An advanced course in a topics area, such as, metaethics, contemporary European philosophy, or Social-Political Philosophy. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit with different topics.
| Distribution Area | Prerequisites | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| One course in philosophy or permission of instructor | 1 course |
Fall Semester information
Richard Cameron309A: Tps:Plato's Republic
Study the work everyone's raving about! Morality is for fools! Amoralism! Justice on the rack! Female guardians! Rule by the wise! Greed! Plunder! The Sun! The Line! The Cave! Help Friends! Harm Enemies! Propaganda! The State of Nature! Justice! Gyges's Ring! Plutocracy! Democracy! Censorship! Education! Noble Lies! The action never stops! But seriously, Plato's Republic is not only a rollicking read (surprisingly, it is), it has been so influential that much of Western political philosophy reads like 'footnotes to Plato' and can't be fully understood without understanding the book everyone else is reacting (positively or negatively) to. It also raises a host of contemporary issues which we'll also highlight -- criticisms of democracy, the uses of propaganda, the place of women in society, and much more.
Spring Semester information
Jennifer Everett309A: Tps:Feminist Philosophy
This course introduces feminist philosophy as a gender-conscious approach to some of the problems of philosophy (e.g.: What is real? What is a self? What can we know? How should we live? What would constitute a just social order?) as well as a philosophical approach to some of the problems of feminist theory (e.g.: What is/are gender(s)? What is sexism, and how does it intersect with racism and other forms of oppression? What are the social and political goals of feminism, and how should they be pursued?) Students will gain exposure to feminist critiques of the traditional, Western canon of philosophy and will become familiar with the contributions of several important feminist thinkers, as well as the debates between them. Prerequisite: One course either in Philosophy or in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, or instructor permission.