Courses taught recently:
Advanced Symbolic Logic [syllabus]
This course is an introduction to first–order quantificational logic, including both monadic and polyadic predicates, and the identity function. Attention will be given to proof theory, model theory, and meta-theoretical results. Requirements will include regular homework assignments, three regular exams, and one final exam.
Philosophy of Psychology: Human Minds, Artificial Minds, (and the End of the World?) [syllabus]
In this class we will consider some of the most central areas of concern in the philosophy of psychology. For example: What is the relationship between “common- sense” psychology and scientific psychology? Is the mind a computer, and if so, what kind? Do we know anything innately, or is everything learned? Is the mind just one system, or is it a bunch of inter-related systems? We will also consider the nature of artificial intelligence, and it’s relationship to humanity – either beneficial, or, possibly catastrophic. Requirements will include regular short reading responses, one short paper, one longer paper, two regular exams, and one final exam.
DecisionTheory [syllabus]
Life is full of choices. And while sometimes we make wise choices, sometimes we do not. But why? What makes some decisions rational and others irrational? This course seeks to answer that question. Topics will include decisions under certainty, ignorance and risk, the nature of utility, basic probability, and the fundamentals of game theory. The result will be a deeper understanding of human rationality, and skills to help make wise choices more often. Requirements will include homework, three regular exams, and one comprehensive final exam.
Philosophy of Science [syllabus]
This course will examine some of the central issues in the philoso- phy of science. Topics will include the demarcation between science and “pseudo–science”, the nature of scientific explanation and laws, the problems of underdetermination and in- duction, the possibility of intertheoretic reduction, realism and anti-realism, and questions about rationality and objectivity in scientific practice. Readings will be primarily from the 20th century. Requirements will include regular short writing assignments, one mid-term exam, one final exam, and two essays.
Philosophy of Mind [syllabus]
This course will examine some of the central philosophical questions about the relationship between the mind and body, about personal identity, and about free will. For example, are thoughts and feelings just physical states of the brain? Are they states of a non–physical substance? Or perhaps they don’t really exist at all? Is it possible for a person to survive the destruction of her body and brain? Do we have free will, or are our actions caused by the interactions of the physical world, or by our genes, or by our upbringing? Readings will be both historical and contemporary. Requirements will include regular short reading responses, and four take-home exams.
Theory of Knowledge [syllabus]
This course is an investigation of contemporary issues in epistemology. Topics discussed will include the analysis of knowledge, the nature of justification, skepticism and possible solutions to it, and naturalized epistemology. Requirements will include regular short writing assignments, one short paper, one longer paper, one mid–term exam and one final exam.
20th Century Philosophy [syllabus]
This course examines the history of philosophy in the twentieth century. The central theme is the influence the development of modern logic had on approaches to solving traditional philosophical problems. Topics will include logical atomism, logical empiricism, the analysis of ordinary language, the analysis of meaning, and the development of “naturalized” philosophy. Figures will include Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Moore, Ryle, Carnap, and Quine, among others.
Introduction to Symbolic Logic [syllabus]
This course is an introduction to the study of arguments. It has three main sections. First, we will focus on the difference between arguments and non-arguments, and we will introduce two kinds of argument (deductive and inductive). Second, we will develop a formal system for evaluating deductive arguments. Third, we will discuss the strength and cogency of inductive arguments.
Introduction to Logical Problem Solving [syllabus]
This course is an introduction the study of arguments, with a focus on applications. Topics include the difference between deductive and inductive arguments, probability theory, translations of english statements into formulae in sentential logic, truth– tables and their various uses, and formal deductions (proofs). Requirements include weekly homework assignments, three regular exams, and one final exam.
Critical Reasoning in Everyday Life [syllabus]
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the study of arguments, as they appear in everyday life. As a result students will improve their ability to read carefully, think critically, and write clearly. Top- ics include the anatomy of arguments, their interpretation, reconstruction, and evaluation. Attention will be given to particular applications, such as scientific reasoning and moral reasoning.
Introduction to Philosophy [syllabus]
This course is a general introduction to philosophical issues and methods. Topics include moral theory, the existence of god, the relationship between mind and body, freedom of the will, personal identity, and skepticism about knowledge. Readings will be both contemporary and historical. Requirements include regular attendance, homework and quizzes, three regular exams, three short writing assignments, and one comprehensive final exam.
Other courses:
Moral Problems [syllabus]
This course is intended to introduce students to several contemporary moral issues, and to philosophical thinking about those issues. After a brief introduction to moral theory, topics covered will include animal rights, abortion, capital punishment, gay rights, drug use and addiction, and finally, the environment and human consumption. Readings will be both contemporary and historical. Requirements will include two in-class exams, a final exam, one class presentation, several un-announced quizzes, and some homework.
Business Ethics [syllabus]
This course provides a philosophical introduction to major issues in the field of business ethics. After beginning with an overview of ethical theory, we will consider the nature of capitalism and various issues arising in the contemporary workplace. Topics will include the nature and justification of capitalism, the relationship between business and the environment, corporate social responsibility, affirmative action, and loyalty and whistle-blowing, among others. Readings will be both contemporary and historical. Requirements include several quizzes, a midterm exam, and a final exam.
Identity and the Self in Film [syllabus]
This course is a writing seminar with content taken from the problem of personal identity. The course has three main sections. The first focuses on traditional accounts of the nature of personal identity over time, the second raises the question whether animals and machines may be persons, and the third concentrates on the relationship between personhood and freedom. Films are employed to introduce problems, stimulate discussion, and provide material for essays, and are chosen from a range of genres. Readings are both contemporary and historical. Writing assignments include short essays, weekly journaling, and in-class writing.
Conceptions of Mind [syllabus]
This course is a writing seminar with content taken from the philosophy of mind. Central issues include the relationship between mind and body, the nature of mental content, whether and how the mind is like a computer, and how much of our cognitive ability is innate. Readings include both historical and contemporary philosophical figures, as well as selections from literature.