PHIL-417 Progress
This course will give you an opportunity to think carefully about progress. We will read about philosophical conceptions of progress in science, morality, prudence, and philosophy. We will examine popular claims about progress: that AI will revolutionize human societies for the better, that gene selection will allow us to create healthier and happier humans, and that experimentation on animals is worth it because of the intellectual progress it results in. We will ask whether moral and philosophical progress is even possible. And, perhaps most importantly, we will ask practical questions about how to contribute to human progress.
Seminar (12)
Credits
1
Prerequisite
Three courses in philosophy or permission of the instructor