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Catalogue 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Music: Itemized List |
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MUSI 268 - Classical Guitar Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Terry Champlin.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 269 - Harp Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Ashley Jackson.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 270 - Flute Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Susan Rotholz.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 271 - Oboe Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Cheryl Bishkoff.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 272 - Clarinet Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Moran Katz.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 273 - Bassoon Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Elisabeth Romano.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 274 - French Horn Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Peter Reit.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 275 - Trumpet Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
James Osborn.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 276 - Trombone Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Paul Bellino.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 277 - Tuba Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Paul Bellino.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 278 - Percussion Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Frank Cassara, Trey Files.
Prerequisite(s): two semesters of credited study in this instrument. Corequisite: a course in music theory or history is required unless two such courses have previously been completed.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 334 - Jazz Guitar Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Mike DeMicco.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 337 - Other Instruments Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 342 - Jazz Piano Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Peter Tomlinson.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 343 - Saxophone Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Ed Xiques.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 360 - Piano Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Miriam Charney, Todd Crow, Anna Polonsky, Thomas Sauer.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 361 - Organ Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Gail Archer.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 362 - Harpsichord Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Gail Archer.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 363 - Voice Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Drew Minter, Mary Nessinger, Robert Osborne, Rachel Rosales, James Ruff.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 364 - Violin Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Stephanie Chase, Linda Quan, Marka Young.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 365 - Viola Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Marka Gustavsson.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 366 - Violoncello Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Sophie Shao.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 367 - Double Bass Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Louis Pappas.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 368 - Classical Guitar Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Terry Champlin.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 369 - Harp Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Ashley Jackson.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 370 - Flute Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Susan Rotholz.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 371 - Oboe Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Cheryl Bishkoff.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 372 - Clarinet Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Moran Katz.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 373 - Bassoon Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Elisabeth Romano.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 374 - French Horn Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Peter Reit.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 375 - Trumpet Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
James Osborn.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 376 - Trombone Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Paul Bellino.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 377 - Tuba Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Paul Bellino.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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MUSI 378 - Percussion Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Frank Cassara, Trey Files.
Prerequisite(s): four semesters of credited study in this instrument.
Unscheduled.
One 50-minute period.
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Neuroscience and Behavior |
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NEUR 201 - Neuroscience and Behavior Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
A multidisciplinary approach to the methods, issues, empirical findings and neuroscience and behavior literature. The course explores selected topics from a variety of theoretical and empirical models, from behavioral, evolutionary, social/environmental, physiological and cellular/molecular levels of analysis. The ways in which the different methods of analysis inform each other are a focus of the course. Neuroscience and Behavior faculty.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 105 , BIOL 106 , PSYC 105 or PSYC 106 , and PSYC 241 or PSYC 243 .
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NEUR 241 - Principles of Physiological Psychology Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as PSYC 241 ) The role of physiological systems, especially the brain, in the regulation of behavior. In addition to basic topics in neuroscience (neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry and pharmacology), topics may include: sensory mechanisms, motivational systems (e.g., sleep, eating, reproductive behaviors), emotion, learning and memory, language, stress and psychopathology. Kevin Holloway, TBA.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 105 or PSYC 106 .
PSYC 241 may NOT be taken if PSYC 243 has already been taken.
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NEUR 243 - Topics in Physiological Psychology Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as PSYC 243 ) The study of the functions of particular brain structures and their relation to behavior and mental activity. In addition to basic topics in neuroscience the course focuses on such topics as: perception, attention, memory, language, emotion, control of action, and consciousness. Neural alterations related to learning disabilities, neurological and psychiatric disorders may be examined as well. Abigail Baird.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 105 or PSYC 106 .
PSYC 243 may NOT be taken if PSYC 241 has already been taken.
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NEUR 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
By permission of the adviser and the instructor who supervises the work.
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NEUR 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Library, field or laboratory projects.
By permission of the Neuroscience and Behavior faculty.
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NEUR 301 - Seminar in Neuroscience and Behavior Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Explorations in the primary literature of topics to be selected annually. Neuroscience and Behavior faculty.
Prerequisite(s): by permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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NEUR 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Library, field, or laboratory projects.
By permission of the Neuroscience and Behavior faculty.
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Persian: I. Introductory |
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PERS 105 - Beginning Persian Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Yearlong course PERS 105-106 .
Two 60-minute periods.
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PERS 106 - Beginning Persian II Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Yearlong course PERS 105 -106.
Two 60-minute periods.
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Philosophy: I. Introductory |
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PHIL 101 - History of Western Philosophy: Ancient Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
101a: The course concentrates on the ethical and metaphysical thought of Plato and Aristotle. We consider their answers to two questions that both see as intimately connected: What is a good life for a human being? And: what is it for something to exist? Jeffrey Seidman.
