Upcoming & Current Courses in Philosophy
Here are the courses the department is offering now and next semester, along with their instructors' descriptions. General descriptions of all DePauw courses in philosophy, along with major and minor requirements, may be found under All Courses.
Philosophy courses for Spring 2013
(Fall 2012 course descriptions are below.)
PHIL 101A: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Erik Wielenberg, 2:50 - 3:50 MWF
This course introduces students to some of the central topics and methods of philosophy. Among the topics to be discussed are the possibility of free will, the limits of the power that the state can legitimately exercise over its citizens, the moral status of civil disobedience, and the existence and nature of God. The emphasis will be on careful formulation and critical examination of the relevant views and arguments. The readings for the course are drawn from a bewildering variety of classic and contemporary sources. The course would not be complete without a hefty dose of Plato; we’ll get our fix by way of the Platonic dialogues Apology and Crito, both members of the series of dialogues that describes the trial, imprisonment, and execution of Socrates. The requirements include tests, a paper, and unannounced reading quizzes.
PHIL 101B: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 10:30 - 11:30 MWF
Does God exist? Can you tell whether you are dreaming? Are you obligated to help people who are far away as much as you are obligated to help those closer to home? In this course we will investigate these questions among others. In doing so, you will be introduced to several major themes in philosophy and works by important philosophers. We will be reading works from ancient philosophy through to contemporary philosophy, including philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Hume. By the end of the course you should have a better understanding of what philosophy is, and should have cultivated the ability to think and write clearly. Requirements for this course include active participation, short paper assignments, exams, and an essay.
PHIL 101C: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Dan Shannon, 12:30 - 1:30 MWF
This Introduction to Philosophy course will cover several important texts in classical western philosophy. We will deal with a number of issues including the nature of reality, the mind-body problem, proving God’s existence, certainty of knowledge, among others. We will be stressing what philosophers do, and this means that we will be discussing in some detail the nature of argumentation, understanding philosophical writing, evaluating arguments and most importantly creating your own good arguments. There will be discussion and a mixture of tests and essays.
PHIL 101D: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 9:20 - 10:20 MWF
We will consider several important topics in philosophy such as our knowledge of the world outside our minds, God’s existence, human freedom, and how we should live. To do so we will read, discuss, and critique philosophical works from ancient times to the present. Requirements will include written responses to readings, short papers, exams, participation, and possibly a presentation.
PHIL 101E: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Richard Cameron, 1:40 - 2:40 MWF
Our course begins with critical examination of the conception of philosophy which seems to have inspired Socrates’ outrageous claim that the unexamined life is not worth living. Socratic philosophy involves the critical investigation of life-orienting and inescapable questions, questions which all of us answer and the answers to which send our lives off in dramatically different directions. The idea is illustrated through critical examination of core questions from the three main branches of philosophy: ethics (e.g., what are our obligations to the world’s poorest people?), epistemology (e.g., what can we know?), and metaphysics (e.g., is there a God?).
PHIL 209A: TPS: HISTORY OF ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY (May also be taken as HIST 290C)
Professor Nahyan Fancy, 2:20 - 3:50 TR
This course examines the origins and development of Islamic philosophy from the 7th century to around the 15th century. During this period, some of the great figures of the history of philosophy hailed from the Islamic world, regardless of whether they were Muslim or not. We will cover the evolution of philosophy beginning with the appropriation of Greek thought into Arabic, and exploring how these ideas were woven into the intellectual framework of revealed religion. We will study the philosophy of well-known figures, such as al-Farabi, Avicenna and Averroes, and some lesser known figures and critics of these Aristotelian philosophers. We will pay close attention to the development of scientific and religious thought and their interactions with philosophy. The topics to be discussed will include: proofs for the existence of God; the problem of divine attributes; epistemology and the nature of the intellect; relation of philosophy to revelation; eternity of the world; cosmology; and the dialectical turn of philosophy.
PHIL 209B: TPS: FEMINIST ETHICS
Professor Richard Lynch, 1:40 - 2:40 MWF
We'll begin with an overview of feminist approaches to ethical problems and ethical issues of particular importance for feminists, and then turn to a more focused examination of particular questions. Have ethical theory and law ignored women's perspectives and concerns? Do standard conceptions of justice address women's ethical perspectives? Should feminists attempt to articulate an entirely new, gender- or woman-centered ethical viewpoint, or can they adapt traditional approaches to a feminist orientation? Two parallel conversations within feminist ethics will allow us to get at these questions: Carol Gilligan's In a Different Voice, which proposed an "ethics of care" alongside justice, has prompted vigorous debates among feminists—we'll be able to follow this debate over several decades. Similarly, Susan Moller Okin's Justice, Gender, and the Family foregrounded ethical and legal issues between the family and the workplace, and women's attempts to balance these concerns—we'll be able to look at how these debates have developed, too.
