An inquiry into the nature of philosophic thinking, especially with regard to the problem of knowledge and the nature of reality.
Primary emphasis falls upon the classical origins of Western philosophy.
Credit Hours A study of the principles and methods which distinguish valid from invalid arguments. After a brief examination of what an argument is, the concepts of validity and invalidity are introduced, and a systematic study of the principles governing the application of these concepts to arguments is undertaken. Credit Hours A study of the nature of morality and moral reasoning through critical analyses of the writings of classical and contemporary thinkers on this subject. Problems regarding the role of reason in human conduct will be examined in detail, with emphasis upon the nature of the good life, happiness, moral obligation and duty, right and wrong, and the nature of moral language. An analysis of what religion is, the role it plays in human life, and how it differs from such other areas of life as ethics and science.