METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIC THOUGHT

METHODS OF PHILOSOHIC THEORY

• TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Taylor Pincin
  Info
• 3 points

PHILOSOPHY & HISTORY

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

ARISTOTLE

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• 3 points

SYMBOLIC LOGIC

INTRODUCTION TO SYMBOLIC LOGIC

Corequisites: PHILV3413 Required Discussion Section (0 points). Advanced introduction to classical sentential and predicate logic. No previous acquaintance with logic is required; nonetheless a willingness to master technicalities and to work at a certain level of abstraction is desirable.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• 4 points

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

Philosophical problems within science and about the nature of scientific knowledge in the 17th-20th centuries. Sample problems: causation and scientific explanation; induction and real kinds; verification and falsification; models, analogies and simulations; the historical origins of the modern sciences; scientific revolutions; reductionism and supervenience; differences between physics, biology and the social sciences; the nature of life; cultural evolution; human nature; philosophical issues in cosmology.

• MW 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND PHILOSOP

TOPICS IN COG SCI & PHILO

This course will focus on one topic at the intersection of cognitive science and philosophy. Potential topics include free will, consciousness, modularity, mental representation, probabilistic inference, the language of thought, and the computational theory of mind.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Brendan I Fleig-Goldstein
  Info
• 3 points

PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE

PHILOSOPHY AND LANGUAGE

This course is a survey of analytic philosophy of language. It addresses central issues about the nature of meaning, including: sense and reference, speech acts, pragmatics, and the relationship between meaning and use, meaning and context, and meaning and truth.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN ETHICS

ETHICS OF NONVIOLENCE

This course examines influential theories of nonviolence.  It also considers how nonviolence can be defensible in an often violent world, and asks whether it is always clear how to distinguish violence from nonviolence.

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

LIVING, DYING, AND THE MEANING OF LIFE

Bringing together scholars from the fields of Philosophy, Medicine, Ethics, and Religion, this course
exposes students to modes of inquiry that can help to answer central questions that are often elusive and/or
unconsidered: What constitutes a good human life? What do I need to be truly happy? How does the fact
that I will one day die impact how I should live today? This interdisciplinary course provides a rare
opportunity to consider how a wide variety of thinkers and writers have approached these questions, while
also engaging with them in a personal way within our contemporary context. Lectures will be combined
with group discussion and a weekend retreat, creating possibilities for interpersonal engagement and deep
learning.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• 3 points

Personal Identity in Parallel Universes

Imagine you travel to a parallel universe, where you happen to find a planet like the Earth, where you find a city like New York, where you find a university like Columbia University, where you find a person like you. Call that person X. You are staring at X. What is the relation between you and X, the other-worldly you? This is the famous “problem of transworld identity” hotly debated since the 1960s. In this course, we will be reading the two most influential books in contemporary analytic philosophy: Saul Kripke’s Naming and Necessity (1972) and David Lewis’s On the Plurality of Worlds (1986) – where two completely different answers are forcefully argued for. Kripke argues that you and X are one and the same person. (If you kill X, will you die?) Lewis argues that you and X are merely similar strangers. (Not unlike you encounter someone who looks like you in another country.) We will start with Ted Sider’s Four-Dimensionalism (2001) – the most influential book on what turns out to be a closely analogous problem: identity over time. All these will lead up to a completely novel theory: Five-Dimensionalism (5D), which argues that you and X are parts of the same person, like your left hand and right hand are both part of your body. According to 5D, you are five-dimensional, extended across 3D space, time, and possible worlds. You are all the possible yous. There is no prerequisite for this course.

• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Ching Hei Yau
  Info
• 3 points

SEMINAR

MAJOR SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY

Required of senior majors, but also open to junior majors, and junior and senior concentrators who have taken at least four philosophy courses. This exploration will typically involve writing a substantial research paper. Capped at 20 students with preference to philosophy majors.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• M 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3 points

EPISTEMOLOGY

Corequisites: PHIL W3963 Required Discussion Section (0 points). What can we know? What is knowledge? What are the different kinds of knowledge? We will read classic and contemporary texts for insight into these questions.

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Jessica Collins
  Info
• 4 points

SUPERVISED SENIOR RESEARCH

Supervised research usually with the goal of writing a senior thesis, under the direction of individual members of the department.

• Instructor: Allison Aitken
  Info
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Akeel Bilgrami
  CULPA: 28 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• Instructor: Jessica Collins
  Info
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• Instructor: Haim Gaifman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 30 Info
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Axel Honneth
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Christopher Peacocke
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Carol Rovane
  CULPA: 13 Info
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• Instructor: Christia Mercer
  CULPA: 56 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Katja Vogt
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3 points

SUPERVISED INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH

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• Instructor: Allison Aitken
  Info
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Akeel Bilgrami
  CULPA: 28 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• Instructor: Jessica Collins
  Info
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• Instructor: Haim Gaifman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 30 Info
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Axel Honneth
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Christopher Peacocke
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Carol Rovane
  CULPA: 13 Info
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• Instructor: Christia Mercer
  CULPA: 56 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Katja Vogt
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 1-3 points

Early Greek Philosophy

The course offers an advanced introduction to key thinkers in Early Greek Philosophy, including Thales, Xenophanes, Parmenides, Melissus, Heraclitus, Anaxagoras, the atomists Leucippus and Democritus, and Protagoras. Early Greek philosophers asked questions about appearances and reality, nature, the human capacity to gain knowledge, perception, disagreement, and the different ways of life that people consider “natural.” They formulate arguments of perennial interest on what should be considered fundamental, whether motion can only be explained if there is void, the nature of knowledge, and whether relativism is compelling. The class is inspired by recent research that addresses this period and novel questions that have emerged.

