Counterfactuals play a key role in philosophy, linguistics, psychology, decision theory, game theory, artificial
intelligence, and many other related fields. Our goal for this course is to cover foundational work on
counterfactuals (with some attention paid to indicative conditionals as well). Though our reading list has
a historical component, its primary purpose is to familiarize students with contemporary state of play. We
will focus on distinctions and applications that have become an essential part of the working philosopher’s
toolkit.
This seminar is an investigation into the network of relations between three things: (I) the nature of a domain of entities, including their properties and relations; (II) the capacity to have mental states about them; and (III) the capacity to know and to make reasonable judgements about them. As a subpart of this investigation, as a special case at one level up: we are sometimes concerned with the network of relations between: (I’) the nature of a domain of entities consisting of, or involving, intentional contents themselves, their properties and relations; (II’) the capacity of have mental states about them; and (III’) the capacity to know and make reasonable judgements about them.
Baroque questions of set-theoretic foundations are widely assumed to be irrelevant to physics. In
this seminar, we will see that they are not. Whether a physical theory is deterministic—whether
it fixes a unique future given the present—can depend on one’s stance on axioms of set theory
about which there is intractable disagreement. This is not a quirk of exotic toy models. It reaches
into the heat equation, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and general relativity. The
seminar builds from the ground up. We begin with the philosophy of determinism: what it
means, why it matters, and how it has traditionally been formalized. We then develop enough set
theory and descriptive set theory to state the key results precisely. In the second half, we work
through the sensitivity results in detail, showing how the content of fundamental physical
theories shifts with the set-theoretic background. We conclude by asking what this means for
debates about mathematical pluralism, scientific realism, and the boundary between mathematics
and physics.
No prior knowledge of set theory or mathematical physics is assumed. The seminar is open to
graduate students in philosophy and, with permission, to advanced graduate students in
mathematics, physics, and related fields.
This course deepens the actor’s working understanding of their body as “instrument” and teaches practical application of learned skill sets for professional practice and complex use.The course achieves this objective by examining current practice and providing solutions for real time obstacles and challenges actors are encountering in their daily practice in classes and rehearsals. Challenges faced are explored specifically in context of class vocabulary as well as by providing increasingly complex tasks that require use of multiple skills sets at once.The course continues the work of developing physical ease and awareness and expands each actor also to prepare body and being for work in ensemble.
In this workshop, students will create original writing that is in conversation with American theatrical traditions beyond the proscenium. We will investigate and engage theatrical forms, such as the side show, courtroom drama, violence as spectacle and performance art. The aim is to encourage students to think more expansively and non-traditionally in their approach to writing and making theatre.
Selected advanced topics in smart electric energy. Content varies from year to year.
Selected advanced topics in smart electric energy. Content varies from year to year.
Prerequisites: ECON G6211, ECON G6212. Market Design is an emerging field in economics that attempts to devise a practical scheme for allocating scarce resources to individuals who value them. Its applications involve many important real life problems ranging from allocation of government resources such as public land, fishing/mineral rights, radio spectrum licenses, allocation of school choice and transplantable human organs, assignment of workers to jobs, to placement of advertising in Internet search engines. Mechanism design underpins the field as a general methodological framework, which is in turn operationalized by two branches of theories: 1) Auction Theory and 2) Matching Theory. The course will provide a guide through these theories and discusses a few applications along the way.
Prerequisites: permission of the departmental adviser to Graduate Studies.
MIA and MPA Policy Skills I Core.
This course provides students with practical skills to communicate clearly and persuasively on issues they care about. Whether writing to influence policy, shape public opinion, or present ideas within an organization, the ability to craft sharp, purposeful messages is essential. Students will learn to distill their key arguments, adapt their writing for different audiences, and develop strong foundational pieces such as op-eds, press releases, and policy memos. The course also introduces generative AI tools as part of the writing process—teaching students how to use AI to brainstorm, draft, and revise more efficiently, while critically assessing its outputs. As AI transforms how we write and communicate, this course equips students to harness its benefits while maintaining their own voice, judgment, and clarity of thought.
