This course is an introduction to ancient Greek philosophy, focusing primarily on Plato (427-347 BCE) and Aristotle (384-322 BCE). We will also discuss the Pre-Socratic philosopher Parmenides and three major schools of Hellenistic philosophy, Epicureanism, Stoicism, and Pyrrhonian Skepticism.

This course will cover central central questions and debates in the philosophy of perception, examining from various angles the idea that sensory perception is a way of being aware of and obtaining objective knowledge about the world – indeed, that it is in some sense the way of doing so. Students will read primary texts on these issues, and they will practice analyzing arguments and comparing philosophical views. They will also train their argumentative essay writing skills. Class meetings will be partly lecture-based, but there will be time for discussion and other activities as well.

This course will cover central central questions and debates in the philosophy of perception, examining from various angles the idea that sensory perception is a way of being aware of and obtaining objective knowledge about the world – indeed, that it is in some sense the way of doing so. Students will read primary texts on these issues, and they will practice analyzing arguments and comparing philosophical views. They will also train their argumentative essay writing skills. Class meetings will be partly lecture-based, but there will be time for discussion and other activities as well.

Syntax, semantics, and proof theory of sentential and predicate logic.

In this course, we will cover the syntax, semantics, and proof theory of propositional logic, basic syllogistic logic, and predicate logic. Throughout the course, we will look at the mathematical underpinnings of logic as well as its applications to mathematics, philosophy, and everyday reasoning.

Syntax, semantics, and proof theory of sentential and predicate logic.

Intended as a first course in logic for students with no previous exposure to the subject, the course treats symbolic logic. Students will learn to formalize reasoning in symbolic languages with precisely defined meanings and rules of inference. Symbolic logic is by nature a mathematical subject, but the course does not presuppose any prior coursework in mathematics—only an openness to mathematical reasoning. The course concentrates on three systems of symbolic logic: propositional logic (or sentential logic); syllogistic logic; and predicate logic (or first-order logic). Students from philosophy, mathematics, computer science, and linguistics will find important connections between symbolic logic and their other coursework.

This course offers an interdisciplinary exploration of how decisions are made by individuals and organizations. We will learn about theories and models from psychology, neuroscience, economics, and their applications to fields such as medicine, business, public policy, and technology. You will learn about the cognitive biases, societal factors, and neural mechanisms which shape our decision making processes, and how computational models can be designed to explain and inform decision making in different aspects of life. The course will focus on the concepts underlying computational models and will not cover fitting models to data, but you will develop your ability to interpret graphs, understand computational models, and assess statistical results. By connecting theoretical concepts to real-world applications, this course aims to enrich your understanding of decision-making processes.