PHIL 180 - FS: First-Year Seminar

FDR: HU
Planned Offering: Offered occasionally. Each first-year seminar topic is approved by the Dean of The College and the Committee on Courses and Degrees. Applicability to FDRs and other requirements varies.
Credits: 3

Fall 2016, PHIL 180-01: FS: Animal Minds (3). First-Year Seminar. Prerequisite: First-Year class standing. This course explores the philosophical and scientific literature on animal cognition. It examines questions such as: Do rats laugh? Does the praying mantis have the concept of prey? Do primates exhibit rudimentary moral behavior? Do animals attribute “mindedness” to other creatures? Does animal cognition involve beliefs, concepts, and rationality? Can the study of animal cognition tell us something about human cognition? How do we investigate these kinds of questions scientifically? What role does philosophical inquiry play? We explore both the history of thought on animal cognition as well as the most current scientific and philosophical literature to arrive at our best current understanding of these issues. (HU) Cooper.

Fall 2016, PHIL 180-02: FS:Knowledge and Doubt (3). First-Year Seminar. Prerequisite: First-Year class standing. What’s your name? What did you do yesterday? What is in front of you right now? How do you know these things? In fact, do you know these things? Are you sure? Isn’t it possible that you could be wrong, or deceived? If it’s possible that you’re being deceived then can you really say that you know? Even if you don’t know what time it is, do you have good reason for holding your beliefs? This course explores a range of issues concerning human knowledge and associated epistemological concepts (such as having a good reason for belief, or “justification”). (HU) McGonigal.