Philosophy

Core Questions: What makes someone a good person? How should we make moral decisions? Is morality the same everywhere, or does it depend on culture?

What we'll explore: We'll study different approaches to ethics, from Aristotle's focus on character and virtue to Kant's universal moral principles. We'll compare utilitarian ethics (maximizing happiness) with rule-based approaches, and apply these ideas to modern issues like bioethics, technology, and social justice.

Core Skills: Learn to think clearly and analyze arguments effectively. These skills improve how you write, study, and make decisions by helping you spot good reasoning from mere persuasion.

What we'll practice: We'll work on both formal logic (symbolic reasoning, proofs) and everyday argument analysis using real examples from politics, media, and academic writing. You'll learn to identify fallacies, construct valid arguments, and build strong cases with evidence. These skills help with essays, debates, and navigating our complex information environment.

Big Questions: What is reality? Do we have free will? How are mind and body related? What is time? These questions challenge our basic assumptions and connect to everything from quantum physics to AI research.

What we'll explore: We'll investigate questions about existence, consciousness, and reality by looking at how different philosophers have approached these mysteries. From ancient debates about permanence versus change to modern discussions of personal identity, consciousness, and whether neuroscience challenges free will.

Central Issues: What is justice? What's the best form of government? What are our rights and responsibilities as citizens? These questions drive every political system and social movement, from ancient Athens to today's debates about privacy, inequality, and global governance.

What we'll examine: We'll study foundational texts from Plato's Republic to Locke's natural rights, Rousseau's social contract, and Marx's critique of capitalism. We'll explore tensions between individual freedom and collective welfare, examine different forms of democracy, and discuss contemporary issues like racial justice, environmental policy, and how technology affects privacy and democracy.

Fundamental Questions: What is knowledge? How do we tell the difference between belief and knowledge? Can we trust our senses? These questions affect every field and practical decision, from scientific research to evaluating news sources.

What we'll investigate: We'll examine different theories of knowledge, from Plato's rationalism to empiricist challenges by Locke and Hume, through Kant's synthesis. We'll explore skeptical arguments about perception and memory, investigate different sources of knowledge (reason, experience, testimony), and apply these ideas to contemporary challenges in science, media literacy, and debates about truth and objectivity.