Philosophy

Department Website:
https://www.haverford.edu/philosophy

Philosophy at Haverford aims as far as possible to reflect the richness, diversity, and reflexivity of philosophical inquiry. Grounded throughout in the history of philosophy, many courses focus on particular subfields, on value theory, for instance, or the philosophy of mind, ancient philosophy, or the philosophy of logic and language. A student of philosophy at Haverford might study views regarding the ultimate nature of reality or pursue questions about the nature of a good human life, might grapple with theoretical problems of social meaning or with puzzles that arise on reflection about language.

The Department of Philosophy helps students in all disciplines to develop the reflective, analytical, and critical skills required for thoughtful engagement with problems and issues in all aspects of life. Courses introduce students to seminal ideas that have changed, or have the potential to change, the most fundamental understanding of who we are and how we should live. Because the study of philosophy is essentially reflexive, we also encourage students to contemplate and challenge the methods of philosophy as well as its history, goals, and achievements.

Global Philosophy
The philosophy curriculum additionally provides courses in global philosophy that seek to cultivate global literacy for all students in the liberal arts across diverse majors. Courses in global philosophy explore fundamental issues in philosophy in global context across and between diverse worldviews and philosophical traditions. These courses augment philosophical literacy, rationality, and critical thinking between diverse worlds, seeking to appreciate diversity while at the same time cultivating integral intelligence and capacities to make significant connections between diverse worldviews and disciplinary orientations. Such skills in global literacy and interdisciplinary dialogue are vital for all liberal arts students and for the literacy of global citizenship. The courses in global philosophy include the following: Global Ethics PHIL H103, Global Wisdom PHIL H104, Hindu Thought in a Global Context PHIL H241, Buddhist Thought in a Global Context PHIL H242,  Philosophy of Global Logic PHIL H252, Metaphysics: Global Ontology PHIL H254, Topics in Asian Philosophy: Global Zen PHIL H342, and Topics in Philosophy of Language: Metaphor and Meaning in a Global Context  PHIL H352.  Courses in global philosophy are not included in and do not count toward the major or minor.

Learning Goals

In studying the discipline of philosophy, students:

  • learn to recognize and articulate philosophical problems, whether those that arise within philosophy or those to be found in other academic disciplines and outside the academy.
  • become skilled at thinking, reading, writing, and speaking thoughtfully and critically about philosophical problems, through learning to recognize, assess, and formulate cogent and compelling pieces of philosophical reasoning both written and verbal.
  • achieve literacy in a wide range of philosophical works and develop thoughtful views about their interrelations.
  • develop attitudes and habits of reflection, as well as appreciation for the complexities of significant questions in all aspects of their lives and the courage to address those complexities.

Haverford’s Institutional Learning Goals are available on the President’s website, at http://hav.to/learninggoals.

Curriculum

Unless otherwise indicated, one philosophy course at the 100 level is a prerequisite for all other courses in philosophy. Courses at the 300 level require, in addition, a 200-level course plus junior standing, or consent of the instructor. Some advanced philosophy courses may require a reading knowledge of a foreign language as a prerequisite for admission.

Major Requirements

  • One philosophy course at the 100 level, or Bryn Mawr PHIL B101 or PHIL B102, or the equivalent elsewhere.
  • Five philosophy courses at the 200 level, at least four of which must be completed by the end of the junior year, and three philosophy courses at the 300 level.
  • The Senior Seminar (PHIL H399A and PHIL H399B).

The eight courses at the 200 and 300 level must furthermore satisfy the following requirements:

  • Historical: One course must be from among those that deal with the history of European philosophy prior to Kant.
  • Topical breadth:
    • One course must be from among those that deal with value theory, including ethics, aesthetics, social and political philosophy, and legal philosophy.
    • One course must be from among those that deal with metaphysics and epistemology, including ontology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, and philosophy of action.
    • One course must be from among those that deal with logic, the philosophy of literature, and/or the philosophy of language.
  • Systematic coherence: Four of these courses, two at the 200 level and two at the 300 level, must exhibit some systematic coherence in theme or subject satisfactory to the major advisor and department.
  • Courses at Haverford: Senior Seminar works best when students and faculty already know each other well through previous courses.  For this reason, at least three of each major's 200-level courses and two of the 300-level courses must be taken in the Haverford Philosophy Department. The department considers exceptions to this rule following a written petition by the student explaining why the exception is warranted. To become effective starting with the class of '22.

