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PHIL 101.001 – Introduction to Philosophy: Central Problems, Great Minds, Big Ideas

Instructor: Jackson LeViness. This course meets MWF 11:15 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. in HN 125.

As a general introduction to philosophy, we will investigate some of the central questions in philosophy, including:

  • Do we have free will? If not, what are the consequences for ethics?
  • What is the nature of consciousness? Are minds and brains distinct? Are machines capable of thought, or is the ability to think unique to biological organisms?
  • What makes you at this very moment identical to the person you’ll be twenty years from now? What parts of you are such that, if you lost them, you would cease to exist?

Throughout our investigation of these sorts of questions, we will practice reading, discussing, and writing about philosophical issues. The hope is that doing so will provide students with a better understanding of the philosophical landscape, and put students in a good position to pursue further exploration in philosophy.