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Department of Philosophy   Northern Illinois University

Course Offerings: Fall 2008

PHILOSOPHY 101: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

TUESDAY, THURSDAY
SECTION 5, 12:30 - 1:45 P.M.

PROFESSOR MICHAEL GELVEN

REQUIRED TEXTS
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy
Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics
Heidegger, Introduction to Metaphysics

COURSE CONTENT
There are certain questions which rank as enduring and all-important, and philosophy reflects critically on what they mean. These philosophical questions include: what is knowledge? Are we free? Is there a God? Are we both mind and body, and if so, how do these two relate? What ought we to do? What is beauty? This introduction to philosophy considers these questions both directly and by reading philosophical texts.

There will be an exam after each of these three texts have been read. Participation in the discussion will be required.

COURSE FORMAT
The course is a lecture-cum-discussion with three exams and many brief quizzes.