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Philosophy
| Philosophy 020E, Introduction to Philosophy | |
| | Description: A survey of selected philosophical problems, with reference to both classical and contemporary philosophers. Specimen topics include: the mind/body problem, the existence of God, perception and matter, freedom and determinism. Primarily for first-year students. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 022E. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 021, Reasoning and Critical Thinking | |
| | Description: An introduction to basic principles of reasoning and critical thinking designed to enhance the student's ability to evaluate various forms of reasoning as found in everyday life as well as in academic disciplines. The course will deal with such topics as inductive and deductive reasoning, the nature and function of definitions, types of fallacies, the use and misuse of statistics, and the rudiments of logic. Primarily for first-year students. | | 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 022E, Philosophy from Antiquity to the 20th Century | |
| | Description: A study of selected works by great philosophers from Socrates to the present. Stress will be laid on the systematic unity of the thought of individual philosophers, and on the influence their ideas had on their followers and on the thought of the present day. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 020E and the former Philosophy 130E. | | 3 lecture hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 023F/G, Questions of the Day | |
| | Description: This course develops students' ability to approach disputed questions by seeing them from both sides, so that they reach their own view only after respecting a broad range of argument. Six questions will be considered, including human (over) population, the public funding of art, and the limits of religious freedom. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 024G, Big Ideas | |
| | Description: Apparently simple conceptions sometimes especially capture our imagination. Examples: Descartes's "I think, therefore I am," McLuhan's "the medium is the message," or Plato's theory of forms. The course examines a great number of these simple ideas that are also the Big Ideas that no educated person should be ignorant of. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 110a/b, Introduction to Environmental Philosophy | |
| | Description: An examination of several key issues arising out of the present environmental crisis. Sample topics include: to what extent the environmental crisis is a scientific, religious, or ethical problem; the Gaia hypothesis; deep and shallow ecology; the land ethic; ecofeminism; the environment and economics; and sustainable development. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 115F/G, Terrorism | |
| | Description: A study of contemporary philosophical discussions of terrorism, including different perspectives on the question of whether terrorism is morally justifiable. Related issues such as just war and civil disobedience will also be touched upon. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| | Description: A study of philosophical approaches to evil from the Enlightenment to the present day. Topics include the existence of evil as a challenge to religious belief, understanding the nature of evil in the context of such events as the Holocaust and 9/11, and moral philosophical issues related to evil. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 126F/G, Philosophy of Science | |
| | Description: An introductory discussion dealing with such issues as the demarcation between science and pseudo-science, the notion of scientific explanation, the structure of scientific theories and their relation to an empirical base, and the significance of revolutions in science. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 226F/G and the former Philosophy 134E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 128F/G, Philosophy and Psychoanalysis | |
| | Description: An investigation of some of the philosophical questions raised by Freud's theory of the unconscious, of the status of Freud's theory as a "science," and of its relation to the other sciences. Modern critiques of psychoanalysis from various points of view will be examined. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 131, Basic Logic | |
| | Description: Modern formal logic including argument structure, propositional logic and elementary quantification. Applications to everyday reasoning and to computer "thinking" are considered, along with related issues in semantics and the philosophy of logic. Intended primarily for students not planning further studies in Philosophy or Logic. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 212 and 234w/x or the former 222a/b | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 140, Philosophy of Law | |
| | Description: A study of some main problems in legal philosophy. Emphasis is given to actual law, e.g. criminal law and contracts, as a background to questions of law's nature. Specimen topics: police powers in Canada, contractual obligation, insanity defence, judicial reasoning and discretion, civil liberties, legal responsibility, natural law and legal positivism. | | Antirequisite(s): MIT 247F/G | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 142E, Ethics and Society | |
| | Description: Techniques of moral analysis and evaluation are studied in the context of practical moral issues concerning the good life, the rights of the individual and the quest for social justice, etc. Classical and contemporary philosophical sources are examined, but the emphasis is on independent critical thought. | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 145, The Metaphysics and Epistemology of Witchcraft | |
| | Description: Witches: who they were, why they were thought to be witches by themselves and others, what was done to them and why? The course will treat a number of standard philosophical issues (the mind-body problem, causation, free-will, theories of knowledge) through a study of Renaissance and early modern material. | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 151F/G, Gender and Sexuality | |
