Philosophy 102f - First-Year Seminar

Institution:

Mount Holyoke College

Subject:

Description:

Fall 2008 102f(01) Introduction to Philosophy (First-year seminar) This seminar explores some of the great philosophical problems pondered by theWestern canon such as: What makes an action morally right or just What obligations do we have to our fellow human Can we have any moral obligations if our actions are causally determined in the same way that other physical events are How is it that we know what we think we know about our own existence and the existence of the world Are we obligated to form beliefs on the basis of evidence, not faith or wishful thinking If so, why Meets Humanities I-B requirement C. Lee Prereq. fy or permission of instructor; 4 credits 102(03) Forbidden Knowledge (First-year seminar; speaking-intensive course) In this course we will examine the prohibitions on knowledge by religious and political authorities, and the justifications offered for those limitations. We will explore whether there are areas that should not be investigated because of sacrilege, danger, privacy, or offensiveness; whether knowledge is morally neutral or could have a propensity toward abuse; government secrecy for the public good; and repressing knowledge that could be damaging to ourselves. Examples will range from Oedipus Rex, Adam and Eve, and Faust to nuclear power, genetic engineering, and racial differences. Meets Humanities I-B requirement The department Prereq. fy or permission of instructor; 4 credits

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.mtholyoke.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 538-2000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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