The Philosophy department has spaces in several awesome “w” classes this summer. Details and brief descriptions of each class below:
PHIL 267: Philosophy of Religion (I&S); A term (sln: 13049); Daily 9:40-11:50
Does God exist?
Is God is queer or disabled?
Do animals survive death?
Can religious belief be rational?
PHIL 102: Contemporary Moral Problems (VLPA/I&S); A & B term options; Daily 9:40-11:50
PHIL 102 A term (sln: 13038)
Social and political philosophy aims to provide guidance not just on how we should live and act inthe world, but on how we should restructure and reshape it. In this course, we will be discussing a number of important social, moral, and political challenges faced in contemporary civilization. We will highlight issues of social justice, such as structural oppression, sports mascots and cultural appropriation, anger in politics, and sexual ethics (topics may vary).
PHIL 102 B term (sln: 13039)
In this course, we will be discussing moral questions surrounding a number of current events. The broader questions we will be addressing are: (1) Who counts a member of the moral community, and (2) what do we owe members of the moral community? There will be an emphasis on applying the moral considerations and reasoning skills developed in these discussions to other moral issues in recent news reports. As such, we will be closely following current events and the moral issues involved with such events. The goal of this course is to expose students to the variety of different moral considerations involved in these and other contemporary issues, while sharpening the skills necessary to construct and criticize ethical arguments.
PHIL 240: Introduction to Ethics (VLPA/I&S) A term (sln: 13046) Daily 10:50-1:00
In this course, we will examine major moral theories, including virtue ethics, deontology, utilitarianism, and care ethics. We will consider some meta-ethical questions concerning the purpose and application of moral theories. We will also look at a few controversial moral issues, such as physician-assisted suicide, meat-eating, and implicit bias.
PHIL342: History of Modern Ethics (VLPA/I&S); A term (sln: 13050); Daily 9:40-11:50
This class will focus on the work of Thomas Hobbes, Baruch Spinoza, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant. These philosophers played a major role in shaping European thought, and continue to provide inspiration for philosophers and legal thinkers. Our aim will be to understand and evaluate their central views on the nature of virtue, right action, and duty.
PHIL 345: Moral Issues of Life and Death (VLPA/I&S); B term (sln: 13051); Daily 1:10-3:20
Possible topics we will cover include the abortion debate (including how best to understand the debate); if our moral obligations to prevent suffering and death extend globally (say by donating to famine relief rather than taking your partner out to dinner); the morality of euthanasia, i.e., physician assisted suicide; whether the death penalty is an inhumane form of punishment or an effective deterrent; the components of a flourishing, good life; and whether death is a bad thing and, if so, for whom it is bad (the person dying? someone else?