Below is a list of current courses offered, together with course descriptions specific to the instructors teaching the course.
For a list of course offerings generated by the university registrar, listing rooms, times, CRNs, and generic course descriptions, please visit the Course Explorer.
For a list of all courses offered by the Philosophy Department, with information about how regularly they are offered, please visit the Course Catalog.
FALL SEMESTER 2022
PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy - ACP ~ Weinberg
In this course we will pose some of the most fundamental questions we can ask about who we are as human beings, what we have reason to believe, how we should act, whether life really has any meaning, and what should we think about race and gender. What I hope to show is that much of what we normally think about these sorts of things takes on a different light when we engage in philosophical reflection. With the help of the readings, discussions, and writing assignments, students will learn how to critically engage with philosophical texts and how to craft and evaluate philosophical arguments addressing these apparently simple, but really very challenging questions.
Course is identical to PHIL 101 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both PHIL 100 and PHIL 101. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: (1) Advanced Composition & (2) Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 101 – Introduction to Philosophy ~ Saenz, Lee
This course introduces students to the discipline of philosophy through some of philosophy's most important questions: Do we know that there is an external world? Is the mind immaterial or material? Could a computer be a thinking thing? Does God exist? Is the existence of evil compatible with the existence of God? What makes an action right or wrong? Should we be cultural relativists about morality? In thinking about these questions and their potential answers, students will, among other things, improve their ability to evaluate and construct arguments all while learning what it is that philosophers do.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 101 and PHIL 100.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 102 – Logic and Reasoning ~ Muntean
Introduction to the analysis and evaluation of actual arguments, to the practice of constructing logically sound arguments, and to logic as the theory of argument, with an emphasis on arguments of current or general interest. This course's primary goal is to improve your reasoning. Toward that end, we focus on the primary unit of reasoning, arguments, which we analyze and evaluate, but we also focus on reasoning in other contexts, e.g. explanations, as well as barriers to reasoning well, e.g. bias.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 103 – Logic and Reasoning - QR II ~ Weaver
The first part of the course is an introduction to critical thinking, fallacies in reasoning, inductive inference, and causal inference (Reasoning). Instruction will include a survey of these topics. Classroom time will also be used to help facilitate interactive activities among students to help ensure that students are developing good critical thinking skills. Part two of PHIL 103 is an introduction to classical propositional logic (Logic). During part two students are taught the basics of symbolic logic, they are given the tools to identify deductively valid and invalid arguments. Students are taught how to prove that an argument is valid or invalid using various proof-theoretic methods. They are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned during classroom activities (inter alia).
Credit is not given for both PHIL 103 and PHIL 102.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil, Quantitative Reasoning II
PHIL 105 – Intro to Ethics ~ Smith
This course is an introduction to ethical theory, that is, the philosophical study of morality. We will begin the course by getting a sense of how to do philosophy in general before briefly engaging with some foundational issues in ethical theory. We will then move on to discussing three prominent approaches to ethical theory: utilitarianism, Kantianism, and Aristotelian virtue ethics. In addition, at various points in the course we will also consider moral questions having to do with particular issues of contemporary concern, such as famine relief, pornography, and abortion.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 105 and either PHIL 104 or PHIL 106.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 107 – Intro to Political Philosophy ~ Vanderbeek
This course is designed as an introduction to political philosophy, and by extension to philosophical thinking more generally. We will proceed by considering – through critical engagement with philosophical arguments and each other – the following questions:
(1) What is human nature, and how does our understanding of it inform the way we justify the state? To what extent should these justifications draw from the Social Contract Theory tradition?
(2) How ought we balance institutional power against our concern for liberty?
a. Which kind of freedom, positive or negative liberty, ought we be concerned with?
b. How does a basic concern for freedom feature in our justification of the state?
c. Why, and how much, should we value toleration?
