Humanities
Siegel Hall, Suite 218
3301 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60616
312.567.3465
humanities@iit.edu
iit.edu/humanities
Chair
Matthew Bauer
Associate Chair
Warren Schmaus
Faculty with Research Interests
For information regarding faculty visit the Department of Humanities website.
The Department of Humanities offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in humanities (HUM), digital humanities (DHUM), and communication (COM). The HUM degree is a flexible liberal arts degree, and students may specialize in history, literature, philosophy, communication, or art and architectural history. Students taking the DHUM degree have two specializations: a three-course set in a traditional area of the humanities such as history, philosophy, etc; and a five-course digital specialization in information architecture, technical communication, or science and technology studies. Students pursuing the COM degree specialize in professional and technical communication, journalism of science, or journalism of technology and business. The department offers courses in art and architectural history, communication, history, literature, and philosophy.
The Department of Humanities also offers academic minors in communication, English language and literature, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, professional and technical communication, and web communication. A minor in urban studies is also offered in conjunction with the Department of Social Sciences.
The department has these five undergraduate educational objectives:
- To offer and support the B.S. degree programs and the academic minors.
- To provide students the opportunity to pursue personal interests in the humanities. This objective is achieved through offering a wide range of advanced courses in the many disciplines that comprise the humanities. The department also encourages students to take minors in literature, history, and philosophy.
- To strengthen the ability of all university students to formulate and express ideas in a variety of formats. In addition to composition courses for both native and non-native English speakers, the department supports the Writing Center, where students receive one-on-one tutoring at their convenience. Undergraduates who qualify may also take advanced courses in writing. Advanced courses provide further exposure to critical thinking and to the communication of ideas.
- To support the requirements of all of the university’s professional degree programs. Courses marked with (H) satisfy degree requirements in general education. The department also offers specialized courses (such as architectural history) that meet the educational needs of specific degree programs. The department offers many courses of special relevance to students preparing for careers in the law in the university’s Honors Law Program.
- To enable all students to enrich their professional and personal lives. This goal is achieved through advanced elective courses in the humanities, which provide an appreciation and understanding of human development and the foundations and diverse expressions of human experience, particularly as reflected in history, literature, and philosophy.
Illinois Institute of Technology students are encouraged to broaden their educational backgrounds and to discover new interests through the study of humanities.
The Department of Humanities considers the advising of students an important obligation. Each semester, all students majoring in HUM, DHUM, or COM must meet with their faculty advisers during the advising period. Students must closely adhere to course prerequisites to maximize academic performance and satisfy requirements of the degree programs.
Course Descriptions
Comprehensive background as well as concentration on individual cultures and their architects from ancient to medieval times. Discussion of architectures from around the world. Specific details and expressions of more generalized theories and strategies will be explored.
Comprehensive background as well as concentration on individual cultures and their architects from the Renaissance to modern times. Discussion of architectures from around the world. Specific details and expressions of more generalized theories and strategies will be explored.
This course is designed to introduce the skills needed to describe, analyze, and make arguments about art. We will begin by learning the skills of description and formal analysis and exploring different media: painting, sculpture, printmaking and architecture. In the middle portion of the class, we will build on the skills we have learned for formally analyzing artworks as we examine different methods used in the writing of the history of art and making arguments about art. We will pay particular attention to the historical and social contexts of art and the roles that race and identity have played in the interpretation of works of art. The final section of this class considers how art is exhibited in museums, galleries, and in public space. Throughout the class we will make use of Chicago area institutions and exhibitions.
A course designed for those who find art pleasing, meaningful, or significant and who want to extend the range of their sensibilities. Theories of art will be studied for insight, as well as for historical interest and continuity. Works of art will be studied for their intrinsic value, for their relation to ideas and events, and as cultural artifacts. Regular visits to area museums and galleries will be required.
This course explores the artistic history of the United States, from an agrarian society that developed into an industrialized nation with a distinguished national art. This broad chronological survey begins with the colonial art of Copley, Peale, West and Stuart, followed by the nation building iconography of the Hudson River School. The art of Mount and Bingham reflect antebellum culture, followed by Johnson in post-Civil War America on the eve of the Gilded Age. Finally, the course examines the realism of Homer and Eakins, defining a truly American iconography.