Students who elect to major in philosophy but are unable to comply with normal requirements because of special circumstances should consult the chairperson regarding waivers or substitutions.

Anyone interested in being a discussion leader for an introductory course should contact the professor teaching the course, ideally during preregistration.

Senior Project

The capstone of the philosophy major is the Senior Seminar. This two course seminar (PHIL H399A and PHIL H399B) comprises

  1. a year-long research project culminating in a senior thesis,
  2. student presentations and discussion of the students’ works-in-progress in preparation for the final, formal presentation of the thesis at the end of the spring term, and
  3. seminars with visiting speakers throughout the senior year.

The senior thesis (thirty pages) is on a topic of the student’s choice. It is written under the supervision of a first reader who meets with the student on a regular basis throughout the year, usually weekly. A second reader also reads and comments on the student’s written work and may also meet regularly with the student. In the fall, students write a twenty-page research paper introducing the literature on the topic and the issues it involves. In the spring, students build on this base, developing an analysis of the issues and an argument in defense of the conclusions drawn. A draft of the thesis is submitted in March; the final version is due the end of April.

After a very short initial presentation in the fall to introduce their research topics, students give three substantial presentations of their work: at the end of the fall semester, in March, and in May. Each presentation is followed by a question period.

In preparation for the fall Altherr Symposium, featuring a speaker of the students’ choice, students and faculty read works by the Altherr speaker, and students prepare discussion questions both for the Symposium lecture and for the seminar with the speaker. Seniors also attend all other invited speaker events, of which there are four or five over the course of the year, and they have a short seminar with each speaker to further discuss the presented work.

Senior Project Learning Goals

In the process of researching and writing the senior thesis, students should acquire and demonstrate:

  • the ability to articulate a philosophically rich but also manageable research question.
  • the ability to locate and to learn from relevant work on the topic by other philosophers.
  • the ability to assess critically and fairly other positions and views, and to develop arguments in support of those assessments.
  • the ability to explain in a compelling way the philosophical interest of the research topic and to develop a sustained and cogent philosophical argument for the conclusions reached.

In the course of repeated presentations and discussions, students should acquire and demonstrate:

  • the capacity to develop and enact thoughtful and effective presentations.
  • the ability to respond constructively to presentations on a very wide range of philosophical topics, even those with which one is unfamiliar.
  • the ability to respond productively to questions about and criticisms of one’s work.

Senior Project Assessment

A student’s faculty advisors collectively assess the thesis project (written and oral components) on the following criteria:

  • Conceptualization of Research Question and Historical Argument: Students acknowledge and explore the full implications of an innovative thesis question.
  • Familiarity with and Understanding of Primary Texts: Students engage primary sources to answer their research question and display a creative approach to existing sources or bring new and illuminating sources to bear on their research question.
  • Engagement with Secondary Literature: Students demonstrate mastery of scholarly literature that pertains to their thesis topic by synthesis of and contribution to the scholarly conversation.
  • Methodological and Theoretical Approach: Students ground their theses in current knowledge about their historical period, demonstrating a thorough understanding of relevant methodological and theoretical issues.
  • Quality of Argument: Students construct a well-reasoned, well-structured, and clearly expressed argument.
  • Clarity of Writing: Writing is consistently engaging, clear, well organized, and enjoyable to read.
  • Oral Presentation: At the end of the semester, students demonstrate comprehensive understanding of their topic in an articulate and engaging presentation and are able to provide innovative and thoughtful answers to questions. Students demonstrate capacity to connect thesis project to prior coursework in history and related disciplines.

Senior Thesis Archive

The senior thesis in Philosophy is an opportunity for senior majors to pursue a substantive independent research project in their own philosophical area of interest. Selected Philosophy major theses are available in the Library archive at hav.to/int.