An introduction to timber-frame architecture, the primary method of construction prior to the 19th century, focusing on its use in Japanese Buddhist temples. While the course should serve as an introduction, it assumes a basic knowledge of the broad outlines of the history of Japan and its art. Weekly lectures will cover major monuments, beginning with Ise Shrine and the introduction of continental timber-frame architecture at Hōryūji, and extending to the early 19th century. Special attention will be devoted to defining the three major rubrics of the
wayō
(“Japanese” style), “Zen-style,” and “Great Buddha Hall” modes that were refined and standardized by the 13th century, along with their infinite variations and recombinations. Topics to be explored throughout the course will include: wood joinery techniques and bracket technology; the development of indigenous
shoin
architecture and its impact on residential architecture; the role of varied Buddhist doctrines in developments of liturgical space; builders’ responses to local environmental and seismic conditions; and the impact of sumptuary laws in the early modern period.
The course will be taught as a series of weekly lectures, and students will be expected to complete and respond to weekly reading assignments. The syllabus focuses primarily on readings available in English, but supplemental reading assignments will also be included for students with a reading knowledge of Japanese.
This course focuses on developing cities and transformative initiatives, especially in New York City. This course will examine a wide array of economic development projects and strategies. It will look at the core economic goals set forth nearly two decades ago to diversify the economy and make it less dependent on financial services, while examining the challenges faced by cities today in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Land use policy, incentives, new developments, placemaking initiatives, and approaches to district management will also be studied. Students will gain a broad understanding of how economic development tools and tactics have been leveraged to revitalize central business districts, neighborhoods, the waterfront, and public spaces.
This course will review the effectiveness of public-private partnerships, including business improvement districts (BIDs), local development corporations, and park conservancies. New York City is the home of the largest network of BIDs in the world. During the course, we will also examine how anchor institutions (
universities, hospitals, cultural organizations
) play an increased role in community revitalization.
This course will try to study the development of various aspects of theorization of the secular and the transformations of religion under modernity. It will be mainly based on close textual reading of important theoretical arguments representing important stages in the development of these arguments from the time of the Enlightenment to present day academic debates.
The first section will focus on the emergence of theories of a secular state in European philosophy starting with texts from Spinoza, Hobbes, and Hume. We shall also range over some ancillary texts that illustrate the nature of secularist arguments against religious beliefs and practices. The second section will concentrate on the development of the sociological tradition with focus on the works of Fustel de Coulanges, Max Weber and Ernst Troletsch. A short third section will focus on the establishment of religious studies as an academic discipline by looking at the works of a pioneer of this discipline: Wilfred Cantwell Smith. The fourth section will take up for reading and critical examination four different academic discussions in recent years: stemming from the work of Indian debates on secularism, from academic debates about the anthropology of religion, and especially studies of Islam started by the work of Talal Asad and responses it attracted. Finally, we shall take up critical works which revisit arguments from Weber by Charles Taylor and Hans Joas. The final weeks of the course will be devoted to conclusions drawn from these intersecting readings across historical time and space.
Nonlinear dynamics: Euler-Lagrange equations, Hamilton’s principle, variational calculus; nonlinear systems: fundamentals, examples, stability Notions, linear systems and linearization, frequency domain analysis, discrete time systems, absolute stability, input-to-state stabililty, control design: control Lyapunov functions, sliding mode control, control barrier functions; adaptive control: self-tuning regular, model reference adaptive control, feedback linearization, extremum seeking control, model predictive control, observer design: extended, unscented, and mixture model Kalman filters, moving horizon estimation, high-gain observers; repetitive processes: iterative learning control, learning-adaptive control, repetitive control; optimal control: continuous setting, discrete time setting, constrained optimal control, linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints, dynamic programming and backward recursion.
This class explores advanced topics relating to the production of music by computer. Although programming experience is not a prerequisite, various programming techniques are enlisted to investigate interface design, algorithmic composition, computer analysis and processing of digital audio, and the use of computer music in contexts such as VR/AR applications. Check with the instructor for the particular focus of the class in an upcoming semester. Some familiarity with computer music hardware/software is expected. Permission of instructor is required to enroll.
