Classic Thinkers (PHIL*1000)
Code and section: PHIL*1000*01
Term: Fall 2020
Instructor: Peter Eardley
Details
This course is an introduction to philosophy through readings from the great thinkers of the past. Its aim is to give students a sense that the major issues and questions within philosophy, although initially raised by thinkers of the past, are in fact perennial and therefore still relevant to us today. We will accordingly examine a range of traditional topics, from a variety of historical periods, associated with such branches of philosophy as metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and the philosophy of religion. Thinkers to be studied will include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas and Descartes. Questions to be addressed will include: Am I free to choose between right and wrong, or are all of my actions determined by antecedent causes? Does God exist and, if so, can his existence be rationally demonstrated? And can I be certain of anything?
Course content will be delivered through an asynchronous format. Details to follow.