| | Description: An investigation of ways that contemporary philosophers deal with concepts of gender and sexuality, addressing such issues as the regulation and production of normative sexuality, the question of essentialism, the construction and disciplining of the gendered body, and the effects of new media on sexual identity. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 152E, Biomedical Ethics | |
| | Description: An introduction to ethical issues that arise in the delivery of health care such as human experimentation, informed consent, and the allocation of scarce resources. A case study approach is used with students offering and defending solutions to moral problems in these areas. | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| | Description: The meaning and moral importance of death will be explored through a series of questions: What is death? Is death a bad thing? Do people survive death? What do we mean when we say that someone is "dying"? Should knowledge of death change the way we live our lives? | | Antirequisite(s): Thanatology 111a/b | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 154E, Asian Philosophies | |
| | Description: Basic philosophical ideas in Indian, Chinese and Japanese thought. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Zen are compared as life-philosophies, with special emphasis on their relation to the root categories of Western philosophy. | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 156, Theory of Rational Choice | |
| | Description: A survey of decision theory, game theory, systems analysis and other recent technical developments combined with a consideration of rationality and other values in practical decision making, and concrete applications to policy issues. Primarily for students not planning further work in Philosophy. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 256a/b. | | 2 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 160F/G, Architects of Reason | |
| | Description: This half-course treats the major work(s) of some philosopher or philosophical school announced annually. The development of the philosophers' ideas will be studied against the background of their lives and cultural milieux. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 162F/G, Business Ethics | |
| | Description: Ethical analysis of issues arising in contemporary business life. Sample topics: ethical codes in business; fair and unfair competition, advertising and consumer needs and wants; responsibilities to investors, employees and society; conflicts of interest and obligation; business and the regulatory environment. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 164F/G, Philosophy of Economics | |
| | Description: Economic life and economic science in philosophical perspective. Classical and contemporary philosophers are studied on such issues as property and labor; efficiency, fairness and freedom in the market; rationality, utility and economic value; welfare and economic justice. The emphasis is on probing underlying assumptions about the economic system. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 172F/G, Philosophy in Literature | |
| | Description: An examination of the role played by philosophical ideas in 19th and 20th century literature and of some of the philosophical ideas underlying modern science fiction. Authors studied may include Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Zamyatin, Poe, Hesse, Mann, Kafka, Huysmans, Unamuno, Sartre, Borges, Huxley, and Orwell. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 132E and 232E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 191a/b, Special Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: Selected topics of current interest in philosophy. A course description will be available from the Department at the time of registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 200F/G, Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge | |
| | Description: An introduction to the main problems of epistemology. Specimen topics include: the nature of human knowledge and belief, perception, evidence, truth and confirmation. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 201F/G, Introduction to Ethics and Value Theory | |
| | Description: Critical study of the nature and justification of ethical and value judgements, with an analysis of key concepts and a survey of the main contemporary theories. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 210F/G, Ancient Philosophy | |
| | Description: A critical examination of key works of Greek philosophers with major emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 211F/G, Early Modern Philosophy | |
| | Description: A critical examination of key works of selected figures of the 17th and 18th centuries. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 212, Introduction to Logic | |
| | Description: A study of sentential and predicate logic designed to train students to use procedures and systems (trees, natural deduction, axiomatic systems) for determining logical properties and relations, and to give students an understanding of syntactic and semantic concepts and results relevant to those procedures and systems. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 131, Philosophy 222a/b | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | Main Campus and Huron | | back to top |
| Philosophy 213F/G, Reproductive Ethics | |
| | Description: A study of current issues in reproductive ethics, such as abortion, prenatal diagnosis, and infertility treatment. Appropriate methods for approaching these questions and for dealing with complex issues in bioethics generally are examined. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 221F/G, Conceptual Development of Mathematics | |
| | Description: A survey of some important basic concepts of mathematics in an historical setting, and in relation to the broader history of ideas. Topics may include: the evolution of the number concept, the development of geometry, Zeno's paradoxes. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 121. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 225F/G, Introduction to the Philosophy of Language | |
