 |
|
| 
Undergraduate Courses Spring 2009
Intensive Introductory Courses V83.0010-001 This course has two goals. The first is to give you a sense of what philosophers think about and why. This will be done through consideration of some perennial philosophical problems, e.g., the existence of God, reason and faith, the relation between the body and the mind, freewill and moral responsibility, and the standards for moral conduct. We will draw on readings by important figures in the history of philosophy as well as contemporary authors. The second goal is to develop your philosophical skills, and your critical and argumentative skills more generally. V83.0015-001 This course examines the conflict between computational and biological approaches to the mind. Topics covered include whether a machine could think, whether thinking could be symbol crunching, the Turing Test, the "Chinese Room" argument, mental representation, the reduction of the mind to the brain, neural nets, mental imagery, and whether consciousness can be explained in physicalist terms. Please sign up for one of the following four sections: V83.0015-002 Tuesday 11-11:50 V83.0017 We’ll start by asking: what makes a life go well? What, if anything, is the meaning of life? Then, after a crash-course in ethical theory, we’ll talk about the morality of abortion and the morality of war. We’ll then return to a few more theoretical questions: why is death bad for the person who dies? Is it a bad thing to have never lived at all? (If so, bad for whom?) Would it be better for us if we were immortal? What is the appropriate attitude we should have towards death? We’ll end by considering another practical issue suicide. A few of the questions we’ll address here: is it ever rational to commit suicide? Is it ever moral to do so? When, if ever, is euthanasia morally permitted? No background in philosophy required. Group I: History of Philosophy V83.0021-001 In seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe, revolutionary developments in science, religion, and culture led to the generation of new philosophical questions, methods, and theories-and to the transformation of old ones. To a remarkable extent, these two centuries of philosophical thought are distinctively responsible for many of the questions, methods, and theoretical approaches that still quite recognizably dominate philosophy today. This course will examine the most important contributions of seven influential and systematic modern philosophers of this period-Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant-to the fields of epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, and ethics. Please sign up for one of the following four sections: V83.0021-002 Friday 11-11:50 Group II: Ethics, Value, and Society V83.0040-001 This course covers three great works of moral philosophy: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, and Mill's Utlitarianism. It concludes with a contemporary work that applies moral philosophy to 20th-century history : Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem. Course requirements are: attendance at lectures and a recitation, four short papers, and two essay exams. Please sign up for one of the following six sections: V83.0040-002 Monday 2-2:50 V83.0050 This course gives an introduction to the central problems of bio-medical ethics. Many of these problems are the subject of deep controversies in public life. Our aim is to identify and analyze the main philosophical arguments and positions behind the views advanced in these controversies. The class will deepen your understanding of the ethical dimensions of these controversies and develop your analytical skills and your ability to formulate and evaluate arguments. The course is divided into five sections. After an introduction, we discuss some topics in clinical ethics, including informed consent, professional obligations, and surrogate decision-making; we also look at ethical problems of human subject research. Within each of these topics, we focus on a controversial case to illustrate the main ethical issues. For instance, the problem of the disclosure of incidental findings of non-paternity frames the discussion of conflicting professional obligations. The third section focuses on life and death decisions, including abortion, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, as well as the treatment of newborns with severe disabilities. This is followed by discussions of controversial emerging technologies: stem cell research, prenatal genetic testing for disabilities, non-therapeutic cloning, and enhancement. Finally, in the last section we turn to issues of distributive justice with respect to health care resources. We will discuss the ethical issues that are raised by markets for organs, rationing, measuring the health of populations, and global health. Group III: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Mind, Language, and Logic V83.0070-001 Introduces the techniques, results, and philosophical import of 20th century formal logic. Principal concepts include those of sentence, set, interpretation, validity, consistency, consequence, tautology, derivation, and completeness. V83.0072 V83.0076 We will ask what knowledge is, how it