The fundamental ideas of physics, a minimum of mathematics. Selected phenomena of everyday existence (motion, sound, electricity). Physics beyond the range of our senses: the realm of atoms and nuclei (quantum physics), the universe (cosmology), high speed phenomena (relativity). For nonscience majors. No laboratory. Prerequisite: Basic Math Skills (R1) proficiency, or equivalent. (Gen.Ed. PS)

The area exam practicum is designed to deepen and test a student's familiarity with the area of philosophy that is the student's proposed area of research for the doctoral dissertation. Students must form a committee, agree with the committee on a reading list, produce a document summarizing the philosophical theses in the reading list, and then take an oral examination regarding the area in question.

The goal of this course to develop a piece of philosophical writing from an initial draft into a polished piece of philosophical work. The instructor and student must agree on the paper to work on at the beginning of the practicum, which in many cases will be a past term paper written for another course which the student has received good feedback on, but still requires improvement. The student and faculty member will meet to discuss drafts of the paper and ways to improve it, including doing additional research, refining the philosophical argumentation, and improving the writing.

This course is an introduction to normative ethics. More specifically, we will focus on questions about what to do and how to live from a moral point of view. We will spend a large portion of the course discussing specific moral questions?e.g. Is it ever permissible to kill someone? How much of our income should we donate to charity? What are our obligations to animals? But we will also look at proposals to give unified answers to all moral questions. Inevitably, we will pause to reflect on the moral questions themselves: What are we asking for when we ask whether something is morally wrong?

This course is an introduction to normative ethics. More specifically, we will focus on questions about what to do and how to live from a moral point of view. We will spend a large portion of the course discussing specific moral questions?e.g. Is it ever permissible to kill someone? How much of our income should we donate to charity? What are our obligations to animals? But we will also look at proposals to give unified answers to all moral questions. Inevitably, we will pause to reflect on the moral questions themselves: What are we asking for when we ask whether something is morally wrong?

The focus of this course will be the debate between substantivalism and relationalism with respect to space, time, and spacetime, both in a classical and relativistic setting. Substantivalism (with respect to space) is the view that space exists as a substance independently of the material objects that occupy it. Relationalism is the opposing view that only material objects exist, and that facts about space reduce to facts about spatial relations between those objects.

Introduction to the history of modern philosophy; emphasis on Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, and Hume. Prerequisite: Two courses in Philosophy. (Gen.Ed. HS)

Introduction to the history of modern philosophy; emphasis on Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, and Hume. Prerequisite: Two courses in Philosophy. (Gen.Ed. HS)

Survey of basic concepts and theories of ethics. Consideration of specific ethical problems that businesses and business people are apt to face.

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