Introduction to Philosophy
Philosophy · 3 hrs Lecture
Offered: Fall/Winter Only, Every Year
No prerequisites listed, you can take this course without prior coursework.
Where PHIL-1001 counts
Counts toward 3 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:
Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 71 of 141 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.
Description
This course is a historical introduction to basic philosophical problems and methods. It considers central questions in ethics, religion, politics, knowledge, and metaphysics, e.g., are humans selfish by nature? Is moral decision-making rational? Does God exist? What is the meaning of life? What are the principles of correct reasoning? Is knowledge the same thing as perception? Is the real world different from the world as it appears to us? What are space and time? Do we have free will, or are our choices completely determined by forces outside of us? Philosophers discussed may include: Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, and Kant.
Restrictions
Students may not hold credit for this course and PHIL-1002 | PHIL-1003.
Note
PHIL-1301(6) and either PHIL-1001(6) or PHIL-1002(6) may be taken for degree credit.
From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.