| | Description: A survey of contemporary and historical philosophical works on language. Topics may include: What is a language? How are language and thought related? Does linguistic meaning come from the world, communicative activity, or the mind? Authors may include, among others: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Austin, Grice and Chomsky. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 226F/G, Philosophy of Science | |
| | Description: A discussion of conceptual problems which fall between science and philosophy, as well as broader epistemological issues concerning theory change and the concept of progress in science. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 126G and the former Philosophy 134E. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 227E, History of Scientific Thought | |
| | Description: A general historical survey of ideas in the physical and biological sciences from antiquity to the early 20th century. This course will also examine issues in scientific methodology as well as the impact of scientific ideas on society. | | Antirequisite(s): History of Science 200E, the former History 200E. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 228F/G, Philosophy of Modern Physics | |
| | Description: An examination of philosophical problems to which modern physical theories of quantum mechanics and relativity have given rise. No previous formal training in physics and mathematics will be presupposed. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 230F/G, Science and Values | |
| | Description: A study of the relationships between scientific practice, cultural institutions, and human values. Attention will be devoted to such topics as the commercialization of research, military research, genetically modified organisms, and the study of race and gender. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 231F/G, Feminist Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of feminist perspectives on core philosophical problems posed in such areas as philosophy of mind, epistemology, ethics, and philosophy of science. We shall examine feminist criticisms of mainstream philosophy, feminist reconstructions of contested questions, and positive developments within feminist philosophy. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 155E (Brescia). | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 233F/G, Philosophy of Biology | |
| | Description: An examination of some conceptual issues stemming from biology and, in particular, from evolutionary theory. Topics to be addressed may include implications of modern genetics, adaptation and functional ascription in biology, the nature of species, and whether creationism is a science. No previous background in biology or philosophy is required. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 234w/x, Introduction to Logic (Accelerated) | |
| | Description: A review of the techniques of logical analysis and evaluation coupled with a careful study of the formal syntax and semantics of sentential and predicate logic. Emphasis on the proof of important metatheoretic results. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 131, 212 and the former 222a/b. | | Prerequisite(s): a minimum of 85% in any grade 12U Mathematics course or any 020-level course in Applied Mathematics, Calculus, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Statistical Sciences, or permission of the Department | | 4 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 235F/G, History of Political Philosophy | |
| | Description: A critical study of the philosophical foundations of political thought--from natural rights to contractarianism, from utilitarianism to socialism. The class will examine the classic historical texts of political philosophy. Authors studied may include Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Kant, Mill, Hegel and Marx. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 137E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 236F/G, Contemporary Political Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of some of the central issues and theoretical alternatives in contemporary political philosophy from among the following: utilitarianism, liberal egalitarianism, libertarianism, socialism, feminism, and communitarianism. Issues to be studied may include multiculturalism, economic redistribution, individual rights and the limits of legitimate state authority. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 137E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 238E, Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy | |
| | Description: A critical examination of representative literature in the fields of phenomenological research and existential philosophy from Husserl to the present day. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 138E (Brescia) and Philosophy 239F/G. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 239F/G, Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy | |
| | Description: A critical examination of representative literature in the fields of phenomenological research and existential philosophy from Husserl to the present day. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 138E (Brescia) and Philosophy 238E. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 241F/G, Philosophy of Law | |
| | Description: An introduction to the philosophy of law. Topics typically covered include responsibility and punishment, freedom of expression, the constitutional protection of fundamental freedoms, and jurisprudence (the study of the question, “What is law?) | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 242F/G, Topics in the Philosophy of Law | |
| | Description: An in depth examination of one or more topics in legal philosophy, for example property rights, criminal responsibility, and the rule of law. Topics vary from year to year. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 245F/G, Media Ethics | |
| | Description: A study of ethical issues in media, including such topics as: the reasonable limits of free expression; intellectual property and the public domain; official secrets and access to information; regulating online content; commercial databases and informational privacy; cameras in the courtroom; plagiarism and piracy; defamation; hactivism and the hacker ethic. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 246F/G, Introduction to Philosophy of Mind | |
