200 Level Courses

2023-24

PHIL 203
Science and Society
WINTER – IN PERSON

In this course we will be looking at science as a set of social activities. We will study practices, organizations and institutions of science and scientized disciplines. As the course goes on, we’ll be able to connect the society within science with the science in society.

We’ll be reading some recent classics, each of which will provide examples useful to think with.

PHIL 204
Life Death & Meaning
Fall – IN PERSON

In this class, we will be discussing one of the most debated topics of philosophical thought: the meaning of life and death. Most of us, at a certain—often decisive—moment in our lives will be faced with deep existential questions: What should I feel, think, or do regarding the assured future of my own death? Is life worth living? Does my life have a meaning? If not, can I do something to give my life meaning? Is that even possible? What does ‘the meaning of life’ mean, anyway? Unsurprisingly, these questions have been the object of intense philosophical reflection and debate since ancient times. Moreover, being such a universal and pressing topic, not only in philosophy but also in the religious and artistic expressions of the human mind has made of this subject, such questions of life, death and meaning have been principal themes through history across all cultures and epochs.

Therefore, although our main lens in this course will be that of modern Western philosophy, we will examine religious, artistic, musical, and literary works to better understand the meaning of life and the role of death in it. We will learn about the ideas of Epicurus, Lucretius, Hegel, Feuerbach, and Zizek on death while considering paintings like Jacques Louis David’s The Death of Socrates and The Death of Marat. We will discuss biblical passages and other religious texts and practices addressing death. We will examine Tolstoy’s classic short novel The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking movie Memento. We will read Hume’s, Kant’s, and Marx’s writings about death and suicide. We will listen to and analyze musical works like Chopin’s famous Funeral March of his Piano Sonata No. 2 and the song La vida sigue igual by the Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. You will be introduced to the Soviet philosopher Evald Ilyenkov’s ideas on the meaning of human life. Finally, we will reflect on what it means to live a meaningful life by examining fictional works like the movies Fight Club and Into the Wild, and the manga (graphic novel) Berserk.

PHIL 206
Philosophy in Science Fiction
FALL – IN PERSON

This is an introduction to topics in philosophy through accessible science fiction stories about robots, alien intelligences, future technologies, mad scientists, dystopias, and virtual realities. Topics will span philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, bioethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Each topic will be approached through text (short story, novel, graphic novel) and visual media (film, TV show, music video), and connect to discussion of real-world issues. Course materials will include a mix of science fiction classics, popular contemporary fare, and works that challenge the genre’s boundaries.

Texts/Readings:
Annalee Newitz, Autonomous
Nnedi Okorafor, Binti: Home
Rivers Solomon, The Deep
The final book list will be announced in September.

Assessment:
2 essays, 1 creative group project, weekly quizzes or final exam.

PHIL 233
Greek Philosophy
WINTER – IN PERSON

This course will survey central works of Ancient Greek Philosophy from Thales and the other Pre-Socratics through the seminal works of Plato and Aristotle, and may include examples of later works by Post-Hellenic Philosophers including Plotinus, the Stoics, and the Skeptics.

PHIL 247
Practical Ethics
FALL – IN PERSON

"Practical ethics” concerns the question of how to put our ethical obligations into practice. To answer this question, we must not only engage in philosophical theorizing - to determine the nature of our ethical obligations - but we must also engage in empirical analysis - to determine how we can effectively satisfy these obligations. In this class, we will be especially concerned with practical ethics as it relates to global economic inequality. Our primary focus will be on the moral question of whether we should help the global poor. We will also consider whether we can, in fact, help the global poor. We will consider research in philosophy, history, development economics, political science, and social psychology. The goal of this class is to give students concrete information that they can use to determine how they should think about and react to the moral problem of global poverty.

Texts/Readings: Among other things, we will read articles by Peter Singer, Richard Miller, Martha Nussbaum, Sunstein and Thaler, and Sendhil Mullainathan.

Assessment: Daily discussion questions, 2 writing assignments

PHIL 250
Epistemology and Metaphysics
FALL/WINTER – IN PERSON

Metaphysics is the attempt to uncover the most general structure of reality, in other words, how everything that exists hangs together. Throughout most of its history, philosophy has been centred on metaphysics. Why? Because philosophy is, in large part, the attempt to understand ourselves, and it is hard to see how we can understand our own nature without understanding the basic structure of the surroundings that contain and formed us.

There is, however, a problem. The method of metaphysics is rational reflection, i.e., thinking carefully and rigorously about reality as a whole. This raises a concern: how can even the most careful and logical thinking inform us about the nature of the non-mental world? Won’t it simply tell us about the structure of thought itself, perhaps even only our own thoughts? How, in other words, can the mind reach beyond its own activities to reveal the nature of mind-independent reality, no matter how careful and rigorous its reasoning?

