The development of existential thought from the writings of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to more recent works by Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus.

This course will examine a number of philosophical issues about science. Among the issues we will discuss are these: (1) Demarcation. What distinguishes science from non-science, and real from bogus science? Is Creation Science science? Is parapsychology? Astrology? (2) Explanation. What is it to explain something? Does explanation require universal laws? Does it depend on context? (3) Validation. How are scientific theories validated or confirmed? Is validation a simple matter of gathering inductive support? Of making predictions that are born out by the evidence? Of trying but failing to falsify a theory? Or does it also depend on "pragmatic" matters such as the simplicity, elegance, or scope of the theory? (3) Values and Objectivity. Is science necessarily value-laden? To what extent does the intrusion of the values of the scientist diminish or make impossible objectivity in science? (4) Realism. Do highly theoretical entities really exist, or are they just fictions or useful tools for making predictions? Does science discover the truth about the real world, or create a world of its own? (5) Limits. Is science the only reliable method for finding out about the world? Are there any truths which are simply inaccessible to scientific method? (If so, is there any other method to which they are accessible?) (6) Philosophy and Particular Sciences. Depending on the interests and specialties of class members, we may also explore the philosophical implications of particular scientific results, e.g. the implications of sociobiology for ethics or of quantum physics for metaphysics.

PHIL 3355-1 Aesthetics

We will investigate several philosophical issues raised by the arts, from classic questions, such as what makes something an artwork, to more contemporary concerns, such as whether aesthetic value can be explained in evolutionary terms. The questions will also range from the general (What role should the artist’s intentions play in the interpretation of her work?) to the specific (Exactly what kind of thing is a piece of rock music?). You will be expected to bring to bear on these issues not only your philosophical abilities, but also your artistic experiences as a creator, performer, or audience member.