Requirements for Honors

The award of honors in philosophy will be based upon distinguished work in philosophy courses, active and constructive participation in the senior seminar, and the writing and presentation of the senior essay. High honors requires in addition exceptional and original work in the senior essay.

Minor Requirements

  • One philosophy course at the 100 level, or Bryn Mawr PHIL B101 or PHIL B102, or the equivalent elsewhere.
  • Three philosophy courses at the 200 level.
  • Two philosophy courses at the 300 level.

Among the 200- and 300-level courses: one must be in value theory (broadly conceived to include ethics, social and political philosophy, aesthetics, and legal philosophy), one must be in metaphysics and epistemology (including ontology, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of action), and one must be concerned with philosophical texts written before the twentieth century. This third requirement can be satisfied concurrently with either of the other two (e.g., by taking a course in ancient ethics, or in Descartes’ metaphysics), or can be satisfied separately from the other two.

Travel Grants

Travel grants of up to $100 each will be available to be awarded to philosophy majors (juniors and seniors) for travel to scholarly conferences. Students presenting papers at undergraduate conferences will be given priority, and no student will be eligible for more than one grant in a given academic year.

Careers and Graduate Work

Because the study of philosophy strengthens both the skill of analytical thinking characteristic of scientific investigation and the interpretive reasoning skills of the humanist, in addition to producing strong verbal and writing skills, advanced undergraduate training in philosophy is excellent preparation for a wide range of career paths. It is also at the core of a liberal education—regardless of one’s primary intellectual interests. Some Haverford philosophy majors go on to graduate school in philosophy. Most pursue careers in other areas such as medicine, law, education, writing, public service, architecture, and business.

Affiliated Faculty

Ashok Gangadean
The Emily Judson Baugh Gest and John Marshall Gest Professor of Global Philosophy; Professor of Global Philosophy; Director of Gest Center

Danielle Macbeth
T. Wistar Brown Professor; Professor Emeritus of Philosophy

Qrescent Mali Mason
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Coordinator of African and Africana Studies

J. Reid Miller
Professor and Chair of Philosophy

Jill Stauffer
Associate Professor and Director of Peace, Justice, and Human Rights

Paul Tran-Hoang
Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Joel Yurdin
Associate Professor of Philosophy

Affiliated Faculty

Jill Stauffer
Associate Professor and Director of Peace, Justice, and Human Rights

Courses

PHIL H103  GLOBAL ETHICS  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An exploration of selected texts on ethics in a global context. This course seeks to develop a global perspective on human values through a critical exploration of vital texts on ethics across diverse philosophical traditions. A central focus is on the challenge of articulating global ethics and global values across cultures, worldviews, and traditions. Are there global norms valid for diverse worldviews? Is there a global foundation for ethics? Are there universal human rights? How do we think critically across and between diverse worldviews and perspectives? A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

PHIL H104  GLOBAL WISDOM  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A critical exploration of classic texts from diverse philosophical traditions in a global context. This course seeks to cultivate a global perspective in philosophy and brings classical texts from diverse philosophical worlds into global dialogue. One aim is to help students to appreciate global patterns in rationality across traditions and to gain a critical understanding of common ground and significant differences in diverse wisdom traditions. Readings include Bhagavad-Gita, Dhamapada, Plato's Phaedo, and Descartes's Meditations. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H107  HAPPINESS, VIRTUE, AND THE GOOD LIFE  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Happiness is something that we all want, but what exactly is it? Perhaps happiness is or involves leading a flourishing life. What, then, is a flourishing life? Does such a life involve the possession and exercise of certain states of character? Which ones? This course will consider these and related issues, including the virtues and their interrelations, the nature and identity of persons, and the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. Readings from classic and contemporary sources, including Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Hume, Nagel, and Wolf.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H108  HUMAN NATURE AND PHILOSOPHICAL REASON  (1.0 Credit)

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

The capacity to reason is often seen as one of the central components of what it means to be a human being. How we reason, to what end we reason, and what constitutes “good reasoning,” however, has been the subject of debate throughout the history of philosophy. Through an engagement with prominent philosophers, both past and present, this course will examine how our understanding of reason has and continues to shape our worldviews.