This is a puzzle that lies at the heart of metaphysics, which philosophers have sought to address for millennia. In the Western philosophical tradition, the discussion has centered on the relationship between reason and reality, with different philosophers proposing different theories to explain how the latter might, or might not, be accessible to the former. Philosophical paradoxes figure prominently in such work because they are places where the rational understanding of reality appears to break down, so they offer opportunities to try out new ways of reasoning that might better capture the world’s structure.

We will explore the relationship between reason and reality by examining various aspects of the world that seem to elude our understanding, including: the nature of time, space, objects, properties, causation, and necessity. We finish with one of the oldest metaphysical questions: why does the world exist? These questions will be examined from both historical and contemporary perspectives.

PHIL 256
Existentialism
FALL – IN PERSON

What is the meaning of human existence? This question feels especially pressing in the midst of a global pandemic that has disrupted our everyday lives and unsettled many of our assumptions about the world, other people, and ourselves. It is also the core question of Existentialism, a philosophical movement that emerged in France during the Second World War. In this course, we will study four philosophers who contributed to this movement: Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Fanon, beginning with Camus’ absurdist novel, The Plague, and ending with Fanon’s reflections on colonial violence and mental illness.

Existentialism is more than a theory; it’s a practice of radical freedom and responsibility. Inspired by Nietzsche’s perspectivism and by the phenomenological tradition, existentialism takes the concrete experience of individual consciousness as the starting point for philosophy. Many existentialists hold that the world, in itself, is meaningless and absurd; there is no God and no universal measure of right and wrong, good and evil. In the absence of objective standards for knowledge and ethics, individuals must choose or create their own meaning, accepting full responsibility for the implications of their choices. This includes the responsibility to affirm and support the freedom of others; to do otherwise would be “bad faith,” or a refusal to affirm the radical freedom of all human beings. Ultimately, the practice of individual freedom demands a struggle for collective liberation from oppressive structures such as sexism, racism, colonialism, and economic inequality, which block the full expression of existential freedom and responsibility.

Two Essays (40% each)

Discussion Board Participation (20%)

PHIL 257
Ethics
FALL/WINTER – IN PERSON

The first half of this course will survey the ideas of historical thinkers who argue for radical political change. We will read work by Abolitionists, Suffragists, Anti-colonialists, and Civil Rights Activists. We focus on these thinkers because, for the most part, they are often either under examined or completely ignored by philosophers and hence are ripe for the attention of curious minds! We will consider the ideas that are offered in light of recent revolutionary movements including the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Lives Matter Protests, and the Wet’suwet’en Resistance to the Coastal GasLink Pipeline.

Texts/Readings: Selections from Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Jacobs, Emmaline Pankhurst, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Audre Lorde, among others.

Assessment: Weekly reading quizzes/discussion questions, 2-3 short papers.

PHIL 259
Critical Thinking
FALL – ASO

In this class you will learn how to think critically; you will learn how to evaluate arguments, claims, and beliefs as well as how to make solid arguments of your own. You will learn how to think clearly, a powerful skill indeed.

To help with this, one of the four modules for the term is an introduction to the basics of sentential logic. This will involve some technical work, but nothing that even those who fear, probably incorrectly, that they are ‘bad at math’ couldn’t handle.

Since the complement to thinking clearly is writing clearly, this critical thinking course also includes a writing component. Many of the assignments require short essay or paragraph-style answers that will be marked on content, grammar, and style. By the end of the course, you will be writing 500-750-word critiques.

Texts/Readings: Moore, B. N. & Parker, R. 2021. Critical Thinking, 13th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

OR Moore, B. N. & Parker, R. 2016. Critical Thinking, 12th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

Assessment:

Three Assignments (12% each – 36%): Short answer, essay, argument evaluation

One Blog Argument (12%): Posted

One Blog Critique (12%): Posted

One Final Exam (40%): Scheduled. Short answer, essay, argument evaluation, possibly some multiple choice.

PHIL 260
Introduction to Logic
FALL – IN PERSON

In this course, we attempt to understand two things :

(1) various ways of assessing the goodness (or badness) of reasoning;

and, perhaps even more importantly,

(2) the logical structures underlying natural language sentences.

(2) deals with understanding sentences : the part of this course intended to develop these skills is known as symbolization (from English into Logikese), and translation (from Logikese into English). This is how the study of logic, as I approach it with a grounding in theoretical linguistics, increases the clear-mindedness of our thoughts and their accurate expression. (Many students over the years have reported that studying logic has greatly improved their writing skills.)

