Franklin & Marshall College

Philosophy 

A list of regularly offered courses follows. The indication of when a course will be offered is based on the best projection of the department and can be subject to change.

Please note the key for the following abbreviations: (A) Arts; (H) Humanities; (S) Social Sciences; (N) Natural Sciences with Laboratory; (LS) Language Studies requirement; (NSP) Natural Science in Perspective; (NW) Non-Western Cultures requirement.

100. Introduction to Philosophy. (H) Every Semester

Examination of traditional philosophical problems of method, knowledge, the nature of reality, religious belief and ethics. Staff

122. Introduction to Moral Philosophy. (H) Every Semester

Survey of attempts to understand the nature and significance of moral thought. Theories will be as- sessed in part in light of current controversies, which may include capital punishment, affirmative action and the limits of state authority. Merli, Manis

172. First-Year Seminar: Philosophy in Film. (H) (W) Fall 2012

Film is an effective means of presenting and motivating fundamental philosophical problems. This course introduces philosophy through a close examination of several films that illustrate the challenges of skepticism and relativism, the nature of personal identity, the possibility of moral responsibility, the problem of evil, and the meaning of life. Ross

175. First-Year Seminar: The Emergence of Philosophy in Ancient Greece. (H) (W) Fall 2011

What distinguishes philosophy from other disciplines? Is it a special set of questions, or a difference in methods of inquiry? To answer these questions, we will study the emergence of philosophy as a distinct discipline in Ancient Greece, with emphasis on Athens, the birthplace of philosophy as we know it. How do philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle separate what they do from the work of poets, priests, historians, playwrights, mathematicians, natural scientists, orators and politi- cians? What, for them, is the essence of philosophy? Franklin

170 – 179. Special Topics. (H)

An introductory-level course on a topic chosen by the instructor. Topic changes from year to year. May be taken more than once.

210. History of Ancient Philosophy. (H) Every Fall

The origin and development of the major themes of Greek philosophy from the Milesians through Aristotle. Same as CLS 210. Franklin

213. 17th- and 18th-Century Philosophy. (H) Spring 2012

A survey of main currents in Western philosophy from Descartes through Kant, emphasizing how the figures replaced the intellectual foundations of the medieval world with assumptions heavily influenced by the Scientific Revolution. Käufer

217. Existentialism. (H) Fall 2013

Existentialism is a label for a loose grouping of writers who investigate the personal and individual nature of one’s relation to the world and to others. These writers focus especially on questions about truth, commitment, responsibility, freedom and death. This class surveys some main texts in the existentialist tradition, with readings from Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Camus, Nietzsche and Kundera. Käufer

218. Nietzsche. (H) Fall 2014

In-depth study of Nietzsche’s thought through close reading of his major writings. We will focus on literary and philosophical aspects of his writings. Käufer

136 220. Moral Theory. (H) (V) Every Spring

A careful study of classic texts in moral philosophy, with an emphasis on questions about the founda- tions of ethics and the objectivity of moral judgment. Merli

223. Biomedical Ethics. (H) Spring 2012

Ethical issues related to developments in biology and medicine, including population control, genetic engineering and the allocation of medical resources. Same as STS 223. Merli

244. Symbolic Logic. (H) Every Semester

Deductive reasoning, emphasizing primarily symbolic; some discussion of issues in the philosophy of logic. Ross

250. Philosophy of Mind. (H) (ME) Every Spring

A general introduction to the philosophy of mind, addressing four key philosophical issues: the nature of psychological explanation; the mind-body problem; the possibility of artificial intelligence; and the nature of persons. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or psychology. Same as SPM 250. Helm

255. Mobile Robotics. (H) Fall 2011

Can we build intelligent machines? We’ll attempt to answer this question by examining both the philosophical and theoretical background of artificial intelligence and research into mobile robotics. We will also build our own robots so as to provide practical experience informing our answers to this philosophical question. Same as SPM 255. Helm

270 – 279. Special Topics. (H)

An intermediate-level course on a topic chosen by the instructor. Topic changes from year to year. May be taken more than once.

