bSpring 2016 Course Descriptions

University Requirement: The University requires that every student complete a two course
requirement in Philosophyfirst an introductory course (10100, 10101, 20101) and second, a more
focused, advanced 2xxxx level course.
Philosophy majors and minors must take 30301, 30302 or 30313 before registering for 3xxxx or 4xxxx
level courses.

Introduction to Philosophy
10100 01 (22014)
Cross
11:00-11:50 TR (F)
First Year Students Only
co-requirement 12100
This course will introduce the major areas of philosophy: ethics; knowledge, rationality and
skepticism; human nature, body and soul; personal identity; the existence of God; the nature of evil.
It will involve study of historical and recent philosophical texts, covering many of the most
significant figures from the history of philosophy.
Introduction to Philosophy
10101 01 (21323)
Karbowski
12:30-1:45 MW
First Year Students Only
This course is an historically oriented introduction to Philosophy. It aims to introduce students to
philosophy by a close reading of the works of some of the great philosophers, including but not
limited to Parmenides, Plato/Socrates, Aristotle, Avicenna, Abelard, St. Augustine, and St. Aquinas.
We will examine their stances on a variety of philosophical questions about the nature of reality,
knowledge, universals/particulars, morality, personhood, and the afterlife. Students should come
away from the course with a deeper appreciation of the doctrines/arguments of these philosophers,
of the value of critical engagement with others' beliefs, and of the value of the study of philosophy
itself. The final grade in the course will be determined by the student's performance on two papers, a
midterm, and a final.
Introduction to Philosophy
10101 02 (22641)
Karbowski
2:00-3:15 MW
First Year Students Only

This course is an historically oriented introduction to Philosophy. It aims to introduce students to

philosophy by a close reading of the works of some of the great philosophers, including but not
limited to Parmenides, Plato/Socrates, Aristotle, Avicenna, Abelard, St. Augustine, and St. Aquinas.
We will examine their stances on a variety of philosophical questions about the nature of reality,
knowledge, universals/particulars, morality, personhood, and the afterlife. Students should come
away from the course with a deeper appreciation of the doctrines/arguments of these philosophers,
of the value of critical engagement with others' beliefs, and of the value of the study of philosophy
itself. The final grade in the course will be determined by the student's performance on two papers, a
midterm, and a final.

Introduction to Philosophy
10101 03 (21227)
Rodriguez
8:20-9:10 MWF
First Year Students Only
This class will provide an overview of issues that are both important problems of philosophy and
issues relevant to the lives of each of us: the existence of God and the problem of evil, the nature of
human beings (whether we are more than just bodies, and whether we are free), and what moral
standards we should follow (if any). We will also deal with the particular moral issue of war and
peace, examining in some detail the positions of pacifism and just war theory.
The goal is for students (a) to become familiar with the issues involved for each topic and with
responses that have been posed to these questions (to this end students will be required to read
pieces both classical and modern), and (b) to develop the abilities to analyze the alternatives and to
adopt more well-thought-out positions of their own (to this end students will be required to
participate in class discussions and regularly write papers responding to readings). Class
requirements include participation, three papers, and two exams.

Introduction to Philosophy
10101 04 (20339)
Rodriguez
9: 25-10:15 MWF
First Year Students Only
This class will provide an overview of issues that are both important problems of philosophy and
issues relevant to the lives of each of us: the existence of God and the problem of evil, the nature of
human beings (whether we are more than just bodies, and whether we are free), and what moral
standards we should follow (if any). We will also deal with the particular moral issue of war and
peace, examining in some detail the positions of pacifism and just war theory.
The goal is for students (a) to become familiar with the issues involved for each topic and with
responses that have been posed to these questions (to this end students will be required to read

pieces both classical and modern), and (b) to develop the abilities to analyze the alternatives and to
adopt more well-thought-out positions of their own (to this end students will be required to
participate in class discussions and regularly write papers responding to readings). Class
requirements include participation, three papers, and two exams.

Introduction to Philosophy
10101 05 (30066)
Rodriguez
11:30-12:20 MWF
First Year Students Only
This class will provide an overview of issues that are both important problems of philosophy and
issues relevant to the lives of each of us: the existence of God and the problem of evil, the nature of
human beings (whether we are more than just bodies, and whether we are free), and what moral
standards we should follow (if any). We will also deal with the particular moral issue of war and
peace, examining in some detail the positions of pacifism and just war theory.
The goal is for students (a) to become familiar with the issues involved for each topic and with
responses that have been posed to these questions (to this end students will be required to read
pieces both classical and modern), and (b) to develop the abilities to analyze the alternatives and to
adopt more well-thought-out positions of their own (to this end students will be required to
participate in class discussions and regularly write papers responding to readings). Class
requirements include participation, three papers, and two exams.

Introduction to Philosophy
10101 06 (30067)
TBA
12:50-1:40 MWF
First Year Students Only

Introduction to Philosophy
10101 07 (30087)
TBA
3:30-4:20 MWF
First Year Students Only

Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Religion

10102 01 (29031)
Rea

2:00-3:15 MW
First Year Students Only
Some of the most important religious questionsDoes God exist? Is it rational to have faith? Can I
survive death?are also philosophical questions. The aim of this course is to introduce students to
some key topics in philosophy (e.g., metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind) by considering
some of the distinctively religious questions that intersect those topics. We will discuss, among
other things, arguments for and against the existence of God, the attributes of God, the possibility of
surviving death, the rationality of religious belief, and the meaning of life. Course requirements will
include two exams and a few short (3 4 page) papers.
Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Religion
10102 02 (29033)
Roeber
9:30-10:45 TR
First Year Students Only
This course will be an introduction to philosophy with a special focus on issues at the intersection of
philosophy and religion and in the philosophy of religion. Topics will include the nature and
existence of God, and the implications of belief in God for our understanding of ourselves and the
world around us. It also aims to teach how to think, read, and write critically about philosophical
issues.
Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Religion
10102 03 (29032)
Dumont
5:05-6:20 TR
First Year Students Only
A philosophical examination of religious beliefs. Topics include the existence and nature of God, the
problem of evil, immortality, miracles, the meaning of religious language, the basis for religious
belief, and the varieties and conflicts of religions. Readings will be taken from both classical and
contemporary sources.
Requirements: Term paper, midterm exam, and final exam.
Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Religion
10102 04 (29030)
Baldwin
12:30-1:45 TR
First Year Students Only
One broad way to think about the philosophy of religion is to characterize it as critical thinking
about religion. In this course we will consider some of the philosophical questions and problems
that confront those who think seriously about religion and religious belief. The questions are
numerous and varied. Well consider the following sorts of questions: What are the varieties of
religious experience and how could having such experiences rationally ground beliefs about God or

some other ultimate reality of religious significance? What are some of the differing conceptions of
the nature of ultimate reality or God and by which criteria are we to assess their merits? Are there
any good arguments for the existence of God? Are there any good arguments for thinking that God
doesnt exist? Why is there so much evil in the world if God is all-good and all-powerful, and why
do bad things happen to good people? How are religion and science related? How are faith and
reason related? More specifically, how do influential thinkers like C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud
answer these questions? Is C.S. Lewis argument from reason (or something like it) sound? Is Alvin
Plantingas evolutionary argument against naturalism sound?

Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Mathematics

10104 01 (29034)
Bays
11:00-12:15 TR
First Year Students Only
What do we mean when we say that one sentence "follows logically" from another sentence (or
collection of sentences)? This course will discuss a number of answers to this question, focusing on
the difficulties which arise when we try to formalize these answers using mathematical tools. Along
the way, we will examine some basic conceptual issues in modern logic: What is a proof? What does
it mean to say that sentences are true" at a model? How does the structure of the set-theoretic
universe affect our notion of logical consequence?

Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics & Politics

10105 01 (29038)
Rush
9:30-10:45 TR
First Year Students Only
This is a seminar surveying leading ideas in ethics, political, and social philosophy. Attention is paid
to both historical and contemporary sources. Main topics considered are: the relation of individual
to society, on the one hand, and the relation of society to state, on the other. Specific discussions
center on: the major positions in ethics (consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics), in both
their classic and contemporary formulations; the nature of liberalism, socialism, anarchism; and the
relation of social science (especially history and sociology) to both ethics and politics. Readings
selected from among leading historical and contemporary sources.

Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics & Politics

10105 02 (29036)
TBA
3:30-4:45 MW
First Year Students Only

Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics & Politics

10105 03 (29037)
Fisher
3:30-4:45 TR
First Year Students Only
How ought one to live? How we answer this question has implications for both ethics and politics,
and figuring out an answer to this question has been a central concern of philosophers since the time
of Socrates. In this class, we will examine various philosophers attempts to answer this question. We
will read, among others, Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Locke, and Kant. Your final grade will
be determined by two papers, two exams, and your participation in the class.

Philosophy University Seminar

13185 01 (21337)
Brading
9:30-10:45 TR
First Year Students Only
What is the world made of, and how does it work? This is the question through which we will find
our way into philosophy. We will ask about what there is (metaphysics, ontology, science), how we
can know (epistemology, methodology, scientific method), and how we can talk about all
this (philosophy of language, scientific theories). Addressing these questions takes us into issues of
our own place in the world, of what makes a human being, and, in light of all this, into questions of
how we should live and act. Throughout this course we will use scientific developments to help
us think about philosophical questions, and philosophical questions to help us think about science.
Science topics will include questions of scientific knowledge and scientific method, and may include
philosophical issues in physics and biology, and contemporary ethical questions
associated with medicine, food, and technology.
Philosophy University Seminar
13185 02 (21727)
DePaul
11:00-12:15 TR
First Year Students Only
Two things follow from the fact that this is a University Seminar: (1) Classes will have a discussion
rather than a lecture format. (2) The course will be writing intensive, with students required to write
and rewrite three short papers (5-7 pages).
As an introduction to philosophy, we will use contemporary and historical texts to examine a
number of questions that have vexed philosophers from ancient times to the present:

Does God exist?

Why does God allow evil?
Can we know about the world external to our own thoughts and sensations, and if we can, how?
What if anything unifies ourselves through time?
Are there any objective moral truths or are all moral claims relative?
We will also examine some more contemporary topics from applied ethics regarding race and
gender, e.g., implicit bias and the nature of oppression.

Philosophy University Seminar

13185 03 (27345)
Cory
2:00-3:15 TR
First Year Students Only
This course introduces problems concerning ethical action and life in society, through the close study
of seminal texts from the history of philosophy. We will consider themes such as justice, virtue and
vice, friendship, the relationship between faith and reason, and the roles of work, leisure, and
religion in society. The course will also address basic philosophical problems about opinion and
knowledge, and study the basic elements of formal and informal logic.
Philosophy University Seminar
13185 04 (21729)
DePaul
2:00-3:15 TR
First Year Students Only
Two things follow from the fact that this is a University Seminar: (1) Classes will have a discussion
rather than a lecture format. (2) The course will be writing intensive, with students required to write
and rewrite three short papers (5-7 pages).
As an introduction to philosophy, we will use contemporary and historical texts to examine a
number of questions that have vexed philosophers from ancient times to the present:
Does God exist?
Why does God allow evil?
Can we know about the world external to our own thoughts and sensations, and if we can, how?
What if anything unifies ourselves through time?
Are there any objective moral truths or are all moral claims relative?
We will also examine some more contemporary topics from applied ethics regarding race and
gender, e.g., implicit bias and the nature of oppression.

Philosophy University Seminar

13185 05 (21731)
Kelsey
2:00-3:15 TR
First Year Students Only
Platos Republic contains many ideas about many topics; most of the topics are of manifest human
interest, and most of the ideas are developed with tremendous imagination and power. But though
in these respects the book is an ideal text for a first course in philosophy, it is also very demanding: it
is an advanced book, not addressed to beginners; it is a long book, devoted to a single, complicated
line of argument; and it is an old book, set in a world that for us is in many ways very alien.
Still, on the principle that few things worth doing are easy, and that things worth doing are worth
doing well, in this course we will read Plato's Republic, in its entirety, twice: once relatively quickly,
just to get acclimated, and then again relatively slowly, in order that we may have time to explore, at
leisure and in freedom, both the ideas contained in it and the ideas it provokes in us.
Philosophy University Seminar
13185 06 (21730)
Kelsey
3:30-4:45 TR
First Year Students Only
Platos Republic contains many ideas about many topics; most of the topics are of manifest human
interest, and most of the ideas are developed with tremendous imagination and power. But though
in these respects the book is an ideal text for a first course in philosophy, it is also very demanding: it
is an advanced book, not addressed to beginners; it is a long book, devoted to a single, complicated
line of argument; and it is an old book, set in a world that for us is in many ways very alien.
Still, on the principle that few things worth doing are easy, and that things worth doing are worth
doing well, in this course we will read Plato's Republic, in its entirety, twice: once relatively quickly,
just to get acclimated, and then again relatively slowly, in order that we may have time to explore, at
leisure and in freedom, both the ideas contained in it and the ideas it provokes in us.
Philosophy University Seminar
13185 07 (21728)
Watson
3:30-4:45 TR
First Year Students Only
This seminar will focus on an historical introduction to problems concerning the self and human
subjectivity. We will conclude with readings in the background of the existentialist tradition. Likely
texts include selections from Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Hume, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche
and Sartre. Like all university seminars, this one will be writing intensive with approximately
twenty-pages of required writing (and in some cases revising) over the course of the semester. In

addition, each student will be expected to make a seminar presentation.

