Philosophy

An introductory examination of primary areas and arguments of philosophy. Topics covered may include, but are not limited to, metaphysics, epistemology, self and personal identity, political philosophy, and philosophy of religion.

This course seeks to provide students with tools to think more critically, read more critically, and argue more effectively. Topics covered may include, but are not limited to, the nature and structure of arguments, deductive and inductive forms of reasoning, ambiguity and vagueness, identification of rhetorical devices and strategies, and identification of logical fallacies.

This course provides an introductory examination of moral philosophy. Emphasis is placed on the application of concepts from ethical theory to a range of contemporary issues (for example, racism, sexism, immigration, economic justice, and the death penalty).

This course considers the ethical implications of medical practice and research across many healthcare disciplines. Topics include, but are not limited to, reproductive ethics, ethics across the lifespan (infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly), psychiatry, end-of-life issues, and public health ethics.

This course will enable students to engage questions regarding evil and suffering from philosophical and religious perspectives. Topics that may be addressed include: Western theodicies and their critics, non-Western (especially Buddhist and Hindu) understandings of the nature of evil and suffering, religious and philosophical dimensions of literary treatments of evil and suffering, and perspectives on care for those who are the victims of evil and suffering. The goal of the course is to provide students with a deepened understanding of our common human fragility and how we might best understand and respond to it.

An examination of one or more contemporary issues in public life. Examples of possible topics include: environmental ethics (e.g., climate change, sustainability, animal rights), race and racism, war and peace, inequality and economic justice, theories of justice, religion in public life, disability ethics, and so on. May be repeated once, if topics are different.

This course provides students with opportunities to demonstrate (1) their comprehension of key ethical concepts within the Ethics and Society minor and (2) their ability to apply those concepts through a case study.