PHIL H110  MIND AND WORLD  (1.0 Credit)

Danielle Macbeth

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An introduction to the history of our conception of ourselves as rational beings in the world through a close reading of central texts in the European tradition that address both the sorts of beings we are and the nature of the world as it is the object of our natural scientific knowledge.

PHIL H111  THE WICKED AND THE WORTHY  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

The possibility of “doing good” in the world presumes that one can distinguish between good and bad actions, people, and consequences. But on what basis are we to make such distinctions? What grounds, if anything, our definitions of good and bad? This course examines such concerns through a survey of the history of ethical philosophy. In assessing ethical “first principles” we will consider as well questions of intentionality, power, and historical value. Readings include selections from Mill’s Utilitarianism, Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, and Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil.

(Offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

PHIL H117  REPRESENTING DIFFERENCE  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

What is the self? The other? How have concepts of the self and the other been central to the history of philosophy? Through a survey of the history of Western philosophy, students in this course will think critically about difference.

PHIL H119  WHAT DOES PHILOSOPHY HAVE TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA?  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

What relationship does philosophy have to issues arising in the contemporary world? What relationship does philosophy have to our experiences with and usages of digital social media? What sorts of digital humanities projects might be born of the intersection of philosophy and digital social media? Through a survey of answers to these questions in the history of Western philosophy from the Ancient Greeks to contemporary thinkers, students in this course will be asked to think critically about the significance of difference to their relationship with others and their experience of their horizons.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H202  FORGIVENESS, MOURNING, AND MERCY IN LAW AND POLITICS  (1.0 Credit)

Jill Stauffer

Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course examines the possibilities and limits of forgiveness, apology and mercy in politics, and the role mourning plays in recovery from violence. In our readings we will focus on specific historic and contemporary instances of forgiveness and apology, violence and recovery; but our overall approach to the topic will be philosophical: The course will propose a thought experiment wherein we subject our ideas and presuppositions about what justice is, what it can and cannot be, and what forgiveness is, and what it can and cannot do, to a critical reappraisal. Crosslisted: PJHR, Philosophy Prerequisite(s): PEAC 101 or 201, a Philosophy course, or instructor consent

PHIL H210  PLATO  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A close reading of Plato’s Meno, Phaedo, Republic, Symposium, and Theaetetus, with a focus on issues in philosophical psychology and the theory of knowledge. Prerequisite(s): 100-level philosophy course or instructor permission.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H212  ARISTOTLE  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

What are essences, and how do they figure in scientific knowledge? What are perception, imagination, thought, and desire, and how do they interact? What is human happiness? We will consider these and related questions, working through some of Aristotle’s most influential discussions in philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and ethics.

PHIL H214  FEMINISM  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An examination of feminist philosophy in the lived world through reading Living a Feminist Life, The Argonauts, Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, and Freedom is a Constant Struggle to answer, What does it meant to do feminist philosophy? Prerequisite(s): 100 level Philosophy course or instructor's approval

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H215  PHENOMENOLOGIES OF THE BODY  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

What does phenomenology teach us about the body? Starting with foundational texts in phenomenology, this course will explore how phenomenology has come to be applied to differing approaches to the body. Prerequisite(s): 100-level course in Philosophy or Instructor's Approval

PHIL H233  PHILOSOPHY AND RACE  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Prerequisite(s): 100 level Philosophy course or instructor's approval

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H238  HUME  (1.0 Credit)

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

David Hume was one of the most influential thinkers of the modern world, radically influencing philosophy, science, politics, religion, economics, and the social sciences. This course surveys his major doctrines in A Treatise of Human Nature, Essays, and two Enquiries. Pre-requisite(s): One 100-level course in philosophy or permission of the instructor

PHIL H239  EXISTENTIALISM  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Can we find meaning in modern life? This course traces the development of existentialism from its religious beginnings in Pascal and Kierkegaard, through Dostoyevsky’s masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov and Nietzsche’s atheistic affirmation of life, and into the 20th century. Pre-requisite(s): 100-level philosophy course or permission of instructor

PHIL H241  HINDU PHILOSOPHY  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A critical exploration of classical Hindu thought (Vedanta) in a global and comparative context. Special focus on selected Principal Upanisads, a close meditative reading of the Bhagavad Gita and an in depth exploration of Shankara's Brahmasutra Commentary. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit. Prerequisite(s): One PHIL course at the 100 level or consent.

