Upcoming Courses

Spring 2025

Art and Aesthetics

PHIL 1502 | Dr. Paula Landerreche Cardillo | MWF 9:05-9:55am

What is the place of art in society? How do artistic practices differ from other ways that human beings make sense of their world? Why do we care about art? How has the concept of art changed throughout time and space?

Citizens and Their Cities

PHIL 1502 | Dr. Gregory Convertito | various times

In this course we will examine the notions of “city” and of “citizen” from different geographic, cultural, and historical contexts as an introduction to the practices and uses of philosophical thinking.

Human Nature

PHIL 1502 | Dr. Pedro Monque | MWF 11:15am–12:05pm

We will explore different ideas about human nature, from ideas about human uniqueness and the human essence to categories like race, gender, sexuality, and disability.

Democracy and Virtue

PHIL 1512 | Dr. Daniel Boisvert | various times (hybrid asynchronous)

Introduces students to a number of important virtues—including intellectual virtues such as intellectual honesty, truth-seeking, humility, courage, and others—that any thriving deliberative democracy requires of its citizens.

Ethics of Procreation

PHIL 1512 | Dr. Lisa Rasmussen | MWF 10:10–11:00am

Is procreation a right, a privilege, a duty, or none of these? What does it mean that we can plan for not only when and whether to procreate, but also what kinds of offspring to have?

Critical Thinking in Philosophy

PHIL 2100 | Dr. Tina Talsma | MWF 12:20–1:10

Fundamental skills of clear thinking that help students reason better.

Deductive Logic

PHIL 2105 | multiple sections

Principles of deductive logic, both classical and symbolic.

Healthcare Ethics

PHIL 2220 | Prof. Reginald Raymer | MWF 9:05–9:55

An examination of major ethical dilemmas within medical science and biology.

Nietzsche

PHIL 3009 | Dr. Michael Kelly | online asynchronous

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) is known for his genealogical method (tracing the origins of concepts and beliefs) and for his controversial ideas about morality, art, etc. Are his method and ideas relevant today?

Feminist Healthcare Ethics

PHIL 3039 |Prof. Kathleen Bradley-Volz | online asynchronous

We will examine various healthcare topics through a bio/ethical feminist lens, focusing upon the concerns of feminists regarding reproductive health, cancer, ageing, disability, globalization, standard of care, etc.

Law and Artificial Intelligence

PHIL 3079 | Prof. Daniel Piar | W 1:00–3:45PM

Students will learn about the challenges and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence (AI) across multiple aspects of the legal system, with particular attention to the implications of generative AI for existing legal frameworks.

Philosophy of Law

PHIL 3079 | Prof. Jonathan Perry | M 6:30–9:15PM

Philosophy underlying the legal system and the Anglo-American practice of law.

Ancient Philosophy

PHIL 3201 | Dr. Joshua Miller| MWF 1:25–2:15pm

Classical Greek and Roman political philosophers are said to have invented Western ethics and democracy. They are also said to have invented authoritarianism. What are we to make of this ambiguous legacy?

Ethical Theory

PHIL 3221 | Dr. Daniel Boisvert| W 2:30–5:15pm

What is it for human beings to flourish, individually and collectively? How can we create such lives?

Philosophy of Mind

PHIL 3242 | Dr. Tina Talsma | MWF 11:15am–12:05pm

This course will serve as an introduction to major puzzles and theories in contemporary philosophy of mind.

Science, Knowledge and Values

PHIL 3253 | Dr. Trevor Pearce| W 2:30–5:15

What is science, anyway? How does it generate knowledge? Does it have a special method? Is it value-free?

Feminist Philosophy

PHIL 3261| Dr. Paula Landerreche Cardillo | MW 2:30–3:45pm

Overview of feminist critiques of the philosophical canon and of philosophical work on topics such as gender,
sexuality, and intersectionality.

Philosophy and Race

PHIL 3262| Dr. Eddy Souffrant | MW 2:30–3:45 [first half-term]

This version of Philosophy and Race is focused on Africana and African American political philosophy.

Philosophy of Technology

PHIL 3272 | Dr. Damien Williams | T/Th 2:30–3:45pm

We will survey and critically assess several approaches to the philosophy of technology, investigating themes such as hybridity, cyborgs, bodies, and the relationship between sciences and technologies, including AI.

Hip Hop as Redescription

PHIL 3275 | Dr. Mark Sanders | T/Th 1:00–2:15pm

We will philosophically examine hip hop culture. We will consider many aspects of and perspectives on hip hop, including beats, lyrics, authenticity, misogyny, homophobia, commercialism, and more.

What is a Revolution

PHIL 4019 | Dr. Martin Shuster| W 5:30–8:15pm

The premise of this class is quite simple: we will try to figure out what it means to have a revolution, not exclusively in politics but equally perhaps in science or art or religion or other domains.

Extractivism

PHIL 4039 | Dr. Pedro Monque| M 4:00–6:45pm

We will look at the Latin American concept of extractivism to understand what is wrong with contemporary forms of extraction, thinking creatively about how to move toward “post-extractivist” societies.

Data Ethics

PHIL 4220 | Dr. Damien Williams| Th 5:30–8:15pm

Investigation of the most substantial ethical concerns that arise with big data.

Senior Seminar

PHIL 4600 | Dr. Mark Sanders| T/Th 4:00–5:15pm

A capstone to help advanced students integrate their studies and also pursue their individual philosophical interests.