Philosophy

What is a good human life? To address this question, we will study (1) arguments, (2) systems of reasoning, (3) definitions, (4) fallacies, (5) induction, including analogical, causal, and statistical arguments, and (6) deduction, including propositional arguments, so that we can apply logical terminology, concepts, and techniques to primary texts, including classical philosophical works by Plato and Lucretius as well as recent works by medical doctors focusing on standards of living and healthcare. Using logic in reading and discussing these texts will enable us to examine and refine our own values throughout the semester as we try to determine what constitutes a good human life.

What is the human mind? To address this question, we will read traditional and recent texts in philosophy of the mind that focus on (1) the nature of the self, including the mind-body problem and personal identity, (2) the self’s way of knowing and communication, including sensation, perception, imagination, understanding, thinking, and language, and (3) the self’s awareness, that is, consciousness. By investigating philosophical views of the human mind in this way, we will learn about the historical background and current broader context for psychology as the scientific study of the human mind as we examine and refine our own beliefs throughout the semester to determine what the human mind is. 

Which is a better form of government: monarchy or democracy? To address this question, we will study classical texts in political theory from the history of Western philosophy that examine human nature, law, justice, rights, equality, economics, freedom, ethics, religion, property, power, and war. Our textual analyses and discussions of these topics will enable us to examine and refine our own values throughout the semester as we think about the best form of government for a good human life and, thus, determine whether monarchy or democracy is the better form of government.

What role, if any, does business have in a good human life? To address this question, we will study and apply ethical principles and theories—both religious and philosophical—to the policies and actions of business in the mixed market economy of the United States, that is, and economy in which the production and sale of goods and services are structured by a combination of market forces and government regulations. Focusing on the triad of (1) consumers, (2) businesses, and (3) government, not only will we explore business cases about topics such as product safety, marketing, and consumers’ rights, but also, in our spotlight section in the second half of the semester, we will conduct and extended moral analysis of the healthcare industry in the United States. We will thus examine and refine our own values throughout the semester as we think about the story of business—what business is—and try to determine what role, if any, business has in a good human life. 

What role, if any, does medicine have in a good human life? To address this question, this course explores matters of social justice in the healthcare system of the United States. The primary focus is on fundamental ethical principles and their corresponding theories that function as ethics decision-making model, such as the Principle of Utility and its corresponding theory of Utilitarianism. Case studies from across the lifespan are used to apply ethical decision-making models to patient-health professional interactions and the use of human subjects in medical research, thereby enabling us to examine and refine our own values throughout the semester as we try to determine what role, if any, medicine has in a good human life.