PHIL 216A: WESTERN PHILOSOPHY – EARLY MODERN
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 12:30 - 1:30 MWF
A survey of major figures in Continental and British philosophy in the 17th and 18th centuries, with particular attention to problems in metaphysics and epistemology. We read selections from Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant, not only for their historical interest, but also for what they have to say about perennial philosophical problems. Class discussion is encouraged.
PHIL 230A: ETHICAL THEORY ‘W’
Professor Jennifer Everett, 10:30 - 11:30 MWF
The purpose of this course is to introduce philosophical approaches to the most fundamental question faced by human beings: how ought we to live? Each of us wants to do the right thing, live a good life, be an honorable person. We also want to live in a good and just society; thus, ethics is also an inextricable part of all of our practical political problems. To approach such matters philosophically is to confront a plethora of theoretical quandaries. We will begin with questions about the status of morality and methods of moral reasoning: How are race, class, and gender relevant to our moral understanding? Can moral questions have any objectively correct answers, or is it all “a matter of opinion”? For the remainder of the course we will explore the landscape of normative ethical theory, competing efforts to explain at a general level why certain outcomes are good or bad, why particular acts are right or wrong, or why certain ways of living are morally preferable to others.
PHIL 230B: ETHICAL THEORY
Professor Erik Wielenberg, 9:20 - 10:20 MWF
This course is devoted to an examination of some of the central questions in theoretical ethics. Specifically, we will consider each of the following questions: What makes a human life good for the one who lives it? What is the nature of good (and evil) character? What makes morally right acts right? What is the relationship, if any, between living a moral life and living a life that is good for you? We will critically examine both historical and contemporary attempts to answer each of these questions. The readings include some classics of ethical philosophy, such as Plato’s Laches, Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, The Analects of Confucius, Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism, some works of fiction, such as Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, plus a smattering of shorter philosophical writings, including some contemporary articles. The requirements include tests, a paper, and unannounced reading quizzes.
PHIL 233A: ETHICS & BUSINESS
Professor Richard Lynch, 10:30 - 11:30 MWF
Our examination of Ethics and Business (not simply “business ethics”) will be accomplished through three principal approaches: we'll consider the ethical frames for our business decisions; we'll discuss a number of particular ethical dilemmas that managers and executives face; and we'll try to situate these frames and cases with a broader perspective on markets and human nature. Along the way we will get to discuss examples of "bad business" (think Enron), "good business" (perhaps Johnson & Johnson or Cummins), and some hard cases where a "right answer" isn't necessarily apparent. This course is a part of the Management Fellows Program core.
PHIL 242A: PHILOSOPHY OF SEX & GENDER
Professor Dan Shannon, 9:20 - 10:20 MWF
Traditional and contemporary theories on the nature of love, sex, and marriage will be discussed. We will also examine arguments concerning feminism, pornography, and the nature of homosexuality. There will be several writing assignments, including two major papers; class participation will be extensive.
PHIL 251A: LOGIC ‘Q’
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 8:10 - 9:10 MWF
This course is an introduction to symbolic logic. The main goal is to familiarize you with certain formal methods for representing and evaluating deductive arguments. The course covers both sentential logic and predicate logic, with work equally divided between translating sentences into formal notation, and constructing formal proofs. Time permitting, we will consider the limits of deductive logic and consider some basic inductive logic. Requirements for this class include regular homework assignments, exams, and a final project.
PHIL 309A: TPS: ETHICS & ECONOMICS
Professor Jen Everett, 10:00 - 11:30 TR
In this course we will explore questions in metaethics, ethical theory, and/or social and political philosophy that bear on economic theory and analysis. Topics may include the ethical limits of the market; environmental and ecological economics; cost-benefit analysis in public policy; economic justice; and/or concepts such as rationality, happiness, well-being, and efficiency. Since we will focus on philosophical approaches to these topics, no prior background in economics is required. Familiarity with prevailing bodies of ethical theory is advised.
PHIL 340A: TPS: CLASSICAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 2:20 - 3:50 MW
Government often appears to us as a demanding power, compelling us to cooperate by threatening to take our property, liberty, or lives. The main point of this course is to examine how, and how far, such demands can be justified, with special attention to the social contract tradition. We will begin by examining justifications of state power from authors such as Plato, Hobbes, Locke, and Rawls. We will then consider challenges to government authority from authors such as Jefferson, Thoreau, Spencer, Marx, Malcolm X, and King. Requirements will include written responses to readings, exams, papers, a presentation, and participation.
