Professors: Jennifer Church, Jesse Kalin, Michael H. McCarthyb,
Mitchell Miller, Michael E. Murray; Associate Professors: Giovanna
Borradoriab, Uma Narayan, Douglas Winblad (Chair);
Assistant Professors: Herman Cappelena, Bryan Van
Norden.
Requirements for Concentration: 12 units including Philosophy
101, 102, 125, two of the following four: Philosophy 220, 222, 224,
226, either 234 or 238, 300–301, and three differently numbered
300–level seminars.
Senior–Year Requirement: Philosophy 300–301
Recommendations: Individual programs should be designed, in
consultation with a faculty adviser, to give the student a representative
acquaintance with major traditions in philosophy, competence in the
skills of philosophic investigation and argument, and opportunities
for exploration in areas of special interest. Students considering a
concentration in philosophy are advised to take Philosophy 101 and 102
early in their careers. German, French, and Greek are languages of particular
importance in Western philosophy; Chinese will be of special interest
to those taking Philosophy 110, 210, or 350.
Advisers: The department.
Correlate Sequences in Philosophy: The philosophy department
offers five different correlate sequences. In each sequence a total
of 6 units is required. The required 300–level seminar may be taken
twice if the topics differ; students may also petition to count an appropriate
Philosophy 280 as equivalent to a 300–level seminar.
1) Correlate Sequence in Analytic Philosophy: Philosophy 125
and either 105 or 102; 2 units of Philosophy 220, 222, 224, or 226;
two appropriate 300–level seminars, including Philosophy 310. Advisers:
Ms. Church, Mr. Cappelen, Mr. Winblad.
2) Correlate Sequence in Comparative Philosophy: Philosophy
110 and one of 101 or 102; Philosophy 210 and 234; two appropriate 300–level
seminars, including Philosophy 350. Adviser: Mr. Van Norden.
3) Correlate Sequence in Continental Philosophy: Philosophy
101 or 102; 205, 215, and one of Philosophy 240 or 260; two appropriate
300–level seminars, including Philosophy 340. Advisers: Ms. Borradori,
Mr. Murray.
4) Correlate Sequence in Ethics and Social and Political Philosophy:
1 unit at the introductory level, either Philosophy 106 or 101 or
110; 3 units at the intermediate level, including Philosophy 234 and
one of 238 or 250; two appropriate 300–level seminars, including
Philosophy 330. Advisers: Mr. Kalin, Mr. McCarthy, Ms. Narayan.
5) Correlate Sequence in the History of Western Philosophy: Philosophy
101 and 102; Philosophy 205 and 215; two appropriate 300–level
seminars, including Philosophy 320. Advisers: Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Miller.
Correlate sequences may also be designed for certain other subfields
in philosophyfor instance: aesthetics, philosophy and gender, philosophy
of science, classical philosophy.
I. Introductory
No prerequisites; open to all classes. Any of these courses is suitable
as a first course in philosophy.
101a. History of Western Philosophy I (1)
Philosophy from its origins in Greece to the Middle Ages. Ms. Borradori,
Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Miller, Mr. Murray.
102b. History of Western Philosophy II (1)
Modern philosophy from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through
Kant. Mr. Miller, Mr. Murray.
105a, b. Problems of Philosophy (1)
An examination of various philosophical problems, such as the nature
of reality, the limits of human knowledge, the relation between mind
and body, and the basis of moral values. Ms. Church, Mr. Cappelen.
106a, b. Philosophy and Contemporary Issues (1)
Philosophic investigation of a range of positions on current issues
such as abortion, pornography, affirmative action, gay rights, the moral
use of force, animal rights, technology, civil disobedience, and freedom
of speech. Mr. Kalin.
110a. Early Chinese Philosophy (1)
An introduction to Chinese philosophy in the period between (roughly)
500 and 221 b.c., covering Confucians, Taoists and others. Among the
topics discussed by these philosophers are human nature, methods of
ethical education and self–cultivation, virtues and vices, and
the role of human conventions and institutions in human life. Mr. Van
Norden.
125b. Symbolic Logic (1)
A study of the concepts and methods of formal logic. Topics include
truth functional and quantificational validity, soundness, and completeness.
Mr. Winblad.
II. Intermediate
Prerequisite for all 200–level courses unless otherwise specified:
1 unit of philosophy or permission of instructor.
205b. Nineteenth Century Philosophy (1)
The philosophies of such figures as Hegel, Kierkegaard, Marx and Nietzsche,
and of movements such as post–Kantian idealism, utilitarianism,
and positivism. Mr. Miller.
210b. Neo– Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism (1)
Introduction to Neo–Confucianism, one of the most influential
intellectual movements in China and all of East Asia. Also, some discussion
of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. No familiarity with Chinese culture
is assumed, but a previous 100–level course in philosophy is a
prerequisite, because this course assumes you have the ability to tackle
subtle issues in metaphysics, personal identity, and ethics. Mr. Van
Norden.
215a. Phenomenology and Existential Thought (1)
The major themes in existential and phenomenological thought as developed
by such figures as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau–Ponty,
and Levinas.
220a. Metaphysics and Epistemology (1)
A study of fundamental questions pertaining to the nature of reality
and our knowledge of it, with special attention to realism, relativism,
and skepticism. Mr. Winblad.
222b. Philosophy of Language (1)
An examination of truth, meaning, reference, intentions, conventions,
speech acts, metaphors, and the relation between language and thought.