Philosophy University Seminar

13185 08 (21618)
Watson
5:05-6:20 TR
First Year Students Only
This seminar will focus on an historical introduction to problems concerning the self and human
subjectivity. We will conclude with readings in the background of the existentialist tradition. Likely
texts include selections from Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Hume, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche
and Sartre. Like all university seminars, this one will be writing intensive with approximately
twenty-pages of required writing (and in some cases revising) over the course of the semester. In
addition, each student will be expected to make a seminar presentation.
Introduction to Philosophy
20101 01 (29611)
Schupack
9:30-10:45 TR
The course will be centered on a few key questions: what, if anything, matters and why does it
matter? How do we figure out what matters? And how, if at all, might the answers to those questions
affect how we ought to live? In attempting to answer these questions we will read a number of
foundational texts in the history of philosophy as well as some contemporary works.
Introduction to Philosophy
20101 02 (20996)
Schmitt
3:30-4:45 MW
Philosophy engages a capacity we all have to wonderabout ourselves, the world, and our place in
the world. This course enables you to systematically examine these topics, reflecting on your own
views as well as the relationships between your views and alternative views espoused by great
thinkers throughout history. We begin and end the course by examining the nature of philosophical
inquiry and its importance to human life. In between, we explore questions falling under three
headings: (1) Epistemology: What is knowledge? What justifies us in believing what we do?;
(2) Metaphysics: What are we like as human beings? How are our minds and bodies related? Are we
free? Are we morally responsible?; (3) Ethics: How should we live? Are there objective moral truths?
What does morality require?
Introduction to Philosophy
20101 03 (25180)
TBA
12:30-1:45 MW

Introduction to Philosophy: Philosophy & Religion

20102 01 (30069)
Baldwin, Erik
11:00-12:15 TR
One broad way to think about the philosophy of religion is to characterize it as critical thinking
about religion. In this course we will consider some of the philosophical questions and problems
that confront those who think seriously about religion and religious belief. The questions are
numerous and varied. Well consider the following sorts of questions: What are the varieties of
religious experience and how could having such experiences rationally ground beliefs about God or
some other ultimate reality of religious significance? What are some of the differing conceptions of
the nature of ultimate reality or God and by which criteria are we to assess their merits? Are there
any good arguments for the existence of God? Are there any good arguments for thinking that God
doesnt exist? Why is there so much evil in the world if God is all-good and all-powerful, and why
do bad things happen to good people? How are religion and science related? How are faith and
reason related? More specifically, how do influential thinkers like C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud
answer these questions? Is C.S. Lewis argument from reason (or something like it) sound? Is Alvin
Plantingas evolutionary argument against naturalism sound?

Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics & Politics

20105 01 (29612)
Reimers
9:30-10:45 TR
The question What is good? is fundamental to all human life and activity. As it concerns
individuals, it is the subject of ethics, and with respect to our communities, it is studied by political
philosophy.
In this course, we will trace the kinds of answers given to this question from ancient Greece to the
present day, looking at Plato and Aristotle, then at St. Thomas Aquinass treatises on virtue and law.
Then after closely studying some modern thinkersLocke, Kant, and Mill, we will examine some
shorter 20th Century writings.
Course requirements: short quizzes every two to three weeks, a term paper of seven (7) pages, and a
final exam.

Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics & Politics

20105 02 (30070)
Fisher
2:00-3:15 TR
How ought one to live? How we answer this question has implications for both ethics and politics,
and figuring out an answer to this question has been a central concern of philosophers since the time

of Socrates. In this class, we will examine various philosophers attempts to answer this question. We
will read, among others, Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Locke, and Kant. Your final grade will
be determined by two papers, two exams, and your participation in the class.

Philosophy of Human Nature

20201 01 (24644)
Reimers
8:20-9:10 MWF
In our age, the nature of the human person has become increasingly important theme in
philosophical anthropology. Is there a difference between being a member of the species homo
sapiens and being a person? Or must we say that contemporary sciences have shown that personhood
is a kind of subjectivist illusion, that we are basically organic machines? Can we say that life has
a meaning? We will consider the nature of the human person in the light of contemporary challenges
and the classical thought of Thomas Aquinas.
Texts will be drawn from the Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, Thomas
Aquinas,Treatise on Happiness, Karol Wojtya Love and Responsibility, Adrian J. Reimers The Soul of the
Person, and a course packet of readings.
Course requirements: four or five quizzes, one term paper, and a final exam.
Philosophy of Human Nature
20201 02 (24643)
Reimers
9:25-10:15 MWF
In our age, the nature of the human person has become increasingly important theme in
philosophical anthropology. Is there a difference between being a member of the species homo
sapiens and being a person? Or must we say that contemporary sciences have shown that personhood
is a kind of subjectivist illusion, that we are basically organic machines? Can we say that life has
a meaning? We will consider the nature of the human person in the light of contemporary challenges
and the classical thought of Thomas Aquinas.
Texts will be drawn from the Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, Thomas
Aquinas, Treatise on Happiness, Karol Wojtya Love and Responsibility, Adrian J. Reimers The Soul of the
Person, and a course packet of readings.
Course requirements: four or five quizzes, one term paper, and a final exam.

Existentialist Themes
20202 01 (29615)
Apostolopoulos
12:30-1:45 TR

Existentialism is one of the most important 19th and 20th century European philosophical
movements. In this class, we will aim to understand the progression and evolution of claims and
arguments in the existentialist tradition, paying close attention to their persuasiveness and
implications for our lives. Through a close study of important existentialist texts, we will pose and
attempt to answer the following questions, among others: Which concepts can help us understand
the meaning of everyday experience? What are the sources of value in life, and what are their limits?
What can I hope for? Can I be free?

Ancient Wisdom and Modern Love

20214 01 (29616)
OConnor
9:25-10:15 MW(F)
Combining philosophy and literature in a study of romantic love, this seminar will include works by
Plato, Shakespeare, and Thomas Mann, as well as exploring more recent movies and Catholic
writings.

Nietzsche
20233 01 (29618)
Rodgers
9:30-10:45 TR
This class will be an introduction to some of the most important texts and ideas of the 19th century
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In addition to reading Nietzsche himself, we will also take
brief looks at some of his philosophical influences (Kant, Schopenhauer, and perhaps also some
ancient Greek texts).

Nietzsche
20233 02 (29617)
Rodgers
11:00-12:15 TR
This class will be an introduction to some of the most important texts and ideas of the 19th century
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In addition to reading Nietzsche himself, we will also take
brief looks at some of his philosophical influences (Kant, Schopenhauer, and perhaps also some
ancient Greek texts).

