research counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
Individualized research not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor graded S/U.
An individualized project of original philosophical research. Thesis writers are coached by an individual mentor, but meet as a group with the department faculty several times during the term. The resulting thesis is defended before the faculty and also given a public presentation.
The questions raised within the academic field of philosophy have broad public relevance. Often academic conventions can impede the impact of eminently relevant scholarly research. This course endeavors to remedy this growing crisis of expertise. This course is a unique opportunity to develop philosophical skills, engage in guided research, and learn and expand the conventions of professional scholarly communication in philosophy at an advanced level. We will engage in the close reading and application of methods and modes of research presentation. Accordingly, the course will develop your skills in public speaking, scholarly exchange and formal presentation. The final project will consist of a refined research product that is ready for submission to professional scholarly journals and presentation to non-professional general audiences.
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
Internship counting toward the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded A-F.
Internship not counting in the minimum requirements in a major or minor, graded S/U.
Summer Internship graded A-F, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.
Summer Internship graded S/U, counting in the minimum requirements for a major or minor only with written permission filed in the Registrar's Office.