(3) What ought to be the basic structure of society?
a. What is a just state?
b. What theoretical framework is necessary to diagnose racial injustice and guide reform? Is
c. Is the Capitalist or Socialist ideal more justifiable?
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
PHIL 202 - Symbolic Logic ~ Muntean
This course is an introduction to formalizing and evaluating (deductive) arguments. The first goal in this class is the class-specific goal of becoming proficient at translating and evaluating deductive arguments in sentential and predicate logic. The second goal is broad. Being able to properly evaluate arguments and understand the logical relations between statements is a skill with wide-ranging applications. Arguments appear in many aspects of our lives---not only in philosophy---and the ability to properly evaluate them is a crucial skill for everyone.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Quantitative Reasoning I
PHIL 203 - Ancient Philosophy ~ Shatalov
An introduction to ancient philosophy, surveying works from the Early Greek or Pre-Socratic philosophers, Plato, and Aristotle, on topics concerning metaphysics, cosmology, theory of knowledge, and explanation.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 210 - Ethics ~ Leland
This is an introductory course in ethics focused on central topics in metaethics and moral psychology. Topics covered include the following: moral realism and anti-realism; cognitivism and non-cognitivism; moral relativism; moral epistemology; the relation between moral psychology and science; the nature of moral motivation; the roles of desires, reasons, and emotions in moral judgment; the concept of virtue; and the relation between moral responsibility, free will, and determinism, among others.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 214H - Biomedical Ethics ~ Livengood
Biomedical Ethics (PHIL 214) teaches students to think critically about ethical problems that arise in the fields of medicine and bio-engineering. These typically include topics such as euthanasia, cosmetic surgery, genetic modification, involuntary psychiatric commitment, informed consent, vaccination and other public health initiatives, organ transplantation, non-human animal research, and state provision of healthcare. This semester, the course will focus on ethical, legal, and policy issues related to abortion.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 222 - Philosophical Foundations of Computer Science ~ Kishida
Introduction to certain ideas and issues at the intersection of computer science and philosophy. Students will focus on foundational questions related to the birth of computer science as a discipline, philosophical issues regarding knowledge and reality that researchers face in the frontiers of contemporary computer science, and current ethical issues related to the uses of machines and computers in society.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 410 - Classical Ancient Philosophers ~ Shatalov
An intensive study on the treatment of virtue and happiness and related ethical concerns as these were treated in Plato’s work, and in Aristotle’s response to Plato. Reading Plato’s Republic in its entirety and much of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with approval, if topics vary.
Prerequisite: One course in philosophy, preferably PHIL 203.
PHIL 411 - Nineteenth Century Philosophy ~ Varden
Much19th Century philosophy responds to the troubles that were part and parcel of modernity as well as so-called “Western analytic philosophy.” In addition, some of the important philosophical thinkers in this century were either on the fringes of or denied access to the academy in general or philosophy in particular. The focus of this course is on some of the important contributions given to us by these excluded philosophical minds.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 412 - Classical Modern Philosophers ~ Biondi
Intensive study of one classical modern philosopher or the intensive study of major philosophical problem through the consideration of a number of classical modern philosophers, e.g., Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Hume, Kant, and Hegel. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with approval, if topics vary.
Prerequisite: One course in philosophy, preferably PHIL 206.-
PHIL/PHYS 419/420 - Space, Time, and Matter ~ Weaver (Fall 2022)
Space, Time, and Matter is an advanced and intensive history and philosophy of physics course that aims to: (a) introduce students to the history of both theoretical and experimental physics (more specifically, we will travel from scientific thought before Aristotle all the way to the development of the standard model of particle physics), (b) briefly introduce students to the basic formulae and accompanying (sometimes competing) interpretations of classical Newtonian mechanics, classical electrodynamics, early kinetic theory, thermodynamics, (classical) Boltzmannian statistical mechanics, special relativity, general relativity, the standard LAMBDA-CDM cosmological model, and both non-relativistic and relativistic quantum mechanics, (c) introduce students to debates in the foundations of physics, and (d) give special attention to philosophical debates concerning scientific realism and anti-realism, the relationship between the manifest and scientific images, and the nature of matter, space, time, and spacetime.