This course fosters students to challenge bias, prejudice, and forms of discrimination that operate in the lives of social workers and our clients. As a “laboratory,” learning begins with hands-on participation in a series of interactive exercises designed to elicit and deconstruct dynamics of racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, heterocentrism, classism, etc. Each activity is followed by a facilitated exploration and critical analysis of the experiential process. An emphasis is placed on professional and personal insight and skill with regards to culturally/contextually competent practice, processing of charged issues, and use of self. This course is well-suited for students who are authentic, willing to take risks, and committed to becoming effective agents of change towards social justice.
This course is conceived to assist social work practitioners identify and examine the ways various populations experience oppression and discrimination, with an eye towards the various dimensions that shape how “-isms” occur in our lives and society, including but not limited to:
Societal levels: personal, institutional, cultural
Visibility: overt, covert
Temporal: historical, periodic/occasional, everyday/ongoing
Actor: me, us, them
Dynamics of invalidation/forms of denial
Position, people, procedures, and productivity: this class will introduce first year students to the concept of the stage manager as the CE/OO (Chief Executive/Operating Officer) for a production. The primary focus will be on human resources management; organizational charts for both the commercial and not- for-profit arenas will be introduced and “best leadership practices” will be discussed. Texts and reading materials from non-theatrical sources will provide the basis for discussion. An individualized reading- writing project and presentation will spotlight the role of the stage manager within the larger context of theatrical production.
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MIA Policy Skills II Core.
Making good policy is a science, an art, and a craft. This course introduces students to the key principles of public policy design from global perspectives. Students will engage with a policymaker’s toolbox, examining best practices in evidence-based and participatory policymaking, policy innovation, and policy design. In addition to exploring the conceptual foundations of policymaking, the course equips students with practical tools they can apply throughout careers in government, think tanks, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector. A central focus of the course is policy memo writing. Students will learn how to conduct concise, evidence-based policy analysis and design meaningful policy solutions. Additional tools covered include: The design and use of indicators and public opinion polls; Stakeholder mapping; Public participation plans; Theories of change; Intersectional policy analysis.
By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of how public policy is made and implemented across diverse contexts, along with enhanced skills for designing effective public policies and programs.
Theory and geometry of linear programming. The simplex method. Duality theory, sensitivity analysis, column generation and decomposition. Interior point methods. Introduction to nonlinear optimization: convexity, optimality conditions, steepest descent, and Newton’s method, active set, and barrier methods.
MIA Policy Skills II Core.
Public policy, political systems, and organizations inevitably involve complex interactions between competing interests. For practitioners, it is crucial to understand how actions are met with responses, and predicting those responses is critical to designing successful strategies. Game theory is the formal mathematical toolkit for studying strategic interaction across the social sciences. This course provides a general introduction to the theory of games. Students will acquire a theoretical language for understanding games, as well as the ability to set up and solve game theoretic problems.
The half-semester will cover many of the core topics in game theory, including rational choice, simultaneous-move games, dynamic games, bargaining, and incomplete information (signaling). While the focus is on understanding fundamentals, each session will examine applications relevant to politics and management.
Discusses recent advances in fields of machine learning: kernel methods, neural networks (various generative adversarial net architectures), and reinforcement learning (with applications in robotics). Quasi Monte Carlo methods in the context of approximating RBF kernels via orthogonal transforms (instances of the structured technique). Will discuss techniques such as TD(0), TD(λ), LSTDQ, LSPI, DQN.
MIA Policy Skills II Core.
This introductory course equips students with the fundamentals of persuasive speechwriting and public speaking for political, business, and nonprofit contexts. Students will explore the classical canons of rhetoric and apply them to contemporary speechwriting, developing both the art and science of persuasion.
Following an initial session on theory, the course focuses on building practical skills through writing, editing, and delivering original speeches. Topics include voice and message alignment, tailoring speeches to audiences and occasions, persuasive delivery techniques, and ethical considerations in shaping public discourse.
The course aims to offer students a realistic view and understanding of what is involved in maintaining a long-running commercial musical production. Through discussion with professionals and practical presentation we will explore the many and varied aspects of this collaborative industry.
MIA Policy Skills II Core.
