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This is a 'big- picture' course, which endeavours to give a broad perspective on such fundamental issues as religion, science, morality, political justice, and the nature of the cosmos and humanity's place in it. Among the particular matters arising will be the existence of God, the nature of the mind or soul, artificial intelligence, personal identity, free will and determinism, problems in scientific reasoning, moral relativism, human rights, feminism, gender and sexuality, theories of justice, the nature of science, and the meaning of life. Lectures and tutorials focus on short readings both classical and contemporary, as well as on film and other media. The course is intended for- though not restricted to- students with no prior exposure to philosophy.

This non-essay course introduces conceptual issues about science: What distinguishes science from non-science? Are there limits to what science can or should explain? What does science tell us about reality? What is the relationship between science and religion? What is the role and value of science in a democratic society?.

This course will consider issues that can be analyzed along ethical, legal, and/or political lines, with a focus on understanding the differences between moral, legal, and political arguments and solutions to contemporary societal problems. We are confronted daily with situations in which we have to decide what is right, and what is wrong. Broadly, we can think of these as ethical “moments”, where we have to make a certain kind of judgment: normative or moral judgment.

This course discusses some of the ideas that have shaped western culture, politics, science, and philosophy- the "big ideas" that shape contemporary discourse, and that most of us are expected to be familiar with, but that are rarely spelled out in any detail. Among the "big ideas" are: evolution, materialism, artificial intelligence, atheism, progress, revolution, relativity, individualism, infinity, the scientific method, certainty, determinism, and others. Through readings and class discussion, we will try to understand these ideas from a critical philosophical perspective, and talk about the impact that they have had, might have, or ought to have on our lives and thought.

This course is designed to enhance the student's ability to detect and analyze various forms of reasoning encountered in everyday life, academic, and professional contexts. Topics covered include: argument identification and evaluation, fallacy detection, formal symbolization of arguments, deductive and inductive reasoning, the influence of social and psychological factors on our judgments, the structure of scientific reasoning, how to interpret statistics, theories of moral reasoning and how to assess claims put forward by the media and popular press.

An introduction to the basic principles of critical thinking designed to enhance the student's ability to evaluate various forms of reasoning found in everyday life as well as in academic disciplines. The course will deal with such topics as inductive and deductive reasoning, the nature and function of definitions, types of fallacies, the use of misuse of statistics, and the rudiments of logic. Primarily for first-year students. Note: Excellent preparation for professional exams including LSAT, GMAT, MCAT.

This course develops students' ability to approach contemporary philosophical questions by seeing them from various points of view. In doing so, students may challenge and/or refine their own views after considering a broad range of arguments. A number of questions will be discussed, including (but not limited to): Do we have a duty to contribute to famine relief? Is euthanasia morally permissible? Do non-human animals have rights? Do persons have a special duty to their parents? Should "hate crimes" have a special legal status?