A study of those issues which are of common concern to philosophy and religion. Topics focused upon include: the nature and function of religion; the existence and attributes of God; the claims of reason and the claims of faith; God and the problem of evil; the meaning of religious statements; religious experience and the inexpressible; religion and morality; human freedom and the meaning of life.
An introductory exploration of basic ethical issues from different philosophical perspectives as well as from the vantage point of the Christian faith. This course is designed to encourage a thoughtful appraisal of the deep questions of life within the broadest possible context.
A survey of the history of Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics through the scholastics, concentrating upon the main thinkers, ideas, and cultural developments of the period.
A survey of the history of Western philosophy from the 17th Century through the 20th Century, concentrating upon the main thinkers, ideas and cultural developments which have shaped the modern mind.
In this course, students will read texts from philosophers across various time periods covering issues in the philosophy of science, such as the distinction between science and pseudoscience, values in scientific research, issues with underdetermination, the laws of nature, and scientific empiricism. Upon completing the course, students will be able to articulate several philosophical positions concerning each of the topic areas listed above. Assignments and readings have been selected to will help the student achieve the larger goal of recognizing the structure of arguments, articulating arguments, improving reading comprehension, and improving communication skills.
This course is a survey of Western philosophical thought with the purpose of introducing students of theology to the philosophical ideas which have had a significant influence on the development of Christian theology. Tradition and Culture Course.
This course is devoted to concentrated study in liberation theologies and philosophies. Liberation theologies grow out of a wide variety of historical situations spanning the globe. Specific attention will be given to understanding the differences between a variety of schools of liberation thought and applications of those schools to historical or contemporary situations.
This course will consider issues in global ethics, that is, ethical issues related to, or popularized by, transnational connections. As we study these issues, priority will be given to the perspectives of non-Western thinkers. Issues to be studied may include: the enduring legacies of colonialism, conception and critiques of human rights, gender relations and equality, non-Western conceptions of justice, the social, cultural, and environmental impacts of globalization,the impacts of global trade and "sweatshops," climate change, and terrorism. Through this course, students will gain an understanding of the complex ways people and societies in other parts of the world are impacted by global interconnections.
Religious views about the environment have profound impacts. Examining religious views about what the environment is, what its importance is, and what humans’ relationship to it is reveals ideas behind many modern day approaches to the environment. The religious component to environmental views—views promoting the environment as a good in itself and views promoting the notion of the environment as a means to human ends—is explored in this class. Students will interpret religious texts, explain key concepts in various religious and philosophical perspectives, and orally articulate theological viewpoints.
This course will survey some of the major texts of classical Chinese and Japanese philosophy in order to develop an understanding of the development of the broad strains of Asian philosophy. Some attention will also be given to the roots of Buddhism in India; to the influence of Asian philosophies on early American philosophy; and to the reception and influence of classical texts in contemporary Asian and American culture.
This course is an introduction to American philosophy. The aim of the course is to provide a survey of the main movements and texts of American Philosophy, including early religious philosophies, American Idealisms, the American Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, Pragmatism, Radical Empiricism, and the philosophy of science.
This course explores significant issues in social ethics in the United States, including some or all of the following: race, gender, sexuality, bioethics, crime and punishment, immigration, economic justice, and the environment. Attention will be given to contemporary debates on these issues as well as their development historically and their relation to American cultures and institutions. Study of these issues will help deepen our thinking about key American ideals such as freedom, equality, and the pursuit of happiness.