PHIL 421 - Ethical Theories ~ Biondi
Systematic study of selected classics in moral philosophy by such philosophers as Aristotle, Hume, Mill, Kant, and Nietzsche.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 425 - Philosophy of Mind ~ Leland
This course is an advanced introduction to central topics in the philosophy of mind. For historical context, we will first examine influential claims about the mind and mental content advanced in early and late modern European philosophy. The preponderance of the course will then be devoted to important developments during the 20th and early 21st century. Topics covered include: the Cartesian view of the mind; the ontology of the mind; mental transparency and unconscious representations; the nature of mental content; the concept of a private language; the relation between thought and language; the interface between philosophy of mind and epistemology; the nature of action; radical interpretation; the subjective character of experience; the language of thought hypothesis; semantic externalism; eliminativism; the intentional stance; the model of the mind as software to the brain; self-knowledge; mental causation; the nature of consciousness; and intentionality.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 430 - Theory of Knowledge ~ Livengood
Theory of knowledge (also called “epistemology”) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the proper analysis of “knowledge,” the nature and structure of justification, problems of skepticism, critical evaluation of the sources of knowledge, questions about the aims of belief and inquiry, the nature of rationality, the ethics of belief, and so on. In this course, we will be developing three related themes: pragmatism, the ethics of belief, and the use of formal, mathematical tools in studying epistemology. We will not have time to cover nearly all of the broad sweep of epistemology.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to describe what is meant by “the ethics of belief” and explain the core debate between Clifford and James, describe some of the main features of pragmatism in epistemology as well as some of its strengths and weaknesses, describe some competing (or potentially competing) models of belief, sketch arguments for and against the claim that the aim of inquiry is the truth, describe the JTB analysis of “knowledge” and Gettier’s challenge to that analysis, and much else.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 435 - Social Philosophy ~ Savonius-Wroth
One problem is fundamental to social philosophy: the problem of ideal human relations. Yet this single problem raises further puzzles about human identity, the nature of community, and about the limits of our knowledge. What does it mean to be a human being? What does it mean to live in a human community? What holds our community together? And can we claim to know what ought to bind us together—and to know how we ought to behave towards one another? This course begins with ancient answers: we read selections from classics by Plato and Aristotle. Then we turn to distinctly modern solutions: we read selections from the chief works by John Locke and Bernard Mandeville. Finally we consider the divide between ancient and modern philosophy—and perhaps allow ourselves to dream of a better society.
PHIL 471 - Contemporary Philosophy of Science ~ Muntean
We often inquire about the world around us with questions like: “How does X work?” “Why does Y work?” Why not ask then: “How does science work?” This very question and some of its answers stemming from a philosophical perspective constitute the motivation for this course. Why should we seek philosophical answers to questions about science? Isn’t science itself able to address them? The premise of this course is that foundational questions about science have enticing philosophical answers. Philosophy and science are similar in many respects: they aspire to ascertain some ultimate truths about the world, and they both share common ideals: rationality, objectivity, facts, truth, etc., and lastly, answering foundational questions.
Please email Ioan Muntean imuntean@illinois.edu I you have questions.
PHIL 477 - Philosophy of Psychology ~ Livengood
Philosophy of psychology covers a large range of issues having to do with the study of cognition, mental representation, perception, consciousness, and the methods used to investigate psychological phenomena.
