The readings are drawn from ancient, early modern and contemporary sources including Plato, Descartes, Leibniz, Hume, and Ayer. Emphasis on careful formulation and evaluation of arguments. Denby PHIL 24A Introduction to Ethics . An introduction to various ethical theories including Relativism, religiously-based ethical theories, Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Egoism, and approaches based on the idea of a Social Contract. Also a discussion of the application of these theories to topics of contemporary moral concerns e.g. abortion, punishment.
Emphasis is on careful formulation and evaluation of theories and arguments.
Readings from ancient, modern, and contemporary sources. Denby PHIL 52A Aesthetics . A survey of fundamental problems in the philosophy of art. One focus is the nature of modernism, both in art and in culture generally. Examples to be drawn, depending on the interests of the students, from painting, architecture, photography, music, theater, dance, and literature.