PHIL 216
Philosophy of Animals
Spring 2018
Division II
Writing Skills
Cross-listed
ENVI 216
This is not the current course catalog
Class Details
Animals are and always have been part of human life. To name just a few: We treat animals as companions, as food, as objects of wonder in the wild, as resources to be harvested, as testing grounds for science, and as religious sacrifice. The abstract philosophical question before us is, what are animals such that they can be all these things? In this course we aim to engage that abstract question through two more focused projects. Firstly, we will try to understand the mental lives of non-human animals. Secondly, we will try to make sense of the moral dimensions of our relationship to animals. Throughout we will to fuse a rigorous scientific perspective with more humanistic themes and philosophical inquiry. Topics include sentience, animal cognition, language in non-human animals, empathy and evolution, the history of domestication, animal rights, cross-cultural views on animals, arguments against and for vegetarianism and veganism, the morality of zoos, hunting and fishing, and pets and happiness.
The Class:
Format: seminar
Limit: 19
Expected: 19
Class#: 3385
Grading: no pass/fail option, no fifth course option
Limit: 19
Expected: 19
Class#: 3385
Grading: no pass/fail option, no fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation:
four 4- to 5-page papers and one 10- to 12-page final paper
Extra Info:
may not be taken on a pass/fail basis; not available for the fifth course option
Prerequisites:
none
Enrollment Preferences:
students with at least one previous philosophy course; there is no need to email the professor in advance to indicate interest in the course
Unit Notes:
meets Contemporary Metaphysics & Epistemology requirement only if registration is under PHIL
Distributions:
Division II
Writing Skills
Notes:
This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
ENVI 216 Division II PHIL 216 Division II
ENVI 216 Division II PHIL 216 Division II
Attributes:
COGS Interdepartmental Electives
PHIL Contemp Metaphysics + Epistemology Courses
PHIL Contemp Metaphysics + Epistemology Courses
Class Grid
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PHIL 216 - 01 (S) SEM Philosophy of Animals
PHIL 216 - 01 (S) SEM Philosophy of AnimalsDivision II Writing SkillsTR 11:20 am - 12:35 pm
Hopkins Hall 400 (Rogers Room)3385
Megamenu Social