(Intermediate-Level Undergraduate Course, Ashoka University, Spring 2026)
Our way of life would be unthinkable without the extraordinary technological progress brought about over the last few centuries thanks to science. Yet both the nature of science and its authority are hotly contested. There is widespread skepticism and controversy surrounding claims which have achieved consensus in relevant scientific fields: that the climate is changing due to the emission of greenhouse gases, that vaccines are safe and effective, that humans and apes share a common ancestor. Meanwhile, it is common to hear various claims about nutrition, the mind, and the economy, dismissed as pseudo-scientific. Should genuine science have a special kind of authority relative to other ways of learning about the world, and if so, what exactly is genuine science and why should it have such authority? To investigate this overarching question, we will explore three major sub-questions within the philosophy of science: (1) can we articulate a special scientific method or way of thinking about and investigating the world and show that it has a special status of getting us closer and closer to the truth, despite such problems as the fact that most important theories in the history of science got the fundamental structure of the world wrong? Is this special method unique to people trained in scientific institutions or is it exhibited to some extent by human thinking across cultures and even in babies? (2) Is the social structure of science especially conducive to discovering the truth, or is it beset by serious problems such as strong incentives for scientists to cut corners? (3) Can science ever be value-neutral--and should it be, given its pervasive role in contemporary society?
(Intermediate-Level Undergraduate Course, Ashoka University, Spring 2026)
Epistemology is the study of knowledge. What is knowledge? Do we actually know anything or is everything we take for granted subject to doubt? How do we know what we know? Could we improve our methods of acquiring knowledge? We will begin by looking at classic reasons for worrying that we cannot really know anything whatsoever, and important responses to those worries. This will lead us to examine particular sources of knowledge, such as seeing things, being told things, and thinking about things, allowing us to consider such questions as: How does sensory perception give us knowledge (and does it)? Do we have a special kind of access to our own minds? To whom should we listen and rely on for information? Can we justify our practices of reasoning and justification? We will read a combination of classic and contemporary texts.
(Introductory-Level Undergraduate Lecture Course, Ashoka University, Monsoon Semester 2025)
Some of the most pressing issues of our time arise from our impact on the environment. In this course, we will explore questions such as: What obligations, if any, do we have to future generations, other species, or ecosystems, and why? What does it mean for something to be natural, and does something’s being natural inherently make it worth preserving? What are the most pressing environmental issues—what exactly are the main threats associated with climate change, and how should we think about them in relation to other environmental issues such as air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, and deforestation? What does justice look like in a world where development may require environmental destruction—or is this a false dichotomy? What kinds of actions (if any) are ethically required of us as individuals: should ordinary citizens leave action on environmental issues to the state, billionaires, and/or corporations, or ought we to make drastic changes in our own lifestyles? How can ordinary citizens determine what to think about complex environmental issues when our information environment is polluted by sophisticated campaigns of misinformation, and can we deal with such problems adequately within a liberal democratic society?
Some of the most pressing moral issues of our time arise from our impact on the environment. We will explore questions such as: What obligations, if any, do we have to future generations, other species, or ecosystems? What does it mean for something to be natural, and is being natural desirable? What is sustainability, and is it desirable? What does justice look like in a world where alleviating poverty may require worsening climate change? What kinds of actions (if any) are ethically required of us as individuals: should we leave action on environmental issues to the state, billionaires, and corporations, or ought we to make drastic changes in our own lifestyles? Is violent or destructive action appropriate to avert disasters that could kill millions? How can ordinary individuals determine which experts to listen to on complex issues, and can we deal with such issues within a liberal democratic society?
Humans have a complicated relationship with other animals. We love them, befriend them and save them. We hunt, farm and eat them. We experiment on and observe them to discover more about them and to discover more about ourselves. For many of us, our pets are amongst the most familiar inhabitants of our world. Yet when we try to imagine what is going on in a dog or cat’s mind - let alone that of a crow, octopus or bee - many of us are either stumped about how to go about this, or (the science strongly suggests) get things radically wrong. Is our thought about and behaviour towards animals ethically permissible, or even consistent? Can we reshape our habits of thought about animals to allow for a more rational, richer relationship with the other inhabitants of our planet? In this course, students will reflect on two closely intertwined questions: an ethical question, what sort of relationship ought we to have with animals?; and a metaphysical question, what is the nature of animal minds? Readings will primarily be from philosophy and ethics and the cognitive sciences, with additional readings from literature and biology. There are no prerequisites for this class. It will be helpful but certainly not necessary to have taken previous classes in philosophy (especially ethics and philosophy of mind) or in cognitive science.
Syllabus Fall 2018, Columbia Syllabus Fall 2022, JHU
Are non-human animals conscious? Do they possess a stream of consciousness like our own? This course will explore these questions by asking what it is for an animal to possess a point of view and a temporal point of view in particular.
Memory is amongst the most fundamental capacities of the mind. Without memory, we would be limited to our present experience, and many of our other cognitive capacities and social practices would be impossible. In this course we will investigate interconnected questions including: What is the nature of memory and of its different varieties? How should we study memory: what should be the roles of psychology, neuroscience, and introspection? If someone loses many of their memories due to injury or disease, are they still the same person—and should we still respect their past wishes and hold them responsible for their past deeds? What kinds of memory do other animals have and is this morally significant? Is forgetting always bad? Do we have a duty to remember? How do collective memory and public memorials relate to individual memory, and what lessons does the study of individual memory have for the politics of collective memory?
Prometheus is an international undergraduate philosophy journal published by students at Johns Hopkins University. The purpose of the journal is to promote philosophic discourse of the highest standard by offering students an opportunity to engage in open discussion, participate in the production and publication of an academic journal, and establish a community of aspiring philosophers. Students enrolled in this workshop will act as the staff readers for the journal. For more information, please visit www.prometheus-journal.com. Prerequisite: MUST have taken one philosophy course.
Epistemology is the study of knowledge. We will begin by looking at classic reasons for worrying about whether we know anything at all, and some important responses to those worries. This will lead us to examine particular sources of knowledge, such as perception, testimony and reasoning. In thinking about these sources of knowledge, we will consider such questions as: How does sensory perception give us knowledge (and does it)? Do we have a special kind of access to our own minds? Whom we should listen to and rely on for information? Can we justify our practices of reasoning and justification? We will read a combination of classic texts and contemporary work.