PHIL 105 - Philosophical Questions

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

a and b: The discipline of philosophy revolves around a set of timeless questions about the fundamental nature of reality and humanity’s place in it. In this course, we explore some of those enduring questions using readings from throughout the history of philosophy. Questions under discussion include: What is truth? What is knowledge? How do our minds connect to the world? What is happiness? What is the meaning of life? Is the government’s power over us justified, and if so, why? We study attempts to answer these questions by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, Albert Camus, Martha Nussbaum, John Searle, and Susan Wolf. Our primary goals for the course are gaining an understanding of the significance of the questions we discuss, and working towards informed judgments about the right answers to those questions. Megan Stotts.

b. This course is an introduction to some major themes in the philosophical tradition. To warm up we start by discussing the existence of God, the problem of evil, and the case for religious belief. We then move on to problems in the study of knowledge. Is there an external world? How do we we know about what there is outside of ourselves? Are there scientific laws? We then talk about what kinds of creatures we are: is my 5-year-old self the same as my adult self? At what point do I cease to be the same person? And - are the kinds of creatures we are imbued with free will? We end by discussing what it means for something to be good for us. The main purpose of the course is to build up philosophical skills, pass on useful philosophical tools, and enable students to tackle difficult topics in writing and group discussion. Emphasis is placed on the reading and interpretation of primary texts and their application to contemporary debates in the field of philosophy. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa.

Two 75-minute periods.