Topics in Philosophy

Catalog description

In this seminar, students will explore a topic, figure, or period in philosophy chosen by the instructor. Topics might include, for example, justice and the state, happiness and the good life, mind and consciousness, the philosophy of art, or the ethics of AI. Figures might include a seminar on Plato or Kierkegaard or the existentialists. A seminar on a historical period in philosophy might be on Enlightenment thinkers or Medieval philosophy. This course is intended to guide students through a careful, in-depth analysis of the topic in order not only to help them understand the topic but also, primarily, to help them cultivate their thinking skills and intellectual virtues. The seminar will involve the close reading of primary and secondary texts on the topic and 15-20 double-spaced pages of formal writing. This course may be repeated for credit.