* PHIL 0050a, Philosophy, Race, and Racism  Robert Gooding-Williams

What is a race, and what is like to have a racial identity? Is racism best conceptualized as a form of flawed belief, as a moral vice, as a social practice, or in terms of notions like “racial oppression” and “white supremacy”? In addressing these questions, we survey and attempt to think along with—analytically, critically, and never dogmatically—the writings of some of the best philosophers who have attempted to answer them. These include W.E.B. DuBois, Jean-Paul Sartre, Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault, and several contemporary philosophers. Enrollment is limited to first-year students.  HU
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

* PHIL 0060a / EALL 0350a / HUMS 0275a / RLST 0045a, Six Global Perspectives on Reality  Lucas Bender and Sonam Kachru

What is the structure of reality? What makes up the world? This class introduces the questions of metaphysics from the perspective of different traditions from around the globe. Readings are drawn from Indian, East Asian, and Western contexts, ranging from the earliest sources to contemporary philosophy of science. The first-year seminars of the “Six Global Perspectives” series provide an introduction to the humanities at Yale. These seminars aim to build confidence for students who have little experience with the humanities while remaining challenging for students with more background. Participants in the program receive dedicated writing support and introductions to Yale’s collections and libraries.  HU
MW 9am-10:15am

PHIL 1115a, First-Order Logic  Staff

An introduction to formal logic. Study of the formal deductive systems and semantics for both propositional and predicate logic. Some discussion of metatheory.  QR  0 Course cr
HTBA

PHIL 1119b / EALL 2190b / EAST 2201b / HUMS 2140b / RLST 1710b, Introduction to Chinese Philosophy  Lucas Bender

This course represents an introduction to the most important philosophical thinkers and texts in Chinese history, ranging from roughly 500 BC–1500 AD. Topics include ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, and ontology. We discuss the basic works of Confucian and Daoist philosophers during the Warring States and early imperial eras, the continuation of these traditions in early medieval “dark learning,” Buddhist philosophy (in its original Indian context, the early period of its spread to China, and in mature Chinese Buddhist schools such as Chan/Zen), and Neo-Confucian philosophy. The course emphasizes readings in the original texts of the thinkers and traditions in question (all in English translation). No knowledge of Chinese or previous contact with Chinese philosophy required.  HU  0 Course cr
MW 10:30am-11:20am

PHIL 1125a / CLCV 1901a, Introduction to Ancient Philosophy  Staff

An introduction to ancient philosophy, beginning with the earliest pre-Socratics, concentrating on Plato and Aristotle, and including a brief foray into Hellenistic philosophy. Intended to be taken in conjunction with PHIL 1126, previously PHIL 126.  WR, HU  0 Course cr
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PHIL 1126b, Introduction to Modern Philosophy from Descartes to Kant  Jacob McNulty

An introduction to major figures in the history of modern philosophy, with critical reading of works by Descartes, Malabranche, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Intended to be taken in conjunction with PHIL 1125, although PHIL 1125 is not a prerequisite.  HU  0 Course cr
TTh 11:35am-12:25pm

PHIL 1175a, Introduction to Ethics  Staff

What makes one act right and another wrong? What am I morally required to do for others? What is the basis of morality? These are some of the questions raised in moral philosophy. Examination of two of the most important answers, the theories of Mill and Kant, with brief consideration of the views of Hume and Hobbes. Discussion of the question: Why be moral?  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

PHIL 1176b, Death  Shelly Kagan

There is one thing I can be sure of: I am going to die. But what am I to make of that fact? An examination of a number of issues that arise once we begin to reflect on our mortality. Consideration of the possibility that death may not actually be the end. Are we, in some sense, immortal? Would immortality be desirable? An attempt to get a clearer notion of what it is to die. And, finally, an evaluation of different attitudes to death. Is death an evil? Is suicide morally permissible? Is it rational? In short: how should the knowledge that I am going to die affect the way I live my life? Authors include Fischer, Perry, Plato, and Tolstoy.  HU  0 Course cr
TTh 10:30am-11:20am

PHIL 1178b, Introduction to Political Philosophy  Thomas Pogge

A survey of social and political theory, beginning with Plato and continuing through modern philosophers such as Rawls, Nozick, and Cohen. Emphasis on tracing the development of political ideas; challenges to political theories.  HU
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