In this course, we will be concerned with several interrelated foundational, conceptual, and methodological issues in psychology, including the goals of psychology, the significance of measurement, nativism and the relative importance of nature and nurture, the status of folk psychology, the relationship between psychology and neuroscience, the nature of (psychological) mechanism, the role of probability in studying human cognition, the replication crisis, severe testing, Bayesianism, causal inference, the contents of mental representations, and the nature of consciousness.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to sketch (at least in rough outline) some important historical developments in psychology and some of the challenges psychology faces, describe the nature-nurture debate and explain its relationship to philosophical debates between empiricists and rationalists, attack or defend the claim that psychology is an autonomous science, describe the replication crisis and critically evaluate some suggestions for resolving it, describe some points of contact between philosophy of psychology and philosophy of mind, and much else.
Same as PSYC 477. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Two courses in philosophy or two courses in psychology or consent of instructor.
PHIL 499 - Capstone Seminar ~ Shatalov
Capstone course required for all philosophy majors. Students will explore in depth a specific topic either in the history of philosophy or in contemporary practical or theoretical philosophy and will write a substantial original essay appropriate for a senior thesis. Topics will differ by section and semester. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: PHIL 202, PHIL 203, PHIL 206, PHIL 222, PHIL 223. Restricted to Philosophy and CS + Philosophy majors with Senior Standing. Philosophy majors (and CS + Philosophy majors matriculated before Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 203, and PHIL 206. CS + Philosophy majors (matriculated after Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 222, and PHIL 223.
PHIL 512 - Seminar Social Philosophy ~ Bojanowski
Seminar designed to study special problems in social philosophy. See Schedule for current topics. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit. For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.
PHIL 513 – Seminar Philosophy of Logic ~ Kishida
Selected topics in contemporary logical theory. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit. For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.
PHIL 514 – Seminar in Cognitive Science ~ Hummel
An in-depth, integrative overview of the major themes in the study of Cognitive Science, including cognition as computation, the relation between mind and brain, computability and the role of heuristics in "solving" unsolvable problems, and the logical/mathematical foundations of these themes. Specific topics covered include inverse optics and vision; induction and reasoning; learnability and language; philosophy of minds and brains; evolution; artificial intelligence and computational modeling; information theory; knowledge representation. The emphasis throughout is on the interrelations among these topics as examples of important but fundamentally unsolvable problems.
PHIL 521 - Contemporary Problems ~ Saenz
Under the Quinean conception, ontology is primarily concerned with what exists. But many now think otherwise. The key questions of ontology are not, they say, existence questions but grounding questions. In this class, we will examine the nature and import of grounding and other related notions (such as fundamentality, ontological dependence, and ontological simplicity). What is grounding? What are its relata? What principles are true of it (it is irreflexive, asymmetric, and transitive)? How does grounding relate to other notions (like modality or explanation)? We will also look at some disputes over what grounds what. In particular, we will investigate the dispute over fundamental mereology (are wholes grounded in their parts or is it the other way around). Questions concerning fundamentality will also be investigated. What things are fundamental? Is there a fundamental level or is it instead turtles all the way down?
SPRING SEMESTER 2023
PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy - ACP ~ Saenz
Consideration of some main problems of philosophy concerning, for example, knowledge, God, mind and body, and human freedom.
Course is identical to PHIL 101 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both PHIL 100 and PHIL 101. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Advanced Composition and Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 101 – Introduction to Philosophy ~ Leland
This course introduces students to philosophy through a study of both its history and contemporary topics. After learning some basic concepts of logic, we will study works from some of the greatest and most influential thinkers in the history of philosophy. Following this, we will then examine topics from a variety of contemporary subfields of the discipline, including epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, ethics, and political philosophy. The overall aim is to help students understand some of the important contributions of past philosophers, as well as conceptual tools that contemporary philosophers use to make sense of a broad range of important phenomena.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 101 and PHIL 100.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy ~ Maimone
Consideration of some main problems of philosophy concerning, for example, knowledge, God, mind and body, and human freedom through the study of diverse philosophical thinkers and methodologies.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 101 and PHIL 100.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities: Hist & Phil.
