Philosophy

In this course, students identify and discuss the importance of the Roman Republic on contemporary debates in political philosophy, and in particular to understand the contribution of Cicero to Western philosophy. The focus of this course is the last 100 years of the Roman Republic, and in particular the philosophical works of Cicero. Students examine Cicero's writings on a range of philosophical topics, friendship, moral duties, old age, and death. 

This course examines the philosophical thought of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. As a cornerstone of Chinese culture, Confucianism contributes to the establishment of the human moral way by articulating a conception of humans as moral subjects. Taoism stresses the pursuit of an ideal life by understanding the changes of the universe, while Buddhism applies the concept of karma to show how the ultimate cause of human suffering lies in ignorance. Other Chinese philosophical thought such as Mohism, Legalism, and the School of Yin and Yang may also be covered.

This course traces the main historical contexts in which democracy has emerged as an idea, practice, and set of institution. Main thinkers on democracy are read and discussed on the basis of primary sources. Their ideas are interpreted in the historical context of transforming practices and institutional change. Historical explanations and philosophical interpretations of democratization and de-democratization are analyzed in their interaction.

This course is an introductory survey of the major schools of Chinese Philosophy.  Students begin their exploration of Chinese thought with a reading of Confucius’ Analects where they focus on central concepts such as “filial piety”, “ritual propriety”, “rectification of names”, “mandate of heaven”, and “benevolence”.  Students also explore the two main Daoist classics, the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi, considering such concepts as “non-action”, “non-speaking”, “emptiness/absence” and theories of relativism, perspectivism and non-attachment. This course is also dedicated to introducing the four main schools of Chinese Buddhism; Chan, Huayen, T'ian Tai, and Mind-Only and their contrasting ideas of enlightenment, emptiness, truth, and co-dependent origination.

The purpose of this course is that the student can identify and understand the basic questions, positions and problems of metaphysics. Likewise, the aim is for the student to problematize metaphysical questions and approaches, integrating the relevance of this area of ​​study to their systematic understanding of philosophy.

The course aims to reflect on the construction of Otherness as a political theoretical problem, through interdisciplinary readings that involve the fields of political philosophy, Latin American studies and feminist theory. We will pay special attention to analyzing the production of different figures of Otherness whose historicity shows a turning point in the rise of nineteenth-century racial and sexual theories about the body and nature.

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This course examines what is justice. 

There are two thoughts at the center of this class, which are to be challenged and clarified in discussion. The first thought is that all desire is somehow or other aimed at the good. The second thought is that all action is somehow or other subject to normative evaluation. The class challenges and clarifies these thoughts by close reading of parts of Plato's Republic and of contemporary texts. From Plato's Republic, the class focuses on the role of technical expertise (techne) in guiding action; on theory of the tripartite soul; and on the theory of desire and its objects. Students read contemporary works, especially by Christine Korsgaard, that deals with related themes and also touches on Plato's Republic. Students also read works by Rachel Barney, which is focused on the Republic and helps to forge a connection between Plato's text and these contemporary debates.

This seminar engages students in a close reading and discussion of a selection of key texts in which Plotinus addresses problems surrounding his understanding of love. The main focus of this seminar is on Plotinus treatise Ennead 3.5, dedicated to the topic of love, which includes his interpretation of central parts of Plato’s Symposium. This seminar begins by looking at some central texts by Plato on love, esp. the speech by Diotima in the Symposium. No knowledge of Greek is required.  Students are reading all texts in English translation, but occasionally the Greek text is discussed.