* PHIL 2130a, Writing Philosophy: Paradoxes of Meaning  Parris Sammut

How do words get their meaning, and are there facts about meaning at all? When we speak a language, could what we mean be completely indeterminate? This course explores paradoxes at the heart of language, from vagueness and the ancient Sorites paradox to influential arguments by Kripke and Quine that challenge whether there are facts which fix what we mean by words. Along the way, we will examine contemporary debates about whether meaning is determined by how we in fact use words or whether meaning determines how we should use words, whether AI-generated language is genuinely meaningful, and how to overcome radical meaning scepticism. As a Writing in the Disciplines course, students will develop their skills of philosophical writing by engaging with some of the clearest and most provocative writing on some of the fundamental questions in philosophy of language. Using a range of classic and contemporary work, students will practice how to turn philosophical puzzles into structured arguments, how to reconstruct and evaluate complex arguments, how to watch out for and frame controversial assumptions, and how to develop their own ideas into a sustained philosophy paper. There are no specific prerequisites but a previous philosophy course would be helpful.   HU
MW 2:35pm-3:50pm

* PHIL 2150a, Disagreement  Zoltan Szabo and Joseph Lawal

We disagree a lot: over values in politics, religion, and morality, regarding points of academic interest in science and history, and – most frequently and most puzzlingly – in matters of taste. These disagreements range from the frivolously trivial to the vitally important. This course aims to give students the resources to think deeply about what disagreement are, and about how we can engage in them responsibly. After two introductory weeks, the course is split into two distinct parts. The central question of the first is how we should react to apparently irresolvable differences of opinion; the central question of the second is how we can tell whether disagreements are substantive or verbal. Both questions lead quickly to some of the deepest problems in two major areas of philosophy – epistemology and the philosophy of language. Through thinking about disagreement, the course can serve as an introduction to contemporary thinking about knowledge and meaning.  HU
TTh 9am-10:15am

* PHIL 2202a / RLST 2770a, Existentialism  Noreen Khawaja

Introduction to key problems in European existentialism. Existentialism considered not as a unified movement, but as a tradition of interlocking ideas about human freedom woven through the philosophy, religious thought, art, and political theory of late modern Europe. Readings from Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heti, Lukács, Gide, Heidegger, Fanon, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Cesaire.  HU
Th 4pm-5:55pm

PHIL 2219a / ANTH 237a / ANTH 2837a / CPLT 2420a / GMAN 2330a / HUMS 4325a, Karl Marx's Capital  Staff

A careful reading of Karl Marx's classic critique of capitalism, Capital volume 1, a work of philosophy, political economy, and critical social theory that has had a significant global readership for over 150 years. Selected readings also from Capital volumes 2 and 3.  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

PHIL 2256a / RLST 4020a, The Philosophy of Religion  Staff

The relation between religion and ethics, traditional arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, the problem of evil, miracles, immortality, science and religion, and faith and reason.  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

PHIL 2267a, Mathematical Logic  Sun-Joo Shin

An introduction to the metatheory of first-order logic, up to and including the completeness theorem for the first-order calculus. Introduction to the basic concepts of set theory. Prerequisite: PHIL 1115 or permission of instructor.  QR
MW 1:05pm-2:20pm

PHIL 2270a, Epistemology  Keith DeRose

Introduction to current topics in the theory of knowledge. The analysis of knowledge, justified belief, rationality, certainty, and evidence.  HU
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

* PHIL 2272b / CGSC 2272b, Philosophy of Mind  Tamar Gendler

A survey of contemporary issues in the philosophy of mind, including arguments for and against materialism and accounts of intentional states, qualitative states, and mental causation.  HU
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

PHIL 2280b / CGSC 2750b / LING 2750b, Pragmatics  Simon Charlow

Speakers often mean things they don’t say, but how does a hearer figure out what the speaker meant? Which sentences are designed to change the world rather than just to represent it? How are sentences used to mean different things in different contexts?  Pragmatics explores the relations between what is said and what is meant, focusing on how speech acts and the principles of “street logic”—presuppositions and implicatures—help speakers and hearers shape the landscape of a conversation. No formal prerequisites, but some familiarity with linguistics or philosophy of language will help on some of the readings.   SO  RP
TTh 1:05pm-2:20pm

