Reason and Belief in God

A survey of central issues arising from the question, Is belief in God rational? Topics include arguments concerning the existence of God, religious pluralism, natural science and religious belief, religious language, and critiques of natural theology from Kierkegaard and Reformed Epistemology.

Religious Experience Seminar

Examines the place of evidence in religion and assesses the evidential force of religious experience and related phenomena. The main body of the course addresses the evidential force of such experiences as near-death experiences, visions, mystical states of consciousness, as well as the Shroud of Turin as a unique religious artifact. Surveys some major contributors to the critical study of religious experience, e.g.: William James, Rudolf Otto, and R.C. Zaehner, and examines competing theories for religious phenomena, e.g., psychological and neurophysiological explanations for near-death and visionary experiences.

Religious Experience Seminar

Examines the place of evidence in religion and assesses the evidential force of religious experience and related phenomena. The main body of the course addresses the evidential force of such experiences as near-death experiences, visions, mystical states of consciousness, as well as the Shroud of Turin as a unique religious artifact. Surveys some major contributors to the critical study of religious experience, e.g.: William James, Rudolf Otto, and R.C. Zaehner, and examines competing theories for religious phenomena, e.g., psychological and neurophysiological explanations for near-death and visionary experiences.

Suffering & Belief in God

Examines some key issues pertaining to suffering and belief in God. Topics include the problem of evil, arguments from suffering original sin, everlasting suffering, and providence.

Suffering and Belief in God

Examines some key issues pertaining to suffering and belief in God. Topics include the problem of evil, arguments from suffering original sin, everlasting suffering, and providence.

Philosophy of Mind

This course explores the philosophically perplexing tasks of finding a place for human consciousness in, and the mind’s causal relations to, the natural world. It also investigates the theories put forward to address these tasks, e.g., dualistic theories like substance dualism, dual-attribute theory, epiphenomenalism, and emergentism, and the monistic theories like physicalism (reductive, eliminative, and non-reductive), idealism (ontological and conceptual), and neutral monism.

Philosophy of Mind

This course explores the philosophically perplexing tasks of finding a place for human consciousness in, and the mind’s causal relations to, the natural world. It also investigates the theories put forward to address these tasks, e.g., dualistic theories like substance dualism, dual-attribute theory, epiphenomenalism, and emergentism, and the monistic theories like physicalism (reductive, eliminative, and non-reductive), idealism (ontological and conceptual), and neutral monism.

Existentialism

Explore primary source material from five major (atheist and theist) existentialist philosophers, excerpts of existentialist fiction, a book that offers an overview of the common themes of existentialism, and another rife with existentialist themes that helps readers assess their own degree of existential alienation. Students engage in daily discussions and lectures on the material read. Students write two papers: a book review and a research paper, and keep a journal tracking their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual journey through class readings and lectures. In small groups, students discuss and share their insights and struggles with existentialism.

Existentialism

Explore primary source material from five major (atheist and theist) existentialist philosophers, excerpts of existentialist fiction, a book that offers an overview of the common themes of existentialism, and another rife with existentialist themes that helps readers assess their own degree of existential alienation. Students engage in daily discussions and lectures on the material read. Students write two papers: a book review and a research paper, and keep a journal tracking their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual journey through class readings and lectures. In small groups, students discuss and share their insights and struggles with existentialism.

Human Nature: Competing Philosophical Views

This course examines some of the most influential views of human nature advanced by philosophers in the history of Western civilization, and explores the implications of these views for ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, and metaphysics.

Human Nature: Competing Philosophical Views

This course examines some of the most influential views of human nature advanced by philosophers in the history of Western civilization, and explores the implications of these views for ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, and metaphysics.

Social Ethics Seminar

Examines ethical questions concerning life and death. Special emphasis is placed on understanding and evaluating moral and legal perspectives on these questions, within the larger tradition of Western philosophy, and in the face of the current technological revolution. Issues include: the moral status of humans, the meaning of personhood, sanctity of life versus quality of life, genetic engineering, reproductive technologies, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, abortion.

Social Ethics Seminar

Examines ethical questions concerning life and death. Special emphasis is placed on understanding and evaluating moral and legal perspectives on these questions, within the larger tradition of Western philosophy, and in the face of the current technological revolution. Issues include: the moral status of humans, the meaning of personhood, sanctity of life versus quality of life, genetic engineering, reproductive technologies, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, abortion.