PHIL H242  BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An introduction to classical Indian Buddhist thought in a global and comparative context. The course begins with a meditative reading of the classical text-The Dhamapada-and proceeds to an in depth critical exploration of the teachings of Nagarjuna, the great dialectician who founded the Madhyamika School. Prerequisite(s): At least one course in Philosophy or Religion or instructor permission. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H243  TWENTIETH-CENTURY CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An introduction to continental philosophy during the 20th century, with a focus on the existential branch. We will explore the question, "How does the philosophy of existence pose challenges to our understandings of our selves? Prerequisite(s): 100-level philosophy course or instructor permission.

PHIL H246  SKEPTICISM  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Can we know anything at all? Has your whole life been a dream? Philosophers have grappled with these questions for ages. This course studies the sources of and responses to philosophical skepticism. Pre-requisite(s): One 100-level course in philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL H247  AFRICANA PHILOSOPHY  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Africana philosophy has been defined as “as an area of philosophical research that addresses the problems faced and raised by the African diaspora.” (Gordon 2008) Africana philosophy, then, is a modern form of philosophy that oftentimes engages themes and questions that are neglected by Western philosophy. This course will examine philosophical problems raised by African American, Afro-Caribbean, and African philosophy, while engaging major scholars and schools of Africana philosophy. Crosslisted: AFST. Pre-requisite(s): One 100-level course in philosophy or consent of instructor.

PHIL H248  THE POLITICS OF KNOWLEDGE  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Contemporary political discourse has become saturated with epistemic notions such as “alternative facts” and “post-truth.” This course will explore the intersection of political philosophy and epistemology by examining these above concepts (and others) and the consequences each has on political life. What will become clear is that overcoming these epistemic challenges not only hinges on what we know and how we know, but on taking political responsibility for cultivating alternative ways of thinking and acting. Pre-requisite(s): a 100-level course in philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL H252  GLOBAL PHILOSOPHY OF LOGIC AND LANGUAGE  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A comparative exploration of alternative paradigms of logic, language and meaning from a logical and philosophical point of view. Special attention is given to the classical Aristotelian grammar of thought and the modern grammars developed by Frege, Wittgenstein, Quine, Heidegger, Sommers, Derrida and others. Focus is on the quest for the fundamental logic of natural language. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H253  ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A close study of seminal essays by Frege, Russell, Kripke, Quine, Davidson, and others focussing on questions of meaning, reference, and truth. An overarching aim of the course is to understand how one can approach fundamental issues in philosophy through a critical reflection on how language works.

PHIL H254  METAPHYSICS: GLOBAL ONTOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A critical examination of philosophical accounts of reality and being. Special attention is given to how world views are formed and transformed: an ontological exploration of diverse alternative categorical frameworks for experience. Metaphysical narratives of diverse thinkers in the evolution of the European tradition are explored in global context. Heraclitus, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, Kant, Heidegger, Whitehead...and other ontologists are explored. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

PHIL H259  STRUCTURALISM AND POST-STRUCTURALISM  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An introduction to key readings in 20th century continental philosophy in the areas of semiotics, critical theory, and deconstruction. Of primary importance will be issues of language, meaning, and representation. Readings include Barthes, Althusser, Foucault, Derrida, Kristeva, and Jameson. Pre-requisites:one 100-level Philosophy course and Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing.

