Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor Vogt, Chair; Professor Brown, Charles A. Dana Professor Hyland, Brownell Professor Lloyd, and Professor Wade; Associate Professors Marcano∙ and Ryan∙∙, Assistant Professor Theurer; Affiliated with the Philosophy Department: Professor Smith
The minor in philosophy—As a discipline, philosophy reflects on the nature and foundations of every other discipline. A minor in philosophy allows students to deepen engagement with any major. The philosophy minor consists of six courses in philosophy with a grade of at least C- in each, of which at least three are upper level (PHIL 280 and above). Consult with any member of the department to identify courses that offer a sound overview of the breadth of philosophy, as well as its application to the rest of one’s academic career and life.
The philosophy major—Twelve credits in philosophy, with a grade of at least C- in each, including at least one course that satisfies the logic requirement, three courses in the history of philosophy, and at least four upper-level courses are required. Normally, courses in this latter category must be taken at Trinity. Majors are strongly urged to take PHIL 101 at an early stage of their philosophical development. Senior majors are also required to complete the senior exercise, for which instructions will be provided by the department. In order to qualify for honors, students must write a two-semester, two-credit senior thesis, and achieve a grade of A- or better. They must also achieve a departmental average (based on all philosophy courses taken) of at least A-.
For more details on the department’s faculty, requirements, and sources, visit our Web site at www.trincoll.edu/Academics/MajorsAndMinors/Philosophy/.
The departmental offerings are divided into five categories:
The Writing Intensive Part II requirement is fulfilled by one of the following courses: PHIL 281, 283, or 288.
Cognate courses—A good philosopher should know at least a little something about everything. Hence any course, any job, any friendship, any bit of recreation is valuable if you reflect on it and learn from it. But there are some courses to which students of philosophy should give special consideration. Philosophical work often requires slow, painstaking reading; the study of a foreign language, particularly Greek or Latin, is usually effective in encouraging the habit of careful attention to a text. Students who work with a computer language may find that this provides a similar discipline. If the student is considering graduate study in philosophy, then some competence in French or German is especially recommended.
A student of philosophy should have a broad understanding of modern science. Any good science course (including the behavioral sciences) is suitable, but courses in the natural sciences and mathematics should be given first consideration.
Equally important is a familiarity with the humanistic culture of the West. Most philosophers are also scholars—they are educated people. In order to understand them, one has to have read widely in non-philosophical books. Hence courses in literature, history, and the arts should be elected. We recommend that the student find out which courses require the most reading, and take those.
We require no particular non-departmental courses as part of the major. Rather, we encourage all students who are interested in a philosophical education to talk to one or more members of the department about their abilities and interests. We will then be able to recommend a course of study that will make sense for each individual.
Study away—The Philosophy Department strongly recommends study abroad as an important contribution to a philosophical education. The Global Learning Site in Vienna is especially recommended for its strong philosophical, language, and human rights offerings.
Fall Term
101. Introduction to Philosophy— An introduction to fundamental topics and concepts in the history of philosophy, e.g., rationality, wisdom, knowledge, the good life, the just society, and the nature of language. This course is especially appropriate for first-year students or students beginning the college-level study of philosophy. Students contemplating majoring in philosophy are strongly urged to make this their first philosophy course. (Enrollment limited)-Lloyd, Theurer
[103. Ethics]— An introductory study of values, virtues, and right action. Major concepts of ethical theory (goodness, responsibility, freedom, respect for persons, and morals) will be examined through a study of Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. The course is not primarily a historical survey, but rather attempts to clarify in systematic fashion both moral concepts and moral action. (Enrollment limited)
212. Philosophy of Religion— (Enrollment limited)-Ryan
221. Science, Reality and Rationality— Much of modern philosophy has focused on efforts to understand the rise of physical science since the 16th century. This course will focus on 20th-century efforts by philosophers to characterize science, explain its effectiveness, and interpret its findings. (Enrollment limited)-Theurer
[222. Existentialism]— A study of the philosophical background of existentialism and of a number of principal existentialistic texts by such writers as Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Camus, and Sartre. (Enrollment limited)