101b: This course provides an introduction to Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics to the Stoics of the Roman Empire, focusing on ancient views of eudaimonia, or happiness–the ultimate goal of a human life. Readings include Plato’s Socratic dialogues, Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the letters of Epicurus, and Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Christopher Raymond.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 102 - History of Western Philosophy: Modern Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
102b: Descartes inaugurated modern philosophy by turning philosophical attention away from questions about what the world is like and directing it onto the question: how is it possible for us to know what the world is like? He made this question urgent by offering arguments that suggest that we cannot know what the world is like – arguments suggesting that there is an unbridgeable gap between the mind and the material world. We carefully examine the ways in which Descartes himself, Hume, and, finally, Kant, seek to answer these arguments and bridge the gap that Descartes’ arguments open up. We see how their various approaches to this task shape and are shaped by their conceptions of the human mind, the material world, the relation of the mind to the human body, and the nature of the ‘self.’ Jeffrey Seidman.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 101 is not a prerequisite for the course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 104 - Tragedy & Philosophy: Ancient and Modern Perspectives Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Since Greek antiquity, philosophers have puzzled over the meaning, value, and purpose of tragedy. This course traces their conversation from ancient Athens (Plato and Aristotle) to German Romanticism (Schiller, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche) to the present (Martha Nussbaum and Roger Scruton). Along the way we read or watch several dramatic works that have inspired the philosophical imagination, including tragedies by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Shakespeare, and Wagner. Students learn to write carefully argued analyses of challenging texts, and to reflect on broader issues of literary interpretation, canonization and genre, and the ethical significance of art. If appropriate, the class will also attend a performance by the Vassar Drama Department, a film screening, or a live broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera. Christopher Raymond.
Open only to freshmen; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 105 - Philosophical Questions Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
a. What makes a question philosophical, as opposed to empirical, historical, or spiritual? We seek to answer this question by looking at specific philosophical questions pertaining to personal identity, the existence and nature of God, the rationality of faith, freedom of the will and moral responsibility, and the ethics of killing and letting die. We begin the course by looking at the philosophical questions arising out of the trial and death of Socrates, which will serve as the springboard for more modern philosophical works. The topics in this course are quite abstract, and students need to participate actively in class discussion to do well. Students leave the course with an appreciation for the breadth and scope of philosophical thinking, and learn to think and write arguments clearly. Barry Lam.
Topic for 2017/18a and b: Reality, Knowledge, and Morality. In this course we engage with some of the most fundamental and elusive problems in philosophy. Is there a God? Do we have free will? What makes time different from space? Do we really know anything? What is knowledge? How does consciousness fit into the physical world? Where does morality come from? Why is killing wrong? How should we live our lives? Our primary goal in the course is that you develop a certain set of skills that are vital for tackling questions like these – in particular, the ability to reason and express yourself with clarity and rigor. Marco Dees.
Topic for 2017/18b: Knowledge and Reality. This course familiarizes students with the methods of contemporary philosophy, as well as with a selection of major questions in the field. Such questions include: Does God exist? What, if anything, can we know with certainty? Who are we? Do we have free will? What is time like? Is time travel possible? By taking this class, you develop rigorous and disciplined methods of thinking and writing. Emphasis is especially placed on developing the abilities to extract, present, explain, and evaluate positions and arguments. Li Kang.
Topic for 2017/18b: Truth & Value. This course is an introduction to some major themes in the philosophical tradition. To warm up we start by discussing the existence of God, the problem of evil, and the case for religious belief. We then move on to problems in the study of knowledge. Is there an external world? How do we we know about what there is outside of ourselves? Are there scientific laws? We then talk about what kinds of creatures we are: is my 5-year-old self the same as my adult self? At what point do I cease to be the same person? And - are the kinds of creatures we are imbued with free will? We end by discussing what it means for something to be good for us. The main purpose of the course is to build up philosophical skills, pass on useful philosophical tools, and enable students to tackle difficult topics in writing and group discussion. Emphasis is placed on the reading and interpretation of primary texts and their application to contemporary debates in the field of philosophy. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 106 - Philosophical & Contemporary Issues Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18a: Just War Theory. This course explores the contemporary philosophical literature on just war theory. The past decade has seen an explosion of philosophical work on war, with important consequences for our thinking about both the ethics and law of armed conflict. We examine traditional formulations of the just war doctrine, as well as the challenge posed by revisionist just war theorists. Readings include Michael Walzer’s Just and Unjust Wars and Jeff McMahan’s Killing in War. Jamie Kelly.
