PHIL 316 Philosophy of History
There are questions that concern the study of history but are often very difficult for historians to answer. Philosophy has traditionally come to the rescue with the handling of three specific challenges. The metaphysical challenge has to do with our understanding of the passage of time. The epistemological challenge has to do with the ways in which we make and verify claims about history. The ethical challenge is related to the justification of historical praise and blame. The course will tackle these challenges by applying the wisdom of philosophy to a wealth of historical examples. As we put historians' assumptions to the test in an interdisciplinary context, we will come away with a stronger sense of the value the study of history brings to our lives. Prerequisites: WRIT 313, Advanced Academic Writing; LSCI 105, Information Theory and Practice or LSCI 106, Information Sources in Architecture and Interior Design, or LSCI 205, Information in the Disciplines MDST 120, Public Speaking