How do we distinguish good from bad reasoning; sound and cogent arguments from fallacious ones? How can we construct logically compelling arguments and avoid erroneous ones? This is the domain of logic, the study of reasoning and arguments. This course cultivates thinking skills useful for any area that values careful analysis to assess truth, value, practicality, and efficiency. You will become familiar with basic formal and informal logical concepts, as well as with common logical fallacies. As you become adept at these concepts, you will engage in logically consistent and coherent reasoning, as reflected by the clear and rational arguments that you construct.

An in-depth analysis of the life and work of Edith Stein, a German philosopher who studied under Edmund Husserl. Stein’s German, Jewish, feminist, Catholic, and Carmelite experiences are woven into the fabric of her philosophy. In this course, students are introduced to phenomenology and to Edith Stein. The life and works of Edith Stein are explored.

As world citizens in the 21st century, how can we think ethically about the environment and its impact on global economics? What are the environmental and cultural ramifications involving world energy and its economic influences? In this course, you will examine environmental and global economic issues, apply ethical paradigms, and propose positive actions and solutions as you navigate reality.

Distinct from Western Philosophy, Asian Philosophy is immersed in the lived experience of the people, their customs, and their culture. In this course, you will study the major themes and texts that form the basis for an introduction to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. You will explore the rich practices and traditions that reflect Asian thought and that influence our global society today.

What does it mean to live as a human being? You will investigate some of the most fundamental questions about our human nature, the world that we are placed in, and how to live in it successfully. The representative issues you will explore include: Can you really know anything? Are we essentially material organisms or is there something more like soul? How do we make sense of death? What does it mean to live a good life? Does God exist? How do we explain evil and suffering in the world? Is there meaning to life? If so, what is it? As you analyze these issues, you will develop critical and debating skills that are essential for both academic and personal life.

This course introduces students to the principal theories of justice that have developed within the Western philosophical and theological traditions. Students will relate these theories to a variety of contemporary social and political problems (e.g., poverty, systematic racism, human rights, ecological justice, etc.) in order to gain a better understanding of the requirements of justice in our time.

This designation is for courses offered as electives in the Undergraduate Honors Program, and may include both Honors-only courses and augmented Honors versions of courses that are offered elsewhere in the catalog. Courses have limited enrollment and content reflects Honors Program course outcomes around rigorous critical engagement, interdisciplinarity, effective communication, and meaningful collaboration.

Is there such a thing as right and wrong? How do you know if you’re a good person? Is ethics about following rules? Doing your duty? Bringing about the greatest good for the greatest number? Obeying God? Developing virtue? These are the kinds of burning questions that ethics investigates. The study of ethics concerns the nature of action, motivation, consequence, and personal character. You will be introduced to the key issues and theories in ethics. You will trace the historical development of various ethical theories, as well as learn how to apply these theories to contemporary problems in ethics.

Women are not new to the philosophical scene. In this course, you will read the work of women thinkers who have influenced the development of philosophy. You will explore classic texts in feminist thought and continue the analysis of the role of gender in the construction of various academic and theoretical frameworks, including literature, science, epistemology, psychoanalysis, and social theory.

Students are provided with a general introduction to philosophy of mind and its implications for artificial intelligence (AI), allowing them to explore topics ranging from the nature of consciousness, the mind/body problem, personal identity, intelligent and complex adaptive systems, to robotics and related ethical questions. The course utilizes a historical, thematic, and multi-media approach which extends to interdisciplinary components from biology and neuroscience.