We think and argue every day about matters both minor and important. But do we really know what it means to think? Do we know how to argue? Where do our thoughts and ideas come from? How do we judge which ones to accept and which to doubt or discard? In this course, we will critically examine what it means to think rationally and argue intelligently about a number of historically significant topics. The course will use original sources rather than secondary literature, thus strengthening student's ability to read and analyze university level academic material. We will consider applications of specifically philosophical thought to questions about the existence of God, the nature and limits of human knowledge, our moral judgments of people and actions and, our aesthetic judgments of art. Students who have taken PHIL 020 Brainstorm: Ideas and Arguments cannot take this course.
Current Size: 100%