Open only to freshmen; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Topic for 2017/18a: Philosophies of Nature and (Un)Natural Catastrophes. We examine various philosophical approaches to nature, alongside the occurrence of both natural and human-made catastrophes. After beginning with our current global and environmental situation, the first half of the course examines various 19th century philosophical approaches to the idea and question of nature. The second half of the course turns to different environmental philosophies, including ecofeminism, deep ecology, and democratic environmentalism. Readings include texts by: Goethe, Thoreau, Emerson, Nietzsche, Muir, Leopold, Carson, Colbert, Naess, Klein, Romm, Shiva, Nancy, and Zizek. Some questions we address are: What counts as nature, how does one define nature, is there a difference between nature and environment, where does nature end and culture/civilization begin, and how do we respond to, and what responsibilities do we have towards, (un)natural catastrophes? Required work includes: weekly discussion papers, two 5-page papers, a final group presentation, class participation, and attendance. Osman Nemli.
Topic for 2017/18b: Bioethics and Biopolitics. We examine bioethics and biopolitics: the medical concerns of individuals and societies, technological development in the bio-medical fields, and ethical and political frameworks to address those concerns and developments. The first half of the course addresses particular case studies in bioethics, including: informed consent, public health issues, abortion, killing and letting die, voluntary euthanasia and medically assisted suicide, brain death and organ and resource allocation. The second half of the course looks at biopolitics, the so-called ‘right to death’ and ‘power over life’ in societies. The second half concerns itself with the theoretical underpinnings of the practical bioethical case studies: who has, or what groups and institutions have, access to certain medical care, what are the conditions for certain ethical modes of behavior, and what do we mean when we speak of aiming for a health or the best society. Biopolitics inquires into the ways in which bioethics can become ‘eugenics with a human face’ and how to respond. Osman Nemli.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 110 - Early Chinese Philosophy Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course is an introduction to Chinese philosophy. It covers major schools in classical Chinese philosophy, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, schools of names, and Legalism. Many ideas of these schools have significantly shaped cultural practice in East Asia. We focus on the philosophical articulation and defense of these schools. We reflect on issues in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. We also discuss the relevance of classical Chinese philosophy to Western philosophy. By taking this course, you (1) gain general understanding of Chinese Philosophy, (2) learn to engage in historical texts from other culture, and (3) advance your analytical thinking and writing skills. Li Kang.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 125 - Logic Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
a. An examination of the basic elements of modern logic. Topics include logical paraphrase, truth-functional logic, and quantification theory. Special attention is paid to the adequacy of the methods of logical analysis and assessment studied in the course. Douglas Winblad.
Topic for 2017/18b: Introduction to Formal Logic. When is it rational to infer one claim from others? The disciple of logic aims to answer this question as well as others concerning the rich patterns of inference and reasoning that emerge upon further study. Formal Logic approaches these questions using some mathematical techniques that we begin to master in this course. In particular, we study a powerful artificial language called First-Order Logic (FOL) that allows us to formulate precisely the concepts of proof, truth and valid inference. Marco Dees.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 150 - The Limits of the Universe and the Limits of Understanding
1 unit(s)
(Same as PHYS 150 ) This course allows students to combine their interests in physics and in philosophy, recognizing common concerns and actively engaging in joint difficulties. The guiding questions of this course can be formulated as follows: In what ways, and to what extent, do recent developments in physics (e.g. the notion of space that is both infinite and bounded because curved) either solve or bypass traditional philosophical paradoxes concerning space and time, causality, and objectivity? In what ways, and to what extent, do traditional philosophical worries (e.g. worries about incoherence, worries about theories that cannot be falsified, or worries about concepts whose application cannot be imagined) cast doubt on the accuracy or the methodology of current physics? Readings are from physics and philosophy. Jennifer Church, Cindy Schwarz.
May not count towards a physics concentration.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 177 - Close Reading Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
In this course, students are guided through an intensive, close reading of a classic philosophical work. ”Close reading” is a style of intensive reading in which one reads less, but reads more carefully and thoughtfully. Specific texts vary with the instructor.
Both first and second six-week course.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 185 - Incarcerating Philosophies Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
(Same as AFRS 185 and URBS 185 ) This course is at the intersection of ethics, social philosophy, and political philosophy. It examines: (1) how certain individuals, groups, and philosophies are marginalized and incarcerated, and (2) the response and responsibilities towards such forms of incarceration. The first topic deals with philosophies of incarceration, that is, the philosophical approaches used in order to incarcerate. Quite simply: what are reasons for incarceration? The second topic addresses how various philosophies can be used to oppose and interrogate such methods. Questions addressed will be: how does the physical and psychical act of incarceration operate? What modes of life and thoughts are rendered as ‘criminal’, and how? Finally: what are the means by which individuals, groups, and philosophies can respond to such methods of incarceration.
Readings include: Plato, Jeremy Bentham, Antonio Gramsci, Michel Foucault, Angela Davis, Frank Wilderson III, Michelle Alexander. Required work includes reading, short weekly writing assignments, class participation, and attendance. Osman Nemli.
