Philosophy

This course is an introduction to philosophy and to the great ideas and arguments that comprise it. We read some of the most influential works of human thought, from the ancient, modern and contemporary periods and relate them to our everyday lives. We ask questions like: How should we live? Who am I? Does God exist? Do I have a free will? What is the meaning of society?

This course is an introduction to critical thinking and to informal and formal logic. We investigate and practice the skills used in good reasoning. Students learn about the nature of arguments, fallacies, induction and deduction and other aspects of logic and critical thinking. In coming to grips with all of these, students develop their ability to identify arguments in everyday contexts, analyze and evaluate arguments and create strong arguments of their own.

Ethics is the study of how we should live. In this course, we examine major ethical theories from the Western tradition, such as virtue theory, deontology, consequentialism and social contract theory and apply these theories to issues in everyday life. We also consider social, cultural and political contexts in which ethical decision-making happens.

This course examines ethical concepts and applies them to health and medicine. We discuss major ethical theories, case studies and arguments and develop a reflective approach to biomedical issues. Along the way we draw on our knowledge of medical science, health care policy and the historical, cultural and religious perspectives relating to health care.