Department of Philosophy

Philosophy 200 Course Descriptions

The central theme for each Philosophical Perspectives course is chosen by the faculty teaching that section. This list of themes from courses taught recently gives a sense of the wide variety of approaches different professors take in the course. Explore Current Philosophical Perspectives Course Themes and Offerings

Spring 2025 PHIL 200 COURSES:

Expertise, Method, and Morality

This course explores the various implications of giving moral force to a concept of "expertise," especially concerning a strong, methodological notion of science. 

SZYMKOWIAK	MWF	10:00-10:50	13066	200-02
SZYMKOWIAK	MWF	12:00-12:50	13065	200-01S *restricted to smith scholars

Humans, Animals, and Machines

Philosophers have often looked to our fellow creatures and our technological creations in order to shed light on what, if anything, might be special about we human animals. Are we truly unique in the natural world? Are we really so different from machines or artificial intelligence? Answering these questions and looking to the natural and technological spheres have led to some of the most profound questions about who and what humans are. Considering early scientific discussions of our animal passions, mechanical theories of nature and human life, the rise of evolutionary thought, growing intimacy with animals as pets, computational theories of minds, and now artificial intelligence, we will examine the attempts to identify or dispute the uniquely human. This course attempts to chart the development of some of these philosophical questions and how they are shaped by advances in science and technology. In addition to Descartes, this course will examine works by Hobbes, Diderot, La Mettrie, Darwin, William James, Mary Midgley, Donna Haraway, John Searle, Vicki Hearne, and David Chalmers. Our readings will raise questions such as: What makes humans humans, animals animals, machines machines? Is there something unique in the category of “persons”?, Is there a difference between mind and matter?, What is person?, Are we simply complicated machines?, Could artificial intelligence ever achieve the status of “person”?, Do animals or computers have beliefs, desires, experiences?

DIANDA 

MWF

9:00-9:50

13076

200-12

Knowledge & Psyche

This course will examine theories of self-knowledge of three philosophers: Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Descartes. These three philosophers will provide survey of self-knowledge with Augustine representing an ancient and neo-platonic perspective, Thomas Aquinas representing a medieval and Aristotelean perspective, and Descartes representing the foundations of a modern philosophical and scientific perspective. Secondarily, in the course we will also relate these philosophical systems to current theories and discussion of psychology of self-understanding, theory of mind, motivation, emotion, and reason.

HERR	MWF	10:00-10:50	13073	200-09
HERR	MWF	1:00-1:50	13074	200-10

Knowledge, Science, & Technology

We will begin one of Plato’s most conceptually and dramatically interesting dialogues, Theatetus, which asks: “What is knowledge?” After a look at Aristotle’s conception of science, we will turn to René Descartes’ anti-Aristoltelian concepts of knowledge, science and technology. We will close with Martin Heidegger’s reflections on finding a non-technical way to dwell in the world. Along the way, we will consider topics such as perception, memory, natural purpose, the mind-body relation and artificial intelligence.

POLT	TR	10:00-10:50	13080	200-16	Knowledge, Science, & Technology
POLT	TR	1:00-2:15	13081	200-17	Knowledge, Science, & Technology

Modern Political Thought**Restricted to PPP majors

This course considers the development of political thought in the modern era. We consider the emergence of modern science, the development of global markets and mass production, and the rebirth of democratic ideals, with a special focus on their importance for political life.

BROWNLEE	MWF	11:00-11:50	13078	200-14P
DIANDA	MWF	11:00-11:50	13082	200-11P

Modernity & God

This course will explore the questions modern philosophy has asked about God and the questions God might ask about modernity. We will survey modern philosophy of God from, among others, Descartes and Pascal to Marx and Dostoyevsky to Freud and Stein. Students will emerge from the course with a clearer understanding of how the porous boundary between faith and reason was drawn and who has policed its borders.

ZURCHER	MWF	8:00-8:50	13077	200-13
ZURCHER	MWF	12:00-12:50	13079	200-15

Philosophy of Science

In this course, students will analyze and interpret explanatory principles in the natural sciences in light of significant works in the history of western philosophy from Aristotle, Bacon, Descartes, and Humboldt. Students will also engage the historical development of the ecological sciences in the 19th and 20th century through a close reading of the significant texts concerning principles succession and multi-level organization.

KONOPKA	MWF	10:00-10:50	13069	200-05
KONOPKA	MWF	11:00-11:50	13071	200-07
KONOPKA	MWF	1:00-1:50	13070	200-06H
KONOPKA	MWF	2:00-2:50	13072	200-08

Psychologies Ancient and Modern

The course explores how ancient conceptions of our core humanity and health challenge modern and contemporary ones.

TSALLA	TR	11:30-12:45	13068	200-19
TSALLA	TR	1:00-2:15	13360	200-20
TSALLA	TR	2:30-3:45	13382	200-21

Self-Knowledge

 A study of self-knowledge divisible into the following questions: Is self-knowledge direct or indirect, immediate or mediated?  What are the roles of the material world, friends, and God in self-knowledge.  We will apply these questions to texts from Augustine, Aquinas, and Descartes. 

SWEENEY	TR	8:30-9:45	13067
SWEENEY	TR	10:00-11:15	13075	200-04

Theory of Knowledge

Ancient and modern philosophers will help us reflect, analyze, and understand some fundamental questions about knowledge, or as it is formally called, epistemology. What does it mean to know something? Is it the case that what we observe actuality represents reality? Is there an independent reality beyond perception or opinion? What exactly is an opinion? Is there any absolute, objective truth? We will not settle these questions, but you will become more aware of them and will explore, criticize, and defend some possible answers. In this way, you may become more thoughtful and articulate. We will examine each philosopher’s theory of knowledge, and you will have a chance to reflect upon many of the current debates in epistemology (the study of knowledge).

MCKINLEY	ONLINE	1^st session	15075	200-24A
MCKINLEY	ONLINE	2^nd session	14940	200-23B