Second six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 186 - Philosophy of Medicine Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
(Same as STS 186 ) How does medicine look at and see the body? What kind of body does it envision, and what the means by which it locates within the space of the body that which threatens the body’s organic unity? This six-week course engages in the philosophies of medical perception and diagnostic practices. From the constitution of health and disease in a body, the discovery of illnesses (as a category, and located in the body), to the construction, via legislation, of a healthy society (body-politic), and the use and abuse of metaphors of disease, this course examines the ways in which medical science fashions its object of study, discovers and diagnoses buried beneath the symptom the movements of disease, and aims to treat the body of the individual and society from the constant threat of illness.
Readings include authors such as: Georges Canguilhem, Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault, Annemarie Mol, and Susan Sontag. Required work includes reading, short weekly writing assignments, class participation, and attendance. Osman Nemli.
Second six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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Philosophy: II. Intermediate |
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PHIL 205 - 19th Century European Philosophy Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
After a brief overview of Kant’s “critical revolution” and its immediate aftermath, we examine the thought of four major European thinkers: Hegel, Marx, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche. Topics include the problem of alienation in a post-Enlightenment world; historical materialism and the concept of ideology; philosophical pessimism; and whether art can fill the spiritual void left by the collapse of traditional religion. Christopher Raymond.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 210 - Neo-Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Introduction to Neo-Confucianism, one of the most influential intellectual movements in China and all of East Asia. Neo-Confucianism combines a profound metaphysics with a subtle theory of ethical cultivation. There is some discussion of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism whose views of the self and ethics are the primary targets of the Neo-Confucian critique. No familiarity with Chinese culture is assumed, but a previous 100-level course in philosophy is a prerequisite because this course assumes students have the ability to tackle subtle issues in metaphysics, personal identity, and ethics.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy, Chinese-Japanese, or Religious Studies, or permission of the instructor.
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PHIL 215 - Phenomenology & Existential Thought Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Since the ancient Greeks, philosophy has interpreted the drama of human life in terms of knowledge rather than will, truth rather than passion. During the 20th century, phenomenology and existentialism offer the most radical critique of this “intellectualist” view of both philosophy and the self. A new cognitive value is attributed to moods, beliefs, and states of consciousness as well as to some spheres of human interaction such as authenticity, temporality, and intentionality. In this course, we shall explore the great arch of existential and phenomenological thought as developed by such figures as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, and Levinas. Giovanna Borradori.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 222 - Philosophy of Language Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Language is our primary means of expressing our thoughts. Language is also one of our primary means of representing the world. As a result, philosophers in the analytic tradition have attempted to gain a better understanding of standard philosophical issues through the study of how we understand and use language to express our thoughts, communicate, and represent the world. We look at the philosophical study of meaning and truth as well as the philosophical problems that such studies purport to illuminate, solve, or dissolve. We discuss theories of meaning that seek to identify meanings as items in the world, as abstract concepts, as psychological ideas, as social rules of interaction, and we link these theories to metaphysical and epistemological questions. Barry Lam.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 224 - Philosophy of Mind Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course is a general introduction to contemporary philosophy of mind, appropriate for those new to philosophy. We start with fundamental ontological questions, such as: What makes something a mind? Are minds separate from bodies? Can computers have minds? The aim of the first part of the course is to give students general tools for use in philosophy, including training in the formulation of arguments, textual interpretation, and conceptual analysis. We then move into the issue of the nature of consciousness: can science account for what it feels like to be a sentient creature? How does the brain contribute to unified experiences? We then tie these questions in with issues in the philosophy of perception: Can we learn about the world through perception? Do our senses deceive us? We end with an investigation of animal minds and animal cognition: can other animals think about thinking? Could collections of creatures have minds? Lectures and readings in the course include exciting contemporary work in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 226 - Philosophy of Science Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 226 ) This course explores general questions about the nature of scientific inquiry, such as whether science is fully rational, and whether even our best scientific theories really provide us with accurate depictions of the natural order. The course also treats philosophical issues that arise in relation to specific scientific theories. These include whether life originated in a series of unlikely accidents, whether human cognition may be understood in purely computational terms, and whether we should embrace the existence of multiple universes and abandon the requirement that scientific theories be testable. Douglas Winblad.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 228 - Epistemology
1 unit(s)
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, justification, and rationality. The theories we study in this course are understood as responses to increasingly radical skeptical arguments. We begin with the problem of induction, which claims that we can never justifiably infer generalizations from particular cases, infer beliefs about the future from ones about the past, and infer from observable patterns to unobservable explanations. We uncover various paradoxes about such inferences, and attempt to respond to them. We then look at skeptical arguments that we do not know anything on the basis of sense perception, and the various theories of knowledge and justification that are built in response to such arguments. Barry Lam.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 233 - T.M. Scanlon’s What We Owe To Each Other
0.5 unit(s)
T.M. Scanlon’s What We Owe To Each Other is a landmark contribution to contemporary moral philosophy. Scanlon’s book aims to explain what we are arguing about when we debate whether an action is morally wrong. In the course of answering this question, Scanlon offers original approaches to a number of central philosophical topics, including the nature of reason and rationality, of value, and of individual wellbeing. We engage in a careful reading of this important book, as well as some philosophical responses to it. Jeffrey Seidman.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Second six-week course.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 234 - Ethics Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Why be moral? What does morality ask of us? What is the relation between morality and self-interest? What is happiness? What is the relation between a happy life and a meaningful life? Are there objective answers to ethical questions? Or are whatever answers we give no more than the expressions of our subjective attitudes? These are some of the questions this course seeks to address. We proceed by reading seminal texts in the Western moral philosophical tradition alongside writings by contemporary moral philosophers. Jeffrey Seidman.