| | Description: An introduction to philosophy of mind, drawing on contemporary and historical sources. Topics may include: knowledge of other minds; free will; personal identity; what makes something mental; dualism and materialism; survival after death. | | Antirequisite(s): the former Philosophy 332E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 247F/G, Health Care Ethics | |
| | Description: An examination of key concepts in health care ethics, such as respect for patient autonomy, medical paternalism, patient competence, justice in health care, "death with dignity," "sanctity of life," commodifying human life. Goals are to understand these ideas and how to apply them to practical issues in health care. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 248F/G, Global Justice and Human Rights | |
| | Description: What are our obligations to other countries and their citizens? Do those obligations issue from universal human rights? This course will address these questions through the consideration of a number of topics that raise issues of global justice, for example economic globalization, genocide and military intervention. | | Antirequisite(s): Political Science 346E | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 249F/G, Issues in the Philosophy of the Emotions | |
| | Description: Do emotions interfere with reason and morality or are they required for both? Are emotions primarily biological or are they social constructions? These and other questions will be addressed using a variety of readings ranging from contemporary analytic and feminist philosophy to modern neurobiology and psychology. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 149F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 254F/G, Philosophy of Religion | |
| | Description: An examination of issues in philosophy of religion, focusing on arguments concerning the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the occurrence of miracles, the validity of religious experience, and the place of religion in morality. Independent critical thinking is stressed, and no particular religious views are presupposed. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 143E (Brescia), Philosophy 253E (King's), and the former Philosophy 144F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 255F/G, Topics in the Philosophy of Religion | |
| | Description: An examination of special topics in the philosophy of religion, e.g. the basis of religious faith and knowledge, the relationship between religion and science, religious diversity, the nature of God, and grace and predestination. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 143E (Brescia), Philosophy 253E (King's), and the former Philosophy 144F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 256a/b, Introduction to Decision Analysis | |
| | Description: Modern approaches to the resolution of decisions in situations of uncertainty. Topics include: philosophical evaluation of principles of rationality, systematic ways of representing belief, learning, and values, with applications to elementary examples from social and institutional policy, econmic evaluation, medical diagnosis and therapy, and strategic thinking generally. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 156. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 272F/G, Introduction to Mediaeval Philosophy | |
| | Description: A brief survey of some main problems in mediaeval philosophy. Emphasis will be placed on metaphysical and epistemological issues. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 273E. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 282E, Modes of Normative Reasoning | |
| | Description: Approaches to ethical decision making will be examined to see how they can assist practical ethical reasoning and enhance our understanding of morality. Approaches to be studied include casuistry, interpretation, the construction of narratives, and the application of moral theory to real life situations. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 283F/G, The Ethics of Professional Relationships | |
| | Description: Professionals have special rights and duties that attach to their professional roles. This course will focus on the special ethical obligations that professionals have to themselves, to their clients, to their employers, to third parties, to their professions, and to society at large. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 296F/G-299F/G, Special Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic in Philosophy, presupposing no previous studies in the area and aimed at students in second or third year. The topics will vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning course content and Antirequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 302F/G, Metaethics | |
| | Description: Metaethics is the area of moral philosophy in which we inquire about, among other things, the status of moral claims, the meaning of moral terms, the rational justification of morality, the nature of value, and issues of moral psychology. This course is an advanced study of topics in metaethics. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 362E (King's) | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 306F/G, Theories of Meaning | |
| | Description: Issues and theories in recent philosophy of language. Topics may include: what meaning is; the contrast between "meaning as use" and formalist accounts of meaning; reference and truth. Authors may include: Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Strawson and Grice. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 212 or Philosophy 234w/x or the former 222a/b or Philosophy 225F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 307F/G, Philosophy and Linguistics | |
| | Description: Philosophical perspectives on linguistic issues and the science of linguistics. Sample topics: the evidence base for linguistics; what linguistics should take as its proper subject matter; interfaces between syntax, semantics and pragmatics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 212 or Philosophy 234w/x or the former 222a/b or Philosophy 225F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 309F/G, Origins of Analytic Philosophy | |
