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Courses

  • PHIL 100: The Good Life

    What makes for a good life? Pleasure? Happiness? Are those just the same thing? And what is the proper place of knowledge, achievement and morality in a good life? Do we care about these things for their own sake? Or simply because they help us to get other things we want (happiness or pleasure perhaps)? We will grapple with these questions through a careful engagement with the philosopher Thomas Hurka's The Best Things In Life: A Guide to What Really Matters as well as the work of other philosophers that have tried to determine what goes into living a good life. 6 credit; AI, WR1; offered Fall 2011 -- D. Groll

  • PHIL 110: Appearance and Reality

    Nothing is what it seems. This claim has been one of the staples of philosophy. Naturally, theories of the reality that lies behind the appearances have been many and diverse. For Platonists, there are only immaterial forms and the intellectual souls that grasp them. For Eliminative materialists there are only physical things and the laws that govern them. To the modern reader, this second theory seems unproblematic, but it too, means that most of what we assume to be obviously true is mistaken. In this course, we shall examine these, and other, accounts of the reality behind the appearances. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Fall 2011, Winter 2012 -- D. Vlahovic

  • PHIL 111: Arguing about Politics

    This course introduces students to several classic texts in the history of political thought and provides them with an opportunity to interpret these texts critically by concentrating on argument analysis. Students will also learn to construct and effectively communicate their own arguments about foundational issues in politics. We will discuss justifications of democracy, the challenge of diverse citizenship, the role of deliberation in politics and related questions. We will read works by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, de Tocqueville, Mill as well as some contemporary political theorists. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Spring 2012 -- A. Moltchanova

  • PHIL 112: Mind, Matter, Consciousness

    According to a common view of the mind, mental states are nothing more than states of the brain. There are certain features of human intellection, subjective experience, and action which have prompted some philosophers to argue that human mental activity is not reducible to brain activity. Some have gone on to argue that the human mind is immaterial and capable of surviving the death of the body. We will examine variants of these views as well as objections to them, reading selections from such historical figures as Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes, and such contemporary philosophers as Churchland, Nagel, and Searle. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 113: Killing

    Although we tend not to think about it very often, killing is very much a part of our lives. We confront it whenever we eat an animal, talk about the wisdom of intervention in foreign conflicts, consider federal funding of abortion or ask whether people have the right to terminate their own lives. This course will explore killing in its various guises, with special focus on war, our relationship with animals, abortion and euthanasia. Students will be asked to consider various views on these matters while developing the skills to clearly state and defend, via philosophical argument, their own views. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Winter 2012 -- D. Groll

  • PHIL 114: Personal Identity

    This course is an introduction to philosophy through the topic of personal identity. What is a person? What is it that makes possible our continued existence through time? Is it a soul? Our bodies? Or is it a stream of memories connecting us to past events? We also examine the place of race in determining personal identity. Readings will be drawn from historical as well as contemporary sources. 6 credit; Humanities, Recognition and Affirmation of Difference Requirement, WR, HI, WR2; offered Spring 2012 -- A. Curran

  • PHIL 115: Science, Faith, and Rationality

    This course will introduce the student to the study of philosophy through a consideration of various epistemic and metaphysical issues surrounding science and religion. What distinguishes scientific inquiry from other areas of inquiry: Its subject matter, its method of inquiry, or perhaps both? How does scientific belief differ from religious belief, in particular? Is the scientist committed to substantive metaphysical assumptions? If so, what role do these assumptions play in scientific investigation and how do they differ from religious dogma (if they do)? Our exploration of these questions will involve the consideration of both classic and contemporary philosophical texts. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 210: Logic

    This course is an introduction to the basic concepts and methods of classical sentential and first-order, predicate logic. We will begin with a brief examination of some of the informal, linguistic techniques used to identify the structure of arguments expressed in natural English. We will then turn our attention to formal logic, developing precise methods for assessing the validity of arguments expressed in the formalized settings of both sentential and predicate logic. We will introduce both semantic and proof-theoretic techniques for assessing the validity of such formal patterns of reasoning. 6 credit; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement, FSR; offered Fall 2011 -- A. Archer

