2018-2019 University Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2018-2019 University Catalog archived

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PHIL 197 - Seminar in Metaphysics and Epistemology


FDR: HU
Credits: 3 credits in fall-winter-spring, 4 in spring


A consideration of selected issues in philosophy. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Fall 2018, PHIL 197-01: FS: Animal Minds (3). Prerequisite: First-year standing. First-year seminar. 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.




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