| | Description: The investigation of selected philosophical problems as they arise in the writings of such philosophers as Moore, Frege, Russell, Ayer, Carnap, Quine, Wittgenstein, Ryle, Austin, and others. Problems addressed may include philosophical methodology, ethical theory, metaphysics, meaning, and epistemology. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 212 or Philosophy 234w/x or the former 222a/b, and one of Philosophy 200F/G or Philosophy 225F/G or Philosophy 246F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 310F/G, Philosophy of Mind | |
| | Description: Advanced topics in the philosophy of mind. Topics may include: the metaphysics of mind -- from Cartesian Dualism, through Behaviorism and Identity Theory, to modern functionalist theories; connections between metaphysics of mind and topics such as mental causation, mental content, and consciousness. Emphasis will be given to contemporary readings. | | Antirequisite(s): the former Philosophy 332E | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G or 225F/G or 246F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 311F/G, Philosophy of Perception | |
| | Description: A study of topics in perception such as the status of qualia, sense-datum theories, adverbial theory, phenomenalism, functionalism, representionalism, direct realism, externalist theories of perception, and perceptual belief. Also of the philosophical implications of work on blindsight, interpretations of sensory consciousness, the 'binding problem', and the cerebral localization of consciousness. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G or Philosophy 246F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 322a/b, Special Topics in Logical Theory | |
| | Description: Specific issues and theories in formal and philosophical logic will be studied. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 223b and 353a/b. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 212 or Philosophy 234w/x or the former 222a/b. Students with equivalent background may be admitted by permission of the Department. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 323b, Special Topics in Logical Theory | |
| | Description: Specific issues and theories in formal and philosophical logic will be studied. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 322a/b. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 325F/G, Metaphysics | |
| | Description: An introduction to current debate on metaphysical questions. Topics may include the nature of space and time, the status of phenomenal sensible qualities, the existence of natural kinds, causality and determinism, counterfactuals and possible worlds, identity and individuation, and personal identity. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 326F/G, Epistemology | |
| | Description: Problems in contemporary theory of knowledge. Topics may include epistemic justification, modern skepticism, foundationalism and coherentism, internalism and externalism, ethics of belief, epistemic probability, testimony and social dimensions of knowledge. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 327F/G, Philosophical Issues in Modern Biology | |
| | Description: In-depth examination of philosophical issues arising from modern biology. Topics explored may include the structure of evolutionary theory, the notions of function and adaptation, the ontological status of species, reductionism and levels of explanation in biology, and social and moral implications of biological and genetical research. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 233. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 328F/G, Philosophical Foundations of Statistical Mechanics | |
| | Description: Many philosophical problems arise in trying to understand how the microscopic theory of statistical mechanics relates to the macroscopic theory of thermodynamics. This course will examine the relationships between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Topics include questions about the nature and role of probabilities, explanation and reduction. No physics background presumed. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 226F/G, 228F/G, or permission of department. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 329F/G, Philosophical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics | |
| | Description: Though quantum mechanics is a well-tested and accepted part of physics, debate continues about what the success of this theory tells us about the world and about science. This course examines these questions while introducing the student to the peculiarities of quantum physics. No physics background presumed. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 226 F/G, 228 F/G, or permission of department. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 331F/G, Philosophical Foundations of Spacetime Theories | |
| | Description: Philosophical issues raised by the physics of space and time: are space and time objectively real or merely abstractions from spatial and temporal relations? Is motion absolute or relative? Is our knowledge of space and time factual or conventional? Authors include: Newton, Leibniz, Kant, Mach, Einstein. No physics background presumed. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 226 F/G, 228 F/G, or permission of department. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 334F/G, Topics in Decision and Game Theory: | |
| | Description: Fundamentals of the representation of value, uncertainty, and criteria of choice in actions without opponents (decision theory) and with opponents (game theory). Topics may include: causal versus evidential decision theory, games of mixed conflict and coordination, repeated games, dynamical deliberation, collective choice, and evolutionary game theory. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 256a/b or Permission of the Department. | | 3.0 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of the works of Plato. While some themes or works may be focused on to the exclusion of others, this course aims to give students a strong, foundational understanding of Plato's thought on a range of topics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 336F/G, Aristotle | |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of the works of Aristotle. While some themes or works may be focused on to the exclusion of others, this course aims to give students a strong, foundational understanding of Aristotle's thought on a range of topics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 337F/G, Philosophy of Psychology | |