PHIL 2281a, Infinity  Staff

The idea of infinity. Traditional and contemporary versions of the paradoxes of space, time, and motion, as well as the paradoxes of classes, chances, and truth. Some elementary arithmetic, geometry, probability theory, and set theory.  QR, HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

* PHIL 2440a, The Cognitive Science of Religion  Joshua Knobe

An introduction to research on the psychological roots of religion, including research on ritual, belief in God, sense of meaning, and relationship to morality. Connections with broader theories and social, cognitive and developmental psychology. None.  SO
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

PHIL 2815b / EALL 2807b / HUMS 4515b / RLST 2815b, Mind-Sculpting 101: World Meditation Traditions  Sonam Kachru and Mick Hunter

Interest in meditation has surged in recent years, partly as a therapeutic response to stress, pain, and depression, and partly due to growing attentional challenges associated with our era of distraction (smart phones, social media, the internet, etc.). Available meditation techniques range from practices rooted in ancient contemplative traditions to secularized clinical protocols and app-based mindfulness exercises—but what is meditation, at once ancient and timely? This course brings a cosmopolitan perspective to the global history of meditation, treating it both as a humanistic object of study—normative, contested, and interpretively rich—and as a versatile suite of practices that might contribute to the humanities. In addition to experimenting with and developing their own attention practices, students encounter and reflect on contemplative genres of art, literature, and music.  HU
HTBA

* PHIL 3085b / HUMS 3085b / RLST 3085b, Phenomenology of Religion  Noreen Khawaja

The mandate of modern historical research is to understand reality "as it actually happened." But is history our only mode of accessing the real? This course examines a modern intellectual tradition called the "phenomenology of religion" that sought a distinct approach to the relation of reality and history. Drawing together work in anthropology, theology, philosophy, and aesthetics, this course offers a philosophical introduction to religious studies as field of scholarly study as well as a ritual genealogy of the contemporary human sciences. Readings may include van der Leeuw, Eliade, Freud, Kant, Nietzsche, Dilthey, Dayan, af Klimt, Long, Otto, Butler, Husserl, Wynter.  HU
W 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 3141a / CGSC 3141a / PSYC 3141a / RLST 3104a, The Good Mind: Buddhist Philosophy for Psychologists  Sonam Kachru and Xihan Zhang

Buddhist practices of attention (meditation) have influenced contemporary therapeutic interventions in clinical psychology, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Even though the clinical evidence for the effectiveness of these therapies is strong, the mechanisms underlying therapeutic success remain largely unknown. Buddhist philosophical models of mental architecture and action relevant to meditation are not sufficiently drawn on in empirical work; at the same time, many of the explanatory models developed by Buddhist philosophy remain empirically untested. This course fills the gap by providing students with the resources to engage Buddhist philosophy and experimental psychology in dialogue. Students develop expertise in the epistemic paradigms of analysis and explanation involved in both traditions, with an emphasis on the prospects for first-personal observation in both theoretical paradigms. Given the multidisciplinary nature of this course and its topical focus on well-being, we imagine this class suitable for a broad range of students from Psychology, Cognitive Science, Humanities, Religious Studies, and Philosophy, among other disciplines.  HU, SO
Th 9:25am-11:20am

* PHIL 3205a, Early Analytic Philosophy  Sun-Joo Shin

Analytic philosophy has a long history by now, about a century. We still live in it, and at the same time, it is a good moment to look back on the beginning of this revolutionary movement in philosophy. It is almost impossible to comprehend our current philosophy without understanding its beginning. The seminar aims (i) to appreciate the original intentions/motivations of the movement starting with G. E. Moore’s  “A Defense of Common Sense” (1925), (ii) to examine seminal works by main figures throughout the first phase of its development, and (iii) to trace the subsequent developments in analytic philosophy until Quine’s “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” (1951). Prerequisites: Some logic background (PHIL 1115 or PHIL 2267)  WR, HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 3305b / CGSC 313 / CGSC 3130b / PSYC 3113b, Philosophy for Psychologists  Joshua Knobe

