Discovery-focused
24.93 The Search for Meaning
  ( )
(Subject meets with 24.A03)
Prereq: None
Units: 1-0-1 [P/D/F]
"We create islands of meaning in the sea of information" (Freeman Dyson). Primarily explores meanings conveyed through language, with an emphasis on concepts and tools from linguistics. Also brings in ideas from information theory, cryptography, logic, psychology, anthropology, computer science, philosophy, and literature. Topics include human language and its core properties, writing systems, auxiliary systems (talking drums, whistled languages), animal communication systems, the interplay of language and thought, the social dimensions of meaning, the unreasonable effectiveness of cursing, and much more. Includes some reading and thinking outside class, but no problem sets or papers. Subject can count toward the 6-unit discovery-focused credit limit for first-year students.
K. von Fintel
Philosophy
Undergraduate Subjects
24.00 Problems of Philosophy
( )  
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Introduction to the problems of philosophy- in particular, to problems in ethics, metaphysics, theory of knowledge, and philosophy of logic, language, and science. A systematic rather than historical approach. Readings from classical and contemporary sources, but emphasis is on examination and evaluation of proposed solutions to the problems.
A. Byrne
24.01 Classics of Western Philosophy
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
 Lecture: TR11 (32-141) Recitation: F10 (26-142) or F11 (26-142) or F12 (26-142)
Introduction to Western philosophical tradition through the study of selected major thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Lucretius, Descartes, Hobbes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche and Marx. Emphasis on changes of intellectual outlook over time, and the complex interplay of scientific, religious and political concerns that influence the development of philosophical ideas.
B. Brasher
No textbook information available
24.013 Philosophy and the Arts
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Explores philosophical questions about art in general, and about the particular arts, such as literature and music. Measures the answers philosophers have proposed to these questions against our own experiences with the arts. Readings include short works of literature. Includes a museum visit with no charge to students.
Staff
24.02 Moral Problems and the Good Life
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW11 (32-141) Recitation: F10 (56-167) or F11 (56-167, 56-191) or F12 (56-167)
Introduction to important philosophical debates about moral issues and what constitutes a good life: What is right, what is wrong, and why? How important are personal happiness, longevity, and success if one is to live a good life? When is it good for you to get what you want? To what extent are we morally obliged to respect the rights and needs of others? What do we owe the poor, the discriminated, our loved ones, animals and fetuses?
K. Setiya
No textbook information available
24.03 Good Food: The Ethics and Politics of Food
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Explores the values (aesthetic, moral, cultural, religious, prudential, political) expressed in the choices of food people eat. Analyzes the decisions individuals make about what to eat, how society should manage food production and consumption collectively, and how reflection on food choices might help resolve conflicts between different values.
S. Haslanger
24.04[J] Justice
()
(Same subject as 17.01[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Provides an introduction to contemporary political thought centered around the ideal of justice and the realities of injustice. Examines what a just society might look like and how we should understand various forms of oppression and domination. Studies three theories of justice (utilitarianism, libertarianism, and egalitarian liberalism) and brings them into conversation with other traditions of political thought (critical theory, communitarianism, republicanism, and post-structuralism). Readings cover foundational debates about equality, freedom, recognition, and power.
B. Zacka
24.05 Philosophy of Religion
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Uses key questions in the philosophy of religion to introduce tools of contemporary philosophy. Explores what defines a god, the possibility of the existence of gods, the potential conflict between religion and science, whether morality requires a divine author, and religious tolerance.
J. Spencer
24.06[J] Bioethics
 ()
(Same subject as STS.006[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://philosophy.mit.edu/subjects/
Lecture: WF11 (1-190) Recitation: F12 (66-156, 56-180) or F1 (56-191, 56-180) or F2 (56-162, 56-180)
Considers ethical questions that have arisen from the growth of biomedical research and the health-care industry since World War II. Should doctors be allowed to help patients end their lives? If so, when and how? Should embryos be cloned for research and/or reproduction? Should parents be given control over the genetic make-up of their children? What types of living things are appropriate to use as research subjects? How should we distribute scarce and expensive medical resources? Draws on philosophy, history, and anthropology to show how problems in bioethics can be approached from a variety of perspectives.