(1) deals with understanding arguments : what conclusion follows from which hypotheses, what claim ensues from other claims, what statement can be derived from other statements, what the consequence is of a certain set of premises, what new information can be inferred from prior information, and correspondingly, what fails to follow, what does not ensue, what should not be derived, what is only mistakenly taken as a consequence of and merely falsely inferred. This is how the study of logic, as I approach it with a heavy emphasis on natural deduction (to show validity) and modelling exercises (to show invalidity), increases the reflexive awareness of reasoning processes and our reasoning agility. (Many math students over the years have reported that studying logic has improved their formal skills.)

This class will cover what is called propositional logic (sometimes called “baby logic”) and monadic predicate calculus. Don’t let the math-sounding vocabulary intimidate you. Similar to a grammar class in your native language, you will not so much learn new things in this class, as understand reflexively what you already know without realizing that you know it, eliminating in the process doubts and errors. A 20-minutes-per-day investment in this course will yield great benefits to your thought processes.

PHIL 263
Philosophy of Religion
FALL – IN PERSON

This course looks at religion from a philosophical perspective. Its goal is not to convert anyone to a particular religious belief but rather to submit religious concepts to careful philosophical analysis. The course will progress from basic concepts to more rarified ones.

It will start with questions about God himself/herself/itself. What are the different ways of thinking about God? Is there a right way to think about God? How can we compare different conceptions of God?

Once we have fixed our concept of God, we will then turn to the big question: Does God exist? What reasons do we have to believe that God does exist? How do the causal factors at play on us affect our thinking about God? What is the difference between reasons and causes, anyway?

After we have studied various arguments for the existence of God, we will proceed to consider arguments against the existence of God. Some of these will be directed at religion while others will target God directly. How can God exist when there is so much evil in the world?

The course will conclude with reflection on some of God's properties, how humans relate to God (can we have free will given what God is supposed to be?), paradoxes related to prayer and finally the notion of the after-life.

Readings will be drawn from two sources – a textbook and an anthology. The readings are concise and targeted to specific topics. The syllabus will indicate what exactly students are expected to read. As for assignments, there will be two short papers due during the semester and one final essay due during the exam period. Students will also have to write brief comment sheets. More information on the assignments will be given at the start of the semester.

PHIL 266
Probability and Inductive Logic
WINTER – IN PERSON

Will the future resemble the past? How should we decide what to do? Can groups make rational decisions? What is the best way to draw conclusions about the unknown? Are we living in a computer simulation?

These questions have two things in common. First, their solutions continue to evade philosophers and others who have thought about them. Secondly, their answers depend on probabilistic and inductive reasoning.

Topics to be covered include: the calculation of probabilities; the uses of probability in decision-making; paradoxes of decision; the nature of probability; uncertainty and risk; the relationship between probability and statistics; the philosophical problem of induction; the new riddle of induction; anthropic reasoning and the simulation hypothesis.

No prior familiarity with probability is assumed and any necessary mathematical tools will be introduced to students.

No prior familiarity with philosophy is assumed and students from other departments are warmly welcomed.

PHIL 270
Minds and Machines
WINTER – IN PERSON

In this course we will take a philosophical stance towards the cognitive sciences by synthesising the various perspectives of its sub-disciplines — cognitive psychology, computer science, neuroscience, and linguistics — into a comprehensive picture of mind. The course will begin with a brief overview of the traditional themes in the philosophy of mind, but the bulk of the term will be spent investigating contemporary issues in cognitive science. The topics we will cover throughout the term include, but are not limited to, the following: formal systems; physical symbol systems; neural networks; A-life; emergent systems; dynamical systems; cognitive linguistics; embodied cognition.

Texts/Readings: Clark, A. 2014. Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press — Handouts

Assessment:

30%: Essay (1800 - 2500 words)

24%: Three Write Ups (WUP’s) (250-500 words)

30%: Two In-Class Tests (15% each)

16%: Participation (8% attendance; 8% in class participation

PHIL 271
Philosophy and Literature
WINTER – IN PERSON

A survey of philosophical problems related to the nature and status of literature and fiction, broadly construed. Issues are explored through short stories heavily featuring works by women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC authors. Topics include: the relationship between authors and audience, the concept of genre, literature and labour, and feminist approaches to literature, among others.

PHIL 275
Thinking Gender, Sex and Love
FALL – IN PERSON

Our study of a classic in the philosophy of sexual love—Plato’s Symposium—is meant to prompt us to ask what Eros has to do with philosophy.

In this course we’ll read Plato alongside contemporary reflections on the meaning of erotic love, as well as the social organization and regulation of sexuality and gender. The twentieth and twenty-first century texts we’ll study include stories, articles or chapters by Beth Brant, Audre Lorde, Kim TallBear, Nkiru Nzegwu, Saylesh Wesley, Joan Roughgarden, and Michel Foucault.