Introduction to frameworks developed within philosophy that have applications in psychological research. Principal topics include the self, causation, free will, and morality. Recommended preparation: a course in philosophy or psychology.  HU, SO
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 3333a, Philosophy of Physics: Quantum, Space, and Time  Daniel Grimmer

What is the fundamental nature of reality? Modern physics has radically transformed our understanding of the universe, but it has also left us with profound conceptual puzzles. This survey course introduces the philosophy of physics, focusing on the foundations of space, time, and quantum mechanics. We explore questions such as: Is space a physical substance or merely a network of spatial relations? Does time actually flow, and is time travel logically possible? In the quantum realm, how does observation affect reality, and what does quantum entanglement tell us about the structure of the world? This course bridges empirical science and philosophy, requiring no advanced mathematical background—only a willingness to grapple with mind-bending ideas.   HU
MW 2:35pm-3:50pm

* PHIL 3340b, The Social and Political Philosophy of W.E.B. Du Bois  Robert Gooding-Williams

We examine three of Du Bois’s books–The Souls of Black Folk (1903), Darkwater (1920), and Black Reconstruction (1935)–with some attention to a fourth, Dusk of Dawn (1940).  We also give attention to some of Du Bois's essays. Through close readings of these writings, we consider Du Bois’s evolving conceptualization of the “Negro Problem” from the perspective of his philosophy of the human sciences, his political thought, and his aesthetics.   Some background in philosophy, political theory, and/or African American Studies is preferred.  HU
M 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 3352a, Liberal Capitalism and Social Justice  Lily Hu

Today, the predominant economic system that reigns globally is a capitalist one: one in which most goods and services are distributed via market exchange; most people earn their means of livelihood by selling their labor for a wage to purchase what they need on the market, because they cannot produce sufficiently on their own to survive, because other people (a small minority) own the means of production. What should we think about this social order? On one hand, capitalism generates myriad social pathologies, including the impoverishment of masses of people, the entrenchment of inequalities that vitiate against democratic values, the abasement of all value by the value of capitalist accumulation, the inexorable drive of resource extraction barreling toward ecological fallout, among others. On the other hand, capitalism has proved an unparalleled engine for growth, enabled a variety of new forms of participation in social life, and embodies a coherent moral framework based around rights of private ownership. All this suggests that a society ordered by capitalism is a proper subject of questions of justice. In this class, we ask these questions. (How) can a capitalist society be just? In what ways might it fall short? What alternatives might there be?  HU
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 3361a / CPLT 4830a / ENGL 2143a / HSHM 4760a / HUMS 3435a, Thought Experiments: Connecting Literature, Philosophy and the Natural Sciences  Paul Grimstad

The course looks closely at the intersection of literature, philosophy and natural science through the lens of the thought experiment (suppositional reasoning about What If? scenarios). Do thought experiments yield new knowledge about the world? What role does narrative or scene setting play in thought experiments? Can works of literary fiction or films function as thought experiments?  Readings take up topics such as personal identity, artificial intelligence, meaning and intentionality, free will, time travel, the riddle of induction, “trolley problems” in ethics and the hard problem of consciousness. Authors may include Mary Shelley, Plato, Albert Einstein, Iris Murdoch, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Lucretius, Franz Kafka, H.G. Wells, Nelson Goodman, Rene Descartes, Judith Jarvis Thomson, Derek Parfit, Rivka Galchen, Alan Turing, Daniel Dennett, Octavia Butler, as well as films (Oppenheimer) and television shows (Black Mirror).  Students should have taken at least one course involving close analysis of works of literature or philosophy.   WR, HU
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

* PHIL 3380a / CLCV 3910a / EP&E 3341a / HUMS 2210a / PLSC 3341a, Plato  Daniel Schillinger

In this Interpretations seminar on Plato, we read the Alcibiades I, Laches, Protagoras, Symposium, Phaedrus, and Statesman–rich and complex dialogues that are rarely taught at the undergraduate level. These texts display Plato's philosophical and literary range, from his so-called early or Socratic period to his late, almost univocal style. At the same time, the dialogues address a family of questions about virtue, eros, and political rule. Reading Plato across the dialogues, we also raise methodological questions and engage with relevant secondary literature. Previous coursework on Plato in Directed Studies, Political Science, or Philosophy is expected.   WR, HU
MW 2:35pm-3:50pm