This broadly chronological survey begins with Sargent and Cassett in the context of European traditions. Impressionism comes to America through the art of Chase and Hassam, and other members of "The Ten". Early Modernism follows with Henri, Glackens and Sloan, leading artists of "The Eight" and the Ashcan painters, including Bellows. The major regionalists include Benton, Wood, and O'Keefe with Hopper emerging as the most significant artist of the century. With New York as the new center of Western art in post-war America, Pollock defines abstract Expressionism, followed by Warhol and Pop-Art.
An investigation into a topic of current or enduring interest in Art and/or Architectural History which will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
By studying theoretical texts written by five very influential architects over five centuries, the course will provide insight into the qualities of national exceptionalism marked by an innovative and transformative tradition. This tradition has been a central source of the modernist agenda as much as of French culture. This course prepares students for ARCH 469, a course that is part of the Semester Abroad Program. This course may be used for an architectural history elective or a humanities elective; however, it may not be used for both. Students who are not committed to, or do not plan to enroll in, the Semester Abroad Program may also take this course if space is available.
For advanced students. Instructor permission required.
An investigation of the development of formal architectural theory. Writings by architects from antiquity to the present will be studied, analyzed, and criticized. The relation between theory and practice will be emphasized. The implications of particular theories for such other questions as environment, tradition, change, innovation, revolution, and meaning will be considered.
A study of the use of writing, reading, and discussion as a means of discovering, questioning, and analyzing ideas, with an emphasis on audience, context and the use of revision. This course satisfies the Basic Writing Proficiency Requirement. It does not satisfy a general education requirement in the Humanities and Social or Behavioral Sciences.
This course is designed to help international students develop skills in writing, reading and discussion as a means of discovering, questioning and analyzing ideas. Students will engage in reading a variety of texts on a theme, extrapolating key ideas, and developing their own claims through discussion, research writing, and presentation. Additionally, this course will provide support to address common writing issues for multilingual speakers of English as well as build intercultural competence in communication. Placement in this course is based on TOEFL/IELTS and/or placement exam results. Equivalent to COM 101. This course satisfies IIT's Basic Writing Proficiency Requirement. It does not satisfy a general education requirement in the humanities and social or behavioral sciences.
This English communication course will give international students the opportunity to expand their knowledge of Chicago’s history and culture while developing their voice through advanced conversation, presentation, and discussion skills. Through a storytelling and experiential lens, students will focus on articulating and responding to in-depth questions, applying advanced presentation skills, and using cultural and communicative skills to collaborate in dynamic city-focused discussions. Placement in this course is based on TOEFL/IELTS and/or placement exam results.
The first of a two-semester sequence, this course and its sequel will introduce students to a particular language and culture, which will change annually. May be repeated for different languages. This course does not satisfy the HUM 102, 104, or 106 general education requirement.
The second of a two-semester sequence, this course and its predecessor will introduce students to a particular language and culture, which will change annually. May be repeated for different languages. This course does not satisfy the HUM 102, 104, or 106 general education requirement.
The rhetorical theory and applied practice of digital writing. Topics include word processor alternatives, social media for professional development, multimedia writing, and collaboration and project management.
This course focuses on the most important topic of all: YOU! You have a unique story to tell – whether in an interview, a discussion, or a professional presentation – and this course will give students the opportunity to develop advanced language skills around each student’s field of study and interests. Through engaging with audio and video materials, active reading, and intensive speaking practice, students will work to develop personalized responses to a variety of behavioral interview questions, research and contribute information from their individual fields into a group discussion, as well as write and present on a technical topic to a general audience of students. Placement in this course is based on TOEFL/IELTS and/or placement exam results.
Third-semester generic language and culture course designed to be applicable to various languages. Students should have already taken COM 126 in same language.
Fourth-semester generic language and culture course designed to be applicable to various languages. Students should have already taken COM 225 in the same language.
An introduction to the art of public speaking with assignments designed to promote competency in the delivery of speeches, organization of ideas, methods of argumentation, application of evidence and use of visual aids.
An introduction to the systematic study of language. Focus on the core areas of linguistics, such as sound patterns of language (phonology), form (syntax, morphology), and meaning (semantics, pragmatics), as well as applied areas, such as language, variation, language acquisition, psychology of language, and the origin of language.
This course surveys dialects of English around the world, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, India, Africa, and the Caribbean, focusing on vocabulary, word and sentence formation, and sound patterning.
