Central issues arising in 20th century philosophy, particularly within the Anglo-American analytic movement. Recent topics have included the rise and demise of logical positivism, the philosophy of Wittgenstein, Rorty's attack on the Mirror of Nature, and issues raised by continental European philosophy.

Through the profound questions they ask about human life, we explore the verities of human embodiment from the theist (Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Heschel, and Percy) and from the non-theist (Nietzsche, Hesse, Heidegger, Camus, and Sartre) existentialist perspectives: Are there invariants within the human condition? Is human identity essentially tied to its historical-cultural embodiment? Do humans have an essence or nature? Are humans fundamentally different from all other animals? Is there meaning to human life? Are human relationships doomed to failure? Are humans capable of authentic lives?

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

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.

An historical and thematic overview of the cognitive science of religion, introducing students to major figures, themes, methods, models, and results from the discipline. A major emphasis is understanding cognitive processes important for sustaining belief in supernatural agents, afterlife beliefs, prayer, and rituals. Students will also investigate the philosophical implications of the scientific data, connecting the cognitive science of religion to issues such as the rationality of religious belief and the lived experience of religious believers.

An examination of some of the central philosophical issues raised by science. Topics include scientific method, explanations and laws in science, scientific progress, confirmation, and the structure of scientific theories.

This course doesn't merely explore different questions about the nature, value, and meaning of beauty, artworks, and aesthetic experience; its primary goal is to assist students in developing lifestyles that embody the values, pleasures, and risks of moving through the God's creation with deep aesthetic attention coupled to an expansive imagination.

Students will apply philosophical perspectives to questions regarding the challenges presented by the use of biotechnology on humans, plants, and animals. Does philosophy offer ways to assess the goals of biotechnology? Is philosophy able to judge what is unethical? How does the philosophical ideal of wisdom bear upon biotechnology? How can philosophy help to articulate the relationship between humans, animals, and nature in general? How can philosophy help to situate biotechnology as part of our ability to live a good life within society?

A study of the propositional calculus, quantification theory, the theory of definite descriptions, and other topics in modern symbolic logic..

The problem of determining standards of right and wrong as well as the problem of determining what is of value in itself. The moral theories of prominent philosophers, both ancient and modern, are examined.