Fourth-Year Seminars 2026-27

Please note: Cross-listed seminars in Political Science and Humanities will be listed closer to the registration period.

Fall 2026:

Annie Larivee

PHIL 4100: Special Topic: Philosophy as a Way of Life

Philosophy as a Way of Life (PWL), a meta-philosophical movement originating in the work of historian Pierre Hadot (1922–2010), has become an influential way of rethinking the aims and methods of philosophy. Not to be confused with Public Philosophy, it offers an alternative to philosophy as a purely theoretical, professionalized activity, while remaining firmly anchored in the history of philosophy (esp. Greek and Roman). Different versions of the paradigm have been developed, and critical work has taken place from within. Yet despite its growing influence inside and outside academia, PWL has rarely been examined critically from outside its own conceptual horizon.

To prepare for this external assessment, the seminar will first examine competing versions of PWL, each engaging ancient philosophy differently: Hadot’s spiritual exercises; Nussbaum’s therapy of desire; Foucault’s practice of care for the self; Sellars’ art of living; Cooper’s reasoned life; and Telo’s strengthening of reason. We will identify points of convergence and divergence among these versions and consider their (in)compatibility with academic philosophy, the criteria by which they might be assessed, and whether philosophy as a way of life (in one or multiple versions) can be coherently integrated into contemporary practice. Participants, including the instructor, will be encouraged to clarify their own philosophical commitments in light of these discussions.

Josh Redstone

PHIL 4220: Transhumanism; or, the Ethics of Enhancement

The Transhumanist movement advocates enhancing the human mind, the human body, and society. Within the movement, philosophers and scientists alike argue that the human condition can – and should – be improved using such enhancements as brain-machine interfaces, nootropics, genetic engineering, etc. In this seminar, we’ll explore the ethics of human enhancement by discussing the nature of the human being, our relationship with technology, and the ethical and empirical claims of transhumanist thinkers.

Winter 2027:

Gabriele Contessa

PHIL 4230: Echo Chambers (and Other Epistemic Communities)

Blurb: Social epistemologists are increasingly aware that the communities we belong to shape what we know and believe—determining which information reaches us, which sources we trust, and ultimately what we take to be true. They also recognize that certain communities are epistemically unhealthy. Echo chambers are one of the paradigmatic examples of epistemically unhealthy communities. This seminar explores questions like: What exactly are echo chambers, and how do they differ from epistemically healthier communities? Can someone trapped inside an echo chamber recognize their situation or find a way out? And to what extent are people responsible for the beliefs they hold because they are in an epistemically unhealthy community?”

Kyla Bruff

PHIL 4007: Adorno’s Critique of Modern Society

Course description coming soon