Spring 2024 Courses

The following courses are offered during the Spring 2024 semester. Please view the Moravian University Course Catalog for a complete listing of the Philosophy Department course offerings.

Spring 2024 Schedule

200-Level Courses

PHIL 230 A: Advanced Topics: Ethics of Abortion

This course analyzes the ethical issue of abortion through examination of philosophical pro-life and pro-choice arguments from a variety of perspectives. Our philosophical/ethical investigation includes address of abortion and public reproductive health, abortion in a changing legal justice landscape in the U.S., and the intersection of abortion and religious ideas and values. Students may not take PHIL 230 and PHIL 330. There is no prerequisite for the 200-level. Prerequisite for the 300-level: two 200-level philosophy courses and Junior/Senior Standing (U2). Open to juniors and seniors only. Denton-Borhaug.

PHIL 250 A: Environmental Ethics 

This course examines contemporary environmental ethical issues that arise in understanding humanity's complex relationship with the natural world. The course will explore environmental ethics from a wide range of philosophical and theological methods and perspectives. (U2) Fall, Alternate Year. Naraghi.

PHIL 253 A: Philosophy of Religion

A philosophical examination of nature of religion and beliefs concerned with the existence, nature, and knowledge of God, with alternative positions to theism. (U2) Fall, Alternate Year. Open to juniors and seniors only. Naraghi.

PHIL 265 A: Feminist Philosophy

Feminist writings on questions such as: How do the legacies of gender inequality persist today? What would gender justice look like? Is there such a thing as a gender-neutral point of view? How do gender, race, class, and sexuality relate? Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy or women's studies, or permission of instructor. Open to juniors and seniors only. (U2) Moeller

PHIL 281 A and PHIL 281 C: Topics in Ethics: Calling Bullshit

Many say that if we know better, we can do better. However, how can we learn to know better today? How can we separate fact from fiction when the very notion of "facts" has been undermined? In the 21 st - century critical thinking and careful attention are diminishing. This digital age offers falsehoods, manipulations, trickery, injustice, bad ideology, "dog whistles," dostorting language, propaganda, and "bullshit." Bergstrom and West define "bullshit" as the use of "statistical figures, data graphics, and other forms of presentation intended to persuade by impressing and overwhelming a reader or listener, with a blatant disregard for truth and logical coherence." We will develop skills and abilities to identify, analyze, and confront bullshit (as well as other distorting phenomena), and how to fight it through clear, critical reasoning. We will investigate how such critical thinking can contribute to ethical living - at individual and collective levels. This course is developed from Carol T. Bergstrom and Jevin West's university course "Calling Bullshit: Data Reasoning in a Digital World." Course assessments will include quizzes, exams, and essays. (Repeatable) (M3) Moeller 

300-Level Courses

PHIL 330 A: Advanced Topics: Ethics of Abortion

This course analyzes the ethical issue of abortion through examination of philosophical pro-life and pro-choice arguments from a variety of perspectives. Our philosophical/ethical investigation includes address of abortion and public reproductive health, abortion in a changing legal justice landscape in the U.S., and the intersection of abortion and religious ideas and values. Students may not take PHIL 230 and PHIL 330. There is no prerequisite for the 200-level. Prerequisite for the 300-level: two 200-level philosophy courses and Junior/Senior Standing (U2). Open to juniors and seniors only. Denton-Borhaug.