Spring 2026 Courses in Philosophy & Ethics
Course Offerings
No prerequisites. Most courses fulfill essential studies requirements.
PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy
#26065 (3 credits)
T/R 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Prof. Beltz
This course invites you to explore the big questions that have shaped how humans understand the world and themselves. How do we know what’s right or wrong? How can we be sure anything exists beyond our own minds? What makes something beautiful? What does it mean to truly know something? Together, we’ll take a thematic journey through philosophy, exploring key ideas and readings that have challenged and inspired thinkers for centuries.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 120 Introduction to Ethics
#31303 (3 credits)
M/W 4 – 5:15 p.m.
Prof. Domzal
In this course, we will engage with a broad scope of ethical questions and Western philosophical approaches to ethics. We will cover ethical theories like Utilitarianism and Deontology before we begin to think more broadly about ethics. Where did our conceptions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ come from? Can ethical theories provide us frameworks for our choices that we find acceptable? How can we bear the weight of responsibility for our choices? These are only some of the questions we will address in the course. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify a variety of canonical Western ethical theories and begin to develop critical thinking about their own choices.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 120 Introduction to Ethics
#22957 (3 credits)
Asynchronous Online
Prof. Beltz
What is the purpose of life? How can we live our best lives? These big questions are at the heart of this course’s exploration of ethics. In this online course, we’ll explore real-world moral situations and consider how our choices shape who we are. Students will be introduced to major ethical theories and learn how to approach difficult decisions: what factors to weigh, who (or what) to include, and why our moral choices matter. By the end of the course, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how to make thoughtful, ethical decisions and how to help others do the same.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 130 Intro to Political Philosophy
#23828 (3 credits)
T 4 – 6:30 p.m.
Prof. Weinstein
Don’t you wish there were a way to talk about politics without fighting about Democrats or Republicans? Shouldn’t there be a way to settle issues by appealing to something more than just people’s opinions? Well, there is! Political philosophy is a way of talking politics while focusing on the big questions instead of the policies that make everyone so angry. We ask about the nature of justice, whether government is good or bad (and whether it should be big or small), whether we can morally take away people’s rights, and whether we need authorities to tell us what to do. Ultimately, we ask whether people in a democracy really can make decisions for themselves. Introduction to Political Philosophy is a fun, discussion-oriented class with minimal homework. It is technology heavy and focuses on peer-to-peer interaction while minimizing lecture time. It will make politics enjoyable even as everyone around us is going crazy.
This is a collaborative class with no major exams or papers, minimal homework, and lots of discussion. It requires no prerequisites!
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 221 Symbolic Logic
#31302 (3 credits)
M/W/F 12:20 – 1:10 p.m.
Prof. Beltz
This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts and methods of modern logic. Symbolic logic applies formal, mathematical techniques to the study of reasoning, helping us understand what makes arguments valid or sound. While logic is central to philosophy, it also plays a vital role in mathematics, computer science, linguistics, and psychology. Topics include the structure of deductive arguments, logical form, validity and soundness, symbolization, truth-functional connectives, and the use of truth tables to test arguments. Most of the course will focus on developing two formal languages (sentential logic and quantificational logic) that capture the structure of reasoning in natural language. Students will learn to construct and evaluate formal proofs using these systems, gaining practical tools for analyzing and improving reasoning across disciplines.
Essential Studies: Quantitative Reasoning
PHIL 245 Death & Dying
#31309 (3 credits)
Asynchronous Online
Prof. Mann
Why talk about death? Because how we understand death shapes how we understand life. This course explores death from multiple angles—philosophical, cultural, existential, and political—asking what death means, whether it’s always bad, and how different societies confront it. Through philosophy, film, literature, and case studies, we build a deeper understanding of what it means to die—and what it means to live.
Essential Studies: Humanities & Diversity of Human Experience
PHIL 250 Ethics in Engineering and Science
#26066 (3 credits)
T/R 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Prof. Butler
This course centers on the ethical issues of particular concern to both citizens and professionals involved in science, technology, and engineering. This course uses ethical history and ethical theory to inform contemporary moral issues. The major focus of the course, however, is on ethical dilemmas, case studies, and codes relevant to engineering and scientific professional activities.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 251 Ethics in Health Care
#22961 (3 credits)
M/W/F 10:10 – 11 a.m.
