This course is a general introduction to philosophy for students who have never studied the subject. We will introduce the subject of philosophy and its major subfields, discuss philosophical methods, including basic concepts of logic and critical thinking, and then examine a selection of prominent questions in metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy. The course will include readings from both the Western and Chinese philosophical traditions.
Course Units:
1. Introduction: What is philosophy?
2. A philosopher’s toolkit
3. If God exists, why do bad things happen?
4. Do we control our own actions?
5. Why be moral?
6. What is right or wrong?
7. Can political authority be justified?