This course introduces students to the practical and strategic tools used to influence public policy through advocacy, communications, and coalition-building. Reimagining the traditional think tank model, students will engage with real-world approaches to policy change by examining case studies, developing messaging strategies, mapping stakeholders, and selecting appropriate mobilization tactics. Early sessions focus on foundational elements such as defining campaign success, identifying audiences and levers of influence, and crafting evidence-based messages. Later sessions explore digital strategies, the role of influential voices, and the ethical and political challenges inherent in advocacy work.
Throughout the course, students will apply what they learn by developing an advocacy plan around a proposed policy change related to a social, economic, environmental, climate, or biodiversity issue of their choice. Taught by the co-founders of Planet Reimagined, the course offers an inside look into how research, media, and creative partnerships can shape public opinion and policy outcomes across sectors.
This course introduces students to multiple regression methods for analyzing data in economics and related disciplines. Extensions include regression with discrete random variables, instrumental variables regression, analysis of random experiments and quasi-experiments, and regression with time series data. The objective of the course is for the student to learn how to conduct and critique empirical studies in economics and related fields. Accordingly, the emphasis of the course is on empirical applications. The mathematics of econometrics will be introduced only as needed and will not be a central focus.
The class will explore all aspects of modern technical theatre as currently practiced on Broadway. The intent will be to develop the vernacular and concepts necessary for the modern Stage Manager to communicate effectively with their technical departments and to have a more than passing understanding of what problems those departments are forced to cope with in the production scheme.
The ultimate goal being an appreciation and deeper understanding of the work performed by the technical departments, leading to enhanced co-operation on the part of all concerned.
The student will gain knowledge and skill in assessing and evaluating the health status of children and adolescents to determine and maintain an optimum level of health.
This course is designed to introduce students to issues of gender and development in Southeast Asia in comparative context. Development debates are currently in flux with important implications for the practice and analysis of gender and development. Some argue for market-driven, neo-liberal solutions to gender equality, while others believe that equitable gender relations will only come when women (and men) are empowered to understand their predicaments and work together to find local solutions to improve their lives. Empowerment and human rights approaches are popular among development practitioners, particularly those concerned with gender equity. This course uses the context of development in Southeast Asia to critically engage with issues important to development planners, national leaders and women’s groups throughout Southeast Asia. This course is designed for maximum student participation, engagement and community learning. While the course will be taught remotely during Fall 2020, student attendance and participation throughout the semester is expected. There will be options to make up work for the occasional missed class due to technology mishaps, personal illness, or family emergencies. However, more than three (3) missed classes will significantly affect students’ grades. Please do not enroll this term if you anticipate difficulties in being able to actively participate via Zoom during the assigned class time.
MIA and MPA Policy Skills II Core.
In recent years, despite enhanced awareness about the magnitude and multifaceted nature of gender inequalities on the one hand, and the promises of the ‘Data Revolution’ including AI on the other hand, gaps remain in both data availability and usage of 'Gender Data' that aim to both capture the underlying dynamics, drivers and outcomes of gender inequalities, and promote gender equality. The #MeToo movement and the COVID-19 pandemic in particular highlighted both the salience and implications of gender inequalities, including the “shadow pandemic” of sexual and gender-based violence, and, indeed, the dearth of quality data on these issues. In this context, the goal of this course is to train advanced students on the historical and latest discussions, opportunities, challenges, requirements and limitations of leveraging various types of data to fill ‘gender data gaps’ and promote gender equality, and equip them with practical ressources and tools to shape current and future debates and policies. It is designed as an intermediate-level course on the issue that touches on its historical, sociopolitical, cultural and economic dimensions and technical and analytical aspects related to data access, reliability, and the political economy and ethics of collecting, analyzing and using data for social change. It fundamentally seeks to ask and partially address the question of whether and how data, including ‘traditional’ data (such as official statistic and quantitively and qualitative survey data) and non-traditional data (such as social media and online data, telecom operators’ data, satellite imagery) can be leveraged concretely to pursue greater gender equality through analysis, advocacy and policy. It will also discuss risks associated with data collection and analysis and digital technologies more broadly, including those related to privacy and safety, biases, harassment, discrimination, and challenges and requirements for making these data matter, i.e., have a causal impact on what is measured. In doing so, it will zoom in on a few sensitive themes, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI), social norms, as well as socioeconomic and political empowerment and inclusion, especially although not exclusively in countries and regions of the “Global South” (or “Global Majority&rd