223. African Philosophy— What is African philosophy? Currently, among the scholars addressing this question, no single answer prevails. Some hold that philosophy, by its nature, transcends race, ethnicity, and region and hence that terms such as “African philosophy,” “European philosophy,”and “Asian philosophy,” are all rooted in misunderstanding what philosophy fundamentally is. Some argue that prior to the very recent work of African scholars trained in formal (often European) departments of philosophy, African philosophy did not (and could not) exist. Others argue that while (many of) the peoples of Africa have little or no tradition of formal (written) philosophizing, the differing worldviews embodied in the myths, religions, rituals, and other cultural practices of ethnic Africans constitute genuine African philosophy. Yet others find African philosophy in the critical musings of indigenous African (so-called) wise men or sages. In this course we will critically examine the variety of possibilities, forms, and practices in Africa and elsewhere that might be referred to appropriately as “African philosophy” and attempt to understand why the notion of “African philosophy” is so especially contentious. (May be counted toward African studies.) (Enrollment limited)-Wade
[227. Environmental Philosophy]— How we treat nature is, in some measure, a function of how we conceive it. Should we be concerned with protection of the natural environment because we are dependent upon it for the quality of our lives? Or, does nature merit respect and protection for its own inherent value quite apart from its utility to human beings? Are human beings, in some relevant sense, the rightful rulers of nature and thereby entitled to use it in any manner that serves their ends? Or, is the natural environment more appropriately viewed as the property of all creatures that live within it, as something that human beings have an obligation to share with their nonhuman counterparts? Is life limited to the individuals that constitute the organic world, the world of plants and animals? Or, can we sensibly regard ecosystems, including the entire planet, as living entities in their own right (as in the so-called Gaia hypothesis)? Efforts to answer these and a wide range of related questions form the subject matter of this course. (Enrollment limited)
247. Latin American Social and Political Thought— An historical survey of important Latin American socal and political thinkers. Thinkers covered may include las Casas, Sepulveda, Bolivar, Sarmiento, Marti, Mariategui, Vasconcelos, Jose Gracia, Enrique Dussel, Linda Alcoff, and Ofelia Schutte among others. No knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is required. All texts are available translated into English. (Enrollment limited)-Wade
[249. Philosophy and Film]— Both American and European philosophers have recently turned their attention to the medium of film. This course will document this development. We will examine general philosophical considerations regarding an “aesthetics of film” or an “ontology of film”; and we will explore philosophical studies of film that locate the role of film within the framework of a social, political and psychoanalytic theory of mass culture. In addition, we will study philosophical readings of particular films and film genres from the perspective of different contemporary philosophical schools of thought (such as critical theory, Derridian deconstruction, Lacanian psychoanalysis, and post-analytic neo-pragmatism). (Enrollment limited)
255. Philosophy of Logic— This course will introduce students to propositional and (first order) predicate logic, while engaging in philosophical reflection on a range of issues related to modern formal logic. In particular students will first study techniques for representing and analyzing arguments using the symbolism of each formal system. We will then consider some of the many philosophical issues surrounding formal logic, such as the nature of truth and inference, semantic paradoxes, and the attempt by Russell and others to use advances in formal logic to resolve traditional problems in metaphysics and epistemology. Students cannot receive credit for both this course and Phil 205 Symbolic Logic.
(Enrollment limited)-Ryan
281. Ancient Greek Philosophy— This course looks at the origins of western philosophy in the Presocratics, Plato, and Aristotle. Students will see how philosophy arose as a comprehensive search for wisdom, then developed into the “areas” of philosophy such as metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy. This course fulfills part two of the writing intensive (WI) requirement for the Philosophy major. (Enrollment limited)-Hyland
[288. Modern Philosophy]— This course will provide a survey of 18th century European philosophy; to be more precise, we will examine texts by representatives of both French and German Enlightenment thought. The first section of the course will focus on Rousseau’s and Diderot’s contributions to political and aesthetic thought; the second section will be concerned with Kant’s epistemology and with some of his shorter texts on political and aesthetic thought. The goal of this course consists in both defining Enlightenment thought and unearthing the fateful dialectic at its very heart. Methodologically, this course will employ an approach owed to the tradition of Critical Theory. This course fulfills part two of the writing intensive (WI) requirement for the Philosophy major.
