Introduction to Philosophy

PHI 101

This course takes its inspiration from Socrates, who said that his primary task as a philosopher was to relentlessly push his fellow citizens to better themselves and their society. So throughout the course, you will not merely learn about philosophy, but you will also actively practice it as a force for social good in our communities.

Ethics

PHI 107

Ethics is the branch of philosophy examining the nature of morality, good and evil, and right and wrong action. At bottom, ethics addresses the most practical question: “What ought I do?” As such, this is not some hypothetical concern, but something with which we all continually wrestle, as we go about our day-to-day lives. This suggests that ethics is an inherent and inescapable part of human existence. In this course, we will look at several influential approaches and attempts to answer that practical question of ethics. Throughout, we will discover how these divergent, and often conflicting, approaches frame present-day debates surrounding ghosting, religion, drone attacks, gaslighting, implicit bias, gender quotas for university admissions and job hiring, world poverty, eating factory-farmed meat, human rights, alcohol and sexual consent, course grades, and ethical leadership.

Integrating PPE

PHI 485

This is a project-based capstone course exploring advanced issues at the intersection of philosophy, political science and economics (PPE). Each discipline explores complex social problems with its own toolkit, and with its own set of questions. The goal of this course will be to integrate these different approaches into a richer lens on how we can confront complex social issues and make progress. This experiential learning course will also support your professional development, preparing you for life after graduation.