Topics in Philosophy

Topics may vary. Courses offered to date:Existence, Truth, and Possibility Medieval Cosmology Empericism Neoplatonism and Early Christianity Foundations of Ethics

Topics in Philosophy

Topics may vary. Courses offered to date:Existence, Truth, and Possibility Medieval Cosmology Empiricism Neoplatonism and Early Christianity Foundations of Ethics

Research Design

Under the direction of the student's approved thesis advisor, a course of reading and study which leads to the development of both a significant bibliographical essay (or annotated bibliography) and a thesis proposal. The latter includes at least the following: major question(s) to be addressed; significance of the issue(s); methodologies to be used; theories to be addressed and primary sources to be examined.

Research Design

Under the direction of the student's approved thesis advisor, a course of reading and study which leads to the development of both a significant bibliographical essay (or annotated bibliography) and a thesis proposal. The latter includes at least the following: major question(s) to be addressed; significance of the issue(s); methodologies to be used; theories to be addressed and primary sources to be examined.

Thesis

Thesis

Thesis

Thesis

Major Essay

Under the direction of a supervisor, students not doing a thesis research and write a major paper of approximately 10-15,000 words in length.

Major Essay

Under the direction of a supervisor, students not doing a thesis research and write a major paper of approximately 10-15,000 words in length.

Philosophical Perspectives on Religious Pluralism

This course surveys and engages central philosophical issues relevant to assessing normative religious pluralism.

Philosophical Perspectives on Religious Pluralism

This course surveys and engages central philosophical issues relevant to assessing normative religious pluralism.

Questions of Human Nature

This course examines some of the most influential views of human nature advanced by philosophers and scientists in the history of Western civilization, and explores the implications of these views for ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. The ideas of Plato and Aristotle, as well as ideas that Christianity has drawn from these ancient Greek philosophers are examined before exploring views advanced in modernity and postmodernity.

Questions of Human Nature

This course examines some of the most influential views of human nature advanced by philosophers and scientists in the history of Western civilization, and explores the implications of these views for ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. The ideas of Plato and Aristotle, as well as ideas that Christianity has drawn from these ancient Greek philosophers are examined before exploring views advanced in modernity and postmodernity.

Philosophy of Technology

This course surveys and engages philosophical issues connected to technology, and the human manipulation and transformation of nature. For example, is the human good essentially tied to technological development? Should technological advancement be allowed to constrain or even determine social, political and moral decisions? Is technology an essentially neutral means to ends otherwise determined or do technological means bring with them their own ends? What are the differences between the natural and the artificial? Has technology taken the place formerly held by religion or spirituality?

Philosophy of Technology

This course surveys and engages philosophical issues connected to technology, and the human manipulation and transformation of nature. For example, is the human good essentially tied to technological development? Should technological advancement be allowed to constrain or even determine social, political and moral decisions? Is technology an essentially neutral means to ends otherwise determined or do technological means bring with them their own ends? What are the differences between the natural and the artificial? Has technology taken the place formerly held by religion or spirituality?

Twentieth Century Analytic Philosophy

Since philosophy's roots in ancient Greece, philosophers have traditionally utilized critical analysis and the tools of reason and logic in pursuing answers to philosophical questions. However, the analytic focus of contemporary philosophy has been shaped most significantly by the philosophical tradition launched by Bertrand Russell, G.E. Moor, and Gottlob Frege at the dawn of the twentieth century.

Twentieth Century Analytic Philosophy

Since philosophy's roots in ancient Greece, philosophers have traditionally utilized critical analysis and the tools of reason and logic in pursuing answers to philosophical questions. However, the analytic focus of contemporary philosophy has been shaped most significantly by the philosophical tradition launched by Bertrand Russell, G.E. Moor, and Gottlob Frege at the dawn of the twentieth century.

Philosophy & Religion

Explores the foundations of religious belief and faith, particularly the issue of the rationality of religion. The role of methodology is examined, including the value of deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning; also the question whether the method applicable to religious belief is unique to it. The work of recent philosophical theologians and their critics is examined and evaluated.

Philosophy and Religion

Explores the foundations of religious belief and faith, particularly the issue of the rationality of religion. The role of methodology is examined, including the value of deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning; also the question whether the method applicable to religious belief is unique to it. The work of recent philosophical theologians and their critics is examined and evaluated.

Philosophy of Competing Paradigms

This course examines the triumph of secular naturalism in academic/educated culture, and proposes rational grounds for advancing historic Christian theism. Trinitarian faith is viewed here as having the structure of theories that postulate the existence of unobservable objects. These theories adopt a unique method of defining the entities or beings postulated to exist; this method is shown to be compatible with historic theism. Moreover, the Resurrection of Jesus is identified as the central tenet for which evidence additional to that found Holy Scripture is needed in our secular context. The Shroud of Turin and contemporary visions of Jesus are shown to offer such evidence. While no objection is registered to allowing science to explore any features of the Universe, Christian theism is presented as supplementing such scientific knowledge.