* PHIL 3395a / CGSC 3950a, Junior Colloquium in Cognitive Science  Isaac Davis

Survey of contemporary issues and current research in cognitive science. By the end of the term, students select a research topic for the senior essay. Enrollment limited to Cognitive Science majors.  ½ Course cr
HTBA

* PHIL 4160b, Ideal and Non-Ideal Theory in Politics and Epistemology  Daniel Greco

This course examines the role of idealization in both political theory and epistemology, focusing on debates over “ideal” versus “non-ideal” theory. We begin with familiar disputes in political philosophy about whether theorizing should proceed by describing an ideally just society, with the idea that critique of actually existing societies can take the form of noting their departures from that ideal, or whether it should instead take its starting point from the conditions and problems characteristic of actual political life. The critiques of ideal theory we consider include both the idea that ideal theory tends to obscure structural injustice and oppression (e.g., Charles Mills), as well as critiques that emphasize the limits of rational design, the importance of tradition, and the risks of imposing abstract schemes on complex social practices (e.g., Adam Smith, Michael Oakeshott). The course then turns to parallel debates in contemporary epistemology, where we’ll explore influential formal theories of rational belief (Bayesianism), as well as the critique that such theories excessively idealize away from human cognitive limitations. Prerequisites: Two prior courses in philosophy.   HU
HTBA

* PHIL 4240b, Practicing Philosophy  Robin Dembroff

What does it mean to practice philosophy, and will having a philosophical practice enrich your life? This course centers these questions. We approach philosophy not just as a body of knowledge but as an active, lived practice that takes many forms. Through readings, dialogue, and exercises, we both theoretically examine and actively imitate a range of philosophical traditions and methods—from meditation to debate, and dialogue to personal letters. As we explore these ways of doing philosophy, we consider how the form of a philosophical practice shapes the ideas and arguments that come out of that practice. By the end of this course, you gain a deeper appreciation of philosophy as a multifaceted and multitudinous practice, as well as a clearer sense of how you can integrate philosophical practice into your own life.  HU
HTBA

* PHIL 4330a, Second-Personal Ethics and Its Critics  Stephen Darwall

Beginning with The Second-Person Standpoint in 2006, I have been articulating an approach to ethical theory that can be called “second-personal ethics.”  I have done this in a series of subsequent papers—collected in Morality, Authority, and Law and Honor, History, and Relationship (2013)—and in The Heart and Its Attitudes (2014).  Up until this last work, the second-personal framework was concerned to provide a grounding for deontic morality—the part of ethics that focuses on moral obligation, right, and wrong.  In the more recent work on heartfelt connection attempts to elaborate a very different evaluative conception, one that is tied to love rather than respect. These works have elicited significant critical attention.  The initial works on deontic morality have been comments on and criticized by Christine Korsgaard, Gary Watson, and R. Jay Wallace, among others.  The Heart and Its Attitudes have been responded to by Quinn White, Sanford Diehl, Tamar Schapiro, Ariel Zylberman, and Yuan and Yuan. Prior work in ethics strongly advised.  HU
W 7pm-8:55pm

* PHIL 4350a, 20th-Century Ethical Philosophy and the Analytic/Continental Divide  Stephen Darwall

The beginning of the twentieth century saw a sharp split between analytical ethical philosophy (mostly metaethics) and phenomenological approaches in continental Europe.  We study these two traditions, interactions between them, and what followed throughout the twentieth century.  Among the philosophers we study are G. E. Moore, W. D. Ross, Franz Brentano, Edmund Husserl, Edith Stein, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, Elizabeth Anscombe, R. M. Hare, John Rawls, T. M. Scanlon, Alasdair MacIntyre, J. L. Mackie, Christine Korsgaard, and Charles Mills. Prior work in ethical philosophy is advised.  HU
T 7pm-8:55pm

* PHIL 4360a, Nietzsche's Critique of Modernity  Robert Gooding-Williams

After devoting several sessions to Nietzsche’s first published book, The Birth of Tragedy, we focus on his mature philosophical thought, emphasizing his critique of modernity.  Our examination of that critique gives special attention to Nietzsche’s notions of tragedy (early and late), genealogy, the will to power, the eternal recurrence, the overman, the free spirit, and nihilism. Prerequisite: 1 course in Philosophy  HU
W 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4403a / JDST 3619a / RLST 4500a, Spinoza and the God of the Bible  Nancy Levene

