Course Catalog

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Course Catalog

FREUD & NIETZSCHE (PL2072)

An introduction to one of the key orientations of modern philosophy: critical genealogy and its central problematic, the identity and formation of the subject. The aim of critical genealogy is to unearth the hidden and unsuspected mechanisms, whether institutional or familial, which lie behind the formation of individual and social identities.

TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY (PL2091)

Topics vary by semester

PHILOSOPHY & FILM (PL2095)

Uses film to examine various philosophical ideas and critical concepts. Students look at a number of key Western texts and thinkers and discuss them in the context of a broad range of films. Uses these films as illustrations to investigate questions about knowledge, the self and personal identity, moral philosophy, social and political thought, and critical theory.

TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY (PL2910)

Topics vary by semester

CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL THOUGHT (PL3004)

The course provides a perspective on major currents of recent political thought in the context of the economy. It considers the spectrum of thinking from libertarianism through classical and progressive liberalism, focusing on distinctions between economic and political liberty, social justice, and democratic citizenship. The course considers lastly contemporary concerns with international distributive justice.

CONCEPTS IN RELATIVITY AND QUANTUM THEORIES (PL3007)

The nature of reality changed in fundamental ways in the early part of the 20th century. Concepts of duration, length, sequential order, simultaneity, weight, energy, location, mass, substance and void became a matter of perspective or ‘reference frame’. Scientists had been trying to explain apparently ‘absurd’ results, such as Maxwell’s EM wave equations or the photovoltaic effect, within the framework of classical physics. Much like what Ptolemy did with Aristotle’s model of the dynamics of the heavens before Copernicus and Kepler got it right, or, at least, not so wrong. In this course, I will present the basic principles, and derive the implications, of the theory of Special Relativity, I will describe the concepts and equivalences underlying the theory of General Relativity and show you why we know them to be correct (or at least not very wrong), I will introduce quantum theory and the quantum model of the atom and explain why it is better than plum pudding (see J. J. Thomson’s 1904 “plum pudding” model for the atom). In this course, you will learn about time travel, e=mc², black holes and wormholes. Is it true that if you run straight towards a cement wall it is just possible that you will make it through to the other side unharmed? Yes.

PHENOMENOLOGY & EXISTENTIALISM (PL3010)

Existentialism and Phenomenology are two of the most innovative and influential philosophical trends in the 20th century. Existentialism puts individual freedom and responsibility at the center of any approach to the world’s meaning. Phenomenology is the theoretical study of phenomena (that is, of how consciousness works and gives us access to the essence of things).

GREEK & ROMAN KEY TEXTS (PL3017)

In-depth study of Ancient Greek and Latin texts or authors of both literary and philosophical interest. Subjects may include, e.g., the comparison of a Greek and a Roman philosopher; close reading of the oeuvre, or part of an oeuvre, of one author; the literary and philosophical analysis of a collection of thematically and generically connected passages
“For the course description, please find this course in the respective semester on the public course browser: https://www.aup.edu/academics/course-catalog/by-term.”

GLOBAL JUSTICE (PL3019)

Is it unjust that there are huge economic inequalities between people of different countries? If so, who is responsible for rectifying these injustices? Should individuals enjoy the liberty to move freely across countries? How fair is free trade? The course explores these and other questions of global justice from philosophical and social-scientific perspectives.

PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE (PL3022)

Introduction to philosophical thinking about the nature and functioning as well as the ethics and socio-politics of that fuzzy phenomenon we call “language.”Provides a comprehensive overview of main theories from the 19th to the 21st century,in both the analytic and the continental tradition. Relates the material to issues important to the students of the course in their everyday lives.
Combining and contrasting approaches from both the analytic and the continental tradition, this course provides an overview of the field from the 19th to the 21st century. Sharing forces and drawing on our own experiences, we will get a grip quite a number of complex ideas proposed by experts in the field. You will realize that even the driest and most outlandish theory can blow your mind once you connect it to things that matter to you in your own life.