R. Scheffler, M. Masny
No textbook information available
24.08[J] Philosophical Issues in Brain Science
()
(Same subject as 9.48[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
An introduction to some central philosophical questions about the mind, specifically those intimately connected with contemporary psychology and neuroscience. Discussions focus on arguments over innate concepts; 'mental images' as pictures in the head; whether color is in the mind or in the world; and whether there can be a science of consciousness. Explains the relevant parts of psychology and neuroscience as the subject proceeds.
Staff
24.09 Minds and Machines
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Introduction to philosophy of mind. Can computers think? Is the mind an immaterial thing? Alternatively, is the mind the brain? How can creatures like ourselves think thoughts that are about things? Can I know whether your experiences are the same as mine when we both look at raspberries, fire trucks, and stoplights? Can consciousness be given a scientific explanation?
M. Michel
24.111 Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Quantum mechanics is said to describe a world in which physical objects often lack "definite" properties, indeterminism creeps in at the point of "observation," ordinary logic does not apply, and distant events are perfectly yet inexplicably correlated. Examination of these and other issues central to the philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics, with special attention to the measurement problem, no-hidden-variables proofs, and Bell's Inequalities. Rigorous approach to the subject matter nevertheless neither presupposes nor requires the development of detailed technical knowledge of the quantum theory.
Staff
24.116 Philosophy of Statistics
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Studies how to evaluate statistical hypotheses. Critically considers several prominent approaches, including frequentism (with its null hypotheses, test statistics, p-values), likelihoodism (with its likelihood ratios and relative support) and Bayesianism (with its priors, conditionalization, utilities). Focuses on foundations, not technicalities. Previous exposure to statistics will be helpful but isn't required.
Staff
24.118 Paradox and Infinity
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Presents highlights of the more technical side of philosophy. Studies a cluster of puzzles, paradoxes, and intellectual wonders - from the higher infinite to Godel's Theorem - and discusses their philosophical implications. Recommended prerequisites: 6.100A, 18.01. Enrollment limited.
Staff
24.121 Metaphysics
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Study of basic metaphysical issues concerning existence, the mind-body problem, personal identity, and causation plus its implications for freedom. Classical as well as contemporary readings. Provides practice in written and oral communication.
Staff
24.122[J] Knowledge, Opinion, and Truth
()
(Same subject as CC.118[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Seminar subject in political philosophy. Examines what it means for something to be true, how the truth is connected to what we mean by knowledge, and the difference between knowledge and opinion. Students engage in a close reading and discussion of Plato's three epistemological works. Taught as guided discussions of texts and student papers. Preference to students in Concourse.
Staff
24.130 Ethics
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Survey of moral philosophy in the Western tradition, focusing primarily on utilitarian, Kantian, and Aristotelian moral theories, along with selected criticisms of those theories. Explores the questions of what makes right actions right and wrong actions wrong, what a good life consists of, what it takes to be a virtuous person, and what it means to be free and responsible for one's actions. Debates why these ideas are important. Aim is to understand how some of the most influential philosophers have addressed these questions, and by so doing, to better understand and formulate one's own views. Readings from classic and contemporary authors, including Aristotle, Bentham, Kant, Rawls, Nagel, and Korsgaard. Enrollment limited.
T. Schapiro
24.131 Ethics of Technology
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Introduces the tools of philosophical ethics through application to contemporary issues concerning technology. Takes up current debates on topics such as privacy and surveillance, algorithmic bias, the promise and peril of artificial intelligence, automation and the future of work, and threats to democracy in the digital age from the perspective of users, practitioners, and regulatory/governing bodies.
K. Mills, K. Nader
24.132 Workshop in Ethical Engineering
( )
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: None
Units: 2-0-1
Students study and apply a protocol for identifying and addressing ethical issues in a computer science, software development, or other engineering project. Builds a vocabulary to advocate for and justify ethical decisions in engineering contexts. For the final project, students either apply the protocol to a project they are working on, or develop their own protocol.
Staff
24.133 Experiential Ethics
(, ); partial term
(Subject meets with 24.134)
Prereq: None
Units: 1-0-2
URL: https://experientialethics.mit.edu/
TBA.
Examines the ethical context around students' summer internships, research, and other experiential learning activities. During the summer and through the first four weeks of the fall term, students engage in small group discussions of applied ethical practices and case studies. Throughout the subject, they explore their own moral values through a reflective final project that examines their engagement with ethics during their summer experience. Includes local field trips, practitioner interviews, and/or similar opportunities for interaction with professional ethics. Concludes with a showcase of final presentations. Meets with 24.134, a 6-unit version which includes additional class time, assignments, theoretical content, and in-depth engagement. Students planning to take this subject must apply in the spring; consult program website for details.
