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2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Music |
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MUS 382 - Advanced Topics in Music History Instructor
Lerner
Specialized study of a composer, period, or genre, utilizing a variety of specialized notational, analytical, and theoretical methodologies.
Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor required.
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MUS 383 - Herrmann & Hitchcock Instructor
Lerner
A seminar concentrating on the nine film scores stemming from the remarkable collaboration of composer Bernard Herrmann and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. After an introductory section on each, the seminar will then proceed chronologically through their nine films. Particular emphasis will be placed on the ways that Herrmann’s music blended together with Hitchcock’s aesthetic vision to impact and complicate notions of gender identities.
Satisfies the Visual and Performing Arts requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor required. Normally students will have had at least one prior semester of college-level music or related study.
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MUS 385 - Video Game Music (=FMS 385) Instructor
Lerner
Historical, stylistic, and analytic study of video game music from its origins in the arcade games of the 1970s to the present. Emphases on close readings of music in relation to gameplay, and vice versa. Includes training in digital audio manipulation to create sound design and musical sequences.
Satisfies the Liberal Studies requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Normally offered in alternate years
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MUS 395 - Independent Study Instructor
Staff
Independent study in music under the direction of a faculty member who reviews and approves the topic, and determines the means of evaluation.
Prerequisites & Notes Open to qualified students with permission of the chair.
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MUS 401 - Senior Seminar Instructor
Pyle
A capstone seminar synthesizing historical inquiry, analytical methods, and performance practice along with techniques of music research, writing, and close listening. Topics chosen by the course instructor.
Prerequisites & Notes Limited to senior music majors; open to other qualified students by permission of the instructor. (Fall)
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Philosophy |
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PHI 102 - Reason and Argument Instructor
Busch
Introduction to reasoning with a focus on the nature and evaluation of arguments, the identification of fallacies, and the rules of rational discourse.
Satisfies the philosophy major requirement of either PHI 102 or PHI 200.
Satisfies a requirement in the Communication Studies interdisciplinary major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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PHI 105 - Ancient Greek Philosophy Instructor
Studtmann
Introduction to the origins and development of philosophy in ancient Greece, with special emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.
Counts towards the satisfaction of the Philosophy major requirement to take two courses from among PHI 105, PHI 106, and PHI 107.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Counts as a Western Europe area course in the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
Counts towards the major in Classics.
Prerequisites & Notes (Fall)
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PHI 106 - Early Modern European Philosophy Instructor
Busch
The foundations of contemporary philosophy and science were fashioned in Europe during the Early Modern period, or the 17th-18th Centuries. During this “Age of Enlightenment,” philosophers shirked longstanding conceptions of the world and our place in it, starting anew. Four questions took center stage. (1) How can we know about the world? First, how can we know that what appears to us perceptually (e.g., a red apple) really exists? Second, how can we know that what always happened before (e.g., heavy objects fell when dropped) will happen now and hereafter? Third, how can we know certain highly general truths about the world (e.g., that any event is caused)? (2) What is the world like? First, what is the nature of “substances,” the world’s building blocks? Then, what are the features of physical substances we call ‘bodies’, and how do mental substances we call ‘minds’ relate to bodies? (3) Are we free? How could we be free in a world where whatever we choose or do follows necessarily from what came before it? (4) Is morality objective? Are our distinctions between right and wrong merely judgments about our own sentiments? Or are they judgments about properties of actions independent of us?
Our aims in this course are: (i) to learn to read, interpret, and critically engage with classic philosophical texts from Early Modern Europe; (ii) to learn to assess the value of arguments and to construct one’s own; (iii) to develop the ability to express thoughts verbally or in writing with clarity and persuasive force; and (iv) to engage in historical debates on the above four questions, and reflect on their significance for contemporary philosophy and science.
Counts towards the Philosophy major and minor requirement to take two courses in the history of philosophy from among PHI 105, PHI 106, and PHI 107.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Counts as a Western Europe area course in the International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
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PHI 107 - Medieval Philosophy Instructor
Griffith
Introduction to philosophers of the medieval period. We will study thinkers of the Christian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions, spanning from the fourth century C.E. up to the fourteenth century. Philosophers discussed may include: Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Peter Abelard, Avicenna, Algazali, Averroes, Saadia, Maimonides, Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus.