This course examines the structure of the English language from four different approaches: traditional-prescriptive, descriptive, generative, and contextual.
Beginning with basic concepts in language development, this course traces the evolution of modern English, from its Indo-European roots, through Germanic, Anglo-Saxon, Middle English and Early Modern English.
Analysis of human and synthetic speech intended for technology mediated environments and devices. Focus on talker characteristics that affect speech intelligibility and social factors that affect talker characteristics. Attention to design characteristics of technology-mediated speech and how humans react to it.
This course examines linguistic theory as it relates to everyday problems. The course is divided into four sections, each of which exposes students to an application of these topics to broader issues. Topics include sound patterns of speech, sentence structure, meaning and language and society.
The analysis of language "flow" beyond sentence boundaries. Working with both spoken and written discourse, students will consider culture and gender-related patterns, and will apply findings from discourse analysis to communication problems in politics, education, healthcare, and the law.
This course covers the social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions of globalization and explores the role that communication and media technologies (newspapers, magazines, film, television, and digital media) play in shaping an interconnected, interdependent globalized world and in constituting our identities as global audiences, citizens, workers, consumers, and activists.
The history and structure of mass media, from print through film and broadcasting to the Internet, and their influences on American society.
An investigation into a topic of current interest in communication, which will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
This course will discuss the development and trends of social media as well as their impacts on individuals and society. It will draw from a broad range of studies related to social media to learn how social media have impacts on interpersonal relationships, psychological well-being, privacy, politics, entertainment, and so on.
This course will discuss a variety of measures and properties of networks, identify various types of social networks, describe how position within and the structure of networks matter, use software tools to analyze social network data, and apply social network analysis to areas such as information retrieval, social media and organizational behavior.
Principles and practice in the communication of technical materials. Students work on the design, writing, and revising of reports, articles, manuals, procedures, proposals, including the use of graphics. Works by modern writers are analyzed.
Principles and strategies for effective document and information design, focusing on print media. Students design, produce, and evaluate documents for a variety of applications, such as instructional materials, brochures, newsletters, graphics, and tables.
Principles and practical applications of editing at all levels, working with both hard and soft copy and including copymarking, copyediting, proofreading, grammar and style, and comprehensive editing. Attention primarily to documents from science, technology, and business.
Introduces students to the issues, strategies, and ethics of technical and professional presentations, and provides students with opportunities to engage in public address, video presentations and conferencing, and group presentations. Analysis of audience types and presentation situations, group dynamics, persuasive theories, language, and mass media.
An introduction to the problems of communication across cultures, with emphasis on the interplay of American civilization with those of other cultural areas.
Planning and managing digital-video projects to document concepts and procedures in technology, science, business, and education. Attention to scripting, shooting, editing, and distribution media. Students will work on individual activities and collaborate on a community-service or other client-centered project.
Planning and managing informative and instructional exhibits in technical, scientific, and business contexts. Attention to characteristics and constraints of space, multimedia, and other resources, along with principles and goals of viewer access and flow. Students will work on individual activities and collaborate on a community-service or other client-centered project. Instruction will incorporate Chicago-area resources such as the Museum of Science and Industry.
Consent of department. For advanced students. Based on the selected topic, this course may or may not be applied to the humanities general education requirement. Consult the course instructor.
Special project. Based on the selected topic, this course may or may not be applied to the humanities general education requirement. Consult the course instructor.
This class introduces to game design and experiential media development as professional practice. Students work collaboratively in a studio environment to produce work through iterative design. Additionally, students explore multiple professional specializations within the broader field and develop individual plans for professional development to help guide them towards their academic and professional goals throughout the program.
Nationalism and nation states; patterns of diplomacy; origins, conduct, and settlement of World War I; Russian Revolution; fate of democracy; rise of totalitarianism; World War II and the Holocaust.
Examines how the U.S., its values, and its institutions came to be. Colonization, "Indian" relations, slavery, the American Revolution and the Constitution are studied in the context of the colonial world, including Latin America. Controversial issues and the challenge of discovery are stressed.
Traces America's transformation from agrarian republic to Industrial Empire. Stresses impact of industrialization on all aspects of life, the nature of slavery, the failures of "Reconstruction", and the western and urban frontiers. Explores the adventures that made America a great power.
Traces how America attained economic and military power and what it did with that power at home and abroad. Discusses the World Wars, the Great Depression, the limits of the "welfare state," the movement for Black equality, and the transformations of the 1960's.