[310. Question of Justice]— This course will be centered on the question: “What is justice?” The majority of the semester will be devoted to a historical survey of the different philosophical conceptions of justice from Plato to 20th-century political theorists like Rawls, Nozick, and Kelsen. In the final weeks of the course, we will turn our attention to the “crime against humanity,” which is arguably the greatest challenge to contemporary formulations of justice. Specifically, we will analyze the morality and political viability of recent truth commissions (like those in South Africa, Chile, Uganda, Haiti, and Argentina) and international criminal tribunals (like those set up by the United Nations for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia). We will also consider the theoretical and practical value of the discourses surrounding “restorative justice” and “transitional justice” over and against more traditional frameworks. (Enrollment limited)
[320. Hegel]— Hegel’s most famous work, The Phenomenology of Spirit, will be studied in depth. Attention will be paid to the significance of the work on our subsequent tradition, both philosophical and cultural. Enrollment limited. (Enrollment limited)
[325. Nietzsche]— Nietzsche is one of those thinkers whose influence on our culture has been far wider than the number of people who have actually read him. Through a careful study of this 19th-century thinker’s major works we shall examine his own claim to be thinking the most challenging thoughts of the next century. (Enrollment limited)
[326. Hannah Arendt]— Hannah Arendt remains one of the 20th century’s most provocative political philosophers. This course will survey some of Arendt’s most controversial political works, including The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition, Eichmann in Jerusalem: The Banality of Evil, and “Reflections on Little Rock.” The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad understanding of Arendt’s concerns regarding the possibilities for real political action in the modern world. (Enrollment limited)
335. Heidegger— Martin Heidegger is arguably the most important philosopher of the 20th century. Yet because of the myopia of the Anglo-American philosophic tradition, he has only recently begun to receive the attention he deserves in the English-speaking world. This seminar will make a careful study of Heidegger’s magnum opus, Being and Time. In addition to our reflection on the intrinsic meaning and merit of this book, we shall consider some of its important roots in the tradition and some of the ways in which it prepares the way both for Heidegger’s own radically transformed later thought and for the most recent trends in contemporary continental philosophy. (Enrollment limited)-Hyland
355. Moral Theory and Public Policy— The purpose of this course is to assist students in acquiring the skill in ethical reasoning and analysis needed for mature participation in society’s continuing debates over moral issues of public concern. The course will begin by examining some types of ethical theories and will proceed to consider a number of controversial social issues. Abortion, euthanasia, racial and sexual discrimination, world hunger, treatment of animals, and capital punishment are among the topics to be considered (Enrollment limited)-Wade
383. Time— If the past no longer exists, and the future is not yet, then what is time? This seminar will consider time and temporality as issues in philosophy of science, phenomenology, and cognitive science. Authors include Augustine, James, Husserl, and Einstein, with the thought-experimental contributions of Proust, Borges, and others. (Enrollment limited)-Lloyd
390. Advanced Logic— An investigation of various methods of logic. Certain related topics in epistemology and the philosophy of mathematics will be considered. (Enrollment limited)-Ryan
399. Independent Study— Independent, intensive study in a field of special interest requiring a wide range of reading and resulting in an extended paper. Normally there will be only a few meetings with the supervisor during the course of the semester. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (0.5-1 course credit) -Staff
466. Teaching Assistantship— Work conducted in close consultation with the instructor of a single course and participation in teaching that course. Duties for a teaching assistant may include, for example, holding review sessions, reading papers, or assisting in class work. In addition, a paper may be required from the teaching assistant. This course may count as one of the 11 total required for the major, but will not count as one of the six required “upper-level” (300 and above) courses. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (0.5-1 course credit) -Staff
498. Senior Thesis Part 1— A two-credit course culminating in an extended paper to be read by two or more members of the department. It may be organized like a tutorial or independent study. This is a required course for all students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy. To be eligible for this course a student must have an A- average in the major or must successfully petition the department for an exemption. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (2 course credits are considered pending the first semester two course credits will be awarded for completion in the second semester). (2 course credits) -Staff
499. Senior Thesis Part 2— A two-credit course culminating in an extended paper to be read by two or more members of the department. It may be organized like a tutorial or independent study. This is a required course for all students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy. In order to be eligible for this course a student must have an A- average in the major or must successfully petition the department for an exemption. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this yearlong thesis. (2 course credits) -Staff
Courses Originating in Other Departments
Public Policy & Law 344. Seeking Justice in American Life: Ethical thinking/decision-making in politics law and private life— View course description in department listing on p. 780. Prerequisite: C- or better in PBPL 201 or PBPL 202 or permission of the instructor. -Fulco, Schaller
Political Science 105. Introduction to Political Philosophy— View course description in department listing on p. 743. Not open to seniors. -Sterling
Political Science 339. Contemporary and Post-Modern Thought— View course description in department listing on p. 746. Prerequisite: Political Science 105 or 219 or 220. -Smith
[Religion 307. Jewish Philosophy]— View course description in department listing on p. 797. Prerequisite: C- or better in Religion 109.