Fall: Staff
Spring: Staff
No required or recommended textbooks
24.134 Experiential Ethics
(, ); partial term
(Subject meets with 24.133)
Prereq: None
Units: 2-0-4
TBA.
Examines the ethical context around students' summer internships, research, and other experiential learning activities. During the summer and beginning of fall term, students engage in small group discussions of applied ethical problems. Includes an independent project and opportunities for interaction with professional ethics. Meets with 24.133 but includes additional class time, assignments, theoretical content, and in-depth engagement. Students planning to take this subject must apply in the spring; consult program website for details.
Staff
No textbook information available
24.137[J] Feminist Thought
()
(Same subject as 17.007[J], WGS.301[J])
(Subject meets with 17.006[J], 24.637[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR2.30-4 (5-234)
Analyzes theories of gender and politics, especially ideologies of gender and their construction; definitions of public and private spheres; gender issues in citizenship, the development of the welfare state, experiences of war and revolution, class formation, and the politics of sexuality. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.
Arain, Hafsa
No textbook information available
24.141 Logic I
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR9.30-11 (32-124) +final
Introduction to the aims and techniques of formal logic. The logic of truth functions and quantifiers. The concepts of validity and truth and their relation to formal deduction. Applications of logic and the place of logic in philosophy.
B. Brast-McKie
No required or recommended textbooks
24.150[J] Liberalism, Toleration, and Freedom of Speech
()
(Same subject as 17.043[J], CMS.125[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Examines theories and principles that underlie the concept of free speech in the United States, the historical context in which the values of free speech and toleration emerged, and the philosophical arguments that were and are made for and against them. Students analyze a variety of contexts and communicative practices, including new media technologies, to debate how "speech" can be described and when it should be appropriately regulated. Considers current disputes over free speech on college campuses.
A. Byrne, B. Skow
24.C40[J] Ethics of Computing
(New)
()
(Same subject as 6.C40[J])
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR10 (32-155) Recitation: F10 (56-180, 66-156) or F11 (56-180) or F12 (66-160, 8-119)
Explores ethical questions raised by the potentially transformative power of computing technologies. Topics include: lessons from the history of transformative technologies; the status of property and privacy rights in the digital realm; effective accelerationism, AI alignment, and existential risk; algorithmic bias and algorithmic fairness; and free speech, disinformation, and polarization on online platforms.
Staff
No textbook information available
24.200 Ancient Philosophy
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: One Philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Investigates the origins of Western philosophy in ancient Greece. Aims both to understand the philosophical questions the Greeks were asking on their own terms, and to assess their answers to them. Examines how a human being can lead a good life, the relationship between morality and happiness, our knowledge of the world around us, and the entities we need to appeal to in order to explain that world. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.201 Topics in the History of Philosophy
() 
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Close examination of a text, an author, or a theme in the history of philosophy. Can be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor and advisor. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
T. Schapiro
24.211 Theory of Knowledge
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR9.30-11 (56-162)
Study of problems concerning our concept of knowledge, our knowledge of the past, our knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of ourselves and others, and our knowledge of the existence and properties of physical objects in our immediate environment. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
R. White, J. Pearson
No textbook information available
24.212 Philosophy of Perception
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW2.30-4 (4-261)
In-depth examination of philosophical issues concerning perception, such as whether we see mind-independent physical objects or, alternatively, mind-dependent representations; whether perception is a source of theory-neutral observations or is affected by the perceiver's beliefs in a way that compromises the objectivity of science. Readings primarily drawn from contemporary literature in both philosophy and psychology. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
J. Heine
No textbook information available
24.213 Philosophy of Film
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Explores the philosophical analysis of cinematic art. Topics may include the nature of film, authorship, interpretation, ethical, narration, metaphor, meta-criticism, political and emotional engagement with the cinematic experience. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
J. Khoo
24.215 Topics in the Philosophy of Science
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject
Units: 3-0-9
Close examination of a small number of issues central to recent philosophy of science, such as the demarcation problem, causal relations, laws of nature, underdetermination of theory by data, paradoxes of confirmation, scientific realism, the role of mathematics in science, elimination of bias, and the objectivity of scientific discourse. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.220 Moral Psychology
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
