Description
Introduction to the various branches of philosophy, including metaphysics, the theory of knowledge and ethics through a survey of the history of Western philosophy.
Grading Basis
Graded
Course Learning Outcomes
Core Topics
- Branches of philosophy – Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, and Logic.
- Origins of Western philosophy
- Plato – Cave Allegory, Forms, The Soul
- Aristotle – Form and Matter, Critique of the Forms, Virtue, Golden Mean
- Hellenism – Epicurus and Stoicism
- Plotinus and Neo-Platonism (Optional)
- Medieval Philosophy – Arguments for the Existence of God
- Leibniz—Monads and Pre-established Harmony
- Descartes – Rationalism, Methodic Doubt, Skeptical Arguments, The Cogito
- Hobbes – State of Nature, Law of Nature
- Spinoza – Aspect Theory, Freedom
- John Locke – Empiricism, Primary/Secondary Qualities, Natural Rights
- George Berkeley – Arguments Against Matter/Primary Qualities
- David Hume – Mitigated Skepticism, Custom, Problem of Induction/Causality, Critique of Arguments for the Existence of God.
- Kant – Transcendental Categories of the Understanding, Synthetic a priori, the Categorical Imperative
- Marx and Existentialism
- Wm. James – Pragmatism, Determinism v Free Will
- Contemporary Analytic Philosophy (Optional)