Prerequisite(s): at least one 100-level course in Philosophy.
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PHIL 235 - Stephen Darwall’s The Second-Person Standpoint
0.5 unit(s)
Stephen Darwall’s The Second-Person Standpoint is a landmark contribution to contemporary moral philosophy. Darwall’s book aims to explain how moral obligation is possible, by grounding it in the relations between individuals. Darwall argues that fundamental ethical concepts, including the concept of a person itself, along with the concepts of human rights and human dignity, presuppose that we have the authority to make claims on those toward whom we stand in a second-person relation. We engage in a careful reading of this important book, as well as some philosophical responses to it. Jeffrey Seidman.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Second six-week course.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 236 - Philosophy of Law
1 unit(s)
This course introduces students to the philosophical analysis of law and legal institutions. Topics may include natural law theories, legal positivism, formalism, and realism, as well as questions about constitutional interpretation and the obligation to obey the law. Jamie Kelly.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 238 - Social and Political Philosophy Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course introduces students to the history of and to contemporary debates within political philosophy. Our focus is on the relationship between justice and equality. Jamie Kelly.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 240 - Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course examines 19th and 20th century philosophical movements in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. Various aesthetic viewpoints and philosophical genres of writing are addressed in this course. Philosophers that we read include: Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Locke, Woolf, Heidegger, Benjamin, Adorno, Mulvey, Bell Hooks. Questions we address include: What is art and who is the artist? What is beauty? How does beautiful relate to the sublime? What is the origin and purpose of art? How does art relate to non-aesthetic areas of life? How does technological development affect the nature of art? Osman Nemli.
Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in Philosophy.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 242 - The Philosophy of Music
1 unit(s)
Music is an important part of our experience – familiar and yet strange, releasing us from thinking but also revealing new ways of thinking. This course addresses philosophical themes as they appear in music, providing a more visceral sense of alternative perspectives on the world, and expanding our appreciation what music has to offer. We listen to many different types of music – old and new, classical and popular, with discussion focused around topics such as the difference between music and sound, the ‘space’ of music, the expression of emotion in music, the significance of repetition, historical versus ahistorical interpretations, time and timelessness. Readings will be drawn from a variety of philosophers, including Levinson, Scruton, Deleuze, Schopenhauer, Langer, Adorno, Kivy, Nussbaum and Walton. Jennifer Church.
Prerequisite(s): one course in Philosophy or one course on music theory or music culture.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 250 - Feminist Theory Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as WMST 250 ) The central purpose of the course is to understand a variety of theoretical perspectives in feminism - including liberal, radical, socialist, psychoanalytic and postmodern perspectives. We explore how each of these feminist perspectives is indebted to more ‘mainstream’ theoretical frameworks (for example, to liberal political theory, Marxism, and psychoanalysis). We also examine the ways in which each version of feminist theory raises new questions and challenges for these ‘mainstream’ theories. We attempt to understand the theoretical resources that each of these perspectives provides the projects of feminism, how they highlight different aspects of women’s oppression and offer a variety of different solutions. We look at the ways in which issues of race, class and sexuality figure in various theoretical feminist perspectives and consider the divergent takes that different theoretical perspectives offer on issues such as domestic violence, pornography, housework and childcare, economic equality, and respect for cultural differences. We try to get clearer on a variety of complex concepts important to feminism - such as rights, equality, choice, essentialism, cultural appropriation and intersectionality. Uma Narayan.