An examination of philosophical theories of action and motivation in the light of empirical findings from social psychology, sociology and neuroscience. Topics include belief, desire, and moral motivation; sympathy and empathy; intentions and other committing states; strength of will and weakness of will; free will; addiction and compulsion; guilt, shame and regret; evil; self-knowledge and self-deception; virtues and character traits. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
T. Schapiro
24.222 Decisions, Games and Rational Choice
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Foundations and philosophical applications of Bayesian decision theory, game theory and theory of collective choice. Why should degrees of belief be probabilities? Is it always rational to maximize expected utility? If so, why and what is its utility? What is a solution to a game? What does a game-theoretic solution concept such as Nash equilibrium say about how rational players will, or should, act in a game? How are the values and the actions of groups, institutions and societies related to the values and actions of the individuals that constitute them? Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.223 Rationality
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR2.30-4 (35-308)
Provides the tools for thinking through the tension of empirical work that suggests humans are surprisingly irrational and other work that suggests humans are exquisitely rational. Doing so requires combining both normative and descriptive methods: the need to know how ideally rational agents <em>would</em> reason, as well as how real people <em>do</em> reason. The first half of the term is spent learning the details of how to work with the canonical (Bayesian) theory of rationality; it is blackboard- and problem-set based. The second half of the term is spent applying this theory to work out the proper interpretation of a variety of empirical results that have been taken to demonstrate human irrationality, such as hindsight bias, motivated reasoning, the gambler's fallacy, the sunk-cost fallacy, conformity, and polarization. Subject is paper- and discussion-based. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
K. Dorst
Textbooks (Fall 2024)
24.230 Meta-ethics
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://philosophy.mit.edu/subjects/
Considers a range of philosophical questions about the foundations of morality, such as whether and in what sense morality is objective, the nature of moral discourse, and how we can come to know right from wrong. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
J. Khoo
24.233 The Ethics of Climate Change
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Deals with ethical questions raised by the way in which our climate is changing as a result of fossil fuel consumption. Explores the moral problems raised by these effects, the obligations of individuals and governments, the difficulties involved in dealing with uncertainty, catastrophe, and the ethics of future generations. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.234 Global Justice, Gender, and Development
()
(Subject meets with 24.634)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: W9.30-12.30 (N51-310)
Addresses challenges in working towards global justice including poverty, food and water insecurity, healthcare disparities, human rights violations, violence and dislocation, and environmental risk. Focuses on gender and identity, locating the root causes of inequality within cultural, political and economic contexts. Designed to give a framework to understand gender dynamics. Teaches how to integrate gender sensitive strategies into development work. Classes, readings, and final projects illustrate how design and implementation of international development strategies can provide capacity building and income generation opportunities. Meets with EC.718 when offered concurrently. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 20 total for versions meeting together.
S. Haslanger
No textbook information available
24.235[J] Philosophy of Law
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
(Same subject as 17.021[J])
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Examines fundamental issues in philosophy of law, such as the nature and limits of law and a legal system, and the relation of law to morality, with particular emphasis on the philosophical issues and problems associated with privacy, liberty, justice, punishment, and responsibility. Historical and contemporary readings, including court cases. Instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.236 Topics in Social Theory and Practice
()
(Subject meets with 24.636)
Prereq: One philsophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
An in-depth consideration of a topic in social theory with reflection on its implications for social change. Examples of topics include race and racism; punishment and prison reform; global justice and human rights; gender and global care chains; environmentalism and industrial agriculture; bioethics, disability, and human enhancement; capitalism and commodification; and sexuality and the family. Readings draw from both social science and philosophy with special attention to the normative literature relevant to the issue. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
S. Haslanger
24.240[J] Literature and Philosophy
()
(Same subject as 21L.452[J])
Prereq: One philosophy subject
Units: 3-0-9
Highlights interactions between literary and philosophical texts, asking how philosophical themes can be explored in fiction, poetry, and drama. Exposes students to diverse modes of humanistic thought, interpretation, and argument, putting the tools and ideas of philosophy into conversation with those of the literary humanities. Students engage closely with selected literary and philosophical texts, explore selected topics in philosophy - such as ethics, epistemology, and aesthetics - through a literary lens, and participate in class discussion with peers and professors. Enrollment limited.
M. Gubar, K. Setiya
24.242 Logic II
()
Prereq: 24.141 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
The central results of modern logic: the completeness of predicate logic, recursive functions, the incompleteness of arithmetic, the unprovability of consistency, the indefinability of truth, Skolem-Löwenheim theorems, and nonstandard models. Enrollment may be limited.
