CollegeTransfer.Net

Course Criteria

Add courses to your favorites to save, share, and find your best transfer school.

  • 80 102: Honors Program in Introduction to Philosophy

    3.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    This three credits extension of 80-100 is open to Freshmen and Sophomores by invitation of their instructor only. The seminar meetings examine interesting puzzles and open controversies concerning topics raised in 80-100.
    Share80 102 - Honors Program in Introduction to Philosophy
    Favorite

  • 80 103: Freshman Seminar: Mathematical thought from Euclid to Cantor

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    Mathematics and philosophy have been intertwined since ancient times, and philosophers have long been engaged in the project of explaining what it is that makes mathematical knowledge special. In this seminar, we will consider three important periods in the development of mathematics, and associated philosophical reflection. Specifically, we will study Euclid's theory of geometry, and its impact on Plato and Aristotle; Newton's invention of the calculus, and its impact on early modern philosophers; and Cantor's theory of the infinite, and its impact on early analytic philosophy.
    Share80 103 - Freshman Seminar: Mathematical thought from Euclid to Cantor
    Favorite

  • 80 107: Freshman Seminar:Life, the Universe and God: The Argument from Design

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    What, if anything do the sciences of biology and cosmology tell us about the existence of God? For more than two thousand years it has been argued that God's existence can be deduced from observable features of the world. The features in question?whether the ineffable complexity of living things or the precise balance of constants in the physical laws that govern the cosmos?are supposed to be ?marks of design,? and thus scientific evidence for a designer. We will examine many forms of the design argument, from those put forward by Cicero in the first century BC to the modern theories of ?Intelligent Design? and ?Cosmic Fine Tuning,? with two goals in mind: (i) to determine which if any version of the design argument is sound, and (ii) to understand what makes any argument rationally compelling. We will focus on developing the skills necessary for analyzing complex arguments, and we will apply these skills to one of the most enduring arguments for the existence of God.
    Share80 107 - Freshman Seminar:Life, the Universe and God: The Argument from Design
    Favorite

  • 80 110: Nature of Mathematical Reasoning

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    This course focuses on understanding mathematical reasoning, not on mastering a particular mathematical theory like linear algebra or calculus. It explores instances of mathematical reasoning and rigorous argumentation, with examples from the history of science and mathematics. We consider the "Lets Make a Deal" puzzle, the counter-intuitive results of HIV testing, and how to assess the relative size of infinite sets, all problems which defy intuitive solution but which look simple after they are put in mathematical form. The course is designed for students at the freshman and sophomore levels who are not interested in a mathematically intense major.
    Share80 110 - Nature of Mathematical Reasoning
    Favorite

  • 80 114: Freshman Seminar: Mind, Meaning, and Morals

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    Extraordinary discoveries in the sciences of mind are changing our picture of human nature, and challenging us to rethink our place in the world. In this course, we will look at some recent developments in the sciences of mind (especially evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and behavioral genetics), and explore their implications for the philosophy of mind and ethics. We will begin by examining traditional issues in the philosophy of mind: What is a mind? Is it some kind of ethereal substance, or is it just the operations of the brain? Do animals have minds? For that matter, could a sufficiently complex computer think? What kinds of minds are there, anyway? How does mind interact with matter? Do we have genuine free will, or do the laws of physics determine precisely how we think and behave? We will take an especially close look at questions that arise at the intersection of metaphysics and ethics: Does one need a mind to deserve moral consideration? Does a scientific understanding of mind drain life of meaning and purpose? What gives our lives meaning, anyway? Where does morality come from? The course is designed to get you asking important questions, reasoning clearly and capably, and sharpening your critical thinking skills?the abilities that will make a difference in your life long after you have forgotten factual details.
    Share80 114 - Freshman Seminar: Mind, Meaning, and Morals
    Favorite

  • 80 130: Introduction to Ethics

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    This course provides both a historic and thematic survey of western ethical theory. Key figures such as Aristotle, Hobbes, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche will be presented as background to the thematic problems of relativism, egoism, and other concepts in ethical theory. Students will take part in the creative process of developing skills necessary to engage in reflective moral reasoning. This process will culminate in the use of interactive multimedia modules simulating real world scenarios involving difficult moral choices. Participating in a class ethics committee will provide students with opportunities for personal reflection on the ways moral reasoning can be used to expand our understanding of hard choices and moral dilemmas.
    Share80 130 - Introduction to Ethics
    Favorite

  • 80 135: Introduction to Political Philosophy

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    As an introductory course, we will seek to trace out the historical and philosophical dimensions of the polis from its origins in Ancient Greece to its current manifestation in present-day society. Special emphasis will be placed on the concept of "democracy." The readings and lectures will focus on the history and concept of democracy (as an idea and as an institution); the basic concepts and problems of political philosophy (e.g., liberal and libertarian ideas of justice); and applied political philosophy (e.g., regional initiatives in deliberative democracy).
    Share80 135 - Introduction to Political Philosophy
    Favorite

  • 80 136: Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    The course will consider ethical questions that arise regarding social structure and public policy's impact on both people and the environment. It will consider the role of political institutions (and, sometimes, individuals) in dealing with some of the greatest challenges facing our generation: World poverty, environmental problems, and globalization. Some of the questions we will consider include: Are developed countries like ours obligated to ameliorate poverty by providing foreign aid, are they obligated to prevent environmental problems, and is globalization and free trade in particular a good idea? The course uses theory, case studies, and empirical evidence to consider these questions from a few different moral and political perspectives. We will extract some economic principles and rational dilemmas from examining these issues and pay attention to how legal and empirical considerations interact with ethical considerations.
    Share80 136 - Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics
    Favorite

  • 80 150: Nature of Reason

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    This course offers an intellectual history of philosophical views regarding the nature of human reasoning in mathematics and the sciences, from ancient to modern times. The first part of the course traces the search for deductive methods for obtaining certain knowledge, starting with Aristotle and Euclid, and continuing through the Middle Ages and late Renaissance thought, to the work of Boole and Frege in the nineteenth century. The second part of the course considers the history of skepticism about empirical knowledge, covering Plato, Sextus Empiricus, Descartes, Pascal, and Hume, along with replies to skepticism in the works of Bayes and Kant. The third part of the course discusses theories of the nature of mind, culminating in the computational conception of mind that underlies contemporary cognitive science.
    Share80 150 - Nature of Reason
    Favorite

  • 80 180: Nature of Language

    9.00 Credits
    Carnegie Mellon University

    Language is used to talk about the world or to describe it, but how do we go about describing language itself? Linguistics is the name given to the science of language, whose task it is to give such a description. The discipline of linguistics has developed novel tools for describing and analyzing language over the last two hundred years and in this course we learn what these tools are and practice applying them. Sub-areas of linguistics which we study include phonetics (the study of speech sounds), phonology (the study of sound systems), morphology (the study of parts of words), and syntax (the study of combinations of words). Beyond this, we look at changes in language over time, and we consider the puzzle of linguistic meaning. The methods of linguistics are useful in the study of particular languages and in the study of language generally, so this course is useful for students of foreign languages as well as those interested in going on to study language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, philosophy of language, and computer modeling of language.
    Share80 180 - Nature of Language
    Favorite
To find college, community college and university courses by keyword, enter some or all of the following, then select the Search button.
(Type the name of a College, University, Exam, or Corporation)
(For example: Accounting, Psychology)
(For example: ACCT 101, where Course Prefix is ACCT, and Course Number is 101)
(For example: Introduction To Accounting)
(For example: Sine waves, Hemingway, or Impressionism)
Distance:
of
(For example: Find all institutions within 5 miles of the selected Zip Code)