Philosophy of Competing Paradigms

This course examines the triumph of secular naturalism in academic/educated culture, and proposes rational grounds for advancing historic Christian theism. Trinitarian faith is viewed here as having the structure of theories that postulate the existence of unobservable objects. These theories adopt a unique method of defining the entities or beings postulated to exist; this method is shown to be compatible with historic theism. Moreover, the Resurrection of Jesus is identified as the central tenet for which evidence additional to that found Holy Scripture is needed in our secular context. The Shroud of Turin and contemporary visions of Jesus are shown to offer such evidence. While no objection is registered to allowing science to explore any features of the Universe, Christian theism is presented as supplementing such scientific knowledge.

Metaphilosophy

This course examines the character of Philosophy as an academic discipline, with particular attention to the kinds of claims that are central to its inquiry, such as Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, and Aesthetics. The feasibility of the claim that Philosophy is an objective discipline, and that its contributions are as significant as the factual matters handled in any social or natural science, are examined. Various subfields within Philosophy are given special attention, including Ethics, Logic, Epistemology, and Metaphysics.

Metaphilosophy

This course examines the character of Philosophy as an academic discipline, with particular attention to the kinds of claims that are central to its inquiry, such as Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, and Aesthetics. The feasibility of the claim that Philosophy is an objective discipline, and that its contributions are as significant as the factual matters handled in any social or natural science, are examined. Various subfields within Philosophy are given special attention, including Ethics, Logic, Epistemology, and Metaphysics.

Fundamentals of Physics I

Students investigate physical reality employing basic principles of Newtonian mechanics which allow the description and explanation of motion: three-dimensional kinematics, dynamics of particles and rigid bodies including work, energy, momentum, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, and fluids.

Fundamentals of Physics I

Students investigate physical reality employing basic principles of Newtonian mechanics which allow the description and explanation of motion: three-dimensional kinematics, dynamics of particles and rigid bodies including work, energy, momentum, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, and fluids.

Fundamentals of Physics II

The basic principles of classical electromagnetism and waves: mechanical waves, Coulomb's law, electric fields, Gauss's law, Faraday's law, AC circuits, electromagnetic waves, geometrical optics.

Fundamentals of Physics II

The basic principles of classical electromagnetism and waves: mechanical waves, Coulomb's law, electric fields, Gauss's law, Faraday's law, AC circuits, electromagnetic waves, geometrical optics.

Conceptual Modern Physics

A survey of the development of scientific theories, emphasizing the ideas that emerged in physics in the twentieth century. The course is designed so that general audience students become engaged with the conceptual aspects of topics in relativity and quantum mechanics.

Conceptual Modern Physics

A survey of the development of scientific theories, emphasizing the ideas that emerged in physics in the twentieth century. The course is designed so that general audience students become engaged with the conceptual aspects of topics in relativity and quantum mechanics.

Stellar & Galactic Astronomy

An introduction to stellar and galactic astronomy, and to the tools and techniques of astronomy. Discussion of the types of stars and their formation, energy production, and end states; the nature of nebulae, star clusters, black holes, galaxies, and quasars; modern cosmology; astrobiology. Several daytime and night-time observation sessions are undertaken. Historical, philosophical, and Christian theological perspectives are considered.

Stellar and Galactic Astronomy

An introduction to stellar and galactic astronomy, and to the tools and techniques of astronomy. Discussion of the types of stars and their formation, energy production, and end states; the nature of nebulae, star clusters, black holes, galaxies, and quasars; modern cosmology; astrobiology. Several daytime and night-time observation sessions are undertaken. Historical, philosophical, and Christian theological perspectives are considered.

Mechanics

Topics in classical mechanics, including particle motion in three dimensions, noninertial reference frames, central forces, rigid body motion, Lagrange's equation of motion, and Hamilton's variational principle

Mechanics

Topics in classical mechanics, including particle motion in three dimensions, noninertial reference frames, central forces, rigid body motion, Lagrange's equation of motion, and Hamilton's variational principle

Electricity & Magnetism

Electric fields and potentials of static charge distributions, currents, magnetic fields and the vector potential, electromagnetic induction, electric and magnetic energy, electromagnetic properties of matter.

Electricity and Magnetism

Electric fields and potentials of static charge distributions, currents, magnetic fields and the vector potential, electromagnetic induction, electric and magnetic energy, electromagnetic properties of matter.

Physical Chemistry

Introduction to thermodynamics as applied to chemical reactions. The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, free energy and equilibria, phase equilibria and electro-chemistry.