Language, Mind and Culture

20239 01 (29619)
Christy
10:30-11:20 MWF

In this course, we'll explore a number of questions concerning the nature of the human mind, human
language and human culture and how they relate to one another. Topics that will be addressed
include whether any of our knowledge is innate, to what extent the language a person speaks
influences how they experience the world, and the relative importance of a person's genetic
endowment and their culture for determining the character of the language they speak. We will take
an interdisciplinary approach to these issues, drawing on work in fields such as philosophy,
linguistics, psychology and anthropology.

Arabic and Islamic Philosophy

20241 01 (30071)
Hanna
3:30-5:15 TR (Course ends 3/24/2016)
Crosslists: MI 30033
The aim of the course is to trace a general history of Islamic Philosophy from the 8th to the 13th
century, following the evolution of thought from the introduction of Greek philosophy into the
Muslim world. We will try to mark the most important figures in this history and the major stages
and issues which Islamic Philosophy passed through. We will deal with names like Al-Kind, AlRz, Ikhwn al-Saf, Al-Farb, Ibn Sna, Al-Gazl, Ibn Al-Arab, Ibn Baah, Ibn Tufayl, Ibn
Rushd, Mus Ibn Maymn, and Ibn Khaldn.
Our course will also deal with the evolution of thought about and the intersections between
philosophy and theology: ethics (Akhlq), politics (sysah), knowledge of God (Marifat all-Allah),
creation and eternity of the world (khalq wa zalyat al-Alam), and Immortality of the Soul (khld alNafis). Our methodology will consist of presenting and analyzing ideas and doing readings (in
English) of short texts from representative philosophers.

Ethics
20401 01 (26375)
Sterba
2:00-2:50 MWF
Crosslist: HESB 30263 01
This course will begin by considering three challenges to a reason-based morality: 1) Its all relative,
2) Its better to be an egoist, 3) Morality is determined by religion not reason. Assuming we can
overcome these challenges - if we cant, we will stop the course right here - but if we can, we will
then evaluate three traditional moral perspectives: 1) Kantian morality (It is all about doing your
duty), 2) Utilitarian morality (It is all about maximizing utility), and 3) Aristotelian morality (It is all
about being virtuous) to see if one of them is better than the others. That accomplished, we will then
take up three challenges to a traditional conception of morality: 1) the Feminist challenge (Traditional
morality is biased against women), 2) the Environmental challenge (Traditional morality is biased
against nonhuman living beings), and 3) the Multicultural challenge (Traditional morality is biased

against nonWestern cultures). Assuming we think some defensible form of morality survives these
challenges (We will take a vote), we will then go on to apply that morality to the solution of a
number of following problems: the Distribution of Income and Wealth, Distant Peoples and Future
Generations, Abortion and Euthanasia, Human Enhancement, Work and Family Responsibilities,
Womens and Mens Roles, Affirmative Action, Pornography, Sexual Harassment, Gay and Lesbian
Rights, Animal Liberation and Environmental Justice, Punishment and Responsibility, and War,
Torture and Terrorism.
Introducing Ethics (Prentice-Hall, 2013)
Morality in Practice 8th edition (Wadsworth, 2013)
Ethics
20401 02 (27347)
Madison
9:30-10:45 TR

This course will introduce students to the foundations of moral reasoning by examining several of
the most prevalent ethical theories: consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, and natural law.
Deontological or duty based ethics is an approach that attempts to establish the universal rules that
every rational agent or moral being is obligated to follow. According to this theory, actions are right,
independently of their consequences, if they conform to the universal moral law. Consequentialism
proposes an alternative criterion for evaluating moral actions: actions are moral if they produce the
best results for the most people. Virtue ethics in its turn focuses neither on universal moral rules nor
on the consequences of our actions but on the character of the person performing the action. Actions
are good, according to this theory, only if they are done well, on the basis of good character, and
from virtue. Finally, natural law attempts to ground moral norms on Divine Reason and the nature
of human beings. There are three main objectives of this course: (1) to understand the philosophical
foundations of different ethical theories so as to evaluate their merits; (2) to be able to apply these
theories to concrete ethical dilemmas as well as contemporary moral issues; (3) to address the
relationships between religion, reason, society, and ethics.
Ethics
20401 03 (26376)
TBA
11:30-12:20 MWF

Moral Problems
20402 01 (25781)
Snapper
12:30-1:45 TR
Crosslist: HESB 20402 01

In this course, we will examine various ethical issues and what ethical theory has to say about them.
The questions we will discuss are:
- Is euthanasia wrong?
- Is abortion wrong?
- Is universal healthcare a human right?
- Should medical marijuana be legalized everywhere?
- Is killing in war wrong?
- Is redistributive taxation wrong?
- Is racial profiling wrong?
- Is affirmative action wrong?
- Is homosexuality wrong?
- Is same sex marriage wrong?
- Is prostitution wrong?
Moral Problems
20402 02 (25782)
Snapper
11:00-12:15 TR
Crosslist: HESB 20402 02
In this course, we will examine various ethical issues and what ethical theory has to say about them.
The questions we will discuss are:
- Is euthanasia wrong?
- Is abortion wrong?
- Is universal healthcare a human right?
- Should medical marijuana be legalized everywhere?
- Is killing in war wrong?
- Is redistributive taxation wrong?
- Is racial profiling wrong?
- Is affirmative action wrong?
- Is homosexuality wrong?
- Is same sex marriage wrong?
- Is prostitution wrong?

Philosophy of Law
20408 01 (26827)
Warfield
9:25-10:15 MW(F)
We will examine the intersection of philosophy and law on three main topics:

1. Drugs, with a special focus on the debate over the justification of laws against some kinds of drug
possession and/or use.
2. Guns, with a special focus on laws concerning the use of lethal force in self-defense.
3. Death, with a special focus on end of life legal issues.
This course includes a mandatory Friday discussion section. Students will write short to medium length papers
and take in class exams.

Contemporary Political Philosophy

20425 01 (23448)
Weithman
2:00-3:15 TR
Pre-requisite: ALHN 13950
This course is intended for first year students in the Honors Program, and is intended to satisfy
their second philosophy requirement.
The last four decades have been an extraordinarily exciting time in the development of political
philosophy. Many of the central questions in the subject have received their most authoritative
formulation and treatment since the 19th century. This course will survey developments in Englishspeaking philosophical world in that period. A good deal of attention will be devoted to the
ground-breaking writings of John Rawls, and to critiques of his work. Topics to be covered include
the foundations of constitutional and human rights, the foundations of economic justice in domestic
and global settings, and the point and demands of equality. We will consider some other problems
briefly, including the conditions of just war in the contemporary world and moral problems
connected with torture. Most of the readings will be drawn from books by John Rawls, Gerald
Cohen and Amartya Sen, though we will also look at articles by other authors. The course will be
run as a seminar.
This course presupposes that students have taken Introduction to Philosophy. Other than that, it
has no prerequisites except a willingness to work hard and take part in class discussions. Students
may be asked to do a small amount of reading over winter break as background for the course.
Requirements include frequent writing assignments, a class presentation and a comprehensive final
examination.

