A concerted effort will be made to fill the course with students from a variety of disciplines. No specific background or courses are required for the course. All that is necessary is that the student bring some disciplinary knowledge to this seminar that is relevant to the course. The philosopher tries to understand what such claims mean and whether there is any good evidence for them. To pursue a line of questioning along these lines, students will study metaphysical theories in philosophy, readings from a variety of disciplines and endeavors dealing specifically with the arts, and theoretical texts which attempt to apply philosophical ideas to the arts.
Authors are philosophers, art theorists and critics, and some artists.
Graded work consists of a series of papers, possibly a mid-term exam. For graduate credit, a class presentation is required, plus some additional outside reading. It is hoped the class presentations provide opportunities for graduate students to refine their thinking about their own art-related projects. According to Parfit, personal identity is purely conventional, and not itself of any great importance. So on his approach we are wrong to think that what I want when I want to survive is that the person who is me continue to exist in the future.