This course will offer systematic examination of a variety of philosophical issues raised by the existence of gender roles in human society: Is the existence or content of such roles determined by nature? Are they inherently oppressive? How does the category gender interact with other socially significant categories, like race, class, and sexual orientation? What would gender equality look like? How do differences among women complicate attempts to generalize about gender?

This course addresses central questions in contemporary epistemology concerning the nature of knowledge and justification, the 'a priori'; perceptual knowledge; and skepticism.

Description not available at this time

Introduction to the history of modern philosophy; emphasis on Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, and Hume. When taken with PHIL 398W,this course satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement in Philosophy. Prerequisite: Two courses in Philosophy. (Gen.Ed. HS)

Consideration of some of the most important theories about right and wrong, good and evil, and virtue and vice. In each case, one focus will be on clear and accurate formulation of the theory. Another focus will be on understanding and evaluating classic objections to the theory. Readings from Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Bentham, Mill, Kant, Ross, Moore, and others. (Gen.Ed. AT)

Intensive study of recent work in Anglo-American philosophy. Topics may include problems in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, and other areas. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Phil majors.

Critical survey of basic issues concerning knowledge. Representative questions include What is knowledge? Can knowledge be purely a priori? Is there a defensible distinction between the analytic and the synthetic? What is the nature of empirical evidence? Is it possible to justify inductive inference? How can we confirm beliefs about unobservable entities?

An introduction to ethics through issues of medicine and health care. Topics include abortion, treatment of impaired infants, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, truth-telling, medical experimentation on human beings and on animals, and the allocation of scarce medical resources. (Gen.Ed. AT)

Consideration of some of the most important theories about right and wrong, good and evil, and virtue and vice. In each case, one focus will be on clear and accurate formulation of the theory. Another focus will be on understanding and evaluating classic objections to the theory. Readings from Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Bentham, Mill, Kant, Ross, Moore, and others. (Gen.Ed. AT)

Content varies somewhat depending on instructor; students are encouraged to read the detailed descriptions published each semester on the Department's website. The following are typical. (1) Introduction to philosophical thinking, stressing the formulation and evaluation of logical arguments, with readings from Plato and Descartes, and recent works on good and evil, immortality, and personal identity.