This course gives a basic grounding in Philosophy. We explore enduring questions that we have all grappled with: Does God exist? Do we have free will? How can we lead fulfilling lives? No background in philosophy is needed, only an open and inquiring mind.

One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much BS. Most people are overconfident about their ability to avoid being taken in by it. This course aims to sharpen your BS detection skills and help you to diagnose errors in reasoning. You will learn how to check your (often unreliable) gut reactions, improve your critical thinking skills, and identify specious arguments across a range of topics.

We are in the midst of a social reckoning in the United States. Black Lives Matter and #Me Too have turned a spotlight on the murder of black people by police officers and the sexual assault of women. Public health events reveal racialized health care inequities and unfair domestic and care work for women. This course provides philosophical tools that help us to understand our social world, its history, and to consider how to contribute solutions.

Contemporary philosophic concerns and perspectives as reflected in one or more of the arts (literature, theatre, film, music, plastic art).