Markets and Morality

20434 01 (25783)
Hammond
8:00-9:15 MW
Crosslist: HESB 30281 01

In many ways we live in an age dominated by markets. Rather than relying upon the whip of
authoritarianism or the yoke of tradition, markets purport to efficiently allocate resources simply by
allowing each person to pursue his or her own advantage. Markets, it is said, best satisfy preferences,
increase overall happiness, and can solve various social problems. The seeming success of markets
has led to market thinking permeating many fields from public policy, to law, to philosophy. Yet
markets and market thinking are not without their critics. In this course, we will examine moral and
political issues as they relate to markets. Some of the issues we will examine include: Are there
things that should not be for sale at any price? How do markets relate to freedom? What is the
relationship between markets and justice? Does one have a right to property? Does having more
options make us happier? What duties do we have, if any, to the poor? In the course of examining
these issues, it is hoped that you 1) develop certain philosophical skills such as the careful analysis of
texts and arguments, and 2) develop your own informed and considered views on these issues.
Markets and Morality
20434 02 (26828)
Hammond
9:30-10:45 MW
Crosslist: HESB 30281 02
In many ways we live in an age dominated by markets. Rather than relying upon the whip of
authoritarianism or the yoke of tradition, markets purport to efficiently allocate resources simply by
allowing each person to pursue his or her own advantage. Markets, it is said, best satisfy preferences,
increase overall happiness, and can solve various social problems. The seeming success of markets
has led to market thinking permeating many fields from public policy, to law, to philosophy. Yet
markets and market thinking are not without their critics. In this course, we will examine moral and
political issues as they relate to markets. Some of the issues we will examine include: Are there
things that should not be for sale at any price? How do markets relate to freedom? What is the
relationship between markets and justice? Does one have a right to property? Does having more
options make us happier? What duties do we have, if any, to the poor? In the course of examining
these issues, it is hoped that you 1) develop certain philosophical skills such as the careful analysis of
texts and arguments, and 2) develop your own informed and considered views on these issues.
Ancient Philosophy
20438 01 (27349)
TBA
11:00-12:15 TR

Rationality and Action

20443 01 (29625)
Chan
12:30-1:45 TR

In this course, we're going to learn about making good decisions. Our semester will be divided into
three main sections. First, we'll focus on decision making. Topics covered in this section will include
game theory and rational choice. Second, we'll turn to the good. Here, we'll try to figure out what the
good is and whether the good connects with our reasons for action. Finally, we'll think about special
difficulties that arise when we're confronted with hard choices and major life decisions.

Ethics and Personhood

20445 01 (29626)
Finley
12:30-1:45 TR
In this course, we will explore pressing ethical questions in light of their reliance on particular views
of personhood. These personhood views address questions like: What is a person? What makes a
person's life worth living? What makes a person unique from other persons? The answers we give to
these questions have profound implications for how we address moral issues. The moral issues we
will examine include those surrounding: beginning and end of life decisions, mental disorders,
recreational drugs, bodily alteration, and economic inequality. To do this we will engage with works
of speculative fiction, films, music, and television, in addition to contemporary works in philosophy
and psychology.

Medical Ethics
20602 01 (29040)
Solomon
11:30-12:20 MWF
An exploration, from the point of view of ethical theory, of a number of ethical problems in
contemporary biomedicine. Topics to be taken up will include: 1) euthanasia, 2) abortion, 3) the
allocation of scarce medical resources, 4) truth telling in the doctor - patient relationship, 5) the right
to medical care, and 6) informed consent and human experimentation. No previous work in
philosophy will be presupposed.
Requirements: Two short (4-6 pp.) problem papers, a mid-term, and a final exam.
Texts: Munson, Intervention and Reflection: Basic Issues in Medical Ethics.
Science, Technology, and Society
20606 01 (27350)
Jurkowitz
12:30-1:45 TR
This course introduces the interdisciplinary field of science and technology studies. We will examine
science and technology and medicine as social and historical phenomena, shaped by human beings
embedded in specific historical, as well as contemporary cultures. We shall examine the diverse

roots and aims of contemporary science, technology, and medicine that by considering topics
including how scientific knowledge has changed through time, especially how modern conceptions
of objective knowledge have evolved, whether medical and psychiatric researchers can define
normal human psyches independent of the pharmacological agents they use to alter them, how
genetics and genomics are reshaping our understandings of human health, and how cybernetic and
cyborg technologies are leading people to rethink the boundaries of human existence. Reflecting our
focus on how science and technology intersect with and reflect aspects of wider society, we will also
consider and how society should mediate or moderate scientific and technological development.

Philosophy of Technology
20608 01 (27351)
Bourgeois
2:00-3:15 MW
Technology has become the hallmark of modern life. In a polarized, fractious, diverse society the
enthusiastic embrace of technology is one of the few things that still unite us. Yet in our headlong
rush to develop and adopt new technologies, we rarely pause to consider what effect our immersion
in technology may be having on us as persons, as workers, as patients, and as citizens indeed, as a
species. The course is intended to do just that.
In this course you will be encouraged to connect philosophical thought with everyday life and
contemporary events and to view our modern integration and/or infatuation with technology in a
new light. Special attention will be paid to four major areas where technology is most prominent in
modern life: in connecting us (primarily via the Internet); at work (particularly in the form of
automation); in healing us (via biomedical technology); and in dealing with its own negative
environmental ramifications (i.e., sustainability).

Philosophy of Technology
20608 02 (29628)
Gamez
3:30-4:45 MW
We live in a technological world. That much is obvious. And, to the extent that we live in such a
world, we find ourselves constantly asking questions about technology. Often times, these questions
are requests for information, pragmatic, or worried. Will technological advances in security
screening reduce my privacy? Whats the best resolution TV I can get in my price range? How can I
keep my computer from freezing? In this class, we want to ask even more questions about
technology. What is it? What is its nature? What does it mean to live with technology? What sorts of
effects does technology have on human beings? How does it transform our relationships to things, to
each other, to ourselves? Are technological artifacts merely instruments, or do things make a claim
on us? Does technology serve our ends, or are our ends shaped by the technologies with which we
find ourselves?

We will explore many of these questions, and conclude by considering post humanist approaches to
technology which argue that, rather than instruments, technical artifacts have some sort of standing
as agents in their own right, or that they play a role in constituting users as subjects, and the
ethical issues that these raise for technology and design.
The goal is to come away with a clearer understanding of the sorts of philosophical issues raised by
technology, in all sorts of areas of your everyday, academic, and professional lives, and to have a
repertoire of concepts with which to think about them as penetratingly and rigorously as possible.