  • PHIL 211: Being, Time and Identity

    The aim of metaphysics has traditionally been to identify the nature and structure of reality. The topics of this course are the topology of time, identity of things and individuals, causality, free will, and the referents of general terms. We will read a variety of classic and contemporary texts, which are organized topically. Prerequisite: one 100 level course in Philosophy. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Winter 2012 -- A. Moltchanova

  • PHIL 212: Epistemology

    Epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, is concerned with the nature and scope (limitations) of knowledge, as well as with related issues about what we should believe. In this class, we will be exploring a number of central epistemological questions, including: What is it, exactly, to know something? How, if at all, is knowledge different from true belief? Why, if at all, should we value knowledge? What justifies us in believing as we do? If time permits, we will also discuss some of the putative sources of knowledge and justification, such as perception, memory, a priori reasoning, and inductive inference. Prerequisites: One 100 level course in philosophy or permission of the instructor 6 credit; Humanities, HI; offered Spring 2012 -- A. Archer

  • PHIL 213: Ethics

    How should we live? What makes certain actions right and others wrong? And why should I care about morality? These questions are at the heart of the study of ethics. We begin by looking at particular ethical issues (abortion, poverty, killing in war) with special emphasis on what is involved in making a philosophical "argument" for our convictions on these matters. We then turn to foundational issues in ethics concerning which principle(s) determine(s) govern right and wrong action, before turning to the question of whether everyone has reason to be moral. Readings are drawn from a combination of contemporary and historical sources. Prerequisites: One 100 level course in philosophy 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Fall 2011 -- D. Groll

  • PHIL 221: Philosophy of Law

    This course provides students with an opportunity to engage actively in a discussion of theoretical questions about law. We will consider the nature of law as it is presented by natural law theory, legal positivism and legal realism. Then we will deal with responsibility and punishment, and challenges to the idea of the primacy of individual rights from legal paternalism and moralism. We will next inquire into the explanations of why individuals should obey the law, and conditions under which civil disobedience is justified. Finally, we will discuss issues raised by feminist legal theory and some theories of minority rights. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Spring 2012 -- A. Moltchanova

  • PHIL 222: Topics in Medical Ethics

    Over the past forty years, the idea that competent patients have the right to make decisions about their own care has become paramount in medical ethics and medical practice. But the primacy of patient autonomy as a value raises a host of interesting questions: What can (or should) clinicians do when patients make poor decisions? What does it mean for a patient to be competent? Who should make decisions in those cases where the patient is deemed incompetent? And when, if ever, can clinicians refuse to offer treatment on moral grounds? We will explore these issues through a combination of philosophical readings and case studies. Prerequisites: Any other course in philosophy or permission of instructor 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Spring 2012 -- D. Groll

  • PHIL 223: Philosophy of Language

    In this course we will look at how philosophers have tried to understand language and its connection with human thought and communication. The course will be split into two parts: Semantics and Pragmatics. In the first part, we'll look at general features of linguistic expressions like meaning and reference. In the second part, we'll look at the various ways in which speakers use language. Topics to be considered in the second part include speech acts, implicature, and presupposition. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Fall 2011 -- D. Vlahovic

  • PHIL 224: Philosophy of Literature

    This class investigates some intriguing questions that philosophers have considered about literature. Why should a writer who is interested in philosophical issues write a work of literature rather than a philosophical treatise? What is the function or point of literature: to convey the truth, engage in make believe, or present a model for ways to live one’s life? In addition we investigate the difference between fiction and non-fiction, interpretation, metaphor, the imagination, and the definition and ontology of literature. Readings will be drawn from philosophy as well as some case materials, including a novel and several films. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Winter 2012 -- A. Curran
    Extended departmental description for PHIL 224