Counts towards the satisfaction of the Philosophy major and minor requirement to take two courses in the history of philosophy from among PHI 105, PHI 106, and PHI 107.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
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PHI 120 - Applied Ethics Instructor
Layman
Introduction to the philosophical analysis of contemporary moral controversies. Topics vary, and have included abortion, euthanasia, feminism, world hunger, business ethics, nuclear war, and human rights.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies a requirement in the Communication Studies interdisciplinary major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Fall)
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PHI 122 - Philosophy of Human Nature Instructor
Jankovic
We all operate with an implicit theory of human nature-for example, when we deal with other people, decide what is worth striving for or which social arrangements to support. In this class, we confront the issues surrounding the existence and character of human nature explicitly. Examples of questions we will address are: Are we our minds or our bodies? Is the human mind a blank slate inscribed by experience or is it more (as some cognitive scientists put it) like a coloring book within whose lines experience paints? In what sense are we like other animals and in what sense are we different? Are we social by nature or does society serve to keep our natural tendencies in check? And finally, is there a universal human nature?
Satisfies elective requirement of Philosophy major.
Satisfies elective requirement of Philosophy minor.
Satisfies Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
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PHI 130 - Medical Ethics Instructor
Lawless
In this course, we will examine some of the moral challenges that arise in the relationship between medical practitioners and patients; the moral assumptions that underlie our conceptions of health, disease, and disability; and the moral principles that should structure our research practices.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Counts as a core course in the Public Health interdisciplinary minor.
Counts as an elective in the Neuroscience interdisciplinary minor.
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PHI 135 - Business Ethics Instructor
Lawless
Business occupies a central place within American public culture. Both those who own and those who run private firms enjoy significant power, prestige, and moral responsibility. In this course, we will bring the tools of moral philosophy to bear on the relationships between the firm and its investors, its customers, its employees, and the community at large. What rights does the firm have in these relationships? What are the firm’s obligations? Working with classic and cutting-edge texts in business ethics, we will explore moral questions that confront business owners and managers in our current social and political context. How should the firm respond to the kinds of inequality that pervade American society? Does the firm owe its employees “meaningful work”? What is the purpose of modern advertising? What responsibility does the firm have for its environmental impact? What moral concerns arise as private firms become more involved in higher education, in journalism, or in the penal system?
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes There are no prerequisites, though students may benefit from prior experience with moral philosophy.
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PHI 140 - Environmental Ethics Instructor
McKeever
Introduction to ethical analysis of environmental values and decision-making. Likely topics include (1) the value of different aspects of the environment including non-human animals, species, non-living natural objects, and ecosystems; (2) ethical analysis of different approaches to risk as this bears on environmental policy-making; (3) the moral merits and liabilities of ethical institutions, such as private property rights, as applied to the natural environment.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in the Humanities track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
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PHI 170 - God (= REL 246) Instructor
Studtmann/Ottati
This course focuses on what is said about God in Christian tradition and in philosophy. It explores representations, symbols, inklings of the divine in biblical and religious texts, developed conceptions of God put forward by philosophers and theologians, and traditional arguments about God , as well as contemporary statements and debates.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major.
Satisfies the Philosophical and religious Perspectives requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Not offered 2016-17.)
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PHI 180 - Philosophy of Sport Instructor
McKeever
This introductory course will address a range of philosophical questions about sport. Some of these questions will concern the nature of sport itself. What is sport? How are sports similar to but distinguished from games or mere exercise? How do the rules of a sport govern play? Is a basketball player who strategically fouls an opponent playing within the rules or outside them? Some of these questions will be ethical. Why is cheating wrong? What is valuable about competition and sportsmanship? Should doping be permitted? Are college athletes being exploited? Some questions will concern the place of sport in society. Does sport enhance or detract from education? Do we place too high a value on sport? In what sense, if any, is it appropriate to treat athletes as role models? The course is specifically designed for students without prior exposure to philosophy and a significant goal of the course is that students develop a range of philosophical skills. Accordingly, we will emphasize an ability to understand and appreciate a diverse range of answers to difficult questions and practice assessing various views through careful argument and analysis.
Satisfies a major requirement in Philosophy.
Satisifes a minor requirement in Philosophy.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
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PHI 190 - PPE Gateway Instructor
McKeever
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is a deeply interdisciplinary program of research and teaching that seeks to address some of the most pressing and perennial problems of social, political, and economic life. Many problems we face today-systemic racism, poverty, and immigration, for example-are not amenable to either purely empirical or normative solutions. To the contrary, to make progress on issues like these-and to understand our own place in the history of ideas and institutions that has led to them-we to bring to bear the tools of political analysis, economic measurement, and moral argument, not in isolation from one another, but in concert. This course introduces students to the major problems, aims, and methods of PPE through a combination of contemporary and historical readings and guest lectures by scholars from several disciplines. Recurring topics include game theory, the moral limits of markets, racism, distributive justice, and justifications and critiques of property rights, among others. Upon completing the course, students will be prepared to explore the whole breadth of PPE, and they will have taken an important first step towards achieving the interdisciplinary competence necessary to successfully complete a PPE thesis or capstone. One unique and important dimension of the PPE Gateway will be guest lectures by Davidson faculty from a variety of disciplines. Although the course will have a single instructor of record, the interdisciplinary character of PPE calls for wider range of expertise than any one faculty member can provide. To this end, the instructor of record will invite between four and six faculty members from other Davidson departments to engage students on PPE subject matter that falls within the scope of their research and teaching. For example, a philosopher teaching PPE 190 might invite an economist, a sociologist, a political scientist, and a historian to discuss game theory, structural sexism, voting behavior, and redlining, respectively.