Staff
24.243 Classical Set Theory
()
Prereq: 24.141 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Introduction to the basic concepts and results of standard, i.e., Zermelo-Fraenkel, set theory, the axioms of ZF, ordinal and cardinal arithmetic, the structure of the set-theoretic universe, the axiom of choice, the (generalized) continuum hypothesis, inaccessibles, and beyond. Enrollment may be limited.
Staff
24.244 Modal Logic
()
Prereq: 24.141
Units: 3-0-9
Sentential and quantified modal logic, with emphasis on the model theory ("possible worlds semantics"). Soundness, completeness, and characterization results for alternative systems. Tense and dynamic logics, epistemic logics, as well as logics of necessity and possibility. Applications in philosophy, theoretical computer science, and linguistics. Enrollment may be limited.
R. Stalnaker
24.245 Theory of Models
()
Prereq: 24.141 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Studies fundamental results in the model theory of the first-order predicate calculus. Includes completeness, compactness, Löwenheim-Skolem, omitting types, ultraproducts, and categoricity in a cardinal, starting with Tarski's definition of logical consequence, in terms of truth in a model. Enrollment may be limited.
Staff
24.251 Introduction to Philosophy of Language
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR11-12.30 (56-162)
Examines views on the nature of meaning, reference, and truth, and their bearing on the use of language in communication. No knowledge of logic or linguistics presupposed. Instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
D. Balcarras
No required or recommended textbooks
24.252 Language and Power
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Explores topics at the intersection of philosophy of language and social/political philosophy. Topics may include linguistic harm, free speech, speech in non-cooperative contexts (lying, insincerity, antagonistic interlocutors), propaganda, pejoratives, and the relationship of language to features of the social world (race, gender, ideology). Instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
S. Berstler
24.253 Philosophy of Mathematics
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Philosophical issues about or related to mathematics, including the existence and nature of basic mathematical objects such as numbers and sets, how we can come to have knowledge of such objects, the status of mathematical truth, the relation of mathematics to logic, and whether classical logic can be called into question. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
Staff
24.260 Topics in Philosophy
()
Prereq: Two subjects in philosophy
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW1-2.30 (4-251)
Close examination of a single book, or group of related essays, with major significance in recent philosophy. Subject matter varies from year to year. Intended primarily for majors and minors in philosophy. Opportunities are provided for oral presentation. Students will be required to revise at least one paper in response to instructor's comments. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
C. Hare
No textbook information available
24.280 Foundations of Probability
()
Prereq: One philosophy subject or one subject on probability
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW11-12.30 (56-180)
Topics include probability puzzles, common fallacies in probabilistic reasoning, defenses and criticisms of Kolmogorov's axiomatization, interpretations of probability (including the frequency, logical, propensity, and various subjectivist interpretations), the relation of objective chance to rational subjective credence, conditional probability, rules for updating probability, and proposals for supplementing the probability calculus with further principles. Enrollment may be limited; preference to Course 24 majors and minors.
R. White
No textbook information available
24.292 Independent Study: Philosophy
()
Prereq: Any two subjects in philosophy
Units arranged
TBA.
Open to qualified students who wish to pursue special studies or projects. Students electing this subject must consult the undergraduate officer.
Staff
No required or recommended textbooks
24.293 Independent Study: Philosophy
()
Prereq: Any two subjects in philosophy
Units arranged
Open to qualified students who wish to pursue special studies or projects. Students electing this subject must consult the undergraduate officer.
Staff
24.S00 Special Subject: Philosophy
(, )
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Undergraduate subject that covers topics not offered in the regular curriculum. Consult department to learn of offerings for a particular term.
Fall: Staff
Spring: Staff
24.S20 Special Subject: Philosophy
(, )
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Undergraduate subject that covers topics not offered in the regular curriculum. Consult department to learn of offerings for a particular term.
Fall: Staff
Spring: Staff
24.UR Undergraduate Research
(, , ,  )
Prereq: None
Units arranged [P/D/F]
TBA.
Research opportunities in linguistics and philosophy. For further information, consult the departmental coordinators.
C. Graham
No required or recommended textbooks
24.URG Undergraduate Research
(, , , )
Prereq: None
Units arranged
TBA.
Research opportunities in linguistics and philosophy. For further information consult the departmental coordinators.
