PHIL 112.001 – Making Sense of Ourselves

Instructor: Miriam Johnson. This course meets MTWRF 9:45 – 11:15 a.m. in CW 105.

What does it mean to be human in the modern world? Is it true that—as Charles Taylor argues in Sources of the Self—we as a species have come to lack a sense of shared meaning and purpose? In this course, we will consider critically the idea that there is some connection between identity and what it means to live a meaningful life. We will engage with classic and contemporary works on questions like: What is a self? What is a meaningful life? Do my values come from my culture? Can we be mistaken about our own individual values? What is ideology? Along with readings by Charles Taylor, we will read selections from Alasdair MacIntyre, Agnes Callard, Sally Haslanger, David Foster Wallace, and others.

No prior background in philosophy  is assumed. All readings will be accessible via Sakai. Please contact the instructor with any questions (miriamj@live.unc.edu).