An exploration of Spinoza’s writings on God, nature, and person; human law, divine law, and political life; and the interpretation of the Bible. Prerequisite: coursework in philosophical texts.  HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4421a, John Rawls  Thomas Pogge

This seminar offers a close study of Rawls's principal writings. It explores how his thinking evolved in communication with contemporary debates in philosophy, political science, law, and economics. And it probes the suitability of his mature conception of justice in regard to the role Rawls intended this conception to play in the 21st century United States. Featuring ample feedback on written and oral work, this seminar is meant to prepare students for future graduate work at a top institution. Prerequisites: Two courses with substantial normative content.  HU
W 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4426b / CGSC 4260b / EP&E 4490b / PSYC 4220b, The Cognitive Science of Morality  Joshua Knobe

Introduction to the emerging field of moral cognition. Focus on questions about the philosophical significance of psychological findings. Topics include the role of emotion in moral judgment; the significance of character traits in virtue ethics and personality psychology; the reliability of intuitions and the psychological processes that underlie them.  HU
W 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4427b, Computability and Logic  Sun-Joo Shin

A technical exposition of Gödel's first and second incompleteness theorems and of some of their consequences in proof theory and model theory, such as Löb's theorem, Tarski's undefinability of truth, provability logic, and nonstandard models of arithmetic. Prerequisite: PHIL 2267 or permission of instructor.  QR, HU
M 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4437b, Philosophy of Mathematics  Sun-Joo Shin

We take up a time-honored debate between Platonism and anti-Platonism, along with different views of mathematical truth, that is, logicism, formalism, and intuitionism. Students read classical papers on the subject. Why do we need the philosophy of mathematics? This question could be answered toward the end of the semester, hopefully. 
  none  HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4450b / EP&E 4478b, The Problem of Evil  Keith DeRose

The challenge that evil's existence in the world poses for belief in a perfectly good and omnipotent God. The main formulations of the problem of evil; proposed ways of solving or mitigating the problem and criticism of those solutions. Skeptical theism, the free-will defense, soul-making theodicies, and doctrines of hell.  HU
T 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4455a / EP&E 4334a, Normative Ethics  Shelly Kagan

A systematic examination of normative ethics, the part of moral philosophy that attempts to articulate and defend the basic principles of morality. The course surveys and explores some of the main normative factors relevant in determining the moral status of a given act or policy (features that help make a given act right or wrong). Brief consideration of some of the main views about the foundations of normative ethics (the ultimate basis or ground for the various moral principles). Prerequisite: a course in moral philosophy.  HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4457b / EP&E 4235b / PLSC 3346b, Recent Work on Justice  Thomas Pogge

In-depth study of one contemporary book, author, or debate in political philosophy, political theory, or normative economics. Focus varies from year to year based on student interest and may include a ground-breaking new book, the life's work of a prominent author, or an important theme in contemporary political thought.  HU
T 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4464a / PLSC 3324a, Justice, Taxes, and Global Financial Integrity  Thomas Pogge

Study of the formulation, interpretation, and enforcement of national and international tax rules from the perspective of national and global economic justice. Prerequisites: previous courses in one or two of the following: law, economics, political science, or political philosophy.  HU
T 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4480a or b, Tutorial  Daniel Greco

A reading course supervised by a member of the department and satisfying the following conditions: (1) the work of the course must not be possible in an already existing course; (2) the course must involve a substantial amount of writing, i.e., a term essay or a series of short essays; (3) the student must meet with the instructor regularly, normally for at least an hour a week; (4) the proposed course of study must be approved by both the director of undergraduate studies and the instructor.
HTBA

* PHIL 4490a and PHIL 4491b, The Senior Essay  Staff

The essay, written under the supervision of a member of the department, should be a substantial paper; a suggested length is between 8,000 and 12,000 words for one-term projects, and between 12,500 and 15,000 words for two-term projects. Students completing a one-term project should enroll in either 490 in the fall or 491 in the spring. Students completing a two-term project should enroll in both 490 and 491. The deadline for senior essays completed in the fall is December 5; the deadline for both one- and two-term senior essays completed in the spring is April 21.
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4496b, Plato's Gorgias  Verity Harte