Satisfies Interdisciplinary Studies PPE major requirement.
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PHI 210 - Games and Decisions Instructor
McKeever
Introduction to the formal analysis of games and rational decision-making. Decision under risk, ignorance, and certainty as applied in morals, politics, and religion.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Counts as an elective in the Social Science Track of the Applied Mathematics interdisciplinary minor.
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PHI 211 - Theory of Knowledge Instructor
Jankovic
The central questions of epistemology are: What is knowledge? Do we have any? If so, how did we get it? This course accordingly looks at the nature, scope, and sources of knowledge.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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PHI 212 - Metaphysics Instructor
Robb
In this course we focus on philosophical questions about time, with the goal of clarifying important concepts such as change, causation, reality, and free will. Questions include: What is time? Does anything persist through time? Can there be time without change? Is time travel possible? Is the future fixed? Readings come primarily from philosophy, but we will also look to science and literature for illumination.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
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PHI 213 - Philosophy of Science Instructor
Robb
This course is about the nature of science, with a focus on Thomas Kuhn’s pioneering and widely influential text, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Topics include the difference between science and pseudo-science, the rationality of scientific change, the aim of science, the role of values in science, and the objectivity of scientific facts.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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PHI 215 - Ethics Instructor
Layman, McKeever
Introduction to the philosophical evaluation of ethical decision-making and moral life. Discussion of such questions as: What grounds the difference between right and wrong action? How is happiness related to morality? Do moral questions admit of objective answers, and if so how can moral disagreements be resolved? What is the virtue of justice? Does morality require (or benefit from) a religious foundation? A variety of philosophical approaches will be considered with a view to which best helps us understand this vital dimension of human life.
Satisfies Public Health minor requirement.
Satisfies a requirement in the Philosophy major.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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PHI 217 - Philosophy of Mind Instructor
Robb
This course is an introduction to philosophical questions about the mind. We will begin with the traditional mind-body problem: What is the mind? Is it an immaterial thing (a “soul”), or can it be reduced to something physical, such as the brain? How can mind and body causally interact? How can we know about the minds of others? Asking these questions will lead us to more specific topics, including mental representation, consciousness, and rationality.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Counts as an elective in the Neuroscience interdisciplinary minor.
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PHI 219 - Freedom & Responsibility Instructor
Griffith
The problem of free will is often cited as one of philosophy’s most difficult problems to resolve. As human beings, it seems that we are subject to laws of nature and to chains of cause and effect. But as personal agents, we feel strongly that we are autonomous beings whose choices and actions are not dictated by external factors. On the other hand, perhaps without external factors, our choices and actions would be random or chancy. Is that really the kind of autonomy we want or think we have? Free will is closely connected to moral responsibility. It seems that we need to have free will in order to be morally responsible for our choices and actions. Can we be responsible for predetermined actions? What about for undetermined ones? In this course we will discuss various philosophical approaches to these issues. Questions addressed may include: how should free will be characterized? Can we be morally responsible for our actions? What does it mean to be morally responsible? Does science give us reason to doubt free will or responsibility? If we don’t have free will and are not morally responsible, can we still have meaningful lives?
Satisfies a major requirement in Philosophy.
Satisfies a minor requirement in Philosophy.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
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PHI 220 - Political Philosophy Instructor
Layman
Introduction to the philosophical evaluation of political power and the social and economic institutions through which it is exercised. Discussion of such questions as: What justification is there for government? What moral duties do citizens have? Are there moral limits to government authority? Analysis of such concepts as freedom, rights, justice, and equality.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies a requirement in the Communication Studies interdisciplinary major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Fall)
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PHI 221 - African American Political Philosophy Instructor
Lawless
In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois predicted that the problem of the twentieth century would be “the problem of the color-line.” We can find evidence that Du Bois was right in all sorts of places: in representations of black Americans on television and in film, in the war on drugs, in relations between black Americans and the politics, and in segregated cities across the country. The “problem of the color-line” is not a single problem, but a collection of many diverse problems that the American institution of race regenerates through the decades.