This is a lecture course with lots of space for classroom and online discussion, and engagement with multi-media materials.

Philosophical reading skills are strongly emphasized, as is critical reflection. Students are encouraged to identify and critically reflect on their own preconceptions as well as the assumptions and implications of the texts we study. Students practice and develop their skills in written argumentation: formulating clear theses, clear and cogent reasoning, careful textual interpretation supported by relevant and accurate quotations and paraphrases, and well-reasoned answers to plausible objections.

Texts/Readings: Plato’s Symposium, plus a selection of short texts by contemporary thinkers. The short pieces by Brant, Lorde, TallBear, Nzegwu, Wesley, Roughgarden, and Foucault are all available electronically for free through library reserves and the course Perusall platform. An electronic copy of the Symposium is available for a fee on the course Perusall platform. Its purchase is mandatory for completion of many reading assignments. A print edition of the Symposium is available at the Campus Bookstore. Its purchase is optional.

Assessment:

Optional classroom participation & written participation log (5%). Students who opt out of this activity add 5% to the weight of their best essay.

Active reading assignments  on Perusall (15%)

Midterm Essay (35%)

Final Essay (45%)

PHIL 296
Animals and Society
WINTER – IN PERSON

This course will introduce you to the animal turn with a particular emphasis on questions related to animal ethics, justice, and politics. It will be divided in three modules. First, we will explore the question ‘Who are animals?’ In this first module, we will learn why understanding who animals are (and can become) matters ethically and politically speaking. In the second module, we will learn about traditional animal ethics, and the interconstituted nature of oppressions regarding gender, race, ability, geography, and animality. In the third module, we will think and imagine what a more just political and legal system for human and nonhuman animals could look like, with a special focus on zoodemocratic theory. We will discuss questions such as: How can animals’ voices co-author democracies and the common good?

2022-23

PHIL 204
Life Death & Meaning
WINTER – IN PERSON

An examination of whether life has ‘meaning’, and a consideration of different philosophical interpretations of the meaning of life, the significance of death for the meaning of life, and whether it even makes sense to speak of life as having meaning.

Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)

Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 206
Science Fiction
FALL – IN PERSON

This is an introduction to topics in philosophy through accessible science fiction stories about robots, alien intelligences, future technologies, mad scientists, dystopias, and virtual realities. Topics will span philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, bioethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Each topic will be approached through text (short story, novel, graphic novel) and visual media (film, TV show, music video), and connect to discussion of real-world issues. Course materials will include a mix of science fiction classics, popular contemporary fare, and works that challenge the genre’s boundaries.

Texts/Readings
Annalee Newitz, Autonomous
Nnedi Okorafor, Binti: Home
Rivers Solomon, The Deep
The final book list will be announced in September.

Assessment
2 essays, 1 creative group project, weekly quizzes or final exam.

Learning Hours: 120
Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL

PHIL 224
Africana Philosophy I
WINTER – IN PERSON

This class will explore the emergence of Africana philosophy begin with resistance movements in Africa and the new world against slavery. As such we will read legal petitions, letters and speeches and treatise by Africana thinkers challenging western slavery. We will also explore the development of Black organizations and movements centered on the abolishment of slavery.

Assessment: Students will have 2 essay exams worth 50 percent of your grade and a final paper which will be 50 percent of your grade.

Learning Hours: 120

Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL

PHIL 233
Greek Philosophy
WINTER – IN PERSON

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P)

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL. Exclusion No more than 1 course from PHIL232; PHIL233.

Course Equivalencies: PHIL232B; PHIL233

PHIL 247
Practical Ethics
FALL – IN PERSON
Instructor: Wrage

PHIL 247

Practical Ethics

Fall – in person

Course description:

This course introduces main positions in deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics as theoretical foundations of practical ethics. Are there actions that are wrong in themselves, or do only outcomes matter? What kind of person should I be? On this background the course explores classical topics and current debates in bioethics, animal ethics, and environmental ethics: the challenges in decision-making at the beginning of life, the allocation of limited resources in medical care, the moral status of nonhuman animals, the morality of animal use, the value of nature, or the distribution of responsibility for anthropogenic climate change. The course aims to shine a light on the complexities of these issues, and to give students the tools to identify and analyze moral dilemmas beyond the discussed cases.

Texts/readings:

All readings will be available on onQ.