differs from true belief, and what methods of inquiry are capable of producing it. Topics include the analysis of knowledge, the nature of justification, the problem of induction, skepticism, and the question of whether knowledge is, in some sense, socially constructed. Please sign up for one of the following two sections: V83.0076-004 Monday 3:30-4:20 V83.0078 What is the ultimate nature of the universe, the nature of all concrete reality? Is it physical, or mental, or both, or neither? And, what is our nature: are we physical, or mental, or both, or neither? We'll be concerned to use our inquiry into these questions to help us with traditionally central philosophical problems, including the problem of free will, the problem of personal identity, and the mind-body problem. While much of the course will treat these topics, some will treat some other topics. V83.0081 In this course we will discuss consciousness from both a philosophical and empirical perspective. In the first part of the class, we will compare the different views people have taken of the nature of consciousness and its relationship to the physical world. Is consciousness simply a neural process in the brain, or is there something more to it than that? In the second part of the class we will discuss recent neuroscientific work that attempts to uncover “neural correlates” of conscious experiences. Will we ever be in a position to read off everything about what a person is experiencing from information about their neural state? And even if we can do this, will there be any questions about consciousness left unanswered? V83.0085 In this introductory course we will examine various central topics in the philosophy of language: definite description and proper name, meaning and reference, meaning and use, meaning and truth, language and thought. The philosophers that will be discussed are Frege, Russell, Kripke, Grice, Quine and Davidson among others. Grades will be based on two papers and a final exam. V83.0091 In this course we will consider a wide variety of questions at the intersection of biology and philosophy. In the first unit we will discuss a group of conceptual issues in evolutionary theory, such as whether natural selection acts on genes, on individuals, or on groups, to what extent biological traits should be considered adaptations, and whether evolution should be seen as in any sense progressive. We will conclude the section by analyzing claims by intelligent design advocates that there exist "irreducibly complex" biological structures that could not have resulted from the process of natural selection. Please sign up for one of the following two sections: V83.0091-002 Tuesday 2-2:50 V83.0102 Even as compared to what he or she can do, almost all well-to-do people do little, or nothing, over the course of their lifetime, to prevent the early deaths and great suffering of people in the poorest parts of the world. Is it wrong for a well-to-do person to behave like this - perhaps about as horribly wrong as committing negligent homicide, as with fatal drunken driving? The course will center on this question, though it will also involve us in many other moral questions. In about equal measure, this will be a course in both normative ethics and in applied ethics. (By contrast, little will be said about metaethics and, most likely, not much about political philosophy, either.) V83.0103 According to an influential line of thought, some human cognitive capacities are innate. This thesis, often called innativism, has been hotly debated throughout the history of philosophy. It is a thesis that stands in the center of the debate between the rationalists and empiricists, and according to many has wide psychological, social and political implications. This course focuses on the innativism debate. The course will treat innativism as a cluster of interrelated theses. We will distinguish these theses and discuss reasons for and against each. We will also discuss the significance of the innativism debate. The course is divided into two parts. The first part of the course provides an historical introduction. We will read and discuss original texts by Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Leibniz as well us secondary literature on these texts. In the second part of the course we will examine the status of the contemporary debate. We will read original text by authors such as Chomsky, Fodor, and other authors. Participation in the course requires general familiarity with philosophy or psychology. Honors Courses V83.0200-001 See description under Honors Program, below. Philosophy Department – New York University 5 WASHINGTON PLACE, NEW YORK, NY 10003. (212) 998-8320. FAX: (212) 995-4179. DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES: Professor John Richardson Spring office hours: Tu 10:30-11:30, Th 12:30-1:30 Email: jr8@nyu.edu
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Faith Greulich: fk4@nyu.edu; 998-7846 Debbie Bula: db7@nyu.edu; 998-8325 Anupum Mehrotra: am3565@nyu.edu; 998-9056 Keri Sender: keri.sender@nyu.edu; 998-8320 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR:
