Philosophy
The Philosophy Department offers summer courses that confront the main areas of philosophy: metaphysics, ethics and political philosophy, the philosophy of mind and language, and the history of philosophy.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Courses
A survey of major themes of Existentialist philosophy in Europe from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century, this class will focus on Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and Sartre and their influences on philosophical conceptions of the human being and the form of its freedom, and the consequences of anxiety, nihilism, and despair in the face of death.
Course Number
PHIL3350S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 13:00-16:10Th 13:00-16:10Section/Call Number
001/10242Enrollment
20 of 25Instructor
Joseph HamiltonCourse Number
PHIL3411S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session APoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 09:00-12:10We 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10243Enrollment
14 of 25Instructor
Samara BurnsCourse Number
PHIL3551S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Tu 09:00-12:10Th 09:00-12:10Section/Call Number
001/10245Enrollment
6 of 25Instructor
Lisa ClarkThis course will survey topics in contemporary metaphysics. We will focus on material objects, time, modality, causation, properties, and natural kinds. We will begin by considering what objects there are in general (ontology) and what to say about certain puzzling entities (such as holes). Then we will turn to debates about material objects and puzzles about composite objects and the notion of parthood. Next is the issue of how material objects persist over time and survive change in their parts. We shall consider two important views on persistence. We then turn to two issues related to persistence: personal identity over time, and puzzles about time travel. This will lead us into the next part of the course on modality and causation, which concerns the notions of possibility, necessity, laws of nature, and causation. We will consider different views about 'possible worlds'. We will then consider the nature of laws and causation and then turn to the problem of free will. We will look at debates in the metaphysics of properties between realists and nominalists about properties. Then we'll consider causal powers, dispositions, and natural kinds. The section will conclude with problems about the metaphysics of socially constructed kinds such as race or gender.
Course Number
PHIL3601S001Format
In-PersonSession
Session BPoints
3 ptsSummer 2024
Times/Location
Mo 13:00-16:10We 13:00-16:10Section/Call Number
001/10246Enrollment
9 of 25Instructor
Noah Betz-RichmanPrerequisites: One philosophy course This course is mainly an introduction to three influential approaches to normative ethics: utilitarianism, deontological views, and virtue ethics. We also consider the ethics of care, and selected topics in meta-ethics.