Philosophy Department

Hiram College

Introduction to Ethics (118): (Anderson Fall 3) MWRF 9:00-12:00 Freshman Flagged Syllabus	An inquiry and introduction to the texts and theories of traditional and contemporary ethics, including virtue ethics, utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and ethics of care. (This is a generic course description. Check back later for further information on the particulars of this course.
Ancient Philosophy (210): Anderson Fall 12 MWF 1:15-2:35 Freshman Flagged/Required for Majors Syllabus	In this course we will study some of the questions and problems that prompted ancient, and therefore also, ultimately, all Western philosophizing. These questions fell generally under two fundamental problems: An ethical problem-How should we live our lives?---and a metaphysical problem-what is reality? In the first half of the semester we will study the most important attempts to answer the ethical problem, turning, in the second half of the semester to the most important attempts to answer the metaphysical problem. Throughout the semester, we will engage in close careful reading of the philosophical texts in which these problems are confronted.
Early Modern Philosophy (212): Braver Spring 12 TR 1:00-3:00 Freshman Flagged/Required for Majors	An examination of European philosophy from 1600-1800, including the Rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz), the British empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, Hume), and the critical philosophy of Kant.
Animals and Ethics (280): Anderson Spring 12 MWF 9:30-10:45	This class is concerned with ethical questions involved in our relationship as human beings to other animals. The first concern of the class will be to consider the implications of various moral theories for our consideration of non-human animals. Among the moral theories we will consider are Utilitarian, Deontological (rights and duty based), Social Contract Theories, Virtue Ethics, Ethics of Care, and Biocentric ethics. Each of these theories can be utilized to examine our treatment and use of animals within a number of different domains including, the use of animals for food, for entertainment, for experimentation, and within the context of our interactions with the environment as a whole. Since the application of some of these theories to our treatment of animals depends upon empirical questions about the nature and capabilities of other representative species, we will devote some of our time to the consideration of questions concerning animal intelligence, consciousness, and social formations.(Anderson Spring 12)
Philosophy of Race:	No description available.
Philosophy and Feminism:	This course is an exploration of the central concerns, issues, and theories of modern and contemporary feminism, including the sex/gender distinction, essentialism, feminist critiques of knowledge and disciplines, ecological feminism, women's spirituality,feminist ethics, and the connections of feminism to issues of class, race, and sexuality.
Phenomenology:
Existentialism
Major Philosophers: Foucault	Michel Foucault is an important and intriguing figure in late 20th century philosophy. His claim that power affects all human relations has influenced gender studies, literary criticism, religious studies, and traditional views of the medical and psychological professions. Foucault shows how all features of reality and human nature are fundamentally historical, which undermines our traditional pursuits of truth and liberates us at the same time. We will examine books from each of the three phases of his work, focusing on his "genealogical" period in which he describes the historical origin and transformations of punishment and sexuality.
Philosophy and Tragedy:	This course is an interdisciplinary study of the Greek tragedies.Selected tragedies from the three major tragedians-Aeschylus, Sophocles,and Euripides-will be studied from several distinct approaches. First, these tragedies will be studied as works of literature. In doing so we will read selections from Aristotle's treatise on Poetics and Plato's criticisms of tragedy. Second, we will consider historical, cultural, and sociological dimensions of tragedy in Ancient Greece. Finally, we will examine the question of the "tragic" in works of Nineteenth and Twentieth century philosophical reflection on Greek tragedy. In doing this we will examine several philosophical interpretations of Sophocles' Antigone.
Phil 380-00: Topics in Ethics---Tentative Topic: Relativism andSubjectivism	This course will address issues of relativism and subjectivity in ethics. We will consider such issues as: Is there such a thing as objective moral right and wrong, or is all morality necessarily relative to the perspective of the culture or the individual involved? Is morality conditioned by historical circumstances? What does that assertion mean? What is to be said for and against such a claim? Can we step outside our own perspective on what is morally right and wrong? How should we think about our own well-being? Does anything matter except how we feel, that is, does anything matter outside our own subjective experiences? How should we understand emotions, desire, will, and our own freedom? For example, what does it mean to "have a desire" and what is it for desires to be satisfied? Is the satisfaction of desire all that matters for good living? The course will use methods of philosophical analysis, supplemented by anthropological and literary techniques. One extended application will address moral issues arising in connection with cross-cultural economic development and concern for women's rights in India. Spring-12, 2004TR 1:34-3:45Professor Alpernx5246, alpernkd@hiram.edu, 136 Hinsdale