teaching

An introductory course in logic that covers the following topics: the basic concepts of logic (such as validity and soundness), argument forms, identifying arguments, logic and language, categorical syllogisms and Venn diagrams, informal fallacies, truth tables, proofs, and natural deduction (for propositional logic).

Covers predicate logic (including logic of relations / polyadic predicates, and predicate logic with identity), and modal logic. (Prerequisite: PHI 1001.)

This Honors Core course continues the liberal arts investigation of what it means to be human in the context of philosophy and moral reasoning. The central aim of this course is to develop good, productive, critical thinking and reasoning skills sufficient for navigating some of life’s most pressing and seemingly intractable problems. Topics include epistemology and disagreement, introductory logic, moral theories (including Appiah’s Cosmoplitanism, moral relativism, virtue theory, divine command theory, Kantian deontology, Mill’s utilitarianism), moral principles concerning double-effect and doing vs. allowing, epistemic injustice, Frankfurt’s ‘bullshit’, and moral grandstanding.

We typically communicate by using language, where communicating involves conveying meaning. But what is meaning? And what is a language? Philosophy of language examines these and related issues, such as: in virtue of what do words, or names, refer to objects or to persons? How do we mean more than what we literally say? Related topics include theories of meaning and reference, the distinction between semantics and pragmatics, and the variety of speech acts. May also cover recent work on metaphor and non-literal speech, pejoratives, or the language and power of propagandistic speech. (Prerequisite: PHI 1001 or 1002 or 1004 or UCOR 3000, or instructor’s permission.)

An in-depth examination of classic epistemological issues focusing on more recent contributions to the debates. Topics include the analysis of knowledge, the Gettier problem, the structure and sources of justification, skepticism, internalism/externalism, virtue epistemology, testimony, epistemic injustice, contextualism, and knowledge-first epistemology. (Prerequisite: PHI 1001 or PHI 1002 or PHI 1004, or UCOR 3000 or instructor’s permission.)

Explores advanced issues in philosophy of religion / philosophical theology. Topics may include: religious epistemology, theistic arguments, religious diversity and pluralism, the problem of evil, divine hiddenness, divine providence and free will, the divine attributes, divine revelation, the Trinity, the incarnation, and the atonement. Can fulfill the senior capstone requirement in philosophy. (Prerequisite: PHI 1001 or PHI 1002 or PHI 1004 or UCOR 3000.)

Introductory course for all undergraduates (juniors and seniors only): covers faith and reason; arguments for and against theism; divine providence, human freedom, and the problem of evil; hell and religious diversity; foundations of morality; and issues in religion and science.

Covers faith and reason; arguments for the existence of God (ontological, cosmological, teleological, moral/practical arguments); arguments involving divine freedom; arguments against theism from evil; and the problem of divine hiddenness.