PHIL 241 Philosophy in Literature

Fall Semester 2012 | Evening | Vancouver

INSTRUCTOR: Jennifer Warriner

COURSE DESCRIPTION

As a discipline, philosophy tends to dwell on the “big” questions: Does God exist? What can I know (if anything)? What sort of duties (if any) do we have toward other persons? What sort of duties (if any) do we have toward non-human animals? Are there any metaphysical differences between men and women that matter morally? However, philosophy also tends to approach these questions in the abstract. This class will introduce students to key philosophical problems by reading primary philosophical sources as well as literary texts to help us flesh out the questions more concretely. Throughout this course, we will consider how philosophical emerge in everyday life, as well as how our everyday experiences come to be incorporated into philosophy and literature.

REQUIRED TEXTS

• Ficcones, Jorge Luis Borges,Grove Publishers, 1994, ISBN: 978-0802130303
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick, Del Ray Publishers, 1996, ISBN: 978-0345404473
• The Fifth Child, Doris Lessing, UK General Books, 1995, ISBN: 978-0586089033
• Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk, WW Norton, 2005, ISBN: 978-0393327342
• The Subjection of Women, John Stuart Mill, Dover Publications, 1997, ISBN: 978-0486296012 
• Practical Ethics, 3rd edition, Peter Singer, 2011, Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 978-0521707688.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Three papers, worth 20%, 25%, and 30%, respectively
• Final registrar-scheduled exam - 25%
  

NOTE: all papers must be submitted to turnitin.com.

PREREQUISITES: PHIL 241 has no prerequisites and may be applied towards the Certificate in Liberal Arts