• PHIL 1000

    Introduction to Philosophy
     Rating

    3.56

     Difficulty

    2.79

     GPA

    3.25

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Introduces a broad spectrum of philosophical problems and approaches. Topics include basic questions concerning morality, skepticism and the foundations of knowledge, the mind and its relation to the body, and the existence of God. Readings are drawn from classics in the history of philosophy and/or contemporary sources. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/

  • PHIL 1330

    Virtual Worlds and Philosophy
     Rating

    4.33

     Difficulty

    2.00

     GPA

    3.84

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This class explores the intersection of philosophy with issues concerning VR, computer simulation, AI, etc. Can traditional philosophical problems be seen through the lens of VR and AI- and do VR and AI raise new and distinctive philosophical issues? This will show how reflection on modern technologies can help with ancient philosophical questions and how philosophy can help in the development of new technologies and society's response to them.

  • PHIL 1410

    Forms of Reasoning
     Rating

    4.02

     Difficulty

    3.94

     GPA

    3.39

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Analyzes the structure of informal arguments and fallacies that are commonly committed in everyday reasoning. The course will not cover symbolic logic in any detail. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 1730

    Introduction to Moral and Political Philosophy
     Rating

    3.30

     Difficulty

    2.63

     GPA

    3.38

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Examines some of the central problems of moral philosophy and their sources in human life and thought. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 2060

    Philosophical Problems in Law
     Rating

    3.88

     Difficulty

    3.16

     GPA

    3.26

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Examines and evaluates some basic practices and principles of Anglo-American law. Discusses the justification of punishment, the death penalty, legal liability, good samaritan laws, and the legal enforcement of morality. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 2120

    History of Philosophy: Modern
     Rating

    3.13

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.12

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Surveys the history of modern philosophy, beginning with Descartes and extending up to the nineteenth century. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 2350

    Minds, Machines, and Persons
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This course surveys foundational issues in the philosophy of cognitive science. Part 1 asks, what is a mind? Are minds brains? Computers? Do minds extend into the body & environment? What it would take to make a machine with a mind? Part 2 turns to the problem of personal identity over time. Once you were a kid, now you're an adult, and one day you'll grow old. What (if anything) makes you the same person over your life.

  • PHIL 2640

    Rational Choice and Happiness
     Rating

    4.41

     Difficulty

    2.38

     GPA

    3.49

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    In this class, we will examine philosophical puzzles about our ability to make rational choices that affect or determine our own happiness. How can we rationally decide to undergo a significant experience - such as having a child or moving to a new country - when have no way of knowing what that experience will be like? How can we rationally choose to make decisions about our future?

  • PHIL 3120

    Aristotle
     Rating

    4.24

     Difficulty

    3.57

     GPA

    3.32

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    An introduction to the philosophy of Aristotle, covering his major works in ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, theory of knowledge, and literary theory. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3160

    18th Century Philosophy
     Rating

    3.33

     Difficulty

    2.80

     GPA

    3.32

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies the central philosophers in the empiricist tradition.

  • PHIL 3320

    Epistemology
     Rating

    2.67

     Difficulty

    3.67

     GPA

    2.93

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies problems concerned with the foundations of knowledge, perception, and rational belief. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3330

    Philosophy of Mind
     Rating

    4.00

     Difficulty

    3.87

     GPA

    3.13

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies some basic problems of philosophical psychology. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3400

    Introduction to Non-Classical Logic
     Rating

    4.00

     Difficulty

    2.50

     GPA

    3.53

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    An introduction to systems of non-classical logic, including both extensions and revisions to classical logic.

  • PHIL 3500

    Seminar in Philosophy
     Rating

    3.92

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.50

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Topics change from semester to semester and year to year. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3710

    Ethics
     Rating

    4.33

     Difficulty

    3.67

     GPA

    3.36

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    History of modern ethical theory (Hobbes to Mill) with especial emphasis on the texts of Hume (Treatise, Book III) and Kant, (Grundlegung), which will be studied carefully and critically. Among the topics to be considered: Is morality based on reason? Is it necessarily irrational not to act morally? Are moral standards objective? Are they conventional? Is it a matter of luck whether we are morally virtuous? Is the morally responsible will a free will? Are all reasons for acting dependent on desires? For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3720

    Contemporary Ethics
     Rating

    4.57

     Difficulty

    2.86

     GPA

    3.49

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Studies Anglo-American ethics since 1900. While there are selected readings from G. E. Moore, W. D. Ross, A. J. Ayer, C. L. Stevenson and R. M. Hare, emphasis is on more recent work. Among the topics to be considered: Are there moral facts? Are moral values relative? Are moral judgments universalizable? Are they prescriptive? Are they cognitive? What is to be said for utilitarianism as a moral theory? What against it? And what are the alternatives? For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 3800

    Feminist Philosophy
     Rating

    5.00

     Difficulty

    3.50

     GPA

    3.46

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    In this class, we'll first examine the question 'What is gender?' Then we'll look at ways in which gender can interact with traditional philosophical topics, including epistemology, philosophy of language, political philosophy, etc.

  • PHIL 4020

    Seminar for Majors
     Rating

    4.00

     Difficulty

    4.00

     GPA

    3.87

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 4993

    Directed Reading and Research
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Independent study under the direction of a faculty member. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 4995

    Directed Reading and Research
     Rating

    4.00

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Independent study under the direction of a faculty member. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 4999

    Senior Thesis
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 7500

    First Year Seminar
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.78

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Seminar for First Yr graduate students. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 7540

    Seminar on a Philosophy of Ethics Topic
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.74

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    A survey of ethical theory and moral status.

  • PHIL 7570

    Seminar on a Metaphysics Topic
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.73

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    A seminar on the nature of being and the world

  • PHIL 7995

    Supervised Research
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 8560

    Seminar on a Political Philosophy Topic
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    A seminar on political theory and how the topics of rights and freedoms are incorporated.

  • PHIL 8995

    Supervised Research
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 9700

    Dissertation Seminar
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    This course is designed for graduate students in their third or fourth year. It focuses on dissertation writing and the various skills relevant to professional development.

  • PHIL 9998

    Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Doctoral Research
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For doctoral research, taken before a dissertation director has been selected. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.

  • PHIL 9999

    Non-Topical Research
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    For doctoral dissertation, taken under the supervision of a dissertation director. For more details on this class, please visit the department website at http://www.virginia.edu/philosophy/.