Philosophy of Technology
20608 03 (29627)
Gamez
5:05-6:20 MW
We live in a technological world. That much is obvious. And, to the extent that we live in such a
world, we find ourselves constantly asking questions about technology. Often times, these questions
are requests for information, pragmatic, or worried. Will technological advances in security
screening reduce my privacy? Whats the best resolution TV I can get in my price range? How can I
keep my computer from freezing? In this class, we want to ask even more questions about
technology. What is it? What is its nature? What does it mean to live with technology? What sorts of
effects does technology have on human beings? How does it transform our relationships to things, to
each other, to ourselves? Are technological artifacts merely instruments, or do things make a claim
on us? Does technology serve our ends, or are our ends shaped by the technologies with which we
find ourselves?
We will explore many of these questions, and conclude by considering post humanist approaches to
technology which argue that, rather than instruments, technical artifacts have some sort of standing
as agents in their own right, or that they play a role in constituting users as subjects, and the
ethical issues that these raise for technology and design.
The goal is to come away with a clearer understanding of the sorts of philosophical issues raised by
technology, in all sorts of areas of your everyday, academic, and professional lives, and to have a
repertoire of concepts with which to think about them as penetratingly and rigorously as possible.

Philosophy of Science
20617 01 (25181)
DesAutels
11:00-12:15 MW
Science holds a special status as the method par excellence for acquiring knowledge about the world.
What is so special about science? What, if anything, justifies bearing it in such high esteem? In this
course, we explore these and related questions in an attempt to understand the nature of science and
its central role in modern thought. In doing so, we will develop tools to reflect critically on matters

such as how to demarcate science from pseudoscience; how scientific evidence relates to theory
choice; whether science progresses toward the truth; and what role sociopolitical values play in
informing scientific practice.

The Ethics of Emerging Weapons Technologies

20628 01 (26379)
Ruiz de Olano/Latiff
12:30-1:45 TR
Crosslist: STV 20228 01, IIPS 20912 01, HESB 30289 01
The landscape of the twenty-first century battlefield is rapidly changing. Contemporary warfare is
often far removed from the clash of large, standing armies on the open battlefield. In the United
States' use of targeted killings via unmanned drone in Pakistan and Yemen (which are not,
otherwise, theaters of war) to the deployment of the Stuxnet computer virus (most likely by Israel
and the United States) designed to target the computers that operate industrial equipment in Iran's
nuclear weapons program, we already see examples of this new kind of warfare. The future
promises that ever more remote possibilities will become reality entirely autonomous robotic
weapon systems are already under deployment in Iraq and Korea, non-lethal electromagnetic- and
sound-based weapons are under development, and research continues actively on automated, armed
vehicles and biologically or robotically enhanced soldiers. The increasing pace of weapons research,
however, has been matched by a large number of ethical worries, raised by military leaders, scholars,
legislators, journalists, and non-profit and humanitarian groups.
In this course, students will gain familiarity with the main forms of emerging weapons technologies
and reflect on the ethical and legal considerations that bear on whether and how these weapons
should be used. Topics to be covered fall into four categories: (1) types of emerging weapons
technologies (drones, robotic systems, non-lethal weapons, cyberwarfare, bioenhancement, and data
mining), (2) positions on the ethics of peace and war (pacifism, political realism, and just war
theory), (3) the Law of Armed Conflict (including the Geneva Conventions), and (4) normative
ethical theories (consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics). Course grades will be determined
by two papers, two exams (midterm and final), and one group presentation.

The Ethics of Emerging Weapons Technologies

20628 02 (26378)
Ruiz de Olano/Latiff
2:00-3:15 TR
Crosslist: STV 20228 02, IIPS 20912 02, HESB 30289 02
The landscape of the twenty-first century battlefield is rapidly changing. Contemporary warfare is
often far removed from the clash of large, standing armies on the open battlefield. In the United
States' use of targeted killings via unmanned drone in Pakistan and Yemen (which are not,
otherwise, theaters of war) to the deployment of the Stuxnet computer virus (most likely by Israel
and the United States) designed to target the computers that operate industrial equipment in Iran's

nuclear weapons program, we already see examples of this new kind of warfare. The future
promises that ever more remote possibilities will become reality entirely autonomous robotic
weapon systems are already under deployment in Iraq and Korea, non-lethal electromagnetic- and
sound-based weapons are under development, and research continues actively on automated, armed
vehicles and biologically or robotically enhanced soldiers. The increasing pace of weapons research,
however, has been matched by a large number of ethical worries, raised by military leaders, scholars,
legislators, journalists, and non-profit and humanitarian groups.
In this course, students will gain familiarity with the main forms of emerging weapons technologies
and reflect on the ethical and legal considerations that bear on whether and how these weapons
should be used. Topics to be covered fall into four categories: (1) types of emerging weapons
technologies (drones, robotic systems, non-lethal weapons, cyberwarfare, bioenhancement, and data
mining), (2) positions on the ethics of peace and war (pacifism, political realism, and just war
theory), (3) the Law of Armed Conflict (including the Geneva Conventions), and (4) normative
ethical theories (consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics). Course grades will be determined
by two papers, two exams (midterm and final), and one group presentation.

Technology, Society and Ethics

20637 01 (TBA)
Jurkowitz
2:00-2:50 MWF
Crosslist: STV 20235 01, FTT 20235 01

Philosophy of Religion
20801 01 (24645)
Tolly
8:00-9:15 MW
Crosslist: HESB 30233 01
Philosophers ask and seek answers to important questions about the fundamental nature of reality
questions that arent specifically addressed by the other disciplines in the humanities or the
empirical sciences. These include (but are not exhausted by): What exists? What does having free
will amount to? What is it that makes an action morally right or morally wrong? What is
justice? What sort of thing is the mind? How is it that our words actually refer to objects out in
the world, and gain their meaning? What is the difference between a true belief thats a lucky
guess, and a true belief thatcounts as knowledge? What is valuable and meaningful about life?
Certainly, questions that are importantly religious in nature are to be included in the above list.
These include, Does God exist? If God does exist, how can we know this/rationally believe it?
What are Gods characteristics? Are there good reasons to believe God does not exist? Among
the different world religions, are they all equally true in some sense, or ought we (rationally) believe
that only one could be true (if any at all)? Supposing God does exist, how ought this to change
how I live my life? These questions seem to be of fundamental importance, and like the other

questions mentioned above, philosophical methodology possesses the resources to at least make
some headway on them. That is what we will do in this class over the course of the semester. I have
divided the course up into week long or 2 week long units, where each unit is organized around a
different question in the philosophy of religion. Note: I am going to structure the units and lectures
around argumentsin particular, arguments on different sides of the given debate. Other than
acquainting you with these influential arguments in the literature, a goal of this course is for you to
begin to develop your own views on these issues, and gain your own sense of the relative strengths
and weaknesses of these competing positions.
Other than developing your own views, this course is also meant to develop each students ability to
articulate her views with clarity, and defend her views with cogent arguments. Throughout the
course we will examine the relevant texts and arguments with an eye towards developing our own
abilities to construct valid and sound arguments, and to evaluate them with rigor.