Explores the historical roots of contemporary issues. Topics vary by semester but always include the Cold War and America's international position, tensions over immigration and racial integration, and the historic roots of changes in popular culture and daily life.
A historical analysis of contemporary globalization in trade, technology, labor, and culture. The course includes a comparative analysis of the world's leading economies (e.g. Great Britain, Germany, United States, and Japan), and considers their varied responses to industrial revolutions in the past two centuries.
Students gain an understanding of the history and culture of Greece, Rome, and ancient Palestine. Walk a mile in someone else's sandals while tracing the early foundations of Western culture. Using disciplined analysis and creative interpretation to reconstruct aspects of ancient civilizations, students are challenged to escape their own personal and cultural perspectives.
Basic institutions of the contemporary city studied in their historical context, using Chicago as a case study. Political machines, social and political reform traditions, planning agencies, ethnic neighborhoods, organized crime and many other urban institutions.
A study of the people, places, demographics, institutions, politics, culture, and national context of the federal Prohibition (of alcohol) era in Chicago. Students will learn not only about historical events and personages but also consider the interplay of various social, political and economic factors which made the Prohibition era within Chicago unique.
Development of LGBTQ narratives, cultures and organizations within Chicago with reference to their historical context. Students will learn not only about leaders and significant developments within Chicago LGBTQ history but also learn about local, national, and international developments which aided in formation and development of sexual orientations and gender identities.
What is digital labor? Since the mid-twentieth century, labor forces have radically changed in relation to new digital, electronic computing technologies. Perhaps the clearest example of this change is the evolution of computer programming as a respected and highly paid profession. But those who work directly with computers are not the only ones affected. As computing systems have steadily reorganized aspects of society, the idea of what counts as labor has changed. This course introduces students to historical and contemporary issues in the history of technology to explain how our national and global work forces are shaped by digital, electronic technology. We will look at everything from World War II electronic codebreaking to present-day struggles over net neutrality. We will also look at the "hidden labor" behind our digital technologies, from hardware's origins in African mines and Chinese factories to the strenuous manual and psychological labor hidden in the back-ends of many of our favorite online services. Throughout, students will learn how seemingly unrelated changes share a common history. The course will include several guest lecturers from academia and industry. Students will be asked to write papers, do multimedia projects, and engage with their classmates in group projects.
This course introduces students to the history of video gaming while providing instruction in scholarly practice with an emphasis on research and writing. Topics include the technical and cultural history of the video games, academic writing, and humanities research methods.
An investigation into a topic of current or enduring interest in history, which will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
Consent of department. For advanced students.
HUM 100 introduces students to a variety of source material, scholarly and literary, in the Humanities, and teaches them how to read academic books and articles critically for research into specific, student-chosen topics. The course also aims to give students facility in accessing and effectively employing library resources and developing bibliographic methods. Theme/Topic of the course will vary depending on who is teaching it. Students may be required to visit off-campus sites, such as the Newberry Library or the Art Institute of Chicago.
One-time or initial versions of course topics equivalent to HUM 202, 204, 206, and 208. Topics will introduce students to the humanities at IIT and to provide intensive instruction in writing.
An interdisciplinary course that examines the development of modern industrial society and the impact of science and technology on our culture. Readings drawn from history, literature, and philosophy. This course is also writing instruction intensive.
This course introduces students to thinking critically about how topics like engineering, design, and technology interact with ethics, public media, and writing. Students will learn reading strategies for data-driven texts across genres, fundamentals of data visualization, and learn to communicate science-and data-driven arguments both professionally and to the public.
An introduction to the humanities through an investigation of important changes in our culture associated with Darwin's theory of evolution. Readings drawn from literature, philosophy, and science. This course is also writing instruction intensive.
An interdisciplinary study of biographies and autobiographies. In addition to considering such works as a genre, the course examines the historical events and the philosophical issues that have shaped the lives and attitudes of the writers/subjects. This course is also writing instruction intensive.
Introduces major topics in digital culture while providing instruction in scholarly practice with emphasis on research and writing. Topics include technical and cultural history of the internet, academic writing, and humanities research methods.