The Department changed the major requirements last spring, by increasing the number of courses needed from 9 to 10. However, the new requirements will only apply to students entering NYU in September 2005 and after. Requirements for students who began at NYU before September 2005: A major in philosophy requires nine 4-point courses in the department, with numbers higher than V83.0009 (so that Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics & Society do not count). These nine courses must include (1) Logic, V83.0070; (2) History of Ancient Philosophy, V83.0020; (3) History of Modern Philosophy, V83.0021; (4) Ethics, V83.0040; or Nature of Values, V83.0041; or Political Philosophy, V83.0045; (5) Belief, Truth, and Knowledge, V83.0076; or Metaphysics, V83.0078; (6) Minds and Machines, V83.0015; or Philosophy of Mind, V83.0080; or Philosophy of Language, V83.0085; and (7) Topics in the History of Philosophy, V83.0101; or Topics in Ethics and Political Philosophy, V83.0102; or Topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology, V83.0103; or Topics in Language and Mind, V83.0104. No credit toward the major is awarded for a course with a grade lower than C. Requirements for students who began at NYU in September 2005 and thereafter:
A major in philosophy requires ten 4-point courses in the department, with numbers higher than V83.0009 (so that Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics & Society do not count). These ten courses must include (1) Logic, V83.0070; (2) History of Ancient Philosophy, V83.0020; (3) History of Modern Philosophy, V83.0021; (4) Ethics, V83.0040; or Nature of Values, V83.0041; or Political Philosophy, V83.0045; (5) Belief, Truth, and Knowledge, V83.0076; or Metaphysics, V83.0078; (6) Minds and Machines, V83.0015; or Philosophy of Mind, V83.0080; or Philosophy of Language, V83.0085; and (7) Topics in the History of Philosophy, V83.0101; or Topics in Ethics and Political Philosophy, V83.0102; or Topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology, V83.0103; or Topics in Language and Mind, V83.0104. Of the three honors courses, only the first two—the Junior Honors Proseminar and the Senior Honors Seminar—may be counted towards the ten courses required. No credit toward the major is awarded for a course with a grade lower than C.
Recommendations on course sequence: Students considering a major in philosophy are encouraged to begin with one of the Intensive Introductory Courses, or with one of the following: History of Ancient Philosophy, V83.0020; History of Modern Philosophy, V83.0021; Ethics, V83.0040; or Belief, Truth, and Knowledge, V83.0076. Logic, V83.0070, should be taken as soon as possible. The Topics courses are the most advanced undergraduate courses, and presuppose coursework in their areas. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR: A minor in philosophy requires four 4-point courses, at least three beyond the Introductory Courses. One course must be History of Ancient Philosophy, V83.0020, or History of Modern Philosophy, V83.0021; one course each must come from Group 2 (Ethics, Value, and Society) and Group 3 (Metaphysics, Epistemology, Mind, Language, and Logic). (Consult the Bulletin or the Department’s on-line course-list for the classification of courses in these Groups.) No credit toward the minor is awarded for a course with a grade lower than C. JOINT MAJOR IN LANGUAGE AND MIND: This major, intended as an introduction to cognitive science, is administered by the Departments of Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology. Eleven courses are required (four in linguistics, one in philosophy, five in psychology, and one additional course) to be constituted as follows. The linguistics component consists of Language, V61.0001; Grammatical Analysis, V61.0013; Introduction to Cognitive Science, V61.0028; and one more course chosen from Computational Models of Sentence Construction, V61.0024; Phonological Analysis, V61.0012; and Introduction to Semantics, V61.0004. The philosophy component consists of one course, chosen from Minds and Machines, V83.0015; Philosophy of Language, V83.0085; and Logic, V83.0070. The psychology component consists of four required courses: Introduction to Psychology, A89.0001; Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, V89.0010; The Psychology of Language, V89.0056; and Cognition, V89.0029; in addition, one course, chosen from Seminar in Thinking, V89.0026; Language Acquisition and Cognitive Development, V89.0300; and Laboratory in Human Cognition, V89.0028. The eleventh course will be one of the above-listed courses that has not already been chosen to satisfy the departmental components. INDEPENDENT STUDY: A student may sign up for an independent study course if he or she obtains the consent of a faculty member who approves the study project and agrees to serve as adviser. The student must also obtain the approval of either the department chair or the director of undergraduate studies. The student may take no more than one such course in any given semester and no more than two such courses in total, unless granted special permission by either the department chair or the director of undergraduate studies. HONORS PROGRAM: The Department has also made changes in its Honors Program, in particular by a) changing the credits for the senior honors courses from 2 to 4 points (per course), b) adding a third course, the Junior Honors Proseminar, and c) raising the grade point requirement (both overall and in philosophy courses) from 3.5 to 3.65. (Note: only the first of these changes applies to students who are seniors in 2005-6.) Here is the description of the new program: Honors in philosophy will be awarded to majors who (1) have an overall grade point average of 3.65 and an average in philosophy courses of 3.65, and (2) successfully complete the honors program. This program consists in the following 3 courses. (Note: of these courses, only the first two may be counted towards the 10 courses required for the major.) 