Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 1301)

Instructor: Christi Williams (Hemati)

This course is a general introduction to critical and reflective thinking as applied to the basic problems of existence and the meaning of human life and institutions (HCC Catalog). It will be largely historical in nature. That is, we will begin by examining the origins of philosophy in Buddhism and the Greek world, noting similarities and differences between Buddha Gautama and Socrates. Our study will carry us through the medieval and modern periods, up to the end of the nineteenth century and the beginnings of what might be called “postmodernism.” However, this does not mean that the course is strictly western or bound by the usual limits of Anglo-European culture. Rather, consider our course of study to be like a journey through a foreign land. We will always be guided by our central theme, namely, the nature and meaning of human life and institutions, but along the way we will encounter approaches that ought to appear strange and quite foreign to twenty-first century, American eyes. Moreover, we will see that asking fundamental questions about human existence (its why, how, and what for) sheds new light on our age and our contemporary states of mind.