PHIL 351A: ADVANCED LOGIC
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 2:50 - 3:50 MWF
This course extends the study of symbolic logic beyond what is covered in Phil 251 (and other introductory logic courses). We will start with a deeper investigation of sentential logic and predicate logic with a special focus on model theoretic semantics. This will allow us to construct metalogic proofs about these logical systems (for instance, soundness and completeness proofs). We will then investigate extensions of these logical systems. Topics will include identity, function signs, definite descriptions, generalized quantifiers, non-classical logics, modal logics, and counterfactuals. Requirements include regular homework assignments, exams, and a final paper. Prerequisite: successful completion of Phil 251 or permission of instructor.
PHIL 353A: METAPHYSICS
Professor Richard Cameron, 12:40 - 2:10 TR
Metaphysics is the philosophical study of what exists. We will “go beyond” physics in that if, e.g., physics employs the notion of a cause then we will ask what a cause is (something physics cannot answer). Our investigation will be critical, focused on arguments and reasons, and the topics will range over some of the most abstract questions ever asked: are there universals? Do we survive our deaths? Why is there something rather than nothing? Etc. We’ll also begin by asking why metaphysics matters, and end by discussing in more detail what it is.
PHIL 419A: JOHN RAWLS
Professor Claudia Mills, 2:20 - 3:50 TR (May also be taken as POLS 390D)
John Rawls (1921-2002) is arguably the greatest political philosopher of the twentieth century and indisputably the most influential. We’ll be reading portions of his landmark text, A Theory of Justice (1971), which offered both a novel account of the principles of political justice and a novel account of how those principles are justified. We will then read his almost equally momentous development, revision, and extension of the theory in Political Liberalism (1993), as well as The Law of Peoples (1999), in which Rawls lays out his vision of just interaction among nation states at the global level. We will also read selections from some of Rawls’s many critics, drawn from libertarianism (Nozick), communitarianism (Walzer and Sandel), and feminism (Susan Moller Okin), as well as others if time permits. Students will write two 8-10 papers as well as a longer final paper revised and expanded from one of the two previous papers. Requirements also include active class participation and occasional class presentations in this seminar-style course.
Philosophy courses for Fall 2012
(Spring 2013 course descriptions are above.)
PHIL 101A: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 10:30-11:30 MWF
Does God exist? Can you tell whether you are dreaming? Are you obligated to help people who are far away as much as you are obligated to help those closer to home? In this course we will investigate these questions among others. In doing so, you will be introduced to several major themes in philosophy and works by important philosophers. We will be reading works from ancient philosophy through to contemporary philosophy, including philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Hume. By the end of the course you should have a better understanding of what philosophy is, and should have cultivated the ability to think and write clearly. Requirements for this course include active participation, several short paper assignments, three exams, and a term paper.
PHIL 101B: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Dan Shannon, 12:30-1:30 MWF
This Introduction to Philosophy course will cover several important texts in classical western philosophy. We will deal with a number of issues including the nature of reality, the mind-body problem, proving God’s existence, certainty of knowledge, among others. We will be stressing what philosophers do, and this means that we will be discussing in some detail the nature of argumentation, understanding philosophical writing, evaluating arguments and most importantly creating your own good arguments. There will be discussion and a mixture of tests and essays. The featured philosophers in this course will be Plato, Descartes, Hume, Mill, and Schopenhauer. Although some other philosophers and their arguments will also be discussed.
PHIL 101C: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 9:20-10:20 MWF
We will consider several important topics in philosophy such as our knowledge of the world outside our minds, God’s existence, human freedom, and the meaning of life. To do so we will read, discuss, and critique philosophical works from ancient times to the present. Requirements will include written responses to readings, short papers, a midterm and final exam, participation, and a presentation.
PHIL 212A: HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY - ANCIENT
Professor Richard Cameron, 12:40-2:10 TR
We survey the origins of Western philosophy through a close textual and philosophical investigation of core texts. Themes covered include the birth of philosophical method (epistemology), the nature of being and the possibility of change (metaphysics), and how, by our own lights, we think we ought to live our lives (ethics). The survey covers thinkers from the presocratics through the Hellenistic period with special emphasis on Parmenides, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
PHIL 213A: HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY – MEDIEVAL
Professor Dan Shannon, 9:20-10:20 MWF
This is an introductory course to Medieval Philosophy. The course will focus on five topics: Existence of God; Ethics and the Problem of Evil; God’s Foreknowledge and Free Will; the State; Knowledge and the Problem of Sensation. Major figures from the Middle Ages and Renaissance will be featured, including, among others, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Maimonides, St. Anselm, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Ibn Rushd (Averroes). Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions will be represented. Requirements include a mixture of tests and papers. Most texts will be short selection from representative works. We will, however, consider two longer works which students will be assigned to read, comment on, and lead discussion. The first will be Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed, and the second will be St. Thomas Aquinas, selections from the Summa Theologica, on law, morality, and politics.
