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(B.A.)
Discipline Representative: M. Kingwell
Philosophy is the study of the ideas that shape our thought and activity. While we do discuss controversial issues in politics, morality, science, religion, art, etc., philosophy is more concerned with the ideas that underlie all such debates. We consider what the role of government should be, what reasons there could be to describe anything as good or bad, what proves that something is true, whether there could be a reality beyond the physical world, and whether the only value of art is the pleasure it gives. Such questions have been answered in a variety of theories, and any study in philosophy begins with learning what others have thought; but our purpose is not primarily to be historians of ideas, and assignments focus on developing the intellectual abilities and techniques required to think effectively for oneself at this deeper level. So philosophy emphasizes interpretation and original thought, reasoning, discussion and assessment.
PHLA01Y is a survey of the main topic-areas of philosophy. It is recommended both as a course of general interest and as an introduction to the Major Programme.
B-level courses address specific topics such as art, feminism, politics, techniques of argument, and theories of mind. Since they have no prerequisites they also serve as entry-points to philosophy.
Seminars in Philosophy are advanced courses for students with at least two full-course equivalents in Philosophy. (Instructors will admit students whose courses in other disciplines have adequately prepared them for a seminar. Students must provide transcripts when requesting special permission to enrol in a seminar).
D-level independent study courses are intended for
qualified students who wish to engage in advanced level work on
a well-defined topic of their choice. These courses are only available
with the prior agreement of an instructor.
Supervisor: M. Kingwell
Students must complete at least seven full-course
equivalents in Philosophy; at least three half-courses must be
at the C- or D-level.
Supervisor: M. Kingwell
Students must complete four full-course equivalents
in Philosophy; at least two half-courses must be at the C- or
D-level.
A discussion of some of the fundamental questions of philosophy: what is good reasoning? What is morality and can it be justified? Is it reasonable to adhere to a religion? What is knowledge? Are social practices justifiable? Is materialism true? Are humans free?
Some of the world's major philosophers will be studied with a view to answering these and other basic questions which have confronted us throughout history.
The course will be divided into the following lecture sections: L01, L02, L30. The problems addressed are substantially the same in each section, though the readings and approach may vary from section to section, depending on the instructor.
Staff
A study of philosophical problems and postures in ethics.
Topics may include: the relativity of values, the justification of morality, moral skepticism, ethical egoism, utilitarianism, doontologism.
Exclusions: PHL275, 276
T.B.A.
An examination of issues that may be both contemporary and historical, that call on us to consider and articulate our values and commitments.
This year the course will address what seems to be the over-arching social issue of the present - economic globalization. Our text will be Unequal Freedoms: The Global Market as an Ethical System, by Canadian philosopher John McMurtry.
Exclusion: PHL381
An examination of philosophical issues in ethics, social theory, and theories of human nature as they bear on the conduct of business.
Topics may include: What moral obligations does business have to the people who work for companies, and to the communities in which they market? Can social costs and benefits be calculated in a way that is relevant to business decisions? Do political ideas such as democracy have a role within business?
Exclusions: PHL/PHI295H
T.B.A.
A study of philosophies about the order and governance of human societies.
In this course, a variety of significant political philosophies will be examined. Many questions may be considered, for example: What is justice? When, if ever, is it legitimate for some persons to have authority over others? Do people shape and choose the societies they want, or does society shape them? Who really knows what is best for society? Are all people equal? If so, how will society best reflect this?
Exclusion: PHL265
A discussion of right and rights, justice, legality, and related concepts.
T.B.A.
Study and discussion of a variety of issues in contemporary feminist philosophy.
This course will be an introduction to a diverse range of feminist ideas. Feminist thinkers differ greatly about the nature and source of the problem of gender inequality, and equally widely about proposals for more egalitarian societies.
What is feminism? What is a woman? or a man? Is there anything natural or inevitable about gender relations? Why do gender relations exist in virtually every know society? How do gender relations intersect with other social relations, such as economic class, culture, race, sexual orientation, etc.? These and other topics will be considered through assigned readings, class discussion, and written work.
A study of the nature of education.
Exclusion: PHL315
T.B.A.
An examination of such questions as certainty, the problem of skepticism, the scope and limits of human knowledge, the subjectivity of perception, rationality, and theories of truth.
Exclusion: PHL230
T.B.A.
A study of the views and approaches characteristic of such writers as Kierkegaard, Husserl, Jaspers, Heidegger and Sartre.
Exclusion: PHL220, 321
T.B.A.
An introduction to formal techniques of reasoning, sentential logic, and quantification theory or predicate logic.
The emphasis is on appreciation of and practice in techniques, for example, for formal analysis of English statements and arguments, and for construction of clear and rigorous proofs.
Exclusion: (JMPB50), PHL245
A study of methods and techniques for developing effective reasoning and argument, and an exploration of the patterns of thinking that characterize English thought.
This course aims to develop skill in identifying ambiguities, evaluating premises, constructing counter-examples, and reconstructing arguments. It examines such aspects as: informal logic; deductive argument versus persuasion; types of arguments and techniques of refutation; common fallacies and how to avoid them.
The focus will be on arguments made in ordinary, as opposed to specialized or technical, language. A general proficiency in reading and writing English will be assumed. This course provides an important foundation for Philosophy students, while offering useful skills for all students, no matter what their programme.
Exclusions: PHL/PHI247H, TRN200H
T.B.A.
A consideration of problems in metaphysics.
Metaphysics is the attempt to see "how things hang together" in the most general possible sense of this phrase. Some of the issues we will cover: the creation and form of the universe, the nature of truth, the ground of possibility and necessity and their relation and the problem of freedom of the will.
Exclusion: PHL231
T.B.A.
A study of the interaction between science and religion: similarities and differences in the structure of the two; methods, theories and explanations; the epistemic status of assertions; views by non-western thinkers. Challenges presented by developments in genetics and neuroscience to be considered. (Lectures, discussion of assigned readings, and videos)
T.B.A.
An examination of questions concerning the nature of mind and thinking.
Traditionally, the mind has been conceived as a mysterious component of human beings, existing in relative independence from the conditions of physical life. Modern research into the structure and function of the brain has thrown doubts on this view, and work in computer science suggests that minds and thinking can even be attributed to machines.
We will examine the nature of the mind, and such questions as what thinking is, and whether or not machines can have a mind.
Exclusions: PHL240, 242
An examination of basic philosophical issues in the creation and interpretation of culture.
What do we mean when we use the word "culture"? What intellectual tools do we need to understand culture? Is philosophical questioning, often thought to be universal, in fact shaped by developments in the surrounding culture? How, in turn, does philosophy appraise the importance of culture? Can philosophical reflection help resolve conflicts within, and between, cultures? Thinkers to be studied may include: Marx, Freud, Gadamer, Habermas, Foucault, Lyotard, Innis and McLuhan.
A study of the hypotheses and theories that ground the cognitive science approach to mental representation and cognition. We will address the fundamental problems: what is a computational system and how can a physical system understand language and think? In order to answer these questions, we will study the functionalist theory of mind, the relationship between syntax and semantics, and the theory of interpretable automatic formal systems. We will also examine some of the basic computer architectures. We will conclude by examining the difference between traditional artificial intelligence using symbol systems, and connectionism.
Exclusion: (COGB01Y)
A continuation of PHLB50.
The natural deduction system studied in Symbolic Logic I is extended to cover identity and definite descriptions. Special attention is paid to the restriction of the identity calculus to "extensional" terms and formulas. Alternative treatments of definite descriptions, one that follows Frege, the other that follows Russell, are developed and compared. The text is D. Kalish, R. Montague and G. Mar, Logic: Techniques of Formal Reasoning.
Exclusion: (JMPC51)
A critical examination from a postcolonial perspective of some aspects of western European philosophy.
How has western European philosophy and religious thought been shaped by western Europe's colonization of other parts of the globe? After 1492, how did western European thinkers perceive and imagine the indigenous peoples of the Americas? How was this connected to European attitudes toward Africa, Asia and the east?
We will examine modern philosophy's ideals of rationality, universality, and progress. Reading will include some primary sources in modern philosophy, and some contemporary works in postcolonial studies.
Prerequisite: Two F.C.E. in Philosophy or permission of the instructor
A detailed examination of philosophical issues in thinking about culture.
This course will pursue theoretical concerns about interpretation, dialogue, identity and authenticity as they relate to cultural formations, including minority cultures, sub-cultures and popular culture. We also consider the role of ideology, the construction of cultural consensus, and the influence of the media on culture. Readings from authors such as Barthes, Postman, Gadamer, Habermas, Bataille, Debord and Beaudrillard.
Prerequisite: Two F.C.E. in PHL or permission of the instructor.
An examination of various arguments for and against the idea that machines, especially computing machines, can be conscious, can think, or can feel. Topics may include: Turing's test of machine intelligence, the argument based on Gˆdel's theorem that there is an unbridgeable gulf between humans and machines, Searle's "Chinese Room thought experiment."
Prerequisite: Two F.C.E.'s in PHL or permission of the instructor.
An exploration of theories which provide answers to the question "What is a human being?" These answers probe and develop the sorts of catch-phrase definitions to which we are all accustomed: "Man is a rational animal," "Man is a political animal," "Man is inherently individual," "Man is inherently social." Theories of human nature bring together considerations from ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics and philosophy of mind (and so acquaintance with some subset of these areas is required). We will study a wide variety of works by authors such as: Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau, Marx and Freud.
Prerequisite: Two F.C.E.'s in PHL or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: Two F.C.E.'s in PHL or permission of the instructor.
T.B.A.
These courses are intended for qualified students
who wish to engage in advanced level work on a well-defined topic
of their choice. These courses are only available with the prior
arrangement of an instructor.
PHLB03H3 Philosophy of Art
PHLB70H3 Philosophy of Science
PHLB80H3 Philosophy of Language
Full Listing of Courses Not Offered
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