Kant, Immanuel. 2012. “Morality and Rationality.” In Ethics: Essential Readings in Moral Theory, edited by George Sher. New York: Routledge, chapter 29, 327–342.
Mill, John Stuart. 2012. “Utilitarianism.” In Ethics: Essential Reading in Moral Theory, edited by George Sher. New York: Routledge, chapter 22, 241–252.
Wolf, Susan. 2012. “‘One Thought Too Many’: Love, Morality, and the Ordering of Commitment.” In Luck, Value, and Commitment, edited by Ulrike Heuer and Gerald Lang, 71–92. Oxford University Press.
Kuhse, Helga, and Peter Singer. 2009. “What is Bioethics? A Historical Introduction.” In A Companion to Bioethics, second edition, edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Rachels, James. 2009. “Ethical Theory and Bioethics.” In A Companion to Bioethics, second edition, edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 15–23. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Chadwick, Ruth, and Udo Schüklenk. 2021. This is Bioethics. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Warren, Mary Anne. 2009. “Abortion.” In A Companion to Bioethics, second edition, edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 140–148. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Harris, John. 1975. “The Survival Lottery.” Philosophy 50: 81–87.
Savulescu, Julian. 2009. “Genetic enhancement.” In A Companion to Bioethics, second edition, edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 216–234. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Selgelid, Michael. 2009. “Infectious disease.” In A Companion to Bioethics, second edition, edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, 430–440. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
Singer, Peter. 1975/2009. Animal Liberation. New York / London: Harper Perennial, chapter 1.
Regan, Tom. 2002. “The Case for Animal Rights.” In Ethics. History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues, second edition, edited by Steven Cahn and Peter Markie, 825–832. New York / Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hursthouse, Rosalind. 2006. “Applying virtue ethics to our treatment of the other animals.” In The Practice of Virtue, edited by Jennifer Welchman. Hackett Publishing Co.
Gruen, Lori. “Eating animals.” In Ethics and Animals. An Introduction, 76–104. Cambridge University Press.
Webb, Christine, Peter Woodford, & Elise Huchard. 2020. “The Study That Made Rats Jump for Joy, and Then Killed Them: The Gap between Knowledge and Practice Widens When Scientists Fail to Engage with the Ethical Implications of Their Own Work.” BioEssays 42(6): 2000030.
Andrews, Kristin, & Susana Monsó. 2019. “Rats are us.” Aeon. https://aeon.co/essays/why-dont-rats-get-the-same-ethical-protections-as-primates
Malamud, Randy. 2017. “The Problem with Zoos.” In The Oxford Handbook of Animal Studies, edited by Linda Kalof, 396–410. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199927142.013.006.
Jamieson, Dale. 2008. Ethics and the Environment. An Introduction, 68–75. Cambridge University Press.
Heneghan, Liam. 2013. “The ecology of Pooh.” Aeon, March 15, 2013. URL: https://aeon.co/essays/can-we-ever-return-to-the-enchanted-forests-of-childhood
Elliott, Robert. 2001. “Normative ethics.” In A Companion to Environmental Philosophy, edited by Dale Jamieson, 177-190. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers.
Davion, Victoria. 2001. “Ecofeminism.” In A Companion to Environmental Philosophy, edited by Dale Jamieson, 233-247. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers.
Sandler, Ronald. 2012. “The conservation biology dilemma.” In The Ethics of Species: An Introduction, 47–75. Cambridge University Press.
Sebo, Jeff. 2020. “All we owe to animals.” Aeon, January 15, 2020. URL: https://aeon.co/essays/we-cant-stand-by-as-animals-suffer-and-die-in-their-billions
Eckersley, Robyn. 2016. “Responsibility for Climate Change as a Structural Injustice.” In The Oxford Handbook of Environmental Political Theory, edited by Teena Gabrielson, Cheryl Hall, John M. Meyer, and David Schlosberg, 346–361. Oxford University Press.

Assessment:

To successfully complete the course, three short essays have to be written over the course of the term, one on each main topic (bioethics, animal ethics, environmental ethics). Detailed instructions for each essay will be given in the indicated sessions, and will be accessible online.

The final grade is based on the third essay (50%), the better one of the other two essays (50%). Essay due dates: October 15: Bioethics; November 06: Animal ethics; December 09: Environmental ethics. Late essays will be accepted, but will lose 1/3 letter grade for each day late.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P).

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 250 A/B
Epistemology and Metaphysics
FALL & WINTER – IN PERSON

Fall: In the first term, we will explore epistemological and metaphysical questions as they find expression in the work of five historical figures: Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant. Topics will include: the nature and possibility of objective knowledge, scepticism, personal identity, substance and essence, mind and body, freedom and determinism, a priori knowledge and transcendental arguments. Although our approach will be historical, we will draw connections to current philosophical debates and bring contemporary insights to bear in evaluating the theories under consideration.

