An introduction to some of the major ethical, political, and social problems we persistently confront. Selected readings from major philosophers. An introduction to some of the major problems that arise in inquiry into the nature of knowledge and reality. Selected readings from major philosophers. The study of informal argument in natural languages, and of Greek and modern formal logic, including propositional and predicate logic.
Some attention is given to theories of meaning.
Cognitive Science course. Emphasis is on the structure, use, and philosophical significance of modern formal logic, beginning with propositional logic, stressing predicate logic with identity, and treating some more recent developments in logic. A critical analysis of some tendencies in contemporary radical thought. This course may be offered when sufficient interest is expressed and departmental resources permit. An exploration of one's responsibilities to the natural world through the writings of Thoreau, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and others and analysis of patterns of land use in the United States since the colonial period.