THE HONORS PROGRAM AT ALVERNIA COLLEGE

Excellence, Interaction, Enthusiasm

Philosophy Course Offerings

History of Political Thought
Survey of significant questions that have been asked by philosophers in the course of the study of politics and some ways in which they have been answered. Political science is the study of people, power, and justice. This class focuses on humanity’s recurrent quest for justice in public life. This semester we will examine competing definitions of justice. The focus will be on the great questions of contemporary politics-industrialization, political mass movements, and the globalization of Western-style politics.

Utopian Societies
This course will examine visions of the ideal society as presented in some of the great utopia and anti-utopia novels, with an emphasis on comparison of different ideals and with the goal of thinking critically about the features which would comprise a perfect society.

 Peace and Justice
Through a series of lectures, research, and service learning experiences, the Peace and Justice course will explore a variety of themes that explore contemporary issues such as war, justice, poverty, globalization, and the Franciscan response to these critical issues. An integral part of the course will be participation in the Peace and Justice Conference scheduled for April 7-8, 2005.

Matrix and Philosophy  
No Course Description Given

Mind, Brains, and Computers
Do zebras wear pajamas when they sleep? Computers can calculate pi to a million decimal places easily, keep track of a company’s payroll, provide diagnosis of cancer patients and play chess. But are they really smart? Can they answer ‘do zebras wear pajamas when they sleep’? What is the difference between digital computers and human minds? This course assesses the research program called cognitive science where human mind is understood as a complex computational system. We will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of cognitive science—are we really computers?!

Animals: Minds, Passions, and Morality
Do animals think? This class investigates the research relating to linguistic and cognitive capacities of non-human animals and examines debates about their moral status vis-à-vis humans.

Buddhist Ethics
A study of the relevance of Buddhist Ethics to contemporary social problems. The course will focus on the movement known as “socially engaged Buddhism” in Tibet and Southeast Asia and will include a study of the historical development of Buddhist thought. Satisfies the ethics requirement.

Chinese and Greek Philosophy
East meets West - a comparative study of the development of Chinese adn Western philosophical traditions.

For More Information, Contact:
Dr. Victoria Williams, Director of the Honors Program
Francis Hall 406
Office Phone (610) 796-5511
Victoria.williams@alvernia.edu

Updated: October 12, 2006

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