Introduction to Philosophical and Humanistic Thinking

This course introduces the student to the basic subject matter, questions, and assumptions of study common to Philosophy and the Humanities. Through a preliminary inquiry into how writers, historians, and philosophers represent an idea, such as "The Construction of Knowledge," students will become familiar with how the humanities employ questions of form, effect, affect, and value. Students will draw connections between self and society and reflect on ways personal origins and beliefs affect actions and values. By looking at various dialogues across time, students will begin to see how the philosophical and humanistic thinking fueled and continues to shift socio-political, artistic, cultural and economic conditions. Students will grapple with the intersections of historical and contemporary issues, such as the construction of knowledge in the digital age as they explore the role of Philosophy and Humanistic thinking in the 21st century.