The course begins with a brief study of cross-cultural understanding. The emphasis falls upon analysis and critical understanding of philosophical problems within the Asian tradition e.g. the nature of God, knowledge, and the human person. An in-depth investigation of selected women philosophers and their contributions to contemporary thought. The course may include the study of philosophers such as Elizabeth Anscombe, Simone de Beauvoir, Simone Weil, Hannah Arendt, and Edith Stein. In this course students learn to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various philosophical positions on the relationship of human beings to the nonhuman world.
Emphasis is placed on the interdisciplinary nature of environmental concerns.
The course includes practical experience. A unifying theme will be the philosophical implications of contemporary research in the field of artificial intelligence. See Liberal Arts Honors Program. A philosophical consideration of the nature of art and beauty, their relationship, and their functions in society. A close reading of Aristotle s two treatises, with emphasis on the text rather than on the opinions of commentators.