    Course description:
    This class investigates some intriguing questions that philosophers have considered about literature. First, what is the definition of literature? Can we give a definition at all? Second, what is the basic function of literature and why does it engage and affect us so deeply? Does it invent entertaining lies? Does it offer real-life scenarios that are useful for our lives? Third, what sorts of perspectives do readers take on fictional narratives as they engage with them? Do we engage in make-believe? Do we simulate the mental states and feelings of characters? Do we imagine what it is like to be a character? Do we adopt the viewpoint of an “implied author”? Fourth, why should a writer who is interested in philosophical issues write a work of literature rather than a philosophical treatise? What is the difference, if any, between philosophy and literature? Is literature just a storehouse of examples or can it offer philosophical arguments and thought experiments? Can it present profound “truths” about our lives? Readings will be drawn from philosophy as well as some case materials, including several novels, short stories, and several films.

    Course goals:
    Whether you are a philosophy major or new to the discipline, this course will introduce you to some of the methods of philosophy through an examination of the philosophy of literature. You will also get practice in writing philosophy papers as well as in philosophical debating.
    You will learn about three connections between philosophy and literature:
    1. Philosophical approaches to the understanding of literary texts (their definition, function, and how we engage with them)
    2. Philosophy in literature: what are some texts that invoke philosophical themes?
    3. Philosophy versus literature: what is the difference between the methods of philosophy and those of literature? Are there important differences between these disciplines? Or are the differences insignificant?

  • PHIL 225: Philosophy of Mind

    What is the relationship between the mind and the brain? Are they identical? Or is there mental "stuff" in addition to physical stuff? Or perhaps some physical stuff has irreducibly mental properties? These, and related questions, are explored by philosophers under the heading of "the mind-body problem." In this course, we will start with these questions, looking at classical and contemporary defenses of both materialism and dualism. This investigation will lead us to other important questions such as: What is the nature of mental representation, what is consciousness, and could a robot have conscious states and mental representations? 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 232: Social and Political Philosophy: Justice and Politics

    What distinguishes just states from unjust states? Are some states so unjust that we are not obliged to comply with their laws? We will examine answers to these and related questions proposed by liberal, socialist, libertarian, communitarian, feminist and post-modern theories of political and social justice. The following are some of the authors we will read: Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Marx, Berlin, Lyotard, Nozick, Rawls, Habermas, Sandel, Seyla Benhabib, Jean Hampton, Charles Taylor, and Amy Gutmann. 6 credit; Humanities, SI; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 234: Aesthetics

    Various issues in aesthetics: the definition of art, the nature of the aesthetic, the description, interpretation, and evaluation of aesthetic objects. Readings will be drawn primarily from the works of philosophers and from case materials. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; not offered 2011-2012
    Extended departmental description for PHIL 234

    Philosophy 234, Winter 2010

    The central goal of the course is to introduce you to some of the puzzles and problems that philosophers have considered when they have thought about art. After going through the course you will have learned a new way to think about art. You will also learn about philosophical thinking and see how examining art can teach us more about the nature of philosophy.

    We investigate three central topics: (1) The Definition of art: Can art be defined? Could anything, including a pile of bricks, be art?  (2) The experience of art: What is the nature of aesthetic experience? Is beauty a central aspect of how we experience art? What is the difference between the experience and appreciation of nature and the appreciation of art? (3) The value of art: Why is art valuable? What is rewarding about the experience of art? What is the relationship between artistic and moral values? Readings will be drawn from the history of aesthetics, contemporary philosophy of art, and case materials. We will also have a trip to the Walker Art Center and to the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

  • PHIL 242: Environmental Ethics

    What moral stance should we take toward the non-human part of our natural environment? How should we treat animals, for instance? Is there any justification for treating human beings with special consideration, or is this an objectionable form of speciesism? How should we treat other non-animal beings? What stance should we take toward the ecological system as a whole? In this class we will consider various ethical approaches in an attempt to raise the level of sophistication with which we can go about framing and supporting answers to these (and other similar) questions. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 250: Philosophy of Physics