Prof. Beltz
At some point in our lives, we all encounter the health care system—whether as patients, professionals, or loved ones of those receiving care. Every choice made in these moments involves ethical questions: What is the right thing to do, and why? This course explores the ethical dimensions of health care, focusing on the responsibilities of professionals, the rights of patients, and the process of moral decision-making. Through real-world cases and ethical dilemmas, we’ll examine issues such as informed consent, abortion, euthanasia, organ transplants, assisted suicide, vaccine mandates, drug screening, and health care policy and reform. Students will learn to apply ethical theories and professional codes to better understand the complex decisions that shape modern medicine.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 253 Environmental Ethics
#31304 (3 credits)
Asynchronous Online
Prof. Mann
Explore how environmental crises challenge our ideas of identity, responsibility, and humanity’s place in the world. This course draws on ethical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives—through readings, films, and case studies—to examine tensions between what humans want to do and what our changing planet can bear. Ultimately, we ask: is it possible to be environmentally ethical in contemporary times? And if so, how?
Essential Studies: Humanities and Diversity of Human Experience
PHIL 255 Media Ethics
#26070 (3 credits)
Asynchronous Online
Prof. Weinstein
We are a society consumed by mass media. From TV, to newspapers, to the Internet, we are under a constant barrage of information, persuasion, and digital manipulation. What are the ethical issues involved in broadcasting our perspectives and evaluating others? Do the traditional ideas of journalistic objectivity still apply? How much privacy should we have? How can we tell propaganda from the truth? In this class we will explore these and related questions, including taking a deep dive into the controversies surrounding free speech.
This class requires student groups meet once per week, despite being asynchronous.
PHIL 300 History of Philosophy
19th Century Philosophy
#31308 (3 credits
M/W 4 – 5:15 p.m.
Prof. Stone
This course will cover the historical development of so-called Western philosophy from Kant through the 19th century. Students will study how philosophers responded to Kant’s Enlightenment philosophy paying special attention to the philosophy of history and the formation of the subject (consciousness) within the modern world. Thinkers covered will include Kant, Hegel, Feuerbach, Nietzsche, Marx, and Freud.
Essential Studies: Humanities
PHIL 327 Philosophy of Religion
#31306 (3 credits)
T/R 2 – 3:15 p.m.
Prof. Domzal
This course is not necessarily geared towards the theological tenets of different religions but, rather, towards understanding how Western philosophers have interpreted the purpose of religion. This requires us to understand first what these thinkers understood as religion, what they thought the interaction of religion was with broader concepts in philosophy (particularly morality and narratives of human progress), and what different thinkers understood as the function of religion for humans. We will read works from canonical figures like Plato, Aquinas, Kant, and Hume, as well as from more contemporary authors like Heidegger, Weber, Weil, and Viveiros de Castro.
Essential Studies: Humanities and Diversity of Human Experience
PHIL 360 Feminist Philosophy
#26069 (3 credits)
M/W 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Prof. Mann
This course explores foundational and contemporary feminist thought through the work of major feminist philosophers. We’ll examine questions like: What is feminism? What is patriarchy? How do gender norms form, shift, and intersect with other axes of identity? What counts as “women’s work”? And how have feminist thinkers challenged dominant ideas about identity, power, knowledge, and the body?
Essential Studies: Humanities and Analyzing Worldviews
PHIL 371 Philosophy of Law
#31428 (3 credits)
T/R 12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Prof. Weinstein
Are you intrigued by the law? Are you planning on going to law school or into a profession that works with it (criminal justice, political science, and education, for example)? Are you interested in politics or how the government works? Do you want to work in a non-profit or advocacy group? Maybe you’re just unhappy with the state of the world—or pleased with it and frustrated with those who aren’t. If any of these are true, then Philosophy of Law is the class for you. In it, we will discuss what law is, when and why it must be obeyed, the US Constitution, civil disobedience, and the meaning and nature of justice. We will also look at how reasoning works in a legal context, asking about precedent and cultural change. This class balances theoretical and practical concerns and its relevance to day-to-day life will be evident from the first session.
PHIL 475 Data Science Ethics
#31307 (3 credits)
Asynchronous Online
Prof. Butler
Data Science Ethics is a philosophical exploration of the moral problems data scientists encounter in their daily lives. It is intended for both professionals who seek a data-science career and for the curious, who enjoy investigating modern ethical problems. In this course, we discuss compliance, the misuse of data throughout the history of science, the impact of large-scale data interpretation on democracy and the justice system, and ethical considerations for diversity, privacy, research, and artificial intelligence.
Essential Studies: Humanities and Digital Information Literacy