Mind, Logic and Language

Three credits · Undergraduate

Presents some of the major currents of philosophy in the English-speaking world in the 20th century. The course includes a brief account of 19th-century empiricism, pragmatism, and idealism, before turning to ‘common sense analysis’ (e.g., G.E. Moore), early discussions of logical positivism and the place of metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics (e.g., Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, A.J. Ayer, and Karl Popper), and the beginnings of ‘ordinary language’ philosophy. Credit will be granted for only one of PHIL 391 or PHIL 461 (2017-2018). Prerequisite: PHIL 100 or 101 or 102 or permission of the instructor; junior standing strongly recommended. Three credits.