Philosophy Through Film
This course is a general introduction to philosophy for students who may or may not be interested in taking any further philosophy classes. It will use the uniquely vivid and compelling medium of film to introduce students to important philosophical questions about such things as personal identity, consciousness, ethics and morality, freewill and determinism, the limits of knowledge, time travel, and the possibility of intelligent machines. Readings that explore the topics introduced through the assigned films will be drawn from a range of authors from both Western and non-Western philosophical traditions. Students' ability to think critically and creatively will be developed through the exploration of proposed answers to various philosophical questions with an emphasis on how to evaluate the reasons given in support of and in opposition to proposed answers.