The growth of scientific knowledge and technology and the ways in which it has been produced have historically been intertwined with the development of culture and society. The effects are felt in all aspects of human identity and interests: from the ways we live our everyday lives, to our understanding of who and what we are, to the making of political decisions of global proportions. This course prepares students to think critically about the cultures, beliefs, human relationships, and institutions that make and are remade by scientific and technological change.
Introduction to Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary course with an American lens that draws on feminist ideas and scholarship to develop a set of tools for analyzing women's experiences in social, cultural, and political contexts. The course aims to sharpen students' critical awareness of how gender operates in institutional and cultural contexts and in their own lives as well as to give them an opportunity to imagine participating in social change. May not be taken for credit by students who have completed HUM 380 Introduction to Women's Studies.
Have you ever wondered why more men choose to portray themselves as women online than the reverse? Or why there are more boys than girls in China? Or why vibrator technology was seen as a medical necessity in the 19th century? Have you ever thought about how the interplay between technology and gender constructs everything from our modern military to how we choose to spend our free time? To where we work? This course explores the history of technology by using gender as a category of analysis. It also looks at how technological objects and tools participate in molding elements of our culture that we may take for granted as logical or timeless. By looking at change over time, we will analyze the different ways technology affects how we live and see ourselves and how gender defines technological priorities.
This course focuses on the latest work in science and technology studies and the history of technology from ethics in genetic engineering to the social dimensions of computing. Other topics include the intersection of gender and sexuality with new technologies, the role of communications media in "rewiring" our brains and our social connections, and the role of the world wide web in constructing national and global technocracy. Students will read and discuss works by academics as well as journalists in order to offer grounding in the historical, social, and economic background of key technical topics and the presentation of technical topics for wider audiences. Students will also learn about the ways in which authors leverage different information technologies to communicate to wider audiences and how those methods are evolving.
This course introduces students to fundamental principles and practices in the design of games. Students complete readings and workshop activities related to design principles and game mechanics and complete individual and group design projects.
Interactive Storytelling is an upper-level communication course that examines methods and forms of interactive storytelling while engaging students in hands-on production projects.
HUM 374 is a game development course that introduces students to development cycles and other professional practices within the game and interactive media industry. Students work together to form studios and collaborate to complete the development cycle for a single digital game. This communication intensive class includes creation and revision of professional pitches and demonstrations, design documents, a developer's log, and relevant reports. This course also covers the rise of game design as a profession and the variety of professional roles within the industry.
Practical Magic is a site-specific upper-level communication course that examines methods and forms of experience design while engaging students in analytical and hands-on projects. Students will study the history and profession of themed entertainment design. Course goals include analyzing, interpreting, and designing themed experiences; collaborating on and managing design projects; and understanding and using specialized vocabulary through critical reading and writing assignments.
An investigation into a topic of current or enduring interest in the humanities, which does not fit neatly into standard categories.
This course integrates the Humanities academic curriculum with a supervised work experience in the public or private sector. Students will apply Humanities perspectives to technical, entrepreneurial, creative, and design projects. They may choose to complete their experience at an organization or business, as a departmental teaching experience, or as an undergraduate research assistantship to a Humanities full-time faculty member. The experience should assist students in professionalization and career decision making. This class is required for all Humanities majors. Students double-majoring in Humanities may fulfill this by submitting a five-page report documenting and demonstrating how an equivalent experience in their other major has fulfilled the learning objectives of this course.
GAIM Design Capstone is a two-semester capstone experience. In GAIM 400 students form studios, conceptualize and develop an original capstone project. During this course, students complete several milestones: Studio Formation, Experience Design, Initial Prototyping, Business Model Canvas, Formal Pitch and Formal Playtesting.
GAIM Design Capstone is a two-semester capstone experience. In GAIM 401 students complete development of projects initiated in GAIM 400. During this course, students complete several milestones: Initial game demo, Final game demo, Game publication/release, post mortem and final report.
Independent reading or research.
HUM 495 introduces advanced Humanities students to research methods and practices in the Humanities. Students read and engage with contemporary research in Humanities fields while pursuing research projects of their own design. Students completing this course should leave with a draft of an article suitable for submission to a Humanities journal.
Summer research for undergraduate students in IIE/BSMP.
A treatment of select science fiction texts in terms of how they reflect shifting forms of work and social life in the 20th century. The course will focus on how these texts translate shifts in social patterns and popular entertainment.
