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| Please see the Class Schedule for more information about each course. Click on the instructor's name for more information about the course instructor. |
Summer 2007: Summer Session II July 9 - August 3
| Phil 3302W: Moral Problems of Contemporary Society SS II 07/09/07-08/03/07 4 cr (Meets CLE req of Citizenship/Publ Ethics Theme, Other Humanities Core, Writing Intensive) We face many complicated social and ethical problems today that call for a re-thinking of traditional ethical theories. In this course, we present somestandard ethical theories and apply their insights to a range of contemporary moral problems such as reproductive technologies, animal rights, terrorism and world hunger. In doing so, our purpose is to engage with these problems critically, and to examine if the traditional frameworks need extension in the light of such problems. Philosophical reflection and analysis of arguments can help us think clearly about such issues. The goal of the course is to develop critical thinking skills on the part of the student helping them to identify, develop and evaluate arguments for or against various ethical positions. |
| Phil 3601W: Scientific Thought SS II 07/09/07-08/03/07 4 cr (Meets CLE req of Other Humanities Core, Writing Intensive) Scientific findings are very often the basis of technical decisions (e.g., lowering blood pressure effectively, designing a feasible space exploration program), but they also inform broader social decisions (e.g., treatment vs. punishment for criminals, agricultural policy). What is it about scientific thought and practice that has encouraged its widespread acceptance and influence? What has suggested to some that caution is needed in prioritizing a scientific perspective on socially relevant issues? This course will examine the nature and defensibility of scientific rationality, scientific reductionism, and scientific realism in the light of current issues at the intersection of science and sociopolitics. These issues will include "intelligent design," genetic explanations of behavior and other traits, ecological degradation, and the nature of psychiatric classification. |
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