Graduate Courses

Winter 2024

PHIL 673/CLAS 461/PHIL 403 — SEM 001

Cosmology: Plato to Galileo

Responding to their naked-eye observations of the world and divergent philosophical commitments, ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians constructed competing theories of the cosmos’ composition and structure.  This course examines the variety of cosmological theories advanced by ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians as well as their reception from the medieval Islamic tradition to early modern Europe.  Analyzing texts by Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Ptolemy in English translation, students will familiarize themselves with the content and range of ancient Greek cosmologies as well as their relation to various epistemological and metaphysical theories.  In addition, students will examine these cosmologies’ reception by Ibn Tufayl, Copernicus, and Galileo, who responded to earlier cosmologies in light of their own philosophical commitments and, in the case of Galileo, the observation of phenomena inaccessible before the invention of the telescope. 

PHIL 673/PHIL 675/ PHIL 452 — SEM 002

Social Epistemology: Conspiracy Theories

This discussion-based course will offer a deep dive into philosophical work on conspiracy theories.  We will discuss how to define “conspiracy theory”; whether it’s rational to believe in conspiracy theories; and what, if anything, we should do about the recent apparent rise in conspiracy theorising.  Throughout this topic, one particular challenge comes from the fact that some conspiracies (Watergate, Julius Caesar’s assassination, etc) are real.  Students will be required to do close and collaborative reading of texts, oral presentations, and a substantial final essay.
 

PHIL 673/PHIL 402/GSJ 402 — SEM 003

Feminist Standpoint Theory

Standpoint theorists have had much to say about the harms imposed on those who are socially marginalized as knowers but, by contrast with ‘deficit’ theories, their emphasis has been on the epistemic resources, resilience, and insights that can arise from the situated experience of oppression. This orientation has been influential as a rationale for “starting inquiry from the margins” in the social sciences and as a framework in science studies for understanding the impact of transformative critique on scientific inquiry. 

PHIL 674/676 — SEM 001

Reproductive Ethics

In this course, we will survey recent work in reproductive ethics, with an emphasis on feminist approaches. Drawing from reproductive justice approaches, we will consider how reproductive choices and experiences are situated within systems of power. Our primary (but not exclusive) mode of engagement will be to examine specific reproductive technologies or practices, which will provide contexts for discussing important bioethical and philosophical concepts, such as vulnerability.

PHIL 680B- SEM 001

Autonomy

Autonomy is a contested concept that is at the heart of debates in metaphysics, moral psychology, moral philosophy, political philosophy, medical ethics, feminist philosophy, the philosophy of disability, and more. In this course, we will explore the nature and value of autonomy and consider the role in plays in a wide range of sub-disciplines of philosophy. PHIL 680 is also the departmental ‘pro-seminar’, so philosophical discussions of autonomy will be combined with professional development topics including applying for funding, presenting work at conferences, publishing, and the job market. 

PHIL 402/673/675/ GSJ 402 — SEM 001

Care Ethics

Care is central to our lives and also ignored by our social and political institutions. This course provides an introduction to feminist care ethics. We will study the foundation of “care” as a distinct ethical approach in philosophy, examine the political and economic significance of care, how care creates and sustains communities, and compare and contrast a Western feminist care approach with other philosophical traditions.

PHIL 422/673/675 — SEM 002

Formal Methods for Social Good: Inequity, Injustice, and Idealization

This course will examine recent research applying formal models and methods such as game theory to social and political questions, especially questions about explaining and addressing social injustice. For example, Cailin O’Connor’s work uses game theory models to understand the emergence of gender and racial inequity and to explore the minimal conditions under which inequity emerges. O’Connor, Bright, and Bruner use game theory to explain the emergence of intersectional disadvantage. Fard uses formal methods including computational simulations to develop a theory of change in response to social injustices. Complicating critiques of “ideal theory,” Hancox-Li and Táíwò argue that idealization in social and political philosophy can be apt and useful, depending on the context and the research question. Philosophically, we will examine methodological, social, and political questions such as: When and how are the explanations in formal models applicable to the actual world? What are the benefits or risks of using simple, abstract formal models where reality is complex and multifaceted? Idealizations can lead to improved theory or can represent failure to see important details; how can we tell the difference?

PHIL 674/676 — SEM 001

Epistemology of Ignorance

Have you ever wondered why White people tend to be so ‘good’ at not knowing about racism? Why the medical community didn’t know that heart disease was a significant cause of death for women until so recently? Or why still, 60 years after the development and marketing of The Pill for people who can become pregnant, there is no readily available, parallel form of birth control for people who can impregnate others? According to the Epistemology of Ignorance understanding how knowledge is produced is aided by the reciprocal investigation of the production of ignorance. This class studies ways that ignorance can be actively produced and maintained to create and reinforce systems of domination and oppression.

PHIL 680 A  — SEM 001

Argument for Analogy

Arguments from analogy—which argue for a conclusion on the grounds that the case under consideration is similar in relevant respects to other cases—have a long history in philosophy and a broad scope of application across the discipline. Arguments from analogy are also employed in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. An important philosophical question is how to distinguish good arguments from analogy from bad ones. In this course, we will examine philosophical accounts of analogical reasoning as well as case studies of arguments from analogy. 

PHIL 673/675 — SEM 001

Cosmology: Plato to Galileo

Responding to their naked-eye observations of the world and divergent philosophical commitments, ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians constructed competing theories of the cosmos’ composition and structure.  This course examines the variety of cosmological theories advanced by ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians as well as their reception from the medieval Islamic tradition to early modern Europe.  Analyzing texts by Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Ptolemy in English translation, students will familiarize themselves with the content and range of ancient Greek cosmologies as well as their relation to various epistemological and metaphysical theories.  In addition, students will examine these cosmologies’ reception by Ibn Tufayl, Copernicus, and Galileo, who responded to earlier cosmologies in light of their own philosophical commitments and, in the case of Galileo, the observation of phenomena inaccessible before the invention of the telescope. 

PHIL 673/675 3SEM 002

Racial Justice Movements

description forthcoming

PHIL 673 — SEM 003

Thinking Through Gender: Feminist Perspective on Language

In this course we will explore feminist philosophy of language.  Topics are not yet settled, but may include gendered language, language referring to gender, sexual communication, speech acts and oppression, dogwhistles, and hermeneutical injustice.  The main large piece of writing for the course will be a self-chosen case study of real-world communication (or failure of communication), applying concepts from the class.

PHIL 680 B — SEM 001

Arguments from Analogy (continued)

Arguments from Analogy—which argue for a conclusion on the grounds that the case under consideration is similar in relevant respects to other cases—have a long history in philosophy and a broad scope of application across the discipline. Arguments from analogy are also employed in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. An important philosophical question is how to distinguish good arguments from analogy from bad ones. In this course, we will examine philosophical accounts of analogical reasoning as well as case studies of arguments from analogy.