| | Description: Conceptual issues arising in psychology. Topics may include: modularity, nativism, theory of mind, the theory theory, simulation theory, concept acquisition, conceptual content. The methodology used by psychologists may also be investigated. Though some historical writings may be used, the emphasis will be on contemporary works. | | Antirequisite(s): the former Philosophy 332E | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 246F/G or 3rd year standing in psychology. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 338F/G, Introduction to Philosophical Issues in Cognitive Science | |
| | Description: An investigation of how neuroscience, artificial intelligence research, linguistics, psychology, and philosophy of mind contribute to our understanding of the mind. Topics may include: the three level analysis, the Turing test, the Chinese Room argument, the classical vs. connectionist debate, computability, genetic algorithms, and dynamical systems. | | Antirequisite(s): the former Philosophy 332E | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G or 225F/G or 246F/G or 3rd year standing in psychology. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 339F/G, Topics in the History of Logic | |
| | Description: A study of selected topics from Aristotle to the beginning of the modern period. Topics covered will vary but may include Aristotle’s Categories, the theory of the syllogism, medieval theories of signification, the notion of logical consequence, modal logic, and the development of polyadic logic with mixed quantification. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 341F/G, Later Medieval Philosophy | |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of selected works by philosophers writing in the high middle ages. Figures to be studied may include Siger of Brabant, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 342F/G, Science, Scientists and Society | |
| | Description: An historical examination of how science and scientists have operated in society from the nineteenth century to the present. Special attention will be devoted to examples which illustrate the political, ethical and legal dilemmas which often confront scientists, how they attempt to resolve them, and what impact this has on society. | | Antirequisite(s): History of Science 316F/G. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 227E or History of Science 200E or the former History 200E or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 343F/G, Renaissance and Reformation Philosophy | |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of later Scholasticism and reactions to it on the part of such figures as Montaigne, Bacon, Melanchthon, John Dee, and the Cambridge Platonists. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 346F/G, Cartesianism and its Critics | |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of foundational works by philosophers in the Cartesian tradition including study of portions of Descartes’s Principles of Philosophy and developments of its themes by such proponents and opponents as Hobbes, Gassendi, Arnauld, and Malebranche. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 350F/G, Aesthetics | |
| | Description: An investigation of issues in the philosophy of art and aesthetics. Topics include: characteristics of the various arts; the fine arts, arts and cultures, mass arts; art, craft, and technology; beauty, taste, and the variety of aesthetics; freedom and self-expression; individuals and cultures; mimesis and imagination; interpretation and audience participation. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 355E and the former Philosophy 348G. | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 351F/G, Leibniz | |
| | Description: An intermediate survey of the works of Leibniz. While some themes or works may be focused on to the exclusion of others, this course aims to give students a strong foundational understanding of Leibniz’s thought on a range of topics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 356F/G, History of Astronomical Thought | |
| | Description: A survey of the development of the major ideas of astronomy and cosmology from Babylonian and Egyptian times to the beginning of the twentieth century. | | Antirequisite(s): History of Science 310F/G. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 227E, or History of Science 200E, or the former History 200E, or one course in Astronomy, or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| | Description: An intermediate study of Locke’s Essay concerning human understanding and of related works and correspondence, both by Locke and his critics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 359F/G, Berkeley | |
| | Description: A study of the philosophical works of George Berkeley, including the works on vision and the De Motu. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| | Description: A study of Book I of Hume's Treatise concerning human understanding supplemented by a study of either Book II and III of the Treatise or a comparative assessment of Hume’s work with that of Condillac, Reid, or Kant. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 363F/G, Justice | |
