PHIL 001T. Intro: Morality, Freedom, and the Self

This course focuses on three main philosophical topics: morality, freedom, and the self. In our lives, we face ethical and political questions. For instance, how much money should we donate to the needy? How should we organize our political institutions to safeguard freedom? When we fail to act ethically, we often think that it makes sense to hold others responsible. But does it make sense to do so? Do we have free will, or are our actions determined by physical laws? And if our actions are causally determined, does it make sense to hold people responsible? We also think that we are not merely responsible for our actions, but also for the sense of self that we cultivate. But are we responsible for our sense of self? Can we ever understand ourselves?
These are all philosophical questions. The primary goal of this course is to introduce you to philosophical questions in ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind. We will do so by considering a variety of approaches to these questions through historical and contemporary texts.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Fall 2026. Vergara.
Catalog chapter: Philosophy
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/philosophy

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