PHIL 101 – Introduction to Philosophy ~ Rowe
In this course we will engage with several perennial problems of philosophy. A sample of topics include: the nature of God (and whether it is possible to give a rational argument for God's existence), the major arguments as to the fundamental nature of being and substance (materialism v. idealism v. dualism), the nature of time, whether we have free will (determinism v. libertarianism v. compatibilism), the major theories of morality, the problem of skepticism, and basic classical logic. We will also read a number of dialogues by Plato as well as having readings from other philosophers.
Please note that credit is not given for both PHIL 101 and PHIL 100.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities: Hist & Phil.
PHIL 102 – Logic and Reasoning ~ Muntean
Practical study of logical reasoning; techniques for analyzing and criticizing arguments, including dialectic, rhetoric, visualization of arguments, as well as elements of formal logic, induction, and scientific reasoning, with emphasis on assessing the logical coherence of what we read and write.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 103 – Logic and Reasoning QR ~ Livengood
Practical study of logical reasoning; techniques for analyzing and criticizing arguments, with emphasis on assessing the logical coherence of what we read and write.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 103 and PHIL 102.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil & Quantitative Reasoning II
PHIL 104 – Intro to Ethics-ACP* ~ Bojanowski
Consider the following dialogue: Anton: “Murder is wrong because I don’t like it.” Bert: “That’s false, for I like it.” If the disagreement between Anton and Bert brings out what moral disagreement essentially comes down to, murder would be at best like sweet red wine; disliked by most people but liked by others. There would be nothing objectively wrong with murder. In this course we will see why this account of ethical judgments is fundamentally flawed. Moral judgments are very different from culinary judgments of taste. This will become transparent when we look at some of the most controversial contemporary ethical issues: Should we abandon privacy online in light of our national security? Do we have a moral obligation to help the famine stricken in poor countries? Is it wrong to eat meat? What types of contents are we allowed to share on social media? Is abortion morally permissible? Should people receive high rewards for outstanding performances if these performances depend on their natural advantages? Giving an answer to each of these questions is difficult. Yet it would be inappropriate to simply flip a coin. Instead, we need to come up with a justification for our answer. As humans we can give and ask for reasons and make our actions dependent on them. These reasons can track more than simply our individual preferences. But what exactly do moral reasons track? What do we mean when we judge that an action is morally permissible or impermissible? What do we mean when we judge that a person’s character is good or evil? Is there a fundamental principle that underlies all our moral judgments? What does our life look like if it is governed by this fundamental moral principle? Is livening a morally good life compatible with living a happy life? We are going to engage with these questions by reading some of the philosophical classics (Aristotle, Hume and Kant) as well as contemporary readings.
Course is identical to PHIL 105 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both PHIL 104 and either PHIL 105 or PHIL 106. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.
*This course satisfies the Advanced Composition General Education Requirement*
PHIL 105 – Intro to Ethics ~ Carlson
What does it mean to do the right thing, and how do we know what that is? Why care about it in the first place? In this class, we will explore how the most popular ethical theories, from utilitarianism to deontology, attempt to answer these questions. We will also challenge our own preconceptions and intuitions by looking at specific philosophical debates surrounding controversial issues such as abortion, criminal punishment, and more.
Credit is not given for both PHIL 105 and either PHIL 104 or PHIL 106.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 106 - Ethics and Social Policy ~ Muntean
This course focuses on philosophical aspects of emergent technologies and new scientific domains by employing applied ethics and epistemology. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, moral responsibility, epistemic risk, reliability, trust, ethics of coding and big data, precautionary strategies, ethics and epistemology of innovation, progress, and research. As a result, students will be able to think, evaluate effectively, and act when it comes to decisions about emerging technologies, their impact, and their applications. The class is centered chiefly on computational science and integrates it with the practice of related technologies and scientific disciplines. This course addresses these questions: When and why is it morally right (or wrong) to trust an emergent or disruptive technology? What is the social impact of a given emerging technology or new scientific discipline? Why should we trust science or technology?