Comics, once a genre associated primarily with superheroes, have evolved since the 1970's to address weighty philosophical and existential issues in extended formats such as the graphic novel. This course will examine the graphic novels from major authors in the genre (e.g., Spiegelman, Eisner, and Moore) as well as "outside" artists. Also covered are the theoretical foundations of comics theory according to Will Eisner and Scott McCloud (among others). May not be taken for credit by students who have completed LIT 380 Graphic Novel.
A formal and thematic analysis of a diverse selection of works of short fiction. The selection will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
Analysis of the novel as a literary form with attention to its place in ongoing cultural and political discourse.
Contemporary networks of global capital and information technologies provide the motivation for the reading strategies of this course. The course will examine literary texts from a variety of global contexts from the perspective of globalism and nationalism.
Study of poetry and imaginative prose, including an analysis of the theoretical, literary, and socio-cultural contexts of these works. The course may include creative writing by students.
While reading is the first step in understanding Shakespeare's work, seeing his words brought to life in a film or stage production comes closest to experiencing the plays as Shakespeare intended 400 years ago: as a performance. For each play discussed, students will view and compare two film versions. Students will also go to a live production of one play. Also covered are a history of Shakespeare in film and an introduction to film analysis. May not be taken for credit by students who have taken LIT 380 Shakespeare on Stage and Screen.
Study of major dramatists and movements in the theater since Ibsen and Strindberg, with special emphasis on such writers as Chekhov, Shaw, Brecht, O'Neill, Ionesco, and Pinter.
Designed to introduce students to the variety of professional theater performances in and around Chicago. Main emphasis on seeing plays, ancient to contemporary; essays and oral reports; study of dramatic genres and theater history.
Examination of the style and language of film as shown in a number of feature films, with emphasis on the various ways individual directors use the cinema for personal and cultural ends.
This course introduces students to literary texts in Western and other traditions that examine issues of gender and sexuality, exploring how both gender and sexuality are interactive concepts shaped by their interrelationships with other vectors of identity, and with the artistic forms in which they are represented. May not be taken for credit by students who have taken LIT 380 Gender and Sexuality in Literature.
An examination of works by Toni Morrison, Paule Marshall, W.E.B. DuBois, Richard Wright and other black writers. The course includes formal and ideological analysis, emphasizing both nationalism and transnationalism in black culture. Prerequisite: A 100-level humanities course.
This course explores various issues represented within African American literature. Throughout the course the students will read texts that focus on relationships between race, class, gender and identity. Students will discuss and research topics associated with themes outlined by the instructor.
A survey of great American novelists, poets, and dramatists who have lived and worked in Chicago from the time of the Great Fire to the present day, and who have made Chicago one of the great world literary centers. Writers discussed include such figures as Theodore Dreisler, Carl Sandburg and Richard Wright. Prerequisite: A 100-level humanities course.
Study of such writers as Steineck, Frost, Eliot, Anderson, O'Neill, Hemingway, Cather, Wolfe, Faulkner, and contemporary writers such as Updike and Toni Morrison.
An investigation into a topic of current or enduring interest in literature, which will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
A workshop demonstrating principles of composition in fiction, poetry, or drama, studied from a writer's vantage point. Works by modern authors are analyzed. Student manuscripts are discussed and evaluated.
Consent of department. For advanced students.
Special project.
A study of major works by Plato, Aristotle, and other important ancient philosophers.
The study of major 17th and 18th century philosophers, such as Descartes, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.
A philosophical and psychological examination of good reasoning, the origins of judgment errors and biases, the impact of reasoning on individuals and societies, and the methods for improving judgment.
A study of recent philosophical trends (or movements), including logical positivism, existentialism, ordinary language philosophy, etc.
A realistic, evidence-based look at the powers and challenges in making science policy, looking at such topics as group polarization, conspiracy theories, deference to experts and “judging from the gut”. Our goal is to identify the reasoning skills and knowledge necessary in order for citizens and political officials to reason reliably about scientific matters.
A richly illustrated examination of the evidence for the nature and origin of language, from both philosophical and psychological perspectives. The course will cover such topics as animal communication, reference, the nature of meaning, and the biological basis of language.
An in-depth study of a single outstanding philosopher, chosen by the instructor. The focus of the course will be announced when the course is scheduled.
An analysis of the concept of language in both the works of philosophers and the works of linguists. The course looks into theories of linguistic meaning, sentence structure, speech acts, and the assumptions underlying research in modern linguistics.