Spring Term
101. Introduction to Philosophy— An introduction to fundamental topics and concepts in the history of philosophy, e.g., rationality, wisdom, knowledge, the good life, the just society, and the nature of language. This course is especially appropriate for first-year students or students beginning the college-level study of philosophy. Students contemplating majoring in philosophy are strongly urged to make this their first philosophy course. (Enrollment limited)-Brown
103. Ethics— An introductory study of values, virtues, and right action. Major concepts of ethical theory (goodness, responsibility, freedom, respect for persons, and morals) will be examined through a study of Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. The course is not primarily a historical survey, but rather attempts to clarify in systematic fashion both moral concepts and moral action. (Enrollment limited)-Staff
105. Critical Thinking— An intensive study of effective reasoning in academic and practical contexts. The course covers analytical techniques for understanding and improving concepts and arguments, and creative techniques for solving problems. Required work for the course includes a wide variety of writing, much of it designed to help you improve your reasoning in other courses, and a few hours a week of community service, designed to enhance your ability to understand and work with other people.-Staff
205. Symbolic Logic— An introduction to the use of symbols in reasoning. The prepositional calculus and quantification theory will be studied. This background knowledge will prepare the student to look at the relation of logic to linguistics, computer science, mathematics, and philosophy. Students cannot receive credit for this course and Phil 255 Philosophy of Logic. (Enrollment limited)-Theurer
215. Medical Ethics— This course will take up ethical, political, and legal issues relevant to the medical profession and patient population. Topics will include: death with dignity, treatment with dignity, abortion, mercy-killing, patient consent, the nature of physical versus mental illness, medical experimentation, and the socially conscious distribution of medical resources. (Enrollment limited)-Brown
217. Philosophy and Literature— We shall study a number of philosophic works with literary significance and a number of literary works with philosophic content in order to raise the question of what the difference is between the two. This course may be used to fulfill the literature and psychology minor requirements. (Enrollment limited)-Lloyd
[223. African Philosophy]— What is African philosophy? Currently, among the scholars addressing this question, no single answer prevails. Some hold that philosophy, by its nature, transcends race, ethnicity, and region and hence that terms such as “African philosophy,” “European philosophy,”and “Asian philosophy,” are all rooted in misunderstanding what philosophy fundamentally is. Some argue that prior to the very recent work of African scholars trained in formal (often European) departments of philosophy, African philosophy did not (and could not) exist. Others argue that while (many of) the peoples of Africa have little or no tradition of formal (written) philosophizing, the differing worldviews embodied in the myths, religions, rituals, and other cultural practices of ethnic Africans constitute genuine African philosophy. Yet others find African philosophy in the critical musings of indigenous African (so-called) wise men or sages. In this course we will critically examine the variety of possibilities, forms, and practices in Africa and elsewhere that might be referred to appropriately as “African philosophy” and attempt to understand why the notion of “African philosophy” is so especially contentious. (May be counted toward African studies.) (Enrollment limited)
[225. Politics, Power, and Rights: Engaging Women of Color in Hartford]— This course is designed to bring to bear philosophical feminist issues to the concrete concerns of urban women of color in Hartford. The goal of the course is to make philosophical thinking relevant to both urban women of color and Trinity students interested in the ways philosophical thinking can and cannot address urban issues. We will explore arguments around political agency for minority women, the question of relevancy in identifying concerns as feminist as opposed to class or racism in urban contexts, and link theoretical discourses to prominent and concrete agendas of voting, housing, and employment. Students will be expected to share a discursive space with women of color in Hartford both on and off campus in the exploration of these topics.This course has a community learning component. (Enrollment limited)
[231. The Holocaust]— Beginning with the historical causes and development of the “Final Solution,” the systematic destruction of European Jewry between 1933 and 1945, this course considers such issues as the nature of genocide, the concept (and history) of evil, corporate and individual moral responsibility, and the implementation of justice in the aftermath of radical evil. These issues are examined both in the context of the Holocaust and as general moral and religious problems. They are also viewed through “imaginative” literary representations, which introduces the question of what difference a subject makes to the form of its representation, and thus, more specifically, what can or cannot (and should or should not) be said about the Holocaust. (Same as College Course 231.) (Enrollment limited)