Credit is not given for both PHIL 106 and either PHIL 104 or PHIL 105.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
PHIL 107 – Intro to Political Philosophy ~ Savonius-Wroth
Is there an alternative to our existing politics? This course begins with a remarkable challenge to immoral politics: we begin with Thomas More’s Utopia of 1516, a classic work which has entered our culture so deeply that its title has become an accepted term for dreams of a better future. Then we trace the later evolution of political philosophy: we study the development of the divide between republicanism and liberalism. Finally we return to More’s challenge and reconsider the relationships between politics and morality, and politics and economy. Should moral principles guide political action—and if so, which principles? Can principles be abandoned in the name of political or economic necessity? Is it always wrong for leaders to lie? Throughout the course, we will be reading short selections from works by major thinkers.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci
PHIL 202 - Symbolic Logic ~ Lee
This course is an introduction to formalizing and evaluating deductive arguments. The primary class-specific goal is for students to become proficient at translating English-language arguments into a formal language in order to evaluate their semantic validity and understand their logical structure. Being able to properly evaluate arguments and understand the logical relations between statements is a skill with wide-ranging applications. Arguments appear in many aspects of our lives—not only in philosophy—and the ability to properly evaluate them is a crucial skill for everyone. In particular, the course will focus on three modules:
• Introducing sentential logic (SL) semantics, translating English sentences into SL, and testing SL arguments for validity via truth tables.
• Evaluating and constructing SL arguments using natural deduction.
• Introducing predicate logic (PL) semantics, translating English sentences into PL, and evaluating and constructing PL arguments using natural deduction.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Quantitative Reasoning I
PHIL 203 - Ancient Philosophy ~ Biondi
This course will offer an introduction to Ancient Greek philosophy, focusing on Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and the Cynics. Some themes will include the nature of the self and its relationship to society; how to obtain knowledge, including self-knowledge, knowledge of the natural world, and justice; and the relationship between philosophical inquiry and the good life.
Same as CLCV 203.This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 206 - Early Modern Philosophy ~ Biondi
This course provides an introduction to central themes in several major philosophical figures of the 17th and 18th centuries. We will concentrate on epistemological and metaphysical issues about the underlying nature of the natural world and how we know it, including the scientific turn to explanation as mechanistic explanation and relatedly of the nature of causation. We will also consider the nature of what exists and whether it is material, immaterial, or both, and the problems with each view, with particular emphasis on how to explain the interaction of the mind and the body. The overarching theme of this course is an investigation into the limits of human understanding in our explanations of the natural world as undertaken in primary texts of Descartes, Hobbes, Cavendish, Spinoza, Conway, and Leibniz.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 223 - Minds and Machines ~ Muntean
This course examines the nature of human minds and brains in light of what we know about machine ‘software’ and ‘hardware’ and (ii) how the rise of AI is affecting and reshaping science and society. The course will explore questions such as: Could a machine have a mind? What can human minds and brains teach us about how an intelligent machine might work? Can machines learn to master various domains in ways that simulate and eventually even surpass the astonishing capacity and flexibility of human learning? Could a machine think in the ways humans do? How could we tell? How do machines and our interactions with them influence, affect, and enhance how humans think, learn, and reason? What are the advantages and perils of our increasing dependence on artificial intelligence, big data, and social networks? How should we, as a society, confront situations where the underlying processes behind machine ‘decisions’ are not transparent? How can we tell if machines become conscious? How should machines that exhibit some non-trivial features of human minds be treated? How should machines treat us?