Plato's Gorgias contains the most sustained and dramatic encounter between Socratic philosophical conversation and rhetoric. This encounter sets the stage for some of Plato's richest philosophical reflections on moral psychology and on the philosophy of philosophy. The course focuses on careful reading of the Gorgias with a view to engaging these philosophical topics. All readings are in translation, though a Greek reading group may be added for interested and suitably qualified students. Taught seminar-style, engaged, active student participation is expected. Class discussion typically starts from student questions circulated in advance. Prerequisites: A course in ancient philosophy (such as PHIL 125 or Directed Studies Fall Philosophy) and at least one additional course in Philosophy.  HU
W 4pm-5:55pm

* PHIL 4499b / CLCV 3902b, Before Socrates  Brad Inwood

The origins of Greek philosophy lie in the period before Socrates and Plato. The so-called Presocratics set up many of the questions developed by Plato: the nature of being, the structure of matter, human knowledge and its limitations, causation, etc. Three of the most important early Greek thinkers are studied in this course: Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Empedocles. Knowledge of ancient Greek is not required. Prerequisites: PHIL 125, CLCV 125 or the fall semester of Directed Studies Philosophy.  WR, HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4580a or b, Tutorial 2  Daniel Greco

A reading course supervised by a member of the department and satisfying the following conditions: (1) the work of the course must not be possible in an already existing course; (2) the course must involve a substantial amount of writing, i.e., a term essay or a series of short essays; (3) the student must meet with the instructor regularly, normally for at least an hour a week; (4) the proposed course of study must be approved by both the director of undergraduate studies and the instructor. none
HTBA

* PHIL 4630b, Parfit's Reasons and Persons  Shelly Kagan and Laurie Paul

Derek Parfit’s contemporary classic, Reasons and Persons, published some 40 years ago, is a brilliant and influential exploration of fundamental questions concerning the nature of morality, rationality and personal identity.  Divided into four parts, the first examines the implications of a moral theory’s being self-defeating, the second compares rival views with regard to rationality and time, the third famously argues for a reductionist account of personal identity, while the last introduces the puzzling field of population ethics, which treats our obligations to future generations.  Written in an accessible and nontechnical style, the book is filled with original and thought-provoking arguments.  The seminar is devoted to reading Reasons and Persons in its entirety and evaluating its many challenging and surprising conclusions. Prerequisites: A previous class in philosophy  HU
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4770a, Reasons for Action, the Self, and Other Pathologies of Agency  Michael Della Rocca

A skeptical inquiry into whether the concepts of reasons for action and of the self are coherent. Consideration of what kinds of ethical system, if any, are possible with or without such concepts. Attention to historical authors (such as Plato, Aristotle, Nāgārjuna, Spinoza, and Hume) and recent authors (such as Anscombe, Davidson, Korsgaard, Williams, Parfit, Scanlon, and McDowell). Prerequisite: Two courses in philosophy  HU
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* PHIL 4852a / CGSC 4852a / HUMS 3852a / PSYC 4852a, Intelligence: Human, Animal, Artificial  Tamar Gendler

What does it mean to be intelligent? This seminar traces the idea of intelligence across species, centuries, and systems — from Plato’s vision of the rational soul, through Aristotle’s reflections on perception and movement, to contemporary discussions of emotional, embodied, collective, and artificial minds. We read philosophers, psychologists, and novelists who have asked how minds know, feel, coordinate, and create. Classical accounts of reason and virtue are paired with modern research on habit, gesture, and social learning, and with current debates about neural networks and generative AI. Our project, in the end, is less to define intelligence than to watch it refract — through reason and emotion, habit and invention, solitude and community — and to ask what those refractions reveal about how we come to know, and what it might mean to understand. The point is not to settle what intelligence is, but to examine what our attempts to define it disclose — about the world, and about ourselves. This course is appropriate for juniors and seniors who are completing majors in Philosophy, Cognitive Science, or Humanities. Open to students have taken at least 4 previous philosophy classes, with preference to students who are completing capstone requirements.  HU
W 7pm-8:55pm