Philosophy

One of the greatest and most influential ancient philosophers, Aristotle once remarked, “Wonder is the beginning of philosophy”.  What he was referring to is our habit of asking fundamental questions about our everyday life, such as, “Suppose I am certain that I am right about something, what is that certainty based upon?”; “Suppose I am engaged in a discussion with someone regarding a controversial matter, what can objectively guarantee the stringency of my argument?” Thinking about and discussing such questions forces us to reconsider the things we have always taken for granted and ultimately, lead us to more fundamental questions about the proper nature of truth and knowledge as such. Assignments during the course include the following: the nature of philosophical inquiry, problems of knowledge and truth (including the understanding and evaluation of arguments), and ethics.

This course takes the most influential ethical theories and insights of the last 250 years (and particularly the last 50 years) and applies them to the current challenges that face contemporary societies in Europe and America. It explores three broader topics: an individual as a moral subject; justification of a government and an individual as a moral actor in a state; and the concept of justice as a regulatory and an inspirational goal. In each topic, the course examines the groundwork of modern ethical inquiries (such as Kant, Hobbes and Marx) and proceeds through the philosophical tradition, exploring its challenges. Accounts of a rational subject are contrasted with the problems of irrationality, the question of good with the reality of evil, ideas of justice with problems of everyday injustice. Thinkers discussed include Nietzsche and Freud as well as more contemporary ones such as Arendt, Havel, Fromm, Berlin and Rawls. The course applies theoretical concepts to the most urgent ethical issues of our day in Europe, the United States and beyond. The topical themes explored include those emerging from the tension between liberalism and socialism (tax policies, health care, public/private education and media, etc.), those emerging from the tension between religious and secular society (abortion, animal rights, gender issues, environmentalism and climate change, etc.), and those posed by the recently ascendant movements of nationalism and authoritarianism (including racism, xenophobia, delegitimization of journalism and parliamentary debate, etc.). Ultimately, the course considers anew the core pillars of the Western philosophical and democratic tradition and new ways to strengthen them.

This course introduces moral and political philosophy based on writings of Rousseau. It is divided into two parts: the first part focuses on moral philosophy and the second part on political philosophy. This theoretical path engages Rousseau in a dialogue with the philosophical positions to which he opposes or which oppose him, including after the publication of his writings, in order to address the major problems and concepts of moral and political philosophy.

This course introduces the main issues in contemporary philosophy of religion. Topics include (other topics may also be considered): arguments for the existence of God (cosmological, ontological, teleological), argument for atheism (problem of evil), religious pluralism, nature of mystical experiences, the nature of miracles, and the nature of religious language.

This course provides an intellectual and philosophical perspective on political activity and the conduct of citizens and politicians. Topics include: ethics and politics; law and political power; freedom, equality, and fundamental rights; obedience to law and civil disobedience; political models-- democracy, nationalism, and cosmopolitanism.

This is an intermediate-level course designed to introduce students to the burgeoning field of Applied Epistemology. Students use philosophical theories about knowledge, justification and belief-formation to explore pressing societal issues. Topics vary from year to year, but may include: When other well-informed people disagree with us, should this make us less confident in our beliefs? What can epistemology tell us about online ‘echo chambers’? What, if anything, makes conspiracy theories epistemically worse than official theories? How should feminism affect the way we think about knowledge and belief?