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 270 - Philosophy of Science ~ Weaver
Through a brief survey of the history of physics, PHIL 270 Philosophy of Science starts the semester with the study of examples of scientific theories, their laws, their predictions, their evidences, their models, and their proposed explanations of phenomena. Drawing upon a newly acquired familiarity with important developments in physical theorizing gained through the study of the history of physics, PHIL 270 Philosophy of Science then investigates some of the most important work on the demarcation problem, the problem of underdetermination of theories by their evidence, the nature of prediction and scientific explanation, laws of nature, and the scientific realism/anti-realism debate. The course also directly addresses matters of cultural significance by including a large section on the philosophy and science of race and gender. It explores various perspectives on these socially important issues through a diversity of readings.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Humanities - Hist & Phil
PHIL 307 - Elements of Semantics & Pragmatics ~ Lasersohn
Introduction to the theory of meaning for natural language, including techniques for the description of lexical meaning, compositional determination of phrase and sentence meaning, and pragmatic effects on interpretation in context.
Same as LING 307. See LING 307.
PHIL 422 - Recent Developments in Ethics ~ Biondi
Specifically titled: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
The ethical questions presented by the prospect of Artificial Intelligence touch all areas of life. New technologies challenge assumptions in law, politics, art, economics, conceptions of human nature, and ethical theory itself. This course pairs philosophy with science fiction and current events to examine three sets of questions about the ethics of AI. First, how does intelligent technology change our understanding of automation, the future of work, and the economy generally? What moral questions does the direction of automation present us today? Second, we consider AI as an existential risk. How should we think about the possibility of AI bringing about the end of humanity? Third, we examine the moral status of AI and other technologies. Should AI be given rights? Does this question push us to reexamine our expectations from a moral theory?
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in ethics.
PHIL 425 - Philosophy of Mind ~ Leland
This course is an advanced introduction to central topics in the philosophy of mind. For historical context, we will first examine influential claims about the mind and mental content advanced in early and late modern European philosophy. The preponderance of the course will then be devoted to important developments during the 20th and early 21st century. Topics covered include: the Cartesian view of the mind; the ontology of the mind; mental transparency and unconscious representations; the nature of mental content; the concept of a private language; the relation between thought and language; the interface between philosophy of mind and epistemology; the nature of action; the subjective character of experience; the language of thought hypothesis; semantic externalism; eliminativism; the intentional stance; the model of the mind as software to the brain; self-knowledge; mental causation; the nature of consciousness; and intentionality.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 426 - Metaphysics ~ Saenz
This class surveys a number of central topics in metaphysics – composition, abstract objects, modality, properties, time, persistence, and being. We will use a textbook that offers a nice introduction to each topic and supplement this with articles that deal with some of the specific issues.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 429 - Value Theory ~ Leland
This course is an advanced introduction to central topics in metaethics. It will focus in particular on debates concerning three foundational issues: the objective (or non-objective) basis of morality (moral realism vs. moral anti-realism); the nature of moral judgments and assertions (cognitivism vs. non-cognitivism); and the nature of moral motivation (internalism vs. externalism).
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 439 - Philosophy of Math ~ Kishida
Introduction to some of the main philosophical problems and contemporary viewpoints concerning mathematical concepts, mathematical methods, and the nature of mathematical truth.
Same as MATH 439. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.
PHIL 454 - Advanced Symbolic Logic ~ Kishida
This is an advanced course in symbolic logic. We will focus on some of the fundamental meta-theorems of first-order logic. The first half of the course will cover some basic results and techniques from model theory, including the completeness theorem, compactness theorem, and Löwenheim-Skolem theorems. In the second half of the course, our focus will primarily be on the relationship between computability and logic, covering the theory of recursive functions and the proof of Gödel's incompleteness theorems, among others.
3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: PHIL 202 or consent of instructor.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for: Quantitative Reasoning II
PHIL 499 -Capstone Seminar ~ Varden
“Hannah Arendt.”
Hannah Arendt is one of the most original and important thinkers of the 20th century. This course will focus on Hannah Arendt’s groundbreaking work on modernity, the human condition, and totalitarianism. Our key works will be The Human Condition, The Origins of Totalitarianism, and Eichmann in Jerusalem, but we will also read related essays found in The Jewish Writings, Responsibility and Judgment, The Life of the Mind, and Thinking without a Bannister.