PHIL H260  HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC  (1.0 Credit)

Paul Tran-Hoang

Division: Humanities; Symbolic Reasoning
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Our aim is two-fold: first, to understand - in the sense of having a working knowledge of - both traditional Aristotelean and modern quantificational logic (translating sentences into logical notation, assessing the validity of arguments, constructing proofs, and so on); and second, to understand logic, why it matters, what it can teach us (both as philosophers and as thinkers more generally), and how it "works" in the broadest sense.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H261  EXPERIENCE, KNOW-HOW, AND SKILLED COPING  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An investigation of three debates concerning the character of experiential knowledge. (1) Is experience the same as expertise? Is it required for the acquisition of expertise? (2) What is the difference between knowing-how and knowing that, and how are they related? (3) What is the phenomenology of skillful behavior?

PHIL H262  WOMEN AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE EARLY MODERN ERA  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Women played an important yet often neglected role in the development of early modern philosophical thought. Despite social barriers, they remained at the center of philosophical conversations by writing influential letters and publishing philosophical novels, plays, and poems, in addition to more standard philosophical genres. This course seeks to revive women's voices from 17th-19th century European philosophy. We will cover various topics (mind/body, education, happiness), with a special focus on early modern feminism. Pre-requisite(s): One 100-level course in Philosophy

PHIL H264  THE OPPOSITIONAL GAZE: ART TRAVERSING THE BINARY  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Through a survey of visual, literary, and performance arts primarily by Black and Latina women (e.g., Lorraine O’Grady, Adrian Piper, Christina Sharpe, Ana Victoria Jiménez) this course seeks to theorize the many dimensions of the oppositional gaze, with a focus on the ways these thinker-artists challenge, critique and disrupt various binaries that they identify with the history of western philosophy. Crosslisted: AFST,VIST.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H301  TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF LITERATURE: DERRIDA  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H310  TOPICS IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY: MEMORY, IMAGINATION, AND MADNESS  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An investigation of the key concepts and claims of Aristotle's psychology, with special attention to the functions of memory. Prerequisite(s): 200 level Philosophy course or Instructor's Approval

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H318  RECLAIMING DEMOCRACY AND REVITALIZING THE POLITICAL  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

Despite being one of the most widely endorsed concepts in our world today, democracy is in crisis. This course will consider the possibility that current shortcomings in democratic practice are rooted in contemporary Western political philosophy’s tendency to see democracy and liberalism as synonymous. While examining tensions between liberalism and democracy, the course will also explore how we might cultivate deeper democratic forms of life. Pre-requisite(s): One 200-level course in philosophy, or consent of instructor

PHIL H329  BELL HOOKS SEMINAR: BLACK FEMINIST AUTOTHEORY AND CRITICAL PHENOMENOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course will be a survey of the critical phenomenological work of Black feminist philosopher bell hooks, with a concentration on how hooks’ theory is intertwined with her lived experience. Crosslisted: AFST,GSST. Pre-requisite(s): 200- Level Philosophy course or Instructor Permission

PHIL H332  TOPICS IN TWENTIETH CENTURY CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

In his “Theses on Feuerbach,” Marx famously stated “philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it.” What Marx makes clear is his belief that critical thought ought to always be directed toward praxis (practical action). This course will closely examine a series of mid-20th century Francophone thinkers who took this Marxist dictum seriously, dedicating their lives to radical social transformation.

PHIL H335  TOPICS IN MODERN EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY: KANT  (1.0 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

A close reading of key texts by Kant, Jacobi, Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel. Topics include: skepticism and the limits of knowledge; the relationship between theoretical and practical reason; idealist conceptions of freedom and determinism; the possibility of metaphysics after Kant; the nature of evil; the logic of finitude; and the philosophy of nature. Prerequisite(s): One 200-level course in Philosophy or instructor approval.

