PHIL 105 - Philosophical Questions

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

Topic for 2024/25a: Minds and Machines. This course is an introduction to analytic philosophy focused on the relationship between minds and machines. We examine philosophical questions about external world skepticism, mind-body dualism, the nature of consciousness, and machine intelligence. Particular focus is placed on the relevance of recent developments in AI to perennial debates in philosophy. Jamie Kelly.

Topic for 2024/25b: What is a Good Life? In this course, we explore the fundamental question “What is a good life?” by drawing on Western and Asian (Indian and Chinese) philosophical traditions. Students engage with diverse perspectives on human flourishing, happiness, and meaning, examining how different cultural and historical contexts shape our understanding of what constitutes a good life. By critically engaging with thinkers from different philosophical traditions, students develop skills to evaluate what constitutes a good life, as well as to examine their own assumptions and beliefs about the nature of a good life. By the end of the semester, students have gained a broad perspective on this timeless question and developed the analytical tools to continue exploring it throughout their lives. Lee Ling Ting.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS