Instructor: Dr. Alex Radulescu

Course Description:  

This class is about the Declaration of Independence. This is a very interesting document, and many people have written about it, both within academia and without. Even if you disagree about its importance (and many do), it certainly has been influential in American history. Ours will be a philosophical approach: we’ll be interested in what the text says, and whether there are any good arguments for or against the claims it seems to make. Consider this most famous sentence of the Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The texts we will be reading are all, to some extent, about ideas that can be found here. René Descartes’s Meditations talk about what we can be properly said to know, and the relation between that, science, and God.  John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government was read by Jefferson, and many ideas in it are echoed in the Declaration (and many are not). A useful contrast will be found in Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, where we see a radically different understanding of the relation between the state and its citizens. John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty talks about the notion of liberty. Consider this class an introduction to both philosophy and the Declaration of Independence.

 Instructor: Dr. Andrew Melnyk

Course Description:

Without assuming any prior familiarity with philosophy, the course will teach you how to think philosophically about (i) the nature and extent of knowledge, (ii) the existence of God, and (iii) the existence and nature of free will. By the end of the course, you should

• be able to talk intelligently about some fundamental philosophical questions, possible  answers to these questions, and the pros and cons of each answer
• be able to say which answers you think are best, and why
• be better at reading carefully, thinking abstractly, and both critically analyzing and constructing complex reasoning.

This course does not aim to persuade you of my own particular philosophical views, and you will never be graded on your agreement or disagreement with them.  All that matters about your philosophical views is that you arrive at them after reflecting carefully on the best arguments for and against them.

 Instructor: Dr. Kenny Boyce

Course Description:

The core question of ethics is this: How should we behave towards one another? In this course we address this disarmingly simple question, ultimately with an eye to matters of life and death. We begin by familiarizing ourselves with the basics of ethical theory, and then proceed to consider the objectivity of moral claims and the possibility of moral knowledge. After that, we tackle a variety of moral questions, including questions about the permissibility of abortion, our obligations to animals, and whether we have a duty to reduce social and economic inequality. Though we will be exploring the field of ethics at a certain level of abstraction, the ultimate goal of the course is entirely practical: to develop the ability to think clearly and systematically about ethical issues. The course is open to students from all areas of the University interested in improving their moral judgment and decision making. These skills may be helpful in a wide array of professions, as well as in everyday life.

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: Dr. Marta Heckel

Course Description:

This is an introduction to ethical theory. What basis, if any, do we have to make distinctions between what is good and what is bad, who is virtuous and who is vicious, or what we ought to do and what we ought not to do? We will read, discuss, and write about the answers given by Plato, Aristotle, John Stuart Mill, and Immanuel Kant.

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: TBD

Course Description:

This course approaches moral problems in biomedical and scientific research from a philosophical perspective. First, we'll familiarize ourselves with ethics and political philosophy. Then we'll study the ethical issues that arise in connection with a series of issues, including research involving human and animal subjects, eugenics, the human genome project, cloning and stem cell research. By thinking about these issues, we learn how to think critically about particular moral quandaries, as well as to uncover and examine some of our deepest moral commitments.

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: Dr. Philip Robbins

Course Description:

This course provides the tools you need to reason better when deciding what to believe and what to do. It draws from multiple fields: cognitive psychology, logic, probability and statistics, confirmation theory, decision theory, and behavioral economics. We will consider empirical evidence about “heuristics and biases” — spontaneous judgments that can be predictably irrational. And we will study what good deductive, causal, and probabilistic reasoning looks like. But the goal of the course is entirely practical: to develop effective reasoning skills with clear applications in your personal and professional lives. The course is open to students from all areas of the University interested in improving their reasoning ability and their ability to construct and recognize strong arguments. These skills may be helpful in a wide variety of university subjects and extra-academic pursuits, indeed, in everyday life more generally.

Instructor: Dr. Claire Horisk

Course Description:

Instructor: Joel Vall Thomas

Course Description:

A lot of philosophers claim that almost every human being has asked themselves what the meaning of life is. Among these philosophers, Albert Camus famously said: “Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.” I doubt that almost every human being has asked that question. However, I’m sure that some of us have asked what the meaning of life is. And I hope that during and after this course some of us will. This course has two main goals: first, understanding why the question of the meaning of life is worth asking; second, get you to philosophically reflect on the meaning of life and how your area of expertise (career, major, passion) relates to a meaningful life.

Instructor: Dr. Andrew Melnyk

A course both for those enthusiastically contemplating a career in business and for those who wouldn’t dream of pursuing a career in business!  The fundamental question the course will address is whether it is possible for an ethically decent person to pursue a career in business.  We will read and critically evaluate two books.  The first (Honorable Business: A Framework for Business in a Just and Humane Society by James Otteson) argues that it is possible.  The second (Why Not Socialism? by G.A. Cohen) argues for the ethical superiority of some form of socialism.

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: TBD

Review of the major contemporary ethical theories and their contribution to the resolution of major social issues such as euthanasia, suicide, abortion, capital punishment, violence and war. Emphasis on nature, interests, and rights of persons.

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: Dr. Troy Hall

Course Description:

This extremely popular course considers issues of patient autonomy, consent, healthcare rights, abortion, euthanasia, and animal and human research from an agenda-free perspective. It is also perfect as a first philosophy or ethics course, as fundamental ethical theories are explained before integrating them with medical cases. Many students have reported that taking this course was a positive transformative experience for them at Mizzou. Taught by College of Arts and Science Green and Purple Chalk teaching awards-winner Dr. Troy Hall. 

Note: This course counts towards the Philosophy Department’s Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: Dr. Marta Heckel

Course Description:

A critical examination of central ideas and themes in feminist philosophical thought. Topics may include: sex, marriage, parenthood, reproduction, body image, pornography, prostitution.

Instructor: Dr. Hannah Rubin

Course Description:

Game theory is the study of strategic decision making, used to analyze decisions in situations where the outcome of your choice depends on the choices of others. Studying game theory can aid in your understanding of how to make rational decisions in various situations during your everyday life. Game theory is also used to study decision making in a variety of academic fields including economics, politics, biology, and philosophy.

Instructor: Dr. Hannah Rubin

Course Description:

Honors section. Game theory is the study of strategic decision making, used to analyze decisions in situations where the outcome of your choice depends on the choices of others. Studying game theory can aid in your understanding of how to make rational decisions in various situations during your everyday life. Game theory is also used to study decision making in a variety of academic fields including economics, politics, biology, and philosophy.

Instructor: Dr. Kenny Boyce

Course Description:

Do you love solving puzzles like Sudoku? Then this is a great course for you. We will learn how to solve logical puzzles, by learning a formal logical language and formal methods of evaluating arguments. Having logical abilities is great for anyone who needs to reason—and that is all of us—and is an especially useful skill if you are interested in law, business, or linguistics. Logic also serves as a fundamental basis for computer science and artificial intelligence.

Instructor: Dr. Troy Hall

Course Description:

This popular course counts as a Diversity Intensive Course. Truly a course for everyone, Environmental Ethics explores our relationship to each other and the natural world. A perfect first philosophy course or ethics course, cutting edge contemporary topics such as animal ethics, sustainability, environmental justice and racism, ecofeminism, deep ecology, and eco-terrorism are covered in an agenda-free way. Taught by College of Arts and Science Green and Purple Chalk teaching awards-winner Dr. Troy Hall. 

Note: This course counts toward the Department of Philosophy's Certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice.

Instructor: Dr. M Folescu

Course Description:

Surveys critical and speculative thinking of modern period from Descartes to Kant in relation to scientific, religious and social movements.

Instructor: Dr. Troy Hall

Course Description:

The 19th Century saw a historically unmatched profusion of philosophical activity, the consequences of which have been decisive for modernity. Both a stand-alone course and prequel to PHIL 3500 Existentialism (taught each fall semester), 19th-Century Philosophy will focus on two important traditions: German Idealism and its critics (Hegel, Schopenhauer, and Marx) and American philosophy—Transcendentalism and early Pragmatism. Note: though Kierkegaard and Nietzsche are clearly important figures of the 19th Century, they are covered in PHIL 3500 Existentialism. Join multiple teaching award-winner Dr. Troy Hall for an adventure into some of the most profound and controversial thinkers in the history of philosophy. 

