Philosopher Course

Lesson 1 • Reading and Analyzing Primary Texts

Develops skills for close reading of philosophical prose and argument reconstruction. Prepares students to engage original sources throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Socratic Origins of Thought

Traces the shift from mythological to rational explanation among early Greek thinkers. Introduces the concept of arche and naturalistic inquiry.

Lesson 3 • What Philosophy Is and Does

Defines philosophy by distinguishing it from science, religion, and opinion. Establishes the conceptual baseline needed for every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 1 • Deductive Reasoning Fundamentals

Covers propositional logic, syllogisms, and validity conditions. Provides the formal backbone for evaluating philosophical arguments encountered later.

Lesson 2 • Informal Fallacies and Rhetoric

Catalogs common fallacies that undermine philosophical discourse. Trains students to detect and name errors in reasoning within texts and debates.

Lesson 3 • Constructing Philosophical Essays

Applies logical skills to written philosophical argumentation. Students produce clear, well-structured arguments that meet academic philosophical standards.

Lesson 1 • Rationalism and Empiricism

Contrasts Descartes' rationalist method with Locke and Hume's empiricist accounts of idea formation. Traces how this debate shapes modern epistemology.

Lesson 2 • Skepticism and Its Responses

Analyzes radical skeptical scenarios and major philosophical responses. Develops students' ability to evaluate the scope and limits of doubt.

Lesson 3 • Classical Theories of Knowledge

Introduces the tripartite definition of knowledge and Gettier's challenge to it. Sets the problem space that all subsequent epistemological theories address.

Lesson 1 • Free Will and Determinism

Maps the compatibilist, incompatibilist, and libertarian positions on freedom and causation. Prepares students for applied ethical debates about moral responsibility.

Lesson 2 • Time, Space, and Ontology

Addresses the metaphysics of time's passage, the nature of space, and ontological commitment. Introduces students to analytic ontology methods.

Lesson 3 • Causation and Necessity

Analyzes competing accounts of causal relations and modal necessity. Equips students to evaluate arguments in philosophy of science and ethics.

Lesson 4 • Personal Identity and Persistence

Explores what makes a person the same individual over time. Connects to ethical questions about responsibility, memory, and moral status.

Lesson 1 • Virtue Ethics and Character

Explores Aristotelian eudaimonia, virtues, and the role of practical wisdom. Positions character-based ethics as a complement to rule and outcome theories.

Lesson 2 • Applied Ethics Case Studies

Applies normative frameworks to contested moral issues in professional and public life. Develops students' capacity to reason carefully under real-world moral complexity.

Lesson 3 • Metaethics: The Status of Moral Claims

Investigates whether moral facts exist and how moral language functions. Provides the theoretical grounding for evaluating all normative ethical positions.

Lesson 4 • Consequentialist Theories

Examines utilitarianism and its variants, focusing on how outcomes determine moral worth. Connects theoretical foundations to practical decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Functionalism and Behaviorism

Analyzes mental states defined by causal roles rather than physical constitution. Connects to debates about artificial intelligence and multiple realizability.

Lesson 2 • The Mind-Body Problem

Introduces Cartesian dualism and the interaction problem it generates. Frames the central challenge that all philosophy of mind theories must address.

Lesson 3 • Intentionality and Mental Content

Explores how mental states represent the world and what determines their content. Bridges philosophy of mind with philosophy of language.

Lesson 1 • Global Justice and Cosmopolitanism

Extends justice theory beyond the nation-state to global obligations and human rights. Prepares students to engage international ethical debates philosophically.

Lesson 2 • Theories of Justice

Examines Rawls' veil of ignorance and Nozick's libertarian critique. Develops students' ability to evaluate distributive principles systematically.

Lesson 3 • Social Contract Traditions

Compares Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau on the origins and limits of political authority. Establishes the contractarian framework used in contemporary political philosophy.

Lesson 1 • Continental Philosophical Traditions

Introduces phenomenology, existentialism, and critical theory as alternatives to analytic approaches. Broadens students' methodological repertoire for philosophical inquiry.

Lesson 2 • Philosophical Dialogue and Debate

Practices structured oral philosophical exchange using Socratic and seminar formats. Develops the collaborative reasoning skills essential to professional philosophical practice.

Lesson 3 • Philosophy of Language

Examines meaning, reference, and truth conditions in natural language. Connects linguistic analysis to metaphysical and epistemological debates from earlier chapters.

Lesson 4 • Developing an Original Philosophical Position

Guides students through formulating, defending, and refining an original philosophical thesis. Synthesizes all prior course content into independent scholarly work.