Winter:

Metaphysics is the attempt to uncover the most general structure of reality, in other words, how everything hangs together. Throughout most of its history, philosophy has been centred on metaphysics. Why? Because philosophy is, in large part, the attempt to understand ourselves, and it is hard to see how we can understand our own nature without understanding the surroundings that formed and contain us.

There is, however, a problem. The method of metaphysics is rational reflection, thinking carefully and rigorously about such concepts as space, time, matter, causation, person, truth, and so on. This raises a concern: how can even the most careful and logical thinking inform us about the nature of the world? Won’t it simply tell us about the structure of thought itself, perhaps only our own thoughts? How, in other words, can the mind reach beyond its own activities to reveal the nature of extra-mental reality just by acts of contemplation, no matter how careful and rigorous?

This is a puzzle that lies at the heart of metaphysics, which philosophers have sought to address for millennia. In the Western philosophical tradition, the discussion has centered on the relationship between reason and reality, with different philosophers proposing different theories to explain how the latter might, or might not, be delimited by the former. Philosophical paradoxes figure prominently in such work because they are places where the rational understanding of reality appears to break down, so they are good test cases for trying out new ways of thinking that expand the reach of reason to better capture the world’s structure.

In this term, we will explore the relationship between reason and reality by examining various puzzling features of the world, including: the nature of time; the difference between time and space; the relationship between properties and objects; persistence and change; the nature of the self, necessity and possibility; why the world exists.

Winter texts/readings: TBD

Winter asssessment: two essays/final exam

Learning Hours: 240 (72L;168P)
Prerequisite: (A GPA of 2.0 in 6.0 units in PHIL) or (a grade of B‐ in 3.0 units in PHIL).

PHIL 256
Existentialism
WINTER – IN PERSON

What is the meaning of human existence? This question feels especially pressing in the midst of a global pandemic that has disrupted our everyday lives and unsettled many of our assumptions about the world, other people, and ourselves. It is also the core question of Existentialism, a philosophical movement that emerged in France during the Second World War. In this course, we will study four influential existentialists: Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Fanon, beginning with Camus’ absurdist novel, The Plague, and ending with Fanon’s reflections on colonial violence and mental illness.

Texts/Readings:
- Camus, Albert. The Plague. Trans. Stuart Gilbert. New York: Vintage (Random House), 2009.
- Beauvoir, Simone de. The Ethics of Ambiguity. New York: Philosophical Library/Open Road, 2015.
- Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. Trans. Charles Lam Markmann. Forewords by Ziauddin Sardar and Homi K. Bhabha. New York: Pluto Press, 1986. PDF available at http://abahlali.org/files/__Black_Skin__White_Masks__Pluto_Classics_.pdf
- Fanon, Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth. Trans. Richard Philcox with commentary by Jean-Paul Sartre and Homi K Bhabha. New York: Grove, 2005. Epub available at https://library.memoryoftheworld.org/#/book/d8cb9a60-d89a-4b4b-bc30-e39979562529 PDF available at https://monoskop.org/File:Fanon_Frantz_The_Wretched_of_the_Earth_1963.pdf
Assessment:
- Two Essays (40% each)
  Discussion Board Participation and/or Perusall (20%)
Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)
Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 257 A/B
Ethics
FALL & WINTER – IN PERSON

Fall term

Term two focuses on political philosophy, its central thinkers, concepts and frameworks, focussing on the powerful arguments of ‘classic’ writings in political philosophy from Hobbes’s Leviathan to Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women and Marx and Engels’s Communist Manifesto. Students will consider the exciting and contrasting traditions and orientations of political thought with some emphasis on their historical context. Scrutiny will be given to what motivates political positions and how they are set out and defended. The course concludes with a few recent important essays in contemporary political philosophy that convey how the ideas of historical figures continue to inspire reflection, analysis – and subversion! The course seeks to strike a balance between thinkers and concepts by viewing political philosophy in the thematic terms of an ongoing debate between ‘individualistic’ and ‘communitarian’ perspectives.

Texts:

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Oxford
John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, Hackett
J.-J. Rousseau, Basic Political Writings, Hackett
Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Men, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Oxford
John Stuart Mill, The Subjection of Women, Hackett
G.W.F. Hegel, Outlines of the Philosophy of Right, Oxford
Karl Marx, Selected Writings, Hackett

Course Structure: Classes will consist of lectures with some opportunity for discussion.

Marking Scheme: In-class essay, 6-8 page submitted essay, final examination (either take-home or in the exam period)

Winter Term:

Using historical and contemporary sources we will explore a range of theoretical questions about the nature of ethical judgements, moral reasons and moral principles, virtues and vices. The theories under consideration will include Utilitarianism, Kantianism, relativism, non-cognitivism, moral realism and ethical particularism.