Prerequisite(s): one unit of Philosophy or Women’s Studies.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 281 - Mahayana Buddhism Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course is an introduction to the philosophical developments of Mahayana Buddhism. We cover two Indian schools (Madhyamaka and Yogacara) and three Chinese schools (Tiantai, Huayan, and Chan). Many ideas of these schools have significantly shaped cultural practice in South and East Asia. We focus on the philosophical articulation and defense of these schools. We reflect on issues in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and ethics. We also discuss the relevance of Mahayana Buddhism to Western philosophy. By taking this course, you (1) gain general understanding of Mahayana Buddhism, (2) learn to engage in historical texts from other culture, and (3) advance your analytical thinking and writing skills. Li Kang.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 284 - The Frankfurt School Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course is an introduction to the Frankfurt School, the Institute for Social Research. Started in Frankfurt in 1930s, and spanning 30+ years, this group of intellectuals worked in Germany, and in exile in England and the United States during the Second World War and afterwards. Regardless of their philosophical pursuits and disciplines, their overarching concerns included: providing a critical theory for, and of, society, a critique of ideology, and an assessment of the role and task for philosophy in the 20th century. Areas of their writings that we examine are: social theory, politics, political-economy, aesthetics, and history. Philosophers that we read include: Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse, Fromm, Pollock, and Benjamin. Osman Nemli.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHIL 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Supervised by the department faculty.
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PHIL 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Supervised by the department faculty.
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Philosophy: III. Advanced |
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PHIL 300 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Yearlong development of an extended philosophical essay in consultation with a faculty adviser. Advisors: All Faculty.
Students must register for 300 for (a) term and PHIL 301 for (b) term.
Full year course.
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PHIL 302 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
1 unit(s)
By special permission only. This one semester course may be substituted for PHIL 300 -PHIL 301 after consultation with your advisor.
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PHIL 310 - Seminar in Analytic Philosophy Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18a: Double Identities, Divided Minds. It is often possible, and sometimes desirable, to sustain conflicting desires, conflicting beliefs, conflicting perspectives, and conflicting personalities. Understanding how this is possible raises interesting questions about the very nature of desire and belief, about the extent to which unity is necessary for a sense of self, and about the character of rationality in a socially fragmented world. We take a close look at literary texts, political theories, and empirical research in our attempt to make philosophical sense of the multiple ways we are able to live with divided minds; and we question the personal and political effects of such divisions. Jennifer Church.
Topic for 2017/18b: Philosophy of Mental Illness. (Same as STS 310 ) This senior seminar focuses on two main issues: (1) What is the best way to define psychopathology, and what can we do about controversial cases? Should all mental illnesses be grouped into classes based on their biological characteristics or their physical causes, or is there a better model? How do we differentiate illness from socially realized disability? What are recent controversies in psychiatric research of pathology? (2) What are ethical implications of current or possible taxonomies of psychopathologies: in particular, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)? What can we learn about mental disability from the disability rights movement? Are current treatment options, particularly pharmacological approaches, ethically sound? And finally, how do all of these issues impact child patients? Readings include Foucault, Szasz, Wakefield, Hacking, the DSM-V, and recent empirical work. Students are encouraged to pursue independent research on the topics of most interest to them. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa.
Priority will be given to Philosophy majors.
One 3-hour period.
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PHIL 320 - Seminar in the History of Philosophy Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18b: Nietzsche and Morality. In this seminar we study several works from the last decade of Nietzsche’s productive life, in which he wages his notorious “campaign against morality” (Ecce Homo, “Daybreak,” 1). These are some of the questions that guide our reading: What is the precise target of Nietzsche’s critique of morality? What are the various strategies he employs to attack it? Does Nietzsche succeed in undermining our faith in morality? What, even, are the criteria for a successful campaign? Finally, does Nietzsche offer a new set of values to replace the old, “moral” values that he hopes some of his readers will leave behind? Christopher Raymond.
Prerequisites: upper-level Philosophy courses or permission of the instructor.
One 3-hour period.
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PHIL 330 - Seminar in Ethics & Theory of Value Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18b: Capitalism, Globalization, Economic Justice and Human Rights. This seminar focuses on questions about capitalism, globalization, and economic justice. A central project of this course is to understand the different ways in which capitalism is conceptualized by various thinkers and philosophical perspectives and to critically evaluate the benefits and problems attributed to capitalism as a global economic system. We complicate the tendency to focus on “wage labor” by asking where colonialism, slavery, subsistence production fit into an account of capitalism We consider the various ways in which women’s unpaid labor as well as their growing induction into wage labor and income generation fit into our understanding of capitalism. We address debates on private property and the division of labor, and examine the functions of states, markets, corporations, international institutions like the IMF and WTO, development agencies in economic globalization. We address controversies over the role private charity and state-provided international aid play in ameliorating the situation of the global poor and securing their human rights. We examine some of the ecological consequences of contemporary capitalism and our own locations as consumers within the system. Readings include the works by figures such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Karl Polanyi, Nancy Fraser, Peter Singer, Thomas Pogge, Antonio Negri, Immanuel Wallerstein, and Zygmunt Bauman. Uma Narayan.