239. African-American Feminism— This course is a historical survey of the writings of African-American women as they have historically attempted to negotiate fundamental philosophical questions of the “race problem” and the “woman problem.” To this extent, we will be inserting black women’s voices into the philosophical canon of both race and feminism. Along with exploring and contextualizing the responses and dialogues of women writers, like Anna Julia Cooper with their more famous male contemporaries such as Du Bois, up to more contemporary articulations of black women’s voices in what is known as hip-hop feminism, we will ask the question of whether there is a particular black feminist thought, epistemology, and thus philosophy. (Enrollment limited)-Marcano
[240. Introduction to Feminist Philosophy]— In the last several decades, feminist philosophy has developed with new vitality. It has influenced such diverse areas of philosophy as ethics, politics, and epistemology. Its contributors represent both Anglo-American and European philosophical traditions. This course will introduce students both to some of the major contributors and to the ways in which they have influenced various areas of philosophy. (May be counted toward women, gender, and sexuality.) (Enrollment limited)
[241. Race, Racism, and Philosophy]— An intensive examination of some philosophical discussions of race and racism. Topics include the origins of European racism, the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic racism, the conceptual connections between racist thinking and certain canonized philosophical positions (e.g., Locke’s nominalism), the relationship between racism and our notions of personal identity, the use of traditional philosophical thought (e.g., the history of philosophy) to characterize and explain differences between European and black African cultures, the possible connections between racism and Pan-Africanism, the nature of anti-Semitism, and recent attempts to conceptualize race and racism as social constructions. (Enrollment limited)
243. Philosophy and the City— What is a city? What is a just city? Are there ideals and values that are distinctive of the city? Does the city tell us anything important about human nature? What is the role of the city in human flourishing? How does the city differ from other forms of social and political organization, such as the state? How ought the city relate to other forms of social and political organization? How might philosophy help us to better understand the city? How might the city contribute (or continue to contribute) to philosophy’s own development as a discipline? These are among the questions taken up in this course. Readings will be drawn from philosophical writings ranging from the beginnings of Western philosophy to texts by contemporary authors. (Enrollment limited)-Wade
246. Human Rights: Philosophical Foundations, Issues, and Debates— This course will survey and critically assess arguments in favor of the existence of human rights, arguments about the legitimate scope of such rights (who has human rights and against whom such rights can legitimately be claimed), and arguments about which rights ought to be included in any complete account of human rights. Specific topics will include (but not necessarily be limited to) the philosophical history of human rights discourse, cultural relativist attacks on the universality of human rights, debates concerning the rights of cultural minorities to self-determination, and controversies concerning whether human rights should include economic and social rights. (Enrollment limited)-Marcano
[283. Early Modern Philosophy]— The history of Western philosophy from approximately 1600 to 1750, with major attention given to Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley and Hume. This course fulfills part two of the writing intensive (WI) requirement for the Philosophy major. (Enrollment limited)
285. 20th-Century Analytic Philosophy— Philosophy, said Wittgenstein, is the “bewitchment of the intelligence by means of language,” and in his later work he sought to counter the thralldom of language by investigating its many uses. So have other writers from Russell, Ayer, and Ryle to the American philosophers Quine and Goodman. Their approach to philosophy, influenced by spectacular developments in logic and science, was largely “analytic,” but their aims were traditional: to limn the prospect of human knowledge and release human intelligence from confusion and superstition. We will study their writings to understand their approach and to assess what it is to do philosophy in the 20th century. (Enrollment limited)-Theurer
[286. 20th-Century Philosophy]— “What are poets for in a destitute time?” asks Heidegger’s favorite poet, Holderlin. We add, “And what are philosophers for?” The tradition of 20th-century Continental philosophy has responded, “Certainly not just to analyze language!” We shall follow some of the leading figures and themes of this rich tradition from its roots in Nietzsche through the transformations of phenomenology, to existentialism and beyond. Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, and Derrida will be studied among others. (Enrollment limited)
