Summer Session

Instructor: Jonathan Vajda
Online; May 26 to July 3, 2020 (Session J)
Class #: 10997

Examines general topics in various areas of philosophy showing different sides of issues; develops critical thought and philosophical method.

Is everything that exists matter?  Do we have a soul?  What does ‘having a self’ mean?  What is free will? What does determinism mean? Can we prove the existence of God? Can something come out of nothing? How can I know that what I see is true? Are we one with nature? What is a virtuous life? Can we understand history?

All of the above, and many other, questions will be examined in this introductory course.  The course will present fundamental topics in various areas of philosophy, undertaking a broad historical survey.  Key figures, key philosophical concepts and key questions will be identified in each period examined.  The link between these historical questions and contemporary debates in the field will be shown.

The course will first introduce the major Eastern philosophies of China and India, and then the Greek foundation of Western Philosophy.  Subsequently, the emergence of Early Modern and Modern Western Philosophy will be traced up to the late 19^th century.  The course will conclude with the analytic-continental divide of the early 20^th century.  In each different tradition examined, the philosophical concepts and questions will also be categorized according to the subfield they relate to (Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Logic, etc.).

Instructor: Francesco Franda
Staff
Online; May 26 to July 3, 2020 (Session J)
Class #: 10498

Examines techniques of problem solving, decision making, and evaluating pros and cons of an issue; organizing data; forming strategies and giving reasons; perceptual, cultural, emotional, intellectual and expressive blocks to thinking; and simple inductive reasoning and statistical fallacies.

In this course, we will consider a variety of ethical issues that arise in the biomedical field. You will be introduced to some of the major ethical frameworks within moral philosophy (e.g. utilitarianism, deontology) as well as the basic methods and tools of philosophical analysis. We will survey examples of applications of these frameworks to various bioethical issues. You will develop the skills needed to read, discuss, and write about philosophical issues within bioethics. You will practice applying the tools of philosophical analysis in order to (i) recognize the ethical frameworks being applied to various bioethical issues, (ii) identify arguments presented in the readings and assignments, (iii) discuss your own critical evaluations of the arguments, and (iv) construct and defend your own evaluations and arguments about these issues in writing. The main goal is to get you to become better, more careful thinkers, both in general and about bioethical questions in particular. Not only will you become familiar with a number of different views surrounding ethical issues in medicine, you will also have the opportunity to further develop your own view on these important issues.

Instructor: Botan Dolun
Online; July 6 to August 14, 2020 (Session M)
Class #: 10998

Examines techniques of problem solving, decision making, and evaluating pros and cons of an issue; organizing data; forming strategies and giving reasons; perceptual, cultural, emotional, intellectual, and expressive blocks to thinking; and simple inductive reasoning and statistical fallacies.

In this course, we will consider a variety of ethical issues that arise in the biomedical field. You will be introduced to some of the major ethical frameworks within moral philosophy (e.g. utilitarianism, deontology) as well as the basic methods and tools of philosophical analysis.  We will survey examples of applications of these frameworks to various bioethical issues.  You will develop the skills needed to read, discuss, and write about philosophical issues within bioethics. You will practice applying the tools of philosophical analysis in order to (i) recognize the ethical frameworks being applied to various bioethical issues, (ii) identify arguments presented in the readings and assignments, (iii) discuss your own critical evaluations of the arguments, and (iv) construct and defend your own evaluations and arguments about these issues in writing.The main goal is to get you to become better, more careful thinkers, both in general and about bioethical questions in particular. Not only will you become familiar with a number of different views surrounding ethical issues in medicine, you will also have the opportunity to further develop your own view on these important issues.

Meeting days and times as arranged with professors. See listing on the  HUB Registration Window for Individual Tutorial Course Sections with Philosophy Department Faculty (to be arranged with Permission of Instructor.)