PHIL 112 - Philosophy and Human Nature

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

Philosophy

Description:

What, if anything, makes us human? Are we fundamentally rational or spiritual? Natural or social? Free or determined? Can we change what and how we are? Or is our nature fixed? Are we basically self-interested or other directed? What relevance does knowing our nature have to how we understand and arrange our ethical and political life? Do men and women share one nature? Is there a fundamental purpose to human life? Can philosophers help us answer any of these questions today? Or have philosophical accounts of nature been surpassed by those found in the natural and social sciences? In this course we critically examine influential philosophical accounts of human nature found in the works of figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Aquinas, Hume, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Foucault. Readings from the natural and social sciences may also be included.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

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