C. Graham
No required or recommended textbooks
Undergraduate Seminars
24.191 Being, Thinking, Doing (or Not): Ethics in Your Life
()
Prereq: None
Units: 2-0-4 [P/D/F]
Provides an opportunity to explore a wide range of ethical issues through guided discussions that are geared to equip students for ongoing reflection and action. Lectures and discussions with guest faculty, as well as attendance at on-and off-campus events, expose students to ethical problems and resources for addressing them. Encourages students to work collaboratively as they clarify their personal and vocational principles. Topics vary each term and will reflect the interests of those enrolled.
N. Collura, J. Pearson
24.192 Language, Information, and Power
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 2-0-4 [P/D/F]
Explores foundational issues about language and communication by investigating different ways language and its use affects various aspects of lived experience. Topics include speech act theory, lying, propaganda, censorship, expressions of knowledge, communication in non-cooperative contexts.
J. Khoo
Graduate Subjects
24.400 Proseminar in Philosophy I
 ()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 6-0-18 [P/D/F]
Lecture: MF10-1 (32-D831)
Advanced study of the basic problems of philosophy. Intended for first-year graduate students in philosophy.
A. Rayo, J. Spencer
No textbook information available
24.401 Proseminar in Philosophy II
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 6-0-18 [P/D/F]
Advanced study of the basic problems of philosophy. Intended for first-year graduate students in philosophy.
B. Skow, R. White
24.410 Topics in the History of Philosophy
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Intensive study of a philosopher or philosophical movement. Content varies from year to year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor and advisor.
T. Schapiro
24.420 Ancient Philosophy
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: W EVE (3-6 PM) (66-160)
Investigates the origins of Western philosophy in ancient Greece. Aims both to understand the philosophical questions the Greeks were asking on their own terms, and to assess their answers to them. Examines how a human being can lead a good life, the relationship between morality and happiness, our knowledge of the world around us, and the entities we need to appeal to in order to explain that world. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.
B. Brasher
No textbook information available
24.500 Topics in Philosophy of Mind
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Selected topics in philosophy of mind. Content varies from year to year. Topics may include consciousness, mental representation, perception, and mental causation.
A. Byrne
24.501 Problems in Metaphysics
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Systematic examination of selected problems in metaphysics. Content varies from year to year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor and advisor.
J. Spencer
24.502 Topics in Metaphysics and Ethics
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Systematic examination of selected problems concerning the relation between metaphysics and ethics, for example questions about personal identity and its relation to issues about fairness and distribution, or questions about the relation between causation and responsibility. Content may vary from year to year, and the subject may be taken repeatedly with the permission of the instructor and the student's advisor.
J. Khoo, T. Schapiro
24.503 Topics in Philosophy of Religion
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Selected topics in philosophy of religion. Content varies from year to year. Topics may include the traditional arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, the problem of evil, survival after death, God and ethics.
A. Byrne
24.504 Topics in Aesthetics
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Selected topics in aesthetics. Content varies from year to year. Topics may include the definition of art, the expression of emotion in music, the nature of depiction, the role of artists intentions in interpretation, and the relationship between moral and aesthetic value.
J. Khoo, B. Skow
24.601 Topics in Moral Philosophy
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Systematic examination of selected problems in moral philosophy. Content varies from year to year. Subject may be repeated only with permission of instructor and advisor.
C. Hare
24.602 Topics in the Philosophy of Agency
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: R2.30-4.30 (32-D769)
Systematic examination of selected problems in the theory of agency. Content varies from year to year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor and advisor.
T. Schapiro
No textbook information available
24.611[J] Political Philosophy
()
(Same subject as 17.000[J])
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Systematic examination of selected issues in political philosophy. Topic changes each year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor.
Staff
24.634 Global Justice, Gender, and Development
()
(Subject meets with 24.234)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: W9.30-12.30 (N51-310)
Addresses challenges in working towards global justice including poverty, food and water insecurity, healthcare disparities, human rights violations, violence and dislocation, and environmental risk. Focuses on gender and identity, locating the root causes of inequality within cultural, political and economic contexts. Designed to give a framework to understand gender dynamics. Teaches how to integrate gender sensitive strategies into development work. Classes, readings, and final projects illustrate how design and implementation of international development strategies can provide capacity building and income generation opportunities. Meets with EC.798 when offered concurrently. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 20 total for versions meeting together.