Mr. Cappelen.
224a. Philosophy of Mind (1)
An exploration of what sort of thing the mind is, what is special about
first person knowledge, what constitutes consciousness, and why consciousness
matters. Ms. Church.
[226b. Philosophy of Science] (1)
A study of the principles of scientific reasoning. Topics include explanation,
justification, scientific rationality, realism versus instrumentalism,
and laws.
Not offered in 2001/02.
234b. Ethics (1)
We focus on ethical objectivism and relativism. Readings include selections
from Aquinas, Hume, Kant, and some recent Anglo–American philosophers.
Mr. Van Norden.
238a. Social and Political Philosophy (1)
A philosophical examination of justice, legitimate government, authority
and power, political liberty, civil equality, individual rights, and
the merits and limitations of democracy. Mr. McCarthy.
240a. Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics (1)
Classical and modern theories of the nature of art, the experience
of art, the creative process, and critical argument. Mr. Murray.
250b. Feminist Theory (1)
Examination of the theoretical sources and commitments of different
feminist perspectives (including liberal, socialist, radical, psychoanalytic,
and postmodern) and their bearing on such topics as the body, mothering,
sexuality, racism, relations among First– and Third–World
women. Ms. Narayan.
Prerequisite: 1 unit of philosophy or Women's Studies 130.
[260. Philosophy and the Arts] (1)
An examination of a specific art form and selected works within it
from a philosophical perspective. May be repeated for credit when different
arts are studied.
Not offered in 2001/02.
280b. The Philosophy of Psychoanalysis (1)
An exploration of philosophical issues raised by the theory and practice
of psychoanalysis, from Freud to the present. Topics include: competing
definitions of the Unconscious, the formation of a selfincluding gender
and sexual preference, the conflict between desire and morality, and
the role of fantasy. Ms. Church.
281b. Queer Theory: Choreographies of Sex and Gender (1)
This course examines contemporary theoretical work on the meaning of
gender and sexuality with special reference to gay and lesbian studies.
We will consider such questions as the identity and multiplication of
gender and sexes, the forms of erotic desire, the performativity of
gender norms, the role of biological determination, forms of life, marriage,
and their relations to medical, psychiatric, legal, and criminological
discourses. Readings from Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, David Halperin,
Edward Stein, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Andrew Sullivan, and others. Mr. Murray.
290a or b. Field Work (1/2 or 1)
The department.
296a or b. Translation of Philosophical Texts (1/2
or 1)
Translation of a chosen philosophical text under the supervision of
a member of the department. The department.
Prerequisite: two years or equivalent in the language.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2 or 1)
The department.
III. Advanced
Prerequisite for all 300–level courses unless otherwise specified:
1 unit of philosophy at the 200–level or permission of the instructor.
300a–301b. Senior Thesis (1/2)
The development of an extended philosophical essay in consultation
with a faculty adviser.
302. Senior Thesis (1)
By special permission only.
310a. Seminar in Analytic Philosophy: The Limits of Thought (1)
An examination of whether, and in what sense, there may be limits to
what can be said or thought. Mr. Winblad.
320b. Seminar in the History of Philosophy: Plato (1)
An intensive reading of selected Platonic texts with special attention
to the provocative function of dialogue form. Topics to be explored
include: friendship and eros; participation, forms, and the Good; the
interplay of unity, limit, and continuum in various orders of soul,
community, and cosmos. Mr. Miller.
330a. Seminar in Ethics and Theory of Value: Human Liberty (1)
The Western understanding of human liberty before and after the French
Revolution. Different conceptions of liberty, ancient and modern, public
and private, positive and negative are carefully examined. The modern
ideal of liberty as personal autocracy receives special attention. Mr. McCarthy.
340b. Seminar on Continental Philosophy: The Ethics and Politics of (1)
Deconstructionfrom Heidegger to Derrida
A critical exploration of deconstruction in its ethical and political
significance. The seminar begins with selections from Heidegger's Being
and Time, "The Self Assertion of the German University,"
An Introduction to Metaphysics, and the "Letter on Humanism,"
and then focuses on texts by Derrida on justice, constitutions, friendship,
racism and fascism, and his responses to Heidegger. Mr. Murray.
350b. Seminar: Confucianism (1)
Much important and exciting philosophical work has been done recently
on Confucianism. Readings include the texts of Confucius, Mencius, and
Hsun Tzu (in translation), but the focus is on introducing the student
to the contemporary debates over the meaning of these works, as conducted
in recent secondary literature. Having previously taken Philosophy 110
is useful, but not required. Mr. Van Norden.
381a. Art, Mind, and Morality (1)
An exploration of how certain issues in philosophy of mind and ethics
are treated in the arts, especially literature, music, and film. Broad
themes include the relation of aesthetic experience to moral experience,
the role of forms of "neutrality" (aesthetic distance or detachment,
moral impartiality) in each, the role of imagination, how the arts constitute
persons, what it means for a person or art work to be expressive, the
relation of performances to an underlying original, and whether art
can provide knowledge. Considerable time is given to individual art
works at each class session, including at least one opera, a series
of piano pieces, a Shakespeare play, a novel, a screwball comedy, and
a Terrence Malick film. Readings include texts by Stanley Cavell, Richard
Wollheim, Martha Nussbaum, as well as Kant, Heidegger, and Henry James.
Ms. Church, Mr. Kalin.
399a or b. Senior Independent Work. (1/2 or
1)
The department.