Philosophy of Religion
20801 02 (26381)
Baldwin
3:30-4:45 TR
One broad way to think about the philosophy of religion is to characterize it as critical thinking
about religion. In this course we will consider some of the philosophical questions and problems
that confront those who think seriously about religion and religious belief. The questions are
numerous and varied. Well consider the following sorts of questions: What are the varieties of
religious experience and how could having such experiences rationally ground beliefs about God or
some other ultimate reality of religious significance? What are some of the differing conceptions of
the nature of ultimate reality or God and by which criteria are we to assess their merits? Are there
any good arguments for the existence of God? Are there any good arguments for thinking that God
doesnt exist? Why is there so much evil in the world if God is all-good and all-powerful, and why
do bad things happen to good people? How are religion and science related? How are faith and
reason related? More specifically, how do influential thinkers like C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud
answer these questions? Is C.S. Lewis argument from reason (or something like it) sound? Is Alvin
Plantingas evolutionary argument against naturalism sound?

Ancient & Medieval Philosophy

30301 01 (21680)
Freddoso
2:00-3:15 MW
Crosslist: MI 30301 01
An introductory survey of western philosophy from the 6th-century B.C. Presocratics to the 16thcentury Scholastics. The lectures will focus primarily on Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, and St.
Thomas Aquinas, using the twin themes of nature and human nature as an occasion for (i)
formulating with some precision the main metaphysical and ethical problematics that emerge from

the works of Plato and Aristotle, (ii) investigating the influence of Plato and Aristotle on the Catholic
intellectual tradition, and (iii) exploring in some depth the relation between faith and reason.
Because the lectures will not try to cover all the important figures (though there will be ample
references to them, as well as to key early modern philosophers), the students will be expected to
read all of the assigned secondary source, viz., James Jordan's Western Philosophy: From Antiquity to
the Middle Ages, as well as the primary sources assigned for the lectures. In addition, the
requirements include (a) two 7-page papers on (so rumor has it) rather challenging assigned topics,
and (b) two, shall we say, character-building exams.
This course is meant primarily to introduce philosophy majors to important figures and issues in the
history of philosophy, and so the course will be taught at a higher level of sophistication than
ordinary second courses in philosophy. As long as they understand this, however, non-philosophy
majors, as well as the undecided, are welcome.

Ancient & Medieval Philosophy

30301 02 (29041)
Dumont
3:30-4:45 TR
Crosslist: MI 30301 02
A survey of Western philosophy from its beginnings in the early Greek physicists to the late middle
ages. The emphasis in class will be on the reading and analysis of fundamental texts by main figures
of the period: Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Anselm, Bonaventure, and Thomas Aquinas.
Concurrent reading of a standard history will supply additional background and continuity.
Requirements: Two papers (one each for the ancient and medieval portions of the course), a midterm, and final examination.
History of Modern Philosophy
30302 01 (20840)
Joy
11:00-12:15 TR
Modern philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries developed several existing traditions that they
inherited from the Ancient and Medieval philosophers. But they also created important new
systems of thought. These new systems included the modern theory of ideas. We will therefore
investigate what exactly was the modern theory of ideas. How did debates about its merits shape
the philosophies of Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant? Why did the resulting
new problems defined by these six influential thinkers radically change the subject matter of
philosophy, in epistemology, metaphysics, physics, and ethics? What was genuinely modern about
their innovations?
Course requirements: Two papers, a mid-term exam, and a final exam.

Formal Logic
30313 01 (20271)
Bays
9:30-10:45 TR
This course will provide an introduction to first-order formal logic. We'll begin by introducing a
nice symbolic language and then learn how to "translate" between this language and ordinary
English. Next, we'll study the notions of deduction and entailment as they are defined for this
language. Finally, and on a more explicitly philosophical note, we'll discuss the degree to which
these formally defined notions manage to capture ordinary language notions like "logical
consequence" or "argumentative validity."

Morality and Modernity

40314 01 (29042)
Solomon
5:05-6:20 MW
Our society is deeply divided by controversies over a range of moral issues. Underlying the
controversies surrounding issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the conduct of war, and the
distribution of scarce medical resources are profound disagreements about the nature and purpose
of morality.
In this course, we will read Alasdair MacIntyres groundbreaking account of the emergence of
modern morality, After Virtue, and compare his interpretation of the morality of modernity with
that offered by Charles Taylor in The Ethics of Authenticity. We will also read works by two of the
philosophers who have done the most to shape modern moral thought; Immanuel Kant and
Friedrich Nietzsche.
Having traced the origins of our deepest moral disputes in the history of modern morality we will
turn to questions of how, if at all, these disputes could be resolved and which ways of thinking about
ethics are best able to meet the challenges of the modern world.
Books: Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue (ISBN-10: 0268035040). Charles Taylor, The Ethics of
Authenticity(ISBN-10: 0674268636). Friedrich Nietzsche, On The Genealogy of Morals (ISBN-10:
019283617X). Immanuel Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals (ISBN-10: 087220166X), Walter
Miller Jr. A Canticle for Leibowitz (ISBN-10: 0060892994).
Requirements: 3 short (3-5 page) papers and 1 medium length (5-7 page) paper, a midterm, and a
final examination.
Anselm
43135 01 (29043)
Flint
12:30-1:45 TR

This seminar will examine the major philosophical and theological writings of St. Anselm.
His Monologion, Proslogion, and Cur Deus Homo will be of central concern, but several lesser-known
Anselmian texts will also be read. Topics discussed in these writings include arguments for the
existence of God, the divine nature, the Trinity, the Incarnation, human and angelic freedom (and
their compatibility with divine foreknowledge), and truth.
Texts: The main text for the course will be Anselm: Basic Writings, a Hackett paperback; Thomas
Williams is the editor and translator. Several chapters from Anselm, by Sandra Visser and Thomas
Williams, will also be assigned. A few additional contemporary discussions of Anselm may also be
read.
Requirements: The course will consist of loosely-structured lectures, with student participation
expected and encouraged. Students will be required to write three short (six-to-eight page) papers
(one of which will be discussed in class) and a final exam. The opportunity to make class
presentations may also be offered.
Kierkegaard
43171 01 (29629)
Jech
12:30-1:45 MW
In this course, students will be introduced to Sren Kierkegaard, the philosopher Wittgenstein
considered the most profound thinker of the [nineteenth] century. In the first half of the course, we
will put together his overall point of view, including his conception of the aesthetic, the ethical, and
the religious stages of existence and the idea that truth is subjectivity, via selected readings
from Either/Or, Fear and Trembling, Philosophical Fragments, and Concluding Unscientific Postscript. In
the second half of the course, we will focus upon one of Kierekegaards most important
contributions to philosophy and psychology, his investigation of the self. We will study two texts
intensively, The Concept of Anxiety (Kierkegaards psychological treatment of the self in terms of
freedom and the anxiety freedom creates concerning the selfs possibilities) and The Sickness unto
Death (in which Kierkegaard analyzes the failure to take on the task of knowing and becoming ones
self in terms of impotent self-consumption, or despair).
Radical Politics
43429 01 (29045)
Rush
2:00-3:15 TR
This course is a consideration of classic, politically Left texts in modern political theory that pose
direct challenges to liberal theories of democracy: socialism and anarchism. Typical readings from:
Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Luxemburg, Gramsci, Lukcs, Godwin, Proudhon, Bakunin, and Kropotkin.