PHIL 230A: ETHICAL THEORY
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 12:30-1:30 MWF
The question, “What should I do?” is ubiquitous for us. But as soon as we try to answer it intelligently, we find ourselves led to several other questions: Are there any moral absolutes? What if I don’t want to do what’s right? How can we tell which acts are right or wrong, or what sort of life to lead? In this course we will learn about and critically evaluate a number of influential answers to these questions from classical and contemporary thinkers. If time permits we may also consider various controversial issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and war. Requirements will include exams, short papers, a presentation, and participation.
PHIL 230B: ETHICAL THEORY ‘W’
Professor Jennifer Everett, 10:30-11:30 MWF
The purpose of this course is to introduce philosophical approaches to the most fundamental question faced by human beings: how ought we to live? Each of us wants to do the right thing, live a good life, be an honorable person. We also want to live in a good and just society; thus, ethics is also an inextricable part of all of our practical political problems. To approach such matters philosophically is to confront a plethora of theoretical quandaries. We will begin with questions about the status of morality and methods of moral reasoning: How are race, class, and gender relevant to our moral understanding? Can moral questions have any objectively correct answers, or is it all “a matter of opinion”? For the remainder of the course we will explore the landscape of normative ethical theory, competing efforts to explain at a general level why certain outcomes are good or bad, why particular acts are right or wrong, or why certain ways of living are morally preferable to others.
PHIL 232A: ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Professor Jennifer Everett, 1:40-2:40 MWF
Environmental ethics is a subfield of philosophy which studies the extent of, limits to, and grounds for our moral obligations with respect to the more-than-human world. It is also a practical, interdisciplinary field concerned with identifying and facilitating environmentally ethical behaviors, policies, and social systems. This course aims to do justice to both aspects of the field (and to advance the civic engagement goals of a liberal education) by discussing key works, concepts, and theories in environmental philosophy and by grounding these ideas in real-world environmental problems.
PHIL 251A: LOGIC ‘Q’
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 8:10-9:10 MWF
This course is an introduction to symbolic logic. The main goal is to familiarize you with certain formal methods for representing and evaluating deductive arguments. The course covers both sentential logic and predicate logic, with work equally divided between translating sentences into formal notation, and constructing formal proofs. Time permitting, we will consider the limits of deductive logic and consider some basic inductive logic. Requirements for this class include regular homework assignments, exams, and a final project.
PHIL 342A: PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
Professor Jeremy Anderson, 10:00-11:30 TR
How should we interpret the law? What is the law’s basis? Can you attempt to murder someone who is already dead? How can punishment be justified? What duty do we have to rescue those in danger? Is it the business of law to enforce morality? We will examine legal rulings and read essays on such topics by lawyers, judges, philosophers, and others. Requirements will include written responses to readings, participation, at least one exam, some papers, and (depending on class size) presentations on topics of your choice.
PHIL 352A: EPISTEMOLOGY
Professor Jeffrey Dunn, 2:50-3:50 MWF
We seem to know various things: that the Colts had a pretty bad season last year; that there will be a presidential election in November; that 5+7=12; that DNA has a double helical structure. Maybe we don't actually know these things. Even so, we at least seem to have very good reason to believe them. But what is it to know or have a reason to believe something? Since we're often interested in evaluating the beliefs that we (or others) hold, this question seems to be important. Epistemology is the discipline that attempts to answer it. In this course we will survey the central topics within epistemology. We will read some classic work in philosophy by authors such as Plato, Descartes, and Hume, but the majority of reading will be recent work by contemporary philosophers. Topics to be considered include the structure of justification, the threat of skepticism, the nature of scientific and mathematical knowledge, and the proper relationship between epistemological theorizing and science. Requirements for this course include several short writing assignments, a term paper, and a midterm and final exam.
PHIL 469A: PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
Professor Erik Wielenberg, 2:20-3:50 TR
This course examines three issues in contemporary philosophy of mind. We assume a materialist framework, the main components of which are (i) there are no non-physical souls and (ii) every physical event that has a cause at all has a physical cause. Such a framework raises questions about various alleged mental phenomena. How does conscious experience fit into a materialist universe? How is it that mental states can represent or be about other things in such a universe? And finally, how can mental states cause behavior in such a universe? The requirements include some short writing assignments, a mid-term exam, a final exam, and a term paper. Prerequisites: Two courses in philosophy or permission of instructor.
PHIL 490A: SENIOR SEMINAR ‘S’
Professor Dan Shannon, 2:20-3:50 MW
This class is the capstone course for majors in philosophy. It covers a broad range of advanced topics in philosophy; typically three or four topics are covered during the semester. Topics may be treated historically or systematically. The students are responsible for presentations and discussions of the material. Several papers will be assigned, and the student selects one which will be the subject of a formal presentation. May not be taken pass/fail. Open only to seniors.