PL 201 - Foundations of Philosophy

(3.00 cr.)

The first half of a yearlong, two semester introduction to philosophical questioning. Special attention is paid to the origins of philosophy, both with respect to its historical beginnings and its central themes, in the ancient world. Four focal points are: the emergence and development of the distinction between reality and appearance [metaphysics]; questions concerning the grounds for distinguishing between knowledge and opinion [epistemology]; the nature and status of values (ethical, aesthetic, religious, etc.) within the larger framework of human understanding [axiology]; and reflections on the nature of the human as such, or on the human condition [philosophical anthropology].