288. Modern Philosophy— This course will provide a survey of 18th century European philosophy; to be more precise, we will examine texts by representatives of both French and German Enlightenment thought. The first section of the course will focus on Rousseau’s and Diderot’s contributions to political and aesthetic thought; the second section will be concerned with Kant’s epistemology and with some of his shorter texts on political and aesthetic thought. The goal of this course consists in both defining Enlightenment thought and unearthing the fateful dialectic at its very heart. Methodologically, this course will employ an approach owed to the tradition of Critical Theory. This course fulfills part two of the writing intensive (WI) requirement for the Philosophy major. (Enrollment limited)-Vogt
[308. Aristotle]— This course will intensively study selected works of Aristotle, emphasizing his place both in Ancient Greek philosophy and the subsequent history of philosophy. (Enrollment limited)
310. Question of Justice— This course will be centered on the question: “What is justice?” The majority of the semester will be devoted to a historical survey of the different philosophical conceptions of justice from Plato to 20th-century political theorists like Rawls, Nozick, and Kelsen. In the final weeks of the course, we will turn our attention to the “crime against humanity,” which is arguably the greatest challenge to contemporary formulations of justice. Specifically, we will analyze the morality and political viability of recent truth commissions (like those in South Africa, Chile, Uganda, Haiti, and Argentina) and international criminal tribunals (like those set up by the United Nations for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia). We will also consider the theoretical and practical value of the discourses surrounding “restorative justice” and “transitional justice” over and against more traditional frameworks. (Enrollment limited)-Marcano
327. Merleau-Ponty— A close examination of some of the central works of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and relevant critical commentary. Though less well-known than his sometimes colleague and friend, J.P. Sartre, Merleau-Ponty has been described by Paul Ricoeur as “the greatest of the French phenomenologists.” Although difficult to summarize, his philosophical efforts were aimed primarily at developing a radical re-description of embodied experience (focusing upon studies of perception) while avoiding the tendency of the philosophical tradition to drift between two flawed and equally unsatisfactory alternatives: empiricism and, what he called, intellectualism. His work continues to have relevance for fields as diverse as cognitive science, medical ethics, ecology, sociology, psychology, feminism, and race theory. (Enrollment limited)-Wade
[355. Moral Theory and Public Policy]— The purpose of this course is to assist students in acquiring the skill in ethical reasoning and analysis needed for mature participation in society’s continuing debates over moral issues of public concern. The course will begin by examining some types of ethical theories and will proceed to consider a number of controversial social issues. Abortion, euthanasia, racial and sexual discrimination, world hunger, treatment of animals, and capital punishment are among the topics to be considered (Enrollment limited)
[369. Concepts of Body]— Physical body seems immediately given in ordinary experience. Yet it has been explained in a remarkable number of ways, for example as mathematical (insofar as it consists of dimension, length, breadth and depth, and can be measured) or as material and so unavailable to mathematical analysis; it can be explained as an intellectual or as a merely psychological construct produced when we experience sensible change. In this course, we shall consider several important concepts of body in themselves and as they relate to other problems, particularly the problem of mind. (Enrollment limited)
374. Minds and Brains— The neurosciences have made striking progress in recent years toward understanding the brains of animals and human beings. Through readings in philosophy and science we will consider what contribution this explosion of neuroscientific data can make to our understanding of the mind. (Enrollment limited)-Lloyd
466. Teaching Assistantship— Work conducted in close consultation with the instructor of a single course and participation in teaching that course. Duties for a teaching assistant may include, for example, holding review sessions, reading papers, or assisting in class work. In addition, a paper may be required from the teaching assistant. This course may count as one of the 11 total required for the major, but will not count as one of the six required “upper-level” (300 and above) courses. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (0.5-1 course credit) -Staff
[499. Senior Thesis Part 2]— A two-credit course culminating in an extended paper to be read by two or more members of the department. It may be organized like a tutorial or independent study. This is a required course for all students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy. In order to be eligible for this course a student must have an A- average in the major or must successfully petition the department for an exemption. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this yearlong thesis. (2 course credits) -Staff
Courses Originating in Other Departments
Political Science 105. Introduction to Political Philosophy— View course description in department listing on p. 750. Not open to seniors. -Staff
[Political Science 329. Political Philosophy and Ethics]— View course description in department listing on p. 752. Prerequisite: C- or better in Political Science 105 or Political Science 219 or Political Science 220.