PHIL

Descartes’s Meditations is often regarded as a masterpiece which begins the era of distinctively modern philosophy. However, it is also deeply indebted to the medieval tradition. Early criticisms of the Meditations swing between criticizing its radical novelty and criticizing Descartes for simply repackaging existing debates. In this course, we will try to get a grip on the Meditations by reading it in relation to a variety of medieval thinkers. Primary sources covered will include Avicenna, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Teresa of Avila, Francisco Sanches, Francisco Suarez, and Descartes and his objectors. Secondary sources will include, among others, works by Christia Mercer, Tad Schmaltz, John Carriero, Helen Hattab, Paul Hoffman, and Anat Schechtman. (IV) (V)

A survey of the thought of some of the most important figures of the period from the fall of Rome to the Scottish Enlightenment. The course will begin with an examination of the medieval hylomorphism of Aquinas and Ockham and then consider its rejection and transformation in the early modern period. Three distinct early modern approaches to philosophy will be discussed in relation to their medieval antecedents: the method of doubt, the principle of sufficient reason, and empiricism. Figures covered may include Ockham, Aquinas, Descartes, Avicenna, Princess Elizabeth, Émilie du Châtelet, Spinoza, Leibniz, Abelard, Berkeley, Hume, and al-Ghazali.

The period from 1600 to 1800 saw an explosion of new philosophical positions in Europe. This period has a tendency to be studied not on its own terms, but rather through later historical reconstructions. It is particularly common to focus only on “rationalists” and “empiricists” while neglecting anyone who doesn’t fit neatly into these constructed categories. This course aims to come to a deeper understanding of early modern philosophy through a study of non-canonical thinkers and neglected texts by canonical thinkers. Our particular focus will be different conceptions of the proper method of philosophy. There will also be a focus on the thought of early modern women. Thinkers covered may include Petrus Ramus, Francis Bacon, Francisco Suarez, Thomas Hobbes, Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway, Mary Astell, John Norris, George Berkeley, Anton Amo, and Mary Shepherd. (B) (V)

An investigation of the applied ethics of technology in the 21st century. Fundamental debates in applied ethics are paired with recent technological case studies. Topics covered include moral dilemmas, privacy, consent, human enhancement, distributed responsibility, and technological risks. Case studies include self-driving cars, geo-engineering, Internet privacy, genetic enhancement, Twitter, autonomous warfare, nuclear war, and the Matrix. (A)

This course provides a first introduction to mathematical logic for students of philosophy. In this course we will prove the soundness and completeness of deductive systems for both propositional and first-order predicate logic. (B) (II)

This course will study in alternation chapters from Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed and David Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion, two major philosophical works whose literary forms are at least as important as their contents. Topics will include human knowledge of the existence and nature of God, anthropomorphism and idolatry, religious language, and the problem of evil. Time permitting, we shall also read other short works by these two authors on related themes. (B) (III)

This is a workshop for 2nd year philosophy graduate students, in which students revise a piece of work to satisfy the PhD program requirements.

This is a workshop for 3rd year philosophy graduate students, in which students prepare and workshop materials for their Topical Exam.

This is a workshop for 3rd year philosophy graduate students, in which students prepare and workshop materials for their Topical Exam.

The thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik is the philosophical foundation of Modern Orthodox Judaism. In this course, we will examine R. Soloveitchik's conception of halakhic method, his elaboration of the notion of masorah (tradition), and his idea of halakhic morality. The most significant subsequent development of the philosophy of Modern Orthodox Judaism can be found in the writings of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein. Among other topics, we may consider R. Lichtenstein's views on the relation between religion and morality, his discussion of character refinement, his conception of serving God and his analysis of the meaning of "mitzvah" as well his response to critiques of Modern Orthodox Judaism.

The course will aim to provide a detailed philosophical and theological characterization of Modern Orthodox Judaism, and we will draw some contrasts with both Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and Reform Judaism.