| | Description: A seminar in political and legal philosophy. Sample topics: the distinction between corrective and distributive justice, the use of class actions as a mechanism of social justice, the redistribution of wealth through taxation, the role of constitutional institutions in delivering and embodying justice, and conceptual models of a just society. | | Antirequisite(s): Law 314. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201F/G, 235F/G, 236F/G, 241F/G, or 242F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 378F/G, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical topics. The topics vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department of Philosophy. | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy or permission of the Department. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 379F/G, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical topics. The topics vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department of Philosophy. | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy or permission of the Department. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 380F/G, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical topics. The topics vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department of Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 381F/G, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical topics. The topics vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department of Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 396a, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 398 or Philosophy 498 or any more than one of Philosophy 397b, Philosophy 496a or Philosophy 497b. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 397b, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 398 or Philosophy 498 or any more than one of Philosophy 396a, Philosophy 496a or Philosophy 497b. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 398, Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 396a, Philosophy 397b, Philosophy 496a, Philosophy 497b or Philosophy 498. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 405F/G, Problems in Philosophy of Mind | |
| | Description: An advanced treatment of a particular problem arising in the philosophy of mind. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 246F/G or the former Philosophy 332E. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 406F/G, Problems in Philosophy of Language | |
| | Description: An advanced treatment of a particular problem arising in the philosophy of language. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 225F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 407F/G, Problems in Epistemology | |
| | Description: An advanced treatment of a particular problem arising in epistemology. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 408F/G, Problems in Metaphysics | |
| | Description: An advanced treatment of a particular problem arising in metaphysics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 200F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 411F/G-412F/G, Special Topics on Plato and Early Greek Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 413F/G-414F/G, Special Topics on Aristotle and Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 415F/G-416F/G, Special Topics on Early Medieval Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 417F/G-418F/G, Special Topics on Later Medieval Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 419F/G-420F/G, Special Topics on 17th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 421F/G, Special Topics on 18th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 422a/b, Foundations of Mathematics | |
| | Description: A course of lectures on some aspect(s) of the foundations of mathematics. Normally this will mean axiomatic set theory, but occasionally the program may be varied to include other topics from mathematical logic, e.g., model theory or categorial logic. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 322a/b, the former Philosophy 223b or permission of the instructor. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 423a/b, Philosophy of Mathematics | |
| | Description: An examination of writings by key figures in the philosophy of mathematics: Frege, Russell, Hilbert, Brouwer, Gödel and others. This will be a seminar course in which students will be encouraged to give oral expositions of their work before the class. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 322a/b, the former Philosophy 223b or permission of the instructor. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 424F/G, Special Topics on 18th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 425F/G, Seminar in Kant's First Critique | |
| | Description: A broadly-based study of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and his related critical and pre-critical writings on physical, metaphysical and epistemological topics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 430F/G, Topics in Feminist Theories of Knowledge | |
| | Description: A critical study of contemporary feminist epistemology and philosophy of science, with discussion of feminist empiricism, standpoint, and postmodern positions, critiques of methodological essentialism, and proposals for integrating the consideration of contextual factors into theories of knowledge production and legitimation. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 350F/G. | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 431F/G, Topics in Feminist Ethics and Social/Political Philosophy | |
| | Description: An intensive study of central themes in feminist ethics and social/political theory. Topics include: feminist critiques of classical and contemporary theories of moral agency, autonomy, and individualism; constructive proposals for feminist alternatives to the ethics of rights; arguments for contextualizing ethical and social/political theory. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 351F/G. | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 432F/G, Continental Philosophy | |
| | Description: An exploration of the main questions raised in twentieth century European philosophy. Beginning with Husserl's challenge to subject/object dualism, topics covered will include history, alterity, embodiment, temporality, spatiality, intentionality, intersubjectivity, human agency, and sexual difference, as examined by such authors as Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Foucault and Irigaray. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 238E or third or fourth year honors Philosophy status. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 433F/G-434F/G, Special Topics on Kant's Theoretical Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 435F/G, Seminar on Kant’s Practical Philosophy | |
| | Description: A broadly based study of Kant’s major works on ethics. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201F/G | | 3 hours, 0.5 course | | back to top |