This course draws upon two or more widely different traditions in considering one or more topics of philosophical interest. Usually, the course will include both Western and non-Western sources. The course may be organized around a given philosophical issue or may compare and contrast two or more thinkers from the relevant traditions.
Examination of different conceptions of legitimate political authority; includes discussion of ideas of social justice, natural rights, sovereignty.
A systematic examination of contemporary Social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, war, environmental destruction, poverty, terrorism, and sexual morality.
Metaphysics.
Through an analysis of the concepts of explanation, theory, hypothesis, experiment, and observation, this course seeks an understanding of how the growth of scientific knowledge is possible.
An examination of the conception of "mind" as opposed to body implications for psychology, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience.
An examination of the methods and theories of the social sciences, especially sociology and anthropology, and their relationships to the natural sciences.
A history of interaction between science and philosophy showing how changing conceptions of metaphysics and scientific method have influenced the development of Renaissance astronomy, nineteenth century atomic theory, ether theories, theories of geological and biological change, etc.
This course will consider questions such as: What role should values play in scientific inquiry? Should scientists consider only epistemic or cognitive values, or should they also take into account social and cultural values? Could science be objective and make progress if it is shaped by social and cultural values?.
A study of the fundamental issues of moral philosophy.
An analysis of the concept of law and how it differs from custom, religion, and morality. The course looks into issues of judicial reasoning, the assumptions that underlie the criminal justice system and the imposition of liability, and legal ethics.
The philosophy of the fine arts, including an analysis of the concepts of beauty, representation, expression and the purpose of art.
Analysis of the philosophical foundations of the right of free speech within the American Constitution's framework. Topics include: the philosophical underpinnings of the right of free speech, judicial review under the Constitution, selected free speech issues such as libel, defamation, speech in the workplace, pornography, flag-burning, and others.
A study of the problems of moral and social responsibility for the engineering profession, including such topics as safety, confidentiality and government regulation.
A study of the moral problems architects must resolve in the practice of their profession, including problems of confidentiality, candor, esthetics, and economy arising from the special responsibilities of architects to and public, client, employer, and colleagues.
Ethical issues relating to individual and corporate responsibility, self and governmental regulation, investment, advertising, urban problems, the environment, preferential hiring.
Moral problems that confront professionals in computer-related fields, including questions raised by the concept of intellectual property and its relationship to computer software, professional codes of ethics for computer use, responsibility for harm resulting from the misuse of computers.
This course focuses on the examination of ethical problems associated with computer technology and computer science. The course is conducted within the framework of philosophical ethical theories, policy and regulative issues are also discussed. The course focuses on fostering ethical decision-making when dealing with issues pertaining to privacy and confidentiality, cyber security, cybercrime, professional codes and responsibilities, intellectual property, and the impact of computers on society in general. In order to understand the vast implications of computing, students will analyze ethical dilemmas from historical and current events including, but not limited to, issues raised by AI, robots, cyborgs, and neurotechnology.
This course explores ethical and legal issues concerning communication in diverse contexts, such as: the mass media - e.g. print, broadcast, and electronic; government and politics; organizational hierarchies - e.g. public and private sector workplaces; academic life - e.g. the classroom, student, and faculty affairs; and interpersonal relations - e.g. love, friendship, marriage.
An investigation into a topic of current interest in philosophy; which will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
In the course, we will discuss philosophical and ethical questions related to artificial intelligence (AI) and reflect about possible future developments. The course gives an introduction to the way ethical arguments, concepts and principles are used in debates relating to AI and robots. Topics to be discussed include: What is artificial intelligence? What is the role of algorithmic bias in hiring processes and facial recognition? What would it mean for AI to have capabilities like sentience, emotions, consciousness, or a mind? What are good rules for decision-making in self-driving cars? How do we perceive and talk about AI and robots? What is the moral and legal status of robots?.
How should researchers and society proceed with gene editing technologies, stem cell research, neurotechnology, human enhancement, and the challenges of climate change? In this course we will investigate ethical aspects and social implications of recent developments in the life sciences, biomedical engineering and biomedicine. The course gives an introduction to ethical theories, concepts and principles and the way ethical arguments are used in current debates relating to science and technology.
Supervised individual research for advanced students. Instructor permission required.
Supervised individual research for advanced students. **Instructor permission required.**