Instructor: Dr. Alex Radulescu

Course Description:

This class will focus on representation, as it occurs in language, in the mind, and in the arts. Are these different topics? Well, that's up for debate too. We will address such questions as how names name, how we manage to think about water and sofas and arthritis, and how lines on a canvas manage to become an artwork and to represent a tree, or a feeling, or an abstract concept. We will also look at the role of representation in a broad story about cognition and the value that aboutness has in our lives. We will mainly be reading texts by Kripke, Putnam, Burge, and Danto.

Instructor: Dr. Claire Horisk

Course Description:

Examination of contemporary views of the relationship between language, minds, and the world.

Instructor: Dr. André Ariew

Course Description:

This course studies probability, its various interpretations, and its basic principles. It identifies forms of reasoning that establish the probability of a conclusion. The methods of reasoning it treats are at the heart of science and practical affairs.

Instructor: Dr. Hannah Rubin

Course Description:

Recent breakthroughs in evolutionary biology, conservation science, and medicine play a huge role in society and public policy and have impacted the lives of billions. This course will focus on the philosophical foundations of these and related subjects. Topics we will cover include: conceptual issues in evolutionary theory; the possibility of cooperation, justice, and fairness in a Darwinian world; rivalrous conceptions of health and disease; and the value of biodiversity.

Instructor: Dr. Mike Schneider

Course Description:

Modern physics has transformed how we think about space, time, and the universe. This course examines how two triumphs of modern physics, the theory of general relativity and the standard model of cosmology, shape our understanding of place, motion, and the evolution of the cosmos. Students will first develop a thorough grip on the geometric structures underlying classical and relativistic spacetime theories. With this foundation, we will proceed to explore topics such as black hole singularities, time travel, and the limits of cosmological knowledge according to general relativity, as well as the potential “disappearance” of spacetime in still-ongoing quantum gravity research. In the final weeks, we will turn to scrutinize how evidence is gathered for the existence of black holes, as well for the existence of key ingredients in the standard model of cosmology: inflation, dark matter, and dark energy.

Instructor: Various Departmental Faculty

Instructor: Dr. André Ariew

Course Description:
There are two aspects of this capstone seminar, the passionate and the productive. There is a reason why you decided to major or double major in philosophy. Perhaps you have a big question that you want to explore about yourself or the universe. Perhaps you like the process of thinking critically, no matter what the topic is. For your capstone seminar at Mizzou’s philosophy department, we’ll tap into your passion for philosophy. Course content is up to you. Think of it this way: if you were stuck on desert island what essays or books would you have like to have brought with you? The course is a student-led seminar (as opposed to a lecture course). With my guidance, you, the students, will choose the daily topics and materials – essays, chapters, movies, documentaries, podcasts, videos. You will lead class discussion on the materials you choose. You can count on the rest of the class to be fully engaged, having read and commented on the material beforehand and ready for discussion. I’m with you every step of the way: consulting on choice of topics and materials, helping you digest the material, and giving you tips on how to lead a successful seminar. 

The second aspect of the seminar is about production. By the end of the semester, you will have created a product related to a philosophical topic of your choice, to be included in your undergraduate portfolio. Most of you will write an essay, but you there are other forms of production suitable for this assignment: a podcast, video, wiki-page, etc. Regardless of the product, the method of production is the same. The objective is related to the capstone idea: you will show off the critical thinking skills that you developed throughout your undergraduate career at Mizzou and honed during the semester. 

Course Objectives:

• To think like a philosopher and understand a topic or question through analytic engagement.
• To critically evaluate, write, and discuss academic writings.
• To develop research skills of choosing good questions, writing a literature review, and creating a product.

Instructor: Various Departmental Faculty

Instructor: Various Departmental Faculty

Instructor: Various Departmental Faculty

Instructor: Dr. Alex Radulescu

Course Description:

Instructor: Dr. Robert Johnson

Course Description:

Contemporary theories of the right and the good. Metaethical topics such as moral language, reasoning, and justification.

Instructor: Dr. Gualtiero Piccinini

Course Description:

Examination of philosophical questions arising in cognitive science concerning, for instance, the nature of computation and representation, inter-disciplinary relations, the nature of cognitive scientific explanation, and its relation to folk psychological explanation.

Instructor: Dr. Mike Schneider

Course Description:

Examines central issues in general philosophy of science concerning the scientific method and the role in it of observation, the nature of rational theory choice, progress, and the status of theories postulating unobservables.