Learning Hours: 240 (72L;168P)
Prerequisite: (A GPA of 2.0 in 6.0 units in PHIL) or (a grade of B‐ in 3.0 units in PHIL).

PHIL 259 (ASO)
Critical Thinking
FALL – ONLINE

Texts/Readings: Moore, B. N. & Parker, R. 2021. Critical Thinking, 13th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

OR Moore, B. N. & Parker, R. 2016. Critical Thinking, 12th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

Assessment:

Three Assignments (12% each – 36%): Short answer, essay, argument evaluation
One Blog Argument (12%): Posted
One Blog Critique (12%): Posted
One Final Exam (40%): Scheduled. Short answer, essay, argument evaluation, possibly some multiple choice.

Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)

PHIL 260
Introduction to Logic
WINTER – IN PERSON

When we uncover the formal structure of our thoughts and utterances, we gain a deeper understanding of what we think and say. When we study the formal structures themselves, we learn something of the processes underlying cognitive activity in general. Classical logic is a formalisation of deductive reasoning, an ideal that we rarely achieve in our everyday discourse. By familiarising ourselves with formal patterns and recognising when and how form and content mutually influence one another, we train ourselves to become better thinkers. Ultimately, this is what you will learn in this class — how to think well.

More specifically, you will learn how to translate natural language arguments into the more precise languages of first and second-order logic and how to assess the deductive structure of those arguments using both syntactic and semantic models. Whenever relevant, we will talk about the differences between natural and formal languages, focusing on features such as expressiveness and exactness, and consider the consequences for language and thought. Finally, we will explore some of the philosophical issues that arise when we attempt to formalise good reasoning.

Most of the lectures are pre-recorded and can be viewed asynchronously; however, the scheduled class times will be used for small group work, individual assistance, as well as extra instruction as needed. This extra instruction is typically needed! If you sign up for this class, but do not/cannot attend the scheduled hours, you will be on your own with the textbook and the recorded lectures: there will be no other hours, apart from office hours, to accommodate students who sign up for the class but cannot attend during the scheduled hours. This is challenging material and I do not recommend this, but the choice is ultimately yours. Evaluation is through quizzes and scheduled/proctored midterm and final exams. There will be some technical work in this course, but nothing that even those who fear, probably incorrectly, that they are ‘bad at math’ couldn’t handle.

Texts/Readings: Bergmann, Moore, & Nelson. 2014. The Logic Book, 6th Ed. McGrawHill
Assessment:
- 1 midterm examination (in-class) — 20%
- 1 final examination (scheduled) — 40%
- 7 quizzes — 40% (6% each)
Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)
Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.
Exclusions: PHIL 361/3.0.
Equivalency: PHIL 361/3.0

PHIL 261
Philosophy of Mathematics
WINTER – IN PERSON

This course introduces the basic concepts, tools, and techniques of probability and inductive logic so that students will be equipped to reflect thoughtfully and precisely on these and related questions. Topics to be covered include: the calculation of probabilities; the uses of probability in decision-making; paradoxes of decision; the nature of probability; uncertainty and risk; the relationship between probability and statistics; the philosophical problem of induction; the new riddle of induction; anthropic reasoning and the simulation hypothesis.

No prior familiarity with probability is assumed and any necessary mathematical tools will be introduced to students.

No prior familiarity with philosophy is assumed and students from other departments are warmly welcomed.

Texts/Readings: Ian Hacking, An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic (campus bookstore); additional readings available on the course onQ page.

Assessment: Two term tests/final exam

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P).

Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 263
Philosophy of Religion
FALL – IN PERSON

Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 270
Minds and Machines
WINTER – IN PERSON

Texts/Readings: Clark, A. 2014. Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press — Handouts

Assessment:

30%: Essay (1800 - 2500 words)
24%: Three Write Ups (WUP’s) (250-500 words)
30%: Two In-Class Tests (15% each)
16%: Participation (8% attendance; 8% in class participation)

Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)

Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 273
Continental Philosophy, 1800-1900
FALL – IN PERSON

This course provides an analysis of key figures and texts in nineteenth-century continental European philosophy. We shall study key works by Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Wilhelm Dilthey. Major topics will include Christianity and subjectivity, the critique of metaphysics and conventional morality, the foundations of the human sciences, existentialism and hermeneutics, among others.