    A study of the implications that our best current physical theories have for our understanding of the world, as well as the implications that our best philosophical theories have for our understanding of physical theory. We will focus primarily on relativity theory and quantum mechanics. Possible topics include: the nature of causality, the relativity of simultaneity, the twin paradox, hidden variables, the measurement problem, nonlocality, the relationship between quantum theory and relativity theory, and the very idea of scientific truth. 6 credit; Humanities, HI; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 270: Ancient Greek Philosophy: Knowledge and Skepticism

    Is it possible to know anything for certain? A skeptic denies that we are ever justified in claiming to know something. This class examines the debates in ancient Greek philosophy regarding the nature and justification of knowledge. Is knowledge relative to the perceiver? Is it possible that knowledge can be found in a transcendental realm of abstract forms? Or should knowledge be acquired by induction based on sense perception? Should we withhold our assent from everything that is less than certain? Readings from Heraclitus, Plato, Aristotle, Pyrrho and Sextus Empiricus. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Spring 2012 -- A. Curran

  • PHIL 272: Modern Philosophy: Reason and Reality

    What is the nature of reality and the self? And what role does reason play in helping us answer this question? We engage these questions through a careful look at some of the central texts of Modern philosophy (the seventeenth and eighteenth century). We will read Descartes (who declares "I think, therefore I am" as a part of a broader project to secure knowledge), Berkeley (who maintains that reality consists of nothing more than bundles of ideas), Hume (who claims that our knowledge of the world is based on "custom") and Kant (whose views are not amenable to summary in a parenthesis!). Prerequisites: Any other course in philosophy or permission of the instructor. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Winter 2012 -- D. Groll

  • PHIL 274: Existentialism

    We will consider the emergence and development of major themes of existentialism in the works of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, as well as "classical" existentialists such as Heidegger, Sartre and De Beauvoir. We will discuss key issues put forward by the existentialist movement, such as "the question of being" and human historicity, freedom and responsibility and look at how different authors analyzed the nature and ambitions of the Self and diverse aspects of subjectivity. 6 credit; Humanities, HI; not offered 2011-2012

  • PHIL 395: Wittgenstein on Language, Mind and Meaning

    A close reading of Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. The seminar will focus on Wittgenstein's rejection of cognitivism and individualism in the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of language. Select Continental sources, including Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty, will also be discussed. 6 credit; Humanities, HI; offered Winter 2012 -- R. Elveton

  • PHIL 395: Problems in Aesthetics

    In the first part of the course we will examine notions of the aesthetic (aesthetic value, aesthetic experience, judgments of "taste," etc.), focusing on formalist theories, and objections to them. In the second part of the course we will investigate cognitive dimensions of the arts. It is often by engaging appreciators imaginatively, or by eliciting empathy (in any of several senses) that works affect them cognitively. So we will investigate imaginative and empathetic responses to works of art. 6 credit; Humanities, HI; offered Spring 2012 -- K. Walton

  • PHIL 395: Aristotle on Being Human

    What is it to be human? Is there some form of life that is a distinctively human life and separates us from other animals? What sorts of beings are we, from a metaphysical point of view, and what kind of ethical, cultural and political life is necessary for us to flourish as human beings? In this seminar we investigate Aristotle’s view of what it is to live an authentically human life. Readings from Aristotle’s major works and modern criticisms and defenses of Aristotle’s ideas by Williams, MacIntyre, and Nussbaum, and others. 6 credit; Humanities, WR, HI, WR2; offered Fall 2011 -- A. Curran

  • PHIL 399: Senior Thesis

    The planning, preparation, and completion of a philosophical paper under the direction of a member of the department and as part of a seminar group. 6 credit; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement, NE; offered Winter 2012 -- A. Curran

  • PHIL 400: Integrative Exercise

    A colloquium in which seniors defend their senior theses and discuss the senior theses of others. 3 credit; S/NC; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2011, Spring 2012 -- Staff