S. Haslanger, L. McDonald
No textbook information available
24.635 Topics in Critical Social Theory
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Explores topics arising within critical race theory, feminist theory, queer theory, disability studies, working class studies, and related interdisciplinary efforts - both historical and contemporary - to understand and promote social justice.
Staff
24.636 Topics in Social Theory and Practice
()
(Subject meets with 24.236)
Prereq: One philosophy subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
An in-depth consideration of a topic in social theory with reflection on its implications for social change. Examples of topics include race and racism; punishment and prison reform; global justice and human rights; gender and global care chains; environmentalism and industrial agriculture; bioethics, disability, and human enhancement; capitalism and commodification; and sexuality and the family. Readings draw from both social science and philosophy with special attention to the normative literature relevant to the issue. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Enrollment may be limited.
S. Haslanger
24.637[J] Feminist Thought
()
(Same subject as 17.006[J])
(Subject meets with 17.007[J], 24.137[J], WGS.301[J])
Prereq: Permission of instructor, based on previous coursework
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR2.30-4 (5-234)
Analyzes theories of gender and politics, especially ideologies of gender and their construction; definitions of public and private spheres; gender issues in citizenship, the development of the welfare state, experiences of war and revolution, class formation, and the politics of sexuality. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.
Staff
No textbook information available
24.711 Topics in Philosophical Logic
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Problems of ontology, epistemology, and philosophy of language that bear directly on questions about the nature of logic and the conceptual analysis of logical theory, such as logical truth, logical consequence, and proof. Content varies from year to year and subject may be taken repeatedly upon permission of instructor and advisor.
B. Brast-McKie
24.729 Topics in Philosophy of Language
(, )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: M2-5 (32-D461)
Major issues in the philosophy of language. Topics change each year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor.
Fall: J. Khoo
Spring: B. Berstler
No textbook information available
24.805 Topics in Theory of Knowledge
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: W12-3 (32-D831)
Major issues in theory of knowledge. Topics change each year and subject may be taken repeatedly with permission of instructor.
K. Dorst, J. Spencer
No required or recommended textbooks
24.810 Topics in Philosophy of Science
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Topics in the foundations of science: the nature of concepts and theories, the distinction between empirical and theoretical knowledge claims, realist and instrumentalist interpretation of such claims, and the analysis of scientific explanation. The central topic varies from year to year. Subject may be taken repeatedly with the permission of instructor and advisor.
B. Skow
24.891 Independent Study: Philosophy
(, , )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units arranged
TBA.
Open to qualified graduate students in philosophy who wish to pursue special studies or projects. Consult with the intended advisor and the Chair of the Committee on Graduate Students in Philosophy before registering.
Fall: B. Skow
Spring: B. Skow
No textbook information available
24.892 Independent Study: Philosophy
(, , )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units arranged [P/D/F]
TBA.
Open to qualified graduate students in philosophy who wish to pursue special studies or projects. Consult with the intended advisor and the Chair of the Committee on Graduate Students in Philosophy before registering.
B. Skow
No textbook information available
24.893 Dissertation Workshop
(, )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 2-0-1
TBA.
Workshop for students working on their dissertations. Restricted to Philosophy doctoral students.
Fall: J. Khoo
Spring: J. Khoo
No textbook information available
24.894 Placement Workshop
(, )
Prereq: None
Units: 2-0-1 [P/D/F]
TBA.
Workshop for students planning to apply for academic jobs in the following year. Advice and feedback on preparation of application materials, including writing sample, thesis abstract, and course syllabi. Limited to philosophy graduate students.
Fall: K. Setiya
Spring: K. Setiya
No textbook information available
24.899 Topics in Linguistics and Philosophy
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Selected topics at the intersection of linguistics and philosophy. Intended for graduate students in either linguistics or philosophy. Topics vary from year to year.
Staff
24.THG Graduate Thesis
(, , , )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units arranged
TBA.
Program of research and writing of thesis, to be arranged by the student with supervising committee.
Fall: Staff
IAP: Staff
Spring: Staff
Summer: Staff
No required or recommended textbooks
24.S40 Special Seminar: Philosophy
()
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Graduate subject that covers topics not offered in the regular curriculum. Consult department to learn of offerings for a particular term.
Staff
24.S41 Special Seminar: Philosophy
(, )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Graduate subject that covers topics not offered in the regular curriculum. Consult department to learn of offerings for a particular term.
Fall: Staff
Spring: Staff
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