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Katja Vogt
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3 points

THE DIRECTION OF TIME

A survey of the various attempts to reconcile the macroscopic directionality of time with the time-reversibility of the fundamental laws of physics. The second law of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy, statistical mechanics, cosmological problems, the problems of memory, the possibility of multiple time direction.

• T 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• 3 points

MATH LOGIC I

Syntax and semantics; deductive systems; completeness and compactness theorems; first order calculi; Godels completeness theorem; basic model theory, Skolem functions; Skolem-Lowenheim theorems.

• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• 3 points

LATTICES AND BOOLEAN ALGEBRA

Prerequisites: PHIL UN3411 or 4801 This course is designed as an introduction to lattices and Boolean algebras. In the first part of the course, we study partial orders and view lattices both as partial orders and as algebraic structures. We study some basic constructions involving sublattices, products of lattices, and homomorphic images of lattices. In the second part of the course, we study Boolean algebras, with an aim to proving several representation theorems: first, a representation theorem for finite Boolean algebras, and toward the end of the course, the famous Stone Representation Theorem. We end the course with a look at the connection between classical mereology (or the theory of parthood) and complete Boolean algebras.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• 3 points

SYMBOLIC LOGIC

Advanced introduction to classical sentential and predicate logic. No previous acquaintance with logic is required; nonetheless a willingness to master technicalities and to work at a certain level of abstraction is desirable. Note: Due to significant overlap, students may receive credit for only one of the following three courses: PHIL UN3411, UN3415, GR5415.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• 4 points

MA RESEARCH SEMINAR

The MA Research Seminar supports the research projects of MA students in Philosophy.
Participants practice key methods in philosophy and deepen their knowledge of classic and
contemporary contributions to the field. The seminar is suitable for everyone who is aiming to
write a research paper. Seminar participants receive detailed input throughout the semester.
Students can take the class at any stage during their studies for the MA. The class is graded Pass/
Fail.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3 points

Philosophy of Journalism

Journalism is an important profession in modern life but remains under-theorized within academic philosophy, where vanishingly little has been written about it. This graduate course oers a survey of major topics in the philosophy of journalism, drawing on philosophical writing, the work of critics within the eld of media studies, and the reective writings of journalists themselves to address this lacuna. The course is divided into ve substantive units that concern (1) freedom of the press as a political right and the place of journalism in democratic life, (2) objectivity as an ideal for news journalism, (3) the social epistemology of journalism: propaganda and the problem of ‘fake news’, (4) the relationship of news and editorial journalism, and (5) alternatives to mainstream journalism and news organizations: publicly-funded and citizen journalism. The last two weeks of the course will be devoted to student presentations on independent research projects.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• 3 points

1ST YEAR PROSEMINAR IN PHILOS

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• 3 points

QUODLIBETAL STUDIES II

• Instructor: Allison Aitken
  Info
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Akeel Bilgrami
  CULPA: 28 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• Instructor: Jessica Collins
  Info
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• Instructor: Haim Gaifman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 30 Info
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Axel Honneth
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• Instructor: Christia Mercer
  CULPA: 56 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Christopher Peacocke
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Carol Rovane
  CULPA: 13 Info
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Katja Vogt
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3-6 points

QUODLIBETAL STUDIES IV

• Instructor: Allison Aitken
  Info
• Instructor: David Albert
  CULPA: 32 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Akeel Bilgrami
  CULPA: 28 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• Instructor: Jessica Collins
  Info
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• Instructor: Haim Gaifman
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 30 Info
• Instructor: Lydia Goehr
  CULPA: 26 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Axel Honneth
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Dhananjay Jagannathan
  Info
• Instructor: Tamar A Lando
  CULPA: 8 Info
• Instructor: Wolfgang R Mann
  CULPA: 36 Info
• Instructor: Christia Mercer
  CULPA: 56 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Christopher Peacocke
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• Instructor: Carol Rovane
  CULPA: 13 Info
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Katja Vogt
  CULPA: 36 Info
• 3-6 points

SPEC TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY

This course will focus on one topic in philosophy.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Melissa S Fusco
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN METAPHYSICS

n/a

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Achille Varzi
  CULPA: 30 Wikipedia h-index: 40 Info
• Instructor: Justin Clarke-Doane
  h-index: 10 Info
• 3 points

ADV TPCS IN PHILOSOPHY OF MIND

The first third of this Seminar will introduce a framework and theory for addressing the nature of intentional content, and apply it to such classical issues as the structure of justification, the a priori, and logical inference. The remainder of the Seminar will apply the theory to develop an account of intentional content in the perception of music. I will use the resulting account to explain the significance and interest of music, musical communication, the mental representation of music, and the relation of music to other art forms, especially poetry.

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Christopher Peacocke
  CULPA: 4 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP

The topic of this course is the problems and possibilities of democratic citizenship

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Michele Moody-Adams
  CULPA: 20 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points