3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: PHIL 202, PHIL 203, PHIL 206, PHIL 222, PHIL 223. Restricted to Philosophy and CS + Philosophy majors with Senior Standing. Philosophy majors (and CS + Philosophy majors matriculated before Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 203, and PHIL 206. CS + Philosophy majors (matriculated after Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 222, and PHIL 223.
PHIL 499 -Capstone Seminar ~ Bojanowski
This seminar will consider the nature and significance of death for human beings. Just what counts as the end of a person's life? Is death something that we should fear—is it a harm or a loss, or should we conceive of death in some other way? How would human life be different if we were immortal? Does death rob life of any real significance or is it necessary for life to be meaningful?. In addition to the death of individuals, we will contemplate the death of the entire human species. How should the prospect of humanity’s total extinction affect how we approach life now? Would there be anything wrong with us all deciding just not to reproduce anymore? Finally, we will consider our ethical relations to the dead. Can dead people still be harmed or helped? Do we have any moral obligations to the dead (if so, how do these obligations differ from those we have to the living)? What is the ethical significance of human remains and gravesites? What is wrong, if anything, with cannibalism or necrophilia?
3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: PHIL 202, PHIL 203, PHIL 206, PHIL 222, PHIL 223. Restricted to Philosophy and CS + Philosophy majors with Senior Standing. Philosophy majors (and CS + Philosophy majors matriculated before Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 203, and PHIL 206. CS + Philosophy majors (matriculated after Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 222, and PHIL 223.
PHIL 501 - Seminar History of Philosophy ~ Weinberg
Was Locke a fox or a hedgehog? This seminar will look primarily at Locke’s writings in natural and religious epistemology to see whether he was involved in a systematic undertaking. As for the natural epistemology, we will investigate the nature of knowledge and probability, including his view that there are different degrees of certainty of knowledge, as well as issues of testimony, disagreement, and a possible form of social epistemology in concept formation, communication, and education. We will then turn to his religious epistemology as found in both the Essay concerning Human Understanding and the religious writings, including the justification and role of revelation, a short discourse on miracles, and his epistemic and hermeneutical concerns in biblical interpretation. We might also read some other religious writings of the period insofar as they engaged with Locke as well as how Locke’s view might compare with contemporary work in religious epistemology."
2 or 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit.
For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.
PHIL 517 - Seminar Philosophy of Science ~ Weaver
The Spring 2023 iteration of PHIL 517 (seminar in philosophy of science) will focus on the history and foundations of non-relativistic quantum mechanics (QM) with special attention given to the history and foundations of the various interpretations of QM understood as responses to the measurement problem. It will first include a discussion of the development of quantum theory in the history of physics, subsequently moving to discussion of the basics of the standard Hilbert space formulation of QM. We will then study the measurement problem and attempted resolutions of that problem. Interpretations and/or outlooks to be discussed will include the Copenhagen interpretation, the statistical interpretation of Born, Heisenberg, and von Neumann, the Many Worlds or Everettian interpretation, QBism, Agent Realism (or the Relational interpretation), the GRW interpretation, modal interpretations, the Statistical Ensemble interpretation, and the Bohm-de Broglie interpretation. We will also explore matters pertaining to the metaphysics of the wave function, non-locality and entanglement, the role of probability in QM, the role of causation (or lack thereof) in QM, and Humeanism. Non-specialists and specialists alike are encouraged to attend.
Course Information :Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit.
For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.
PHIL 521 - Contemporary Problems Seminar: ~ Varden
“John Rawls.”
The influence of John Rawls on contemporary political philosophy can hardly be overstated. This seminar will use Rawls’s latest statement of his theory—Justice as Fairness: A Restatement—as the main text. However, along the way, we will supplement our study with Rawls’s original (1971) A Theory of Justice, his (1993) Political Liberalism, and a selection of influential, critical works written in response to Rawls’s theories.
Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit.
For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.