Topics in Epistemology
43606 01 (30080)

Warfield
11:00-12:15 MW
Topics for this semester are:
1.

Disagreement

2.

Irrationality

3.

Testimony

Students will write papers and participate in frequent in-class exercises. No exams.

Science and Social Values

43704 01 (30081)
Kourany
5:05-6:20 MW
Crosslist: HPS 93821, PHIL 93821
Science and social values? The established wisdom has it that science offers us the truth about the
empirical worldwhat is rather than what ought to be or what is expedientand that social values
have little to do with it. How else explain the authority science has among peoples of widely
different ethical and political persuasions? According to this view, in short, science is, or at least
ought to be, value-neutral. In this course we shall explore how current research in not only
philosophy but also history and sociology have debunked this view, and how such notions as
scientific objectivity and autonomy and freedom of research must be revised accordingly. Since this
is a seminar course, students will lead class discussions, present the results of their individual
research projects to the group, and have the opportunity to further develop those projects using the
feedback from the group. The aim, of course, will be for students to develop fully informed and
defensible responses to the controversial terrain we shall be exploring.

Ethics and Policy in Technology Management

43722 01 (29630)
Howard
11:00-12:15 MW
New technologies reshape our lives and our world at an ever-accelerating pace, often for the better,
but sometimes for the worse. Anxiety grows ever more acute that we have passed a tipping point
beyond which intentional, human control of technology development is impossible. But we must
assert such control as we can. An emerging body of philosophical literature proposes different
mechanisms for doing that. Starting from deep philosophical reflection on the nature of technology,
itself, and the manner of its social and cultural embedding, this literature moves on to assay the
many urgent ethical questions posed by such technologies as synthetic biology, artificial intelligence,

robots, autonomous systems, and nano-scale engineering. Contributors to this literature often
conclude with proposed ,general policy-making frameworks and specific policy advice. This course
will survey the most important such literature. The course is designed for advanced undergraduates
and selected graduate students. It assumes no specific background, beyond a good undergraduate
preparation in philosophy, with, perhaps, some focus on ethics and some ability to digest a modest
amount of technical information.

Joint Philosophy/Theology Seminar: Under the Radar

43801 01 (21980)
Daley/OCallaghan
11:00-12:15 MW
Crosslist: THEO 43203 01
Speaking meaningfully and thinking truly about God, who seems to be by definition beyond the
boundaries of human conception and human language, has always been an almost insuperable
challenge to worship and to communication among people of faith. How do we refer to God, whom
we believe to be the source, sustainer, guide and goal of our lives, and of the process of the universe?
Where do our ideas about God's being come from? How do we know that they are true? In this
seminar, we will examine key works and passages from two of Western Christianity's most
influential and most philosophically sophisticated theologians, St. Augustine and St. Thomas
Aquinas, to see what help they can offer us in our quest to know God. We will also consider some
philosophical and theological influences that seem to have shaped their thought, and the
implications of their approaches for the Christian life of faith.

Chesterton
43811 01 (29046)
Freddoso
3:30-4:45 MW
Though Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) was not a 'trained philosopher', a trained philosophical
eye can see that he is nonetheless a deep and insightful philosopher. Perhaps the best Catholic
apologist of his time, he anticipated as early as 1908 the turn from modernism to post-modernism in
the late 20th century, found interesting and creative ways to propound Catholic doctrine, and
developed many provocative criticisms of the contemporary alternatives to Catholicism. What's
more, mirabile dictu, he did all of this with literary elegance, panache, and humor -- a combination
that is both hard to beat and not often encountered in philosophy courses for majors (Plato and
Hume excepted). This course will feature Chesterton's two greatest philosophical
works, Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man, in addition to his semi-biographical work on the Angelic
Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. (Also featured will be "The Arena," Chesterton's poem about Notre
Dame football.)
Prerequisites: Even though there are no formal prerequisites for this course, students who have
already taken both Phil 30301 and Phil 30302 will, ceteris paribus, get the most out of the course.

Written requirements: Submission of daily question/comment and three 7-page papers on assigned
topics.

Philosophy of Mind
43915 01 (TBA)
Immerman
9:30-10:45 MW
Crosslists: CDT 43510
In this course, we will discuss various questions in the philosophy of mind, such as: What is a mind?
Can machines have minds? What is the relationship between minds and bodies? To what extent, and
how, do our thoughts depend on our environment?

Meaning, Vulnerability & Human Identity

43915 01 (27362)
Montemaggi
9:30-10:45 TR
Crosslist: LLRO 40107, ENGL 40157, MI 40584, PRL 33112, THEO 40837
This course explores the contribution that the coming together of theological and literary reflection
can make to our understanding of the nature of meaning. Focusing on the work of Augustine,
Aquinas, Dante, Primo Levi, Dostoevsky and Shakespeare, students will address questions such as
"What is it we are doing when speaking, reading, using language?," 'How do the intellect and the
imagination work in relation to literary texts?', 'How might all this relate to our ways of thinking
about God, human nature, and the relationship between them?' Such questions will be addressed, in
particular, through reflection on how the texts studied invite us to think about the nature of love,
forgiveness, vulnerability and creativity.

Topics in Mathematical Logic

43922 01 (29631)
Pillay
2:00-2:50 MWF
Crosslists: MATH 40910, CSE 40910

Directed Readings
46498 01 (20309)
Jech

Directed Readings
46498 02 (20400)
Jech
Senior Thesis
48499 01 (21276)
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* The 3xxxx and 4xxxx level courses are typically for majors only and carry the major core courses as
prerequisites. They are more difficult than 20000 level courses which should be used for completing
university requirements. If you are a non-major interested in taking one of these courses, you must
sign up for an appointment with Professor Stubenberg, the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
* The 3xxxx and 4xxxx level courses are typically for majors only and carry the major core courses as
prerequisites. They are more difficult than 20000 level courses which should be used for completing
university requirements. If you are a non-major interested in taking one of these courses, you must
sign up for an appointment with Professor Stubenberg, the Director of Undergraduate Studies.