1. The Junior Honors Proseminar, to be taken in spring semester of junior year. This course will play the dual roles of introducing students to core readings in some of the main areas of current philosophy, and of giving them an intensive training in writing philosophy. Admission to this course usually requires a GPA, both overall and in philosophy courses, of at least 3.65, as well as the permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Department will try to make alternative arrangements for students who wish to participate in the Honors Program but who will be studying abroad in this semester of their junior year. 2. The Senior Honors Seminar, to be taken in fall semester of senior year. Here students begin to develop their thesis projects, meeting weekly as a group under the direction of a faculty member, and presenting and discussing their thesis arguments. Students will also select, and begin to meet separately with, their individual thesis advisors—faculty who work in the areas of their thesis projects. Entry to this seminar depends on satisfactory completion of the Junior Honors Proseminar—or on the special approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. It also usually requires a GPA of at least 3.65. 3. Senior Honors Research, to be taken in spring semester of senior year. The seminar no longer meets, but each student continues to meet separately with his/her individual thesis advisor, producing and discussing a series of rough drafts of the thesis. The final version must be submitted by a deadline to be determined, in April. It must be approved by the thesis advisor, as well as by a second faculty reader, for honors to be awarded. The student must also finish with a GPA of at least 3.65—and here no exceptions will be made. In addition, the thesis advisors will meet after the decisions by readers have been made, and award some students highest or high honors, based on thesis quality and other factors (including GPA in philosophy courses). WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY? Philosophy has a reputation for being otherworldly and impractical – some say, “philosophy butters no bread”, but it doesn’t really deserve this label. The purpose of philosophy is controversial, but at least one that it involves is the construction and evaluation of arguments. The study of philosophy is a training of expressing thoughts clearly and precisely, in defending one’s ideas and evaluating the positions of others. Quite simply, philosophy gives a training in thinking. And this is a skill valuable in any professional field. Philosophy has a special affinity with the legal profession in which arguments, and the application of general rules to cases, play central roles. Many law schools recognize this connection and are especially receptive to philosophy majors. But philosophical skills are valuable elsewhere as well. In business, you must formulate and clarify problems, analyze potential solutions, and defend your approach in a clear and rational way. All these abilities are improved by exercising in philosophical argument. And finally, medical schools and professionals place increasing importance on the ability to reflect on the ethical issues that arise in their practice – and these are of course problems treated in moral philosophy. Some of these practical beliefs seem reflected in the exceptional performance by philosophy majors on graduate admissions exams. They show that philosophy majors scored higher than any other group on the verbal section of the GRE, and much higher than any other humanities majors on the quantitative section. Philosophy majors are second only to math majors on the GMAT, and third only to math and economics majors on the LSAT. Of course, training in philosophy majors may not be wholly responsible for these results – it may also be that brighter students are entering the field to begin with. But in either case, the report suggests you’re not stupid if you join them. But this still doesn’t touch on what surely remain the most important reasons for studying philosophy. College years shouldn’t just be a professional training. They are a best chance to think about basic human questions – about personal and social values, about the nature of reality and yourselves. Studying philosophy can bring into view questions of lifelong relevance and interest. It can acquaint you with the issues in debates that will always recur, and can help you toward argued positions on such issues. In a very rare case, it might even help determine your direction through life. | |