| Philosophy 436F/G, Special Topics on Kant’s Practical Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 437F/G, Special Topics on Practical Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 438F/G-439F/G, Special Topics on 19th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | back to top |
| Philosophy 441F/G, Philosophy of Law | |
| | Description: Advanced seminar on issues of legal theory, varying from year to year. | | Antirequisite(s): The former Philosophy 444E. | | Prerequisite(s): Any Faculty of Law course or Philosophy 140, or Philosophy 240E, or Philosophy 241F/G or Philosophy 242F/G. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 458F/G, Topics in the History of Astronomy | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic or topics in the history of astronomy. Consult the Philosophy Department for details of current listings. | | Prerequisite(s): Permission of the Department. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 459F/G, The Scientific Revolution | |
| | Description: A critical examination of the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century. Emphasis will be placed on its philosophical foundations, the astronomical world view, the rise of empirical and mechanical methodologies, the founding of scientific academies, Newtonian science, and the place of revolutions in history. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 226F/G or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy or Science. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 460F/G, Topics in Continental Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected topics in continental philosophy. The topics dealt with vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 461F/G, Advanced Topics in Ethics | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic in applied ethics, metaethics or political philosophy. The topics dealt with vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 462F/G, Advanced Topics in Ethics | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic in applied ethics, metaethics or political philosophy. The topics dealt with vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 464E, Contemporary Analytic Philosophy | |
| | Description: A seminar devoted to the investigation of selected philosophical problems as they arise in the writings of such philosophers as Moore, Russell, Ayer, Carnap, Quine, Wittgenstein, Ryle, Wisdom, Austin, and others. | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 234w/x or the former 222a/b. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 470F/G, Problems in the Philosophy of Science | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic in the philosophy of science. The topics dealt with vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 471F/G, Problems in the Philosophy of Science | |
| | Description: A study of a selected topic in the philosophy of science. The topics dealt with vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 472F/G, Problems in the History of Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems as they have been dealt with over time. The problems and historical periods covered vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 473F/G, Problems in the History of Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems as they have been dealt with over time. The problems and historical periods covered vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 474F/G, Problems in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems. The problems vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 475F/G, Problems in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems. The problems vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 476a/b, Problems in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems. The problems vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the Department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 477a/b, Problems in Philosophy | |
| | Description: A study of selected philosophical problems. The problems vary from year to year. More detailed information concerning content and prerequisites may be obtained from the department prior to registration. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 478F/G, Seminar in Ancient Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G, or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 479F/G, Seminar in Ancient Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 210F/G, or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 482F/G, Seminar in Rationalism | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 483F/G, Seminar in Rationalism | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 484F/G, Seminar in Empiricism | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 485F/G, Seminar in Empiricism | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 211F/G or third or fourth year honors standing in Philosophy. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 488F/G, Seminar in 19th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 489F/G, Seminar in 19th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 492F/G, Seminar in 20th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 493F/G, Seminar in 20th Century Philosophy | |
| | Description: | | Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Philosophy program or module | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 496a, Advanced Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 398 or Philosophy 498, or any more than one of Philosophy 396a, Philosophy 397b or Philosophy 497b. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 497b, Advanced Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 398 or Philosophy 498, or more than one of Philosophy 396a, Philosophy 397b or Philosophy 496a. | | 3 hours, 0.5 course. | | back to top |
| Philosophy 498, Advanced Topics in Philosophy | |
| | Description: An advanced reading course open to third or fourth year Philosophy honors students with "A" averages in principal courses. Before registering the student must work out a detailed plan of study with a professor willing to supervise the student's work and have this plan approved by the Chair. | | Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 396a, Philosophy 397b, Philosophy 398, Philosophy 496a or Philosophy 497b. | | 3 hours, 1.0 course. | | back to top |
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