Courses

This course is intended for students with professional interest in the social and ethical implications of AI. Topics include theoretical issues (could AI ever have moral rights?), practical issues (algorithmic bias, labour automation, data privacy), and professional issues (tech industry social responsibility).

This course is intended for students with professional interest in the social and ethical implications of AI. Topics include theoretical issues (could AI ever have moral rights?), practical issues (algorithmic bias, labour automation, data privacy), and professional issues (tech industry social responsibility).

Offers an advanced survey of some central themes in contemporary theoretical philosophy. It is designed to ensure that students have sufficient background to pursue graduate-level research in theses areas.

Provides a forum for further discussion of the central themes in contemporary theoretical philosophy. It is designed to prepare students to write the comprehensive examination in theoretical philosophy.

Offers an advanced survey of some central themes in contemporary practical philosophy. It is designed to ensure that students have sufficient background to pursue graduate-level research in these areas.

Provides a forum for further discussion of the central themes in contemporary practical philosophy. It is designed to prepare students to write the comprehensive examination in practical philosophy.

Candidates must develop a major research paper out of work done in the Research Seminar and one or possibly two other courses. Two readers will be appointed by the Graduate Programme Director, in consultation with the student, to evaluate the Major Research Paper.

Candidates must develop a major research paper out of work done in the Research Seminar and one or possibly two other courses. Two readers will be appointed by the Graduate Programme Director, in consultation with the student, to evaluate the Major Research Paper.

In special circumstances, students may take, for credit and in place of regular seminar courses, a reading course directed by a member of the faculty, which should consist of individual tutorial sessions at least once a month. Students must present sufficient written work to form a basis for discussions and for assessment of progress. Directed reading courses are intended to enable students to pursue a research interest not covered by any of the seminar courses offered in that year; to enable them to explore an unfamiliar topic with a view to making it the topic of the thesis or dissertation; or to fill a gap in their knowledge which might impede their special research. M.A. students may not substitute more than one, or Ph.D. students more than two directed readings for regular seminar courses. Directed reading courses are given ex gratia by members of the faculty and the approval of the Program Director must be obtained in advance. This will not normally be given unless the Director is satisfied that the student has the appropriate background to pursue the course at a suitably advanced level.

This course focuses on one or more of the central problems in the philosophy of mind. Topics may include: the metaphysics of mind, mental causation, intentionality, belief, consciousness, qualia and propositional attitudes.

This course focuses on one or more of the major problems in the philosophy of psychology, such as the following: intentionality, psychological explanation, methodology of psychology, theory of mind, folk psychology, mental representation, animal minds, consciousness and self-consciousness, the self, emotions, philosophy of psychiatry, and moral psychology.

This course examines one or more issues in the philosophy of action. Topics may include: the metaphysics of action, the relation between reasons and causes, deviant causal chains, and the possibility of a scientific psychology.

This course focuses on recent developments in metaethics. Topics may include: the relation between morality and motivation, the relation between morality and reason, the meaning of moral judgements, moral metaphysics, and moral epistemology.

This course focuses on one or more major problems in political philosophy, including, but not limited to, the problem of justice, equality, the authority of the state, the rights of individuals, the nature of citizenship, the ownership of property, the problem of freedom, the redistribution of wealth, and the nature of social contracts.

For Philosophy to prosper, Descartes speaks of the need of philosophy to emulate geometry, and Hume talks of the need of philosophy to emulate Newtonian physics. These respective claims are misleading, inasmuch as their methodologies, in fact, vary, according to the work and topic. With Descartes, we focus on his Regulae and Meditations; with Hume, his Treatise of Human Nature and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion.

This course is required of all first-year PhD students. It is designed to familiarize them with the Graduate Program in Philosophy and to impart the skills needed to complete the PhD.

This course is required of all third-year PhD students. It is designed to help them complete the Two Paper Exam and write their dissertation proposal.