PHIL H342  ZEN THOUGHT IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This advanced seminar focuses on the development of Zen (Japanese) Buddhism culminating in the work of Nishida and his influential Kyoto School of Zen Philosophy. The background in the Indian origins of Madhyamika dialectic introduced by Nagarjuna is traced through the Zen Master Dogen and into flourishing of the modern Kyoto School founded by Nishida. The seminar focuses in the texts by Dogen and on selected writings in the Kyoto School: Nishida, Nishitani and Abe. The seminar involves intensive discussion of the issues on global context of philosophy. Nishida s thought is developed in dialogue with thinkers such as Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, Husserl, Sartre and Heidegger, Nagarjuna and others. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit. Prerequisite(s): An Intro Phil course (100 series) and either 241 (Hindu Throught) or 242 Buddhist Thought) or a course in Relg or EALC Thought or consent

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H350  TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF MATHEMATICS  (1.0 Credit)

Paul Tran-Hoang

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

How does mathematics work? How can one come to know things by engaging in the practices mathematicians engage in, and what sorts of things does one come to know this way? Can mathematics perhaps also teach us about our philosophical concerns more broadly conceived? We explore answers to these questions through reflection on the history of mathematics from ancient Greece to the present.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H352  METAPHOR, MEANING AND THE DIALOGICAL MIND  (1.0 Credit)

Ashok Gangadean

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course explores the nature of language with special attention to the origin of meaning and metaphor in the dialogical mind. Topics include: primary meaning: literal, symbolic, metaphoric; truth and reality; analogy and imagination; hermeneutics of communication and translatability; meditative meaning and the limits of language; indeterminacy and ambiguity across diverse language-worlds; voice and speech as determinants of meaning and the dynamics of dialogue between worlds. A unifying theme focuses on releasing the power of meaning in the transformation from egocentric patterns of thought to the dialogical awakening of mind. Readings include selections from such diverse thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Sommers, Derrida and Nagarjuna and others. A course in Global Philosophy, not for major or minor credit.

PHIL H360  TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

An examination of some central problems concerning the varieties of cognition. Topics may include hallucination, illusion, the phenomenal character of perceptual awareness, and the nature of sense-experience. Readings from contemporary authors. Prerequisite(s): 200 level course in philosophy or psychology or instructor consent.

PHIL H370  TOPICS IN ETHICAL THEORY: INHERITANCE  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course examines the concept of inheritance as a transfer of physical, social, linguistic, economic and behavioral capacities. Inheritance is unique, as Kant notes, as a transfer or gift that typically cannot be refused. Despite being involuntary recipients of our inherited capacities, we often imagine our having intentionally developed and earned them, whether advantageous or disadvantageous. By examining theories of how inheritances proceed across and through individuals and groups, especially via relations thought inheritably impotent (e.g., race and queerness), we will contemplate these movements as ethical genealogies, that is, as historical transfers of value (economic, social, dispositional) that configure recognition of our embodied selves.

PHIL H372  TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY AND INTERSECTIONALITY  (1.0 Credit)

Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course will attempt to determine how and to what extent intersectionality may fit into the discipline of philosophy. Focusing on the ethical dimensions of the concept, we will determine the conceptual difficulties philosophy brings to bear on intersectionality. Prerequisite(s): 200 level Philosophy course or Instructor's Approval

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H399A  SENIOR SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller, Joel Yurdin, Paul Tran-Hoang, Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities

This course has several components: (a) participation in the Altherr Symposium, including three to four meetings devoted to preparation for the symposium, (b) participation in the Distinguished Visitors series, (c) the writing of a senior thesis, and (d) presentation of one's work for critical discussion with others in the seminar, as well as a final formal presentation.

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H399B  SENIOR SEMINAR  (1.0 Credit)

J. Reid Miller, Joel Yurdin, Paul Tran-Hoang, Qrescent Mali Mason

Division: Humanities
Domain(s): A: Meaning, Interpretation (Texts)

This course has several components: (a) participation in the Altherr Symposium, including three to four meetings devoted to preparation for the symposium, (b) participation in the Distinguished Visitors series, (c) the writing of a senior thesis, and (d) presentation of one's work for critical discussion with others in the seminar, as well as a final formal presentation.

(Offered: Spring 2025)

PHIL H407  DISCUSSION LEADERS  (1.0 Credit)

Joel Yurdin

Division: Humanities

(Offered: Fall 2024)

PHIL H408  DISCUSSION LEADERS  (0.5 Credit)

Staff

Division: Humanities

PHIL H410  DISCUSSION LEADERS  (0.5 Credit)

Danielle Macbeth