What is Philosophy?

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to the problems and methods of contemporary philosophy. Topics fall into the core subfields of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics, and may include: What makes the baby you and the 80-year-old you the same person? What is the relationship between mind and body? Can we act freely if the laws of nature determine everything we do? Do we really know we are not a brain in a vat, where intricate neural processes cause reality-like experiences? Do the different moral codes across cultures prove that there is no objective morality? Would you still behave morally if you were to have a magic ring that gives you unlimited power? Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Humanities Foundational/Introductory Courses (18-19: Critical Concepts).