Philosophy might be described as the systematic study of the most substantial questions and phenomena that the human being attempts to inquire about. This course aims to give an overview of some of the more prominent topics that are common to both historical and contemporary philosophical theory. Among the topics dealt with in the course are arguments for the existence of God, the nature of knowledge and the question of skepticism thereof, theories of consciousness and mind, the determination of moral value, and the nature of reality itself. The orientation of the course will be what is sometimes referred to within philosophy as "analytic," which emphasizes argumentation, evidence, and the pursuit of truth. The goal of the course is to give students a broad but carefully constructed literary philosophical background.

Required text:

Laurence Bonjour and Ann Baker, eds., Philosophical Problems: An Annotated Anthology, 2nd Edition, (Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2008). Cost -- $81.00.