317. Kant and German Idealism. (H) Fall 2011

Close examination of the two most important and influential views of the German idealist tradition: Kant’s critical philosophy and Hegel’s historicist reaction to it. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Käufer

319. 20th-Century Continental Philosophy. (H) Spring 2014

Close examination of the key texts of phenomenology and hermeneutics. We will study writings from Heidegger, Gadamer, Habermas and others. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Käufer

320. Normative Ethics. (H) (V) Fall 2011

Survey of theories of right and wrong action, including examination of related questions concerning the good, well-being, obligation, etc. Literature will include defenses and criticisms of consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Merli

321. Meta-ethics. (H) (V) Spring 2012

Examination of the metaphysics, epistemology and semantics of moral discourse. Topics include objectivity of moral judgment, varieties of realism and anti-realism, cognitivism and competing accounts of practical rationality. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Merli

331. Free Will. (H) (ME) Spring 2013

An examination of contemporary theories concerning the nature of free choice. Special attention is given to the nature of moral responsibility and the relationship between free choice and determinism. Prerequisites: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Staff

335. Epistemology. (H) (ME) Fall 2011

Investigation of some issues in contemporary epistemology, including the competing analyses of the concept of justification, the case for skepticism and the analysis of the concept of knowledge. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Ross

336. Metaphysics. (H) (ME) Spring 2012

Metaphysics asks what the most general features of the world are, why there is a world that has those features and how we human beings fit into that world. Examples of topics to be considered include: Is there a real, physical world outside the mind? What is the nature of time? What is required for things to persist through time? What is the nature of causation? Why does anything at all exist? Have we free will? Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Kroll

337. Philosophy of Natural Science. (H) (NSP) (ME) Every Spring

The goals, methods, assumptions and limitations of natural science. Special attention will be paid to the philosophy of psychology, cognitive science and evolutionary biology. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Same as STS/SPM 337. Chemero, Ross

339. Philosophy of Language. (H) (ME) Fall 2012

Investigation, based on contemporary writings, of the diverse functions served by language, of its conceptual presuppositions, and of its relationships to other symbolic media. Staff

342. Rational Choice. (H) Spring 2012

An introduction to decision theory; topics include the rationality of the policy of nuclear deterrence, the rationality of pursuing self-interest in every situation, the impossibility of devising a democratic voting procedure, the irrationality of accepting all that is probable, and others. Less frequently offered. Ross

355. Possibility of Artificial Intelligence. (H) 2011 – 2012

A critical analysis of the progress and prospects of attempts to build intelligent machines. Prerequisites: PHI 244 and PHI/SPM 250; or permission of instructor. Same as PSY/SPM 355. Staff

360. Concept of a Person. (H) (V) Fall 2011

A careful examination of what it is to be a person, as an autonomous moral agent whose life can be meaningful and of what distinguishes persons from the “lower” animals. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Same as SPM 360. Helm

361. Moral Psychology. (H) (V) Fall 2013

Moral psychology is the study of human moral agency. As such, it is constrained by, and must cohere with, the facts about human psychology; but its primary focus is on human good, an evaluative notion. Central questions include: What are reasons and what role do they play in action? What is character and how is it related to virtue? What is free will, can we have it and how do we best explain weak- ness of the will? Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor. Same as SPM 361. Helm

370 – 379. Special Topics. (H)

An intermediate- or advanced-level course on a topic chosen by the instructor. Topic changes from year to year. May be taken more than once.

381. Plato. (H) Spring 2013

An intensive treatment of some of the major philosophical themes in selected dialogues of Plato. Prerequisite: PHI 210. Same as CLS 381. Franklin

490. Independent Study.

Independent study directed by the Philosophy staff. Permission of the chairperson required.

498. Philosophical Research. Every Fall

Intensive research and writing on a topic of the student’s choice carried on in a seminar setting. Includes several oral presentations by each student. Permission of instructor is required.