Texts:

Søren Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript
Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
Wilhelm Dilthey, Introduction to the Human Sciences

Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)
Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

PHIL 275
Thinking Gender, Sex and Love
WINTER – IN PERSON

We study a classic in the philosophy of sexual love and gender—Plato’s Symposium—and ask what Eros has to do with philosophy. We read Plato alongside contemporary reflections on the meaning of erotic love, as well as the social organization and regulation of sexuality and gender. Among the twentieth and twenty-first century texts we read are stories, articles or chapters by Beth Brant, Audre Lorde, Kim TallBear, Nkiru Nzegwu, Saylesh Wesley, Joan Roughgarden, and Michel Foucault.

This is a lecture course with lots of space for classroom and online discussion and engagement with multi-media materials.

Philosophical reading skills are a strong emphasis, as is critical reflection. Students are encouraged to identify and critically reflect on their own preconceptions as well as the assumptions and implications of the texts studied. Students practice and develop their skills in written argumentation: formulating a clear thesis, supported by clear reasoning, relevant and accurate textual references, and well-reasoned answers to plausible objections.

Texts/Readings: Plato’s Symposium, plus a selection of articles available through e-reserves.

Assessment:

Classroom participation (5%)
Active reading assignments (10%)
Best 5 out of 6 online reading comprehension quizzes (5%)
Midterm Essay (35%)
Final Essay (45%)

Learning Hours: 120 (36L;84P)

If public health conditions permit, we will meet on campus to study together as a class. If this is not possible, regular attendance at scheduled Zoom meetings will be expected, for dialogical learning as a supplement to recorded lectures.

Prerequisite: Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL

PHIL 296
Animals and Society
FALL – IN PERSON

Texts/Readings:

Adams, C. J. and Gruen, L. (2022) ‘Ecofeminist Footings’, in Adams, C. J. and Gruen, L. (eds) Ecofeminism: Feminist Intersection with Other Animals and the Earth. London: Bloomsbury
Crenshaw, K. (1989) ‘Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics’, The University of Chicago Legal Forum, 140, 139–167
Donaldson, S. and Kymlicka, W. (2011) Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Francione, G. (1995) ‘The Problem: “Unnecessary” Suffering and the “Humane” Treatment of Property’, in Animals, Property, and the Law. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Hutto, J. (2014) ‘The World as Perceived by a Mule-Deer’, in Hutto, J. Touching the Wild: Living with the Mule Deer of Deadman Gulch. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
Ko, S. (2017) ‘By “Human” Everybody Just Means “White”’, in Ko, A. and Ko, S. Aphro-ism: Essays on Pop Culture, Feminism, and Black Veganism from Two Sisters, 20-27
Nussbaum, M. (2007), ‘Beyond “Compassion and Humanity”: Justice for Nonhuman Animals’, in Frontiers of Justice: Disability, Nationality, Species Membership. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
Singer, P. (1975/2009) ‘All Animals Are Equal’, in Singer, P. Animal Liberation. New York: Harper Collins.

Assessment: The course will be assessed through essays. There won't be an exam.

LEARNING HOURS 120 (36L;84P).
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 2 or above or completed 6.0 units in PHIL.

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200 Level Courses

2023-24

PHIL 203 - Science and Society - Winter

PHIL 204 - Life, Death and Meaning - Fall

PHIL 206 - Philosophy in Science Fiction - Fall

PHIL 233 - Greek Philosophy - Winter

PHIL 247 - Practical Ethics - Fall

PHIL 250 - Epistemology and Metaphysics - Fall/Winter

PHIL 256 - Existentialism - Fall

PHIL 257 - Ethics - Fall/Winter

PHIL 259 - Critical Thinking - Fall (ASO)

PHIL 260 - Introduction to Logic - Fall

PHIL 263 - Philosophy of Religion - Fall

PHIL 266 - Probability and Inductive Logic - Winter

PHIL 270 - Minds and Machines - Winter

PHIL 271 - Philosophy and Literature - Winter

PHIL 275 - Thinking Gender, Sex and Love - Fall

PHIL 296 - Animals and Society - Winter

2022-23

PHIL 204 - Life, Death and Meaning - Winter

PHIL 206 - Science Fiction - Fall

PHIL 224 - Africana Philosophy I - Winter

PHIL 233 - Greek Philosophy - Winter

PHIL 247 - Practical Ethics - Fall

PHIL 250 - Epistemology and Metaphysics - Fall/Winter

PHIL 256 - Existentialism - Winter

PHIL 257 - Ethics - Fall/Winter

PHIL 259 - Critical Thinking - Fall (ASO)

PHIL 260 - Introduction to Logic - Winter

PHIL 261 - Philosophy of Mathematics - Winter

PHIL 263 - Philosophy of Religion - Fall

PHIL 270 - Minds and Machines - Winter

PHIL 273 - Continental Philosophy, 1800-1900 - Fall

PHIL 275 - Thinking Gender, Sex and Love - Winter

PHIL 296 - Animals and Society - Fall