Philosophy

An introduction to the perennial issues of philosophy. Both historical and contemporary approaches may be explored.

An evaluation of competing philosophical justifications of moral responsibility. Issues such as obligation, praise and blame, right and wrong, goodness and badness will likely be examined.

A study of the rules of valid judging and reasoning, both inductive and deductive with an emphasis on traditional, language-centered context with some exposure to symbolic logic. Logical analysis of both formal and informal fallacies and of the consistency and logical consequences of a given set of statements is included. Logical analysis is applied to concrete problems dealing with our knowledge of reality.

An examination of the philosophical issues immediately related to death. Principal consideration will be given to whether it is reasonable to believe human beings will survive the death of their bodies. Questions concerning the value of death also will receive attention. Is death bad? What makes killing wrong? Can it be morally permissible to commit suicide? AAS: Humanities elective.

A study of selected religious concepts and theories, such as the existence and nature of a deity, the nature of good and evil, reason and faith, ethics, and the afterlife. May include an examination of the nature of religious language and experience.

Students will cultivate scientific and cultural awareness by engaging philosophically with topics such as education, business, biomedical and healthcare ethics, environmental ethics, legal theory, and social and political philosophy.