Prerequisite(s): three courses in Philosophy.
Topic for 2017/18b: Reviving the dead? Neo-Aristotelianism in Ethics and Metaphysics. The second half of the Twentieth Century saw a powerful revival of long-neglected Aristotelian approaches to ethics. In Aristotle’s own work, those approaches are grounded in a metaphysically-laden conception of nature, according to which humans (and other species) have eternal, unchanging forms. In light of what we now know about evolution, this conception of nature is untenable. Many philosophers who have sought to revive Aristotle’s ethical thought have argued that most of his ethics can be neatly separated from his metaphysics and philosophy of nature, and that we can (and should) keep the former while jettisoning the latter. We consider their arguments, and the opposing arguments of those who claim that Aristotelian ethical thought can make no sense once we give up the metaphysics in which it was originally situated. And finally, we consider attempts to argue that much more of Aristotle’s metaphysical thought than many have assumed is compatible with the teaching of contemporary science, and is worth reviving. Likely authors include: Foot, Hursthouse, McDowell, Wiggins, Dawkins, Dupré, Fine, Boyle, Lavin, Setiya. Jeffrey Seidman.
Prerequisite(s): two 200-level courses in Philosophy.
One 3-hour period.
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PHIL 340 - Seminar in Continental Philosophy Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18a: Frames of the Invisible. Politics of Photography. The transformation of textual into visual culture and the retooling of the cellular phone as a camera have given photography a new political role. From the self-immolation of a street vendor in Tunisia that unleashed the Arab Spring to the images of police brutality in the United States, photographs have mobilized grass root movements of political resistance against atrocity and oppression. The thesis of this seminar is that our visual culture is governed by a “regime of visibility” that regulates the background of what is represented. The snapshots and the photographs taken by ordinary people possess the unique power of eluding this “staging apparatus.” We discuss these images as performative statements of moral outrage and appreciate how they expose both patterns of dispossession and the uneven distribution of human suffering across world populations. This enables us to question whether the ethics of photography, and especially of photographs of human rights abuses, should not be directed at what is shown within the photographic frame but rather at the active and unmarked delimitation that lies beyond it, which limits what we see and what we are able, and unable, to recognize. Texts by Walter Benjamin, Merleau-Ponty, Susan Sontag, Roland Barthes, Vilem Flusser, Giorgio Agamben, Judith Butler, Julia Kristeva, Edward Said, and Jacques Derrida, and images by Sebastiao Salgado, Gilles Peres, and Sophie Ristelbueber. Giovanna Borradori.
One 3-hour period.
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PHIL 350 - Seminar in Modernism, Postmodernism, and Hermeneutics
1 unit(s)
The Modernism/Postmodernism/Hermeneutic divide stretches across many different disciplines, including philosophy, literary theory, history, religious studies, political science, anthropology and others. Roughly, these approaches argue over whether rationality, truth, and ethics are culturally and historically universal (Modernism), incommensurable (Postmodernism) or dialogical (Hermeneutics). This course explores these approaches with an emphasis on how they apply in the context of one culture trying to understand another. Requirements include regular class participation that shows familiarity with the readings and many brief essays.
Prerequisite(s): at least one course in Philosophy, Chinese-Japanese, or Religious Studies at the 200-level, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period.
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PHIL 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
The department.
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Physics: I. Introductory |
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PHYS 100 - Physics in Motion
1 unit(s)
Motion is much of what physics is about and motion can be seen all around us. Recent technological advances in digital video and computers allow many motions to be filmed, analyzed and studied. We begin by filming a variety of objects in motion and uncover the physics inside. In the second half of the semester groups focus on topics (of their choice) of interest to K-12 students. Each group produces a DVD, incorporating video, text, and other media into the project to help explain the physics behind the scenes. The DVD project is presented in local K-12 schools as a final exercise. Cindy Schwarz.
Not open to students who have taken PHYS 113 , or received AP credit for PHYS 113 .
Not offered in 2017/18.
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PHYS 105 - 20th Century Revolutions in Physics
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 105 ) Lord Kelvin, one of the most distinguished physicists of the 19th century, is famous for his 1900 proclamation: “There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now.” In the fall of that same year Max Planck provided the spark that would become the revolutionary fire from which a new physics was born. The multiple revolutions in physics that proceeded Kelvin’s proclamation are the subject of this class. We examine the developments of Quantum Theory, Special and General Theories of Relativity, and Modern Cosmology studying each in its proper historical context. From both primary and secondary sources we learn the basic concepts that became the fabric of today’s physics. Along the way, we are sure to unearth both the undeniable impacts these discoveries have had on society and the contingency surrounding the nature of these scientific revolutions. José Perillán.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHYS 110 - Science of Sound
1 unit(s)
An exploration of the basic nature of sound, including the transmission and reception of sound, pitch, quality (timbre), loudness, musical intervals, musical instruments, building acoustics, and modern research in sound and acoustics. These topics are covered through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and hands-on investigation. There are no science prerequisites for this course, except a willingness to explore physics fundamentals through the lens of acoustics. David Bradley.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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PHYS 113 - Fundamentals of Physics I Semester Offered: Fall
0 or 1 unit(s)
An introduction to the basic concepts of physics with emphasis on mechanics. Recommended for potential majors in physics and other physical sciences. The department.
