Philosophy

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of philosophy. The literary and conceptual approach of the course is balanced with emphasis on approaches to ethical decision making. The student should have an understanding of major philosophical ideas in an historical survey from the early Greeks to the modern era.

This course involves the study of ethical issues which confront individuals in the course of their daily lives. The focus is on the fundamental questions of right and wrong, of human rights, and of conflicting obligations. The student should be able to understand and be prepared to make decisions in life regarding ethical issues.

This course seeks to increase the ability of students to analyze problems, comprehend information, and make decisions based on critical thought processes. This course will also serve as a training opportunity for students who will compete in the intercollegiate Ethics Bowl competition. The Ethics Bowl is a debate-style competition where teams of students from colleges and universities present arguments they develop related to applied ethics cases distributed in early September by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.