Corequisite: MATH 121 or equivalent.
Three 50-minute periods or two 75-minute periods; one 3-hour laboratory.
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PHYS 114 - Fundamentals of Physics II Semester Offered: Spring
0 to 1 unit(s)
Fundamentals of electricity, magnetism, and optics. Recommended for potential majors in physics and other physical sciences. The Department.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 113 , AP Physics C credit, or equivalent college level course and MATH 121 or equivalent.
Three 50-minute periods or two 75-minute periods; one 3-hour laboratory.
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PHYS 125 - The Sound of Space: Intersecting Acoustics, Architecture and Music
1 unit(s)
(Same as ART 125 and MUSI 125 ) The disciplines of acoustics, architecture, and music are often treated in isolation, resulting in the loss of many synergistic connections. This course will bring these three different but intersecting disciplines together in an exciting new way through a collaborative team-teaching process. The course will explore the physical nature of music in the built environment, focusing on the generation, transmission, and reception of music in a variety of spaces across campus. An introduction will first be given for each discipline, then the intersections of these seemingly disparate, yet closely related fields will be studied through a combination of lecture, group discussion, and hands-on investigation. Student teams will adopt a key acoustical space on campus, which they will present during a processional performance by a Vassar choral group open to the public at the end of the semester. David Bradley, Christine Howlett, and Andrew Tallon.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHYS 150 - The Limits of the Universe and the Limits of Understanding
1 unit(s)
(Same as PHIL 150 ) This course allows students to combine their interests in physics and in philosophy, recognizing common concerns and actively engaging in joint difficulties. The guiding questions of this course can be formulated as follows: In what ways, and to what extent, do recent developments in physics (e.g. the notion of space that is both infinite and bounded because curved) either solve or bypass traditional philosophical paradoxes concerning space and time, causality, and objectivity? In what ways, and to what extent, do traditional philosophical worries (e.g. worries about incoherence, worries about theories that cannot be falsified, or worries about concepts whose application cannot be imagined) cast doubt on the accuracy or the methodology of current physics? Readings are from physics and philosophy. Jennifer Church, Cindy Schwarz.
May not count towards a physics concentration.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHYS 152 - Lasers, Technology, Teleportation
0.5 unit(s)
Underlying physics of modern technology and scientific research are explored. Modern gadgets are evaluated regarding physical mechanisms. In addition, modern research on present and future technologies is discussed. Hands-on experiences and demonstrations are incorporated. Jenny Magnes.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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PHYS 160 - Relatively Uncertain: A History of Physics, Religion and Popular Culture
1 unit(s)
(Same as RELI 160 and STS 160 ) This course examines the cultural history of key ideas and experiments in physics, looking in particular at how non-scientists understood key concepts such as entropy, relativity, quantum mechanics and the idea of higher or new dimensions. It begins with an assumption that’s widely accepted among historians – namely, that the sciences are a part of culture and are influenced by cultural trends, contemporary concerns and even urgent personal ethical or religious dilemmas. In this course we are attuned to the ways that physicists drew key insights from popular culture and how non-scientists, including religious or spiritual seekers, appropriated (and misappropriated) scientific insights about the origin and nature of the world, its underlying laws and energetic forces, and its ultimate meaning and purpose. Brian Daly and Christopher White.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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PHYS 168 - A Tour of the Subatomic Zoo Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
This course is designed for nonphysics majors who want to know more about the constituents of matter including quarks, gluons, and neutrinos. The particle discoveries and the implications of the discoveries are discussed in an historical context. Additional topics discussed: matter vs. antimatter, the wave, and particle nature of light. Cindy Schwarz.
May not count towards a physics concentration.
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Physics: II. Intermediate |
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PHYS 200 - Modern Physics Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
An introduction to the two subjects at the core of contemporary physics: Einstein’s theory of special relativity, and quantum mechanics. Topics include paradoxes in special relativity; the Lorentz transformation; four-vectors and invariants; relativistic dynamics; the wave-particle duality; the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, and simple cases of the Schrodinger wave equation. Jenny Magnes.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS 114 or PHYS 115 , MATH 126 /MATH 127 , or permission of the instructor.
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