In this course, we will bring philosophical tools to bear on these problems, drawing primarily on works by American philosophers of color. First, we will investigate the kinds of injustice familiar in the racial polity. Second, we will explore the ways in which people of color have cultivated their own agency, often in active resistance to the oppressive systems in which they find themselves. Our main guides in these investigations will include Patricia Hill Collins, W.E.B. Du Bois, bell hooks, Charles Mills, and Tommie Shelby. This course has no prerequisites, though students may benefit from prior experience with Political philosophy.
Satisfies a requirement in the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
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PHI 222 - Philosophy of Law Instructor
McKeever
Analysis of the nature and function of law. Various theories of law, relation of law to morality, economic analysis of law. An assessment of the principles of legal reasoning and jurisprudence, emphasis on discussion of decided cases.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
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PHI 225 - Philosophy of Religion Instructor
Busch
Introduction to philosophical issues in classical and contemporary religious thought. Topics vary, and have included the justification of religious claims, the relation of faith to knowledge, arguments for the existence of God, divine attributes, life after death, the problem of evil, the status of religious language, the relation of religion to morality, and alternatives to theism.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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PHI 240 - Anarchism and the State Instructor
Studtmann
What justifies the State? Would societies be better off without it? What would a society without a State look like? If the State is inevitable, what would a just state look like? These questions have been at the heart of a great deal of political theorizing in the twentieth century. In this course, we will examine these questions by reading the work of several prominent philosophers.
Satisfies the Philosophy major seminar requirement.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy minor.
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PHI 250 - Buddhism as Philosophy Instructor
Robb
Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions, but it is at the same time a philosophical system, one that has something to say about many of philosophy’s central problems. These include questions about the existence and nature of the self, the fundamental structure of reality, the possibility of knowledge, and the moral life. In this course, we examine the Buddhist philosophical system, noting where there is debate within the Buddhist tradition, and at times pausing to compare Buddhist views with Western counterparts. Readings come from a variety of sources: contemporary and classical, Eastern and Western.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy major and minor.
Satisfies an interdisciplinary minor requirement in South Asian Studies.
Satisfies Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement.
Satisfies the cultural diversity requirement.
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PHI 325 - Philosophy of Law Instructor
Layman
In this course we will examine a range of general philosophical questions about the law, including: What is the law and how does a legal system differ from other rules? How do (or how should) judges interpret the law when applying it to cases? What is the relationship between law and morality? Must legal requirements meet some moral standard? We will also consider specific normative issues that arise in different areas of law, including the criminal law
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PHI 350 - Seminar in Philosophy Fall 2022: The Simulation Hypothesis
Instructor: Robb
Are we living in a computer simulation? How could we know? How much of what we value, if anything, would be lost if this simulation hypothesis were true? We look at these difficult questions, with the goal of clarifying important philosophical concepts such as reality, truth, knowledge, and value. Readings are primarily from philosophy, but we will also look to science and literature for illumination.
Spring 2023: The Nature of Perception
Instructor: Busch
Say you see an apple resting on a table before you. What is it for you to see in this case? This might seem an odd question. The temptation is to answer with a causal story from the natural sciences: Light reflected from a material surface hits photoreceptor cells in your retina, which send electrochemical signals through your optic nerve and thalamus to your brain’s cerebral cortex, inducing a complex neural state. Indeed, this may be part of what it is for you to see the apple. But it seems to leave out something essential: your experience as of a distinct red and round thing in space. Here is where our philosophical problem begins. What is to have an experience with such character?
This question is puzzling for the following reason. On the one hand, your experience is directed toward redness and roundness “out there” distinct from you and your brain-as would be the case even if you were hallucinating without an apple really there. On the other hand, the character of your experience depends on what goes on in your brain; e.g., a different shade of red, a different color entirely, or perhaps no color at all would appear had you a different neural state. Our philosophical account of perception must reconcile these two seemingly contrary features of experience, which apply also to sense modalities other than visual perception like touching, hearing, tasting, and smelling.
Using primary readings from contemporary philosophy of perception, and Adam Pautz’s bookPerception as a guide, we will explore four different solutions. (1) The Sense-Datum View: Having an experience with a certain character is being immediately aware of mental images. (2) The Internal Physical State View: Having an experience with a certain character is nothing but being in a certain brain state. (3) The Representational View: Having an experience with a certain character is representing the external world as being a certain way. (4) Naïve Realism: Having an experience with a certain character is being aware of the actual character of external things.
Satisfies the seminar requirement for the Philosophy major.
Prerequisites & Notes This course can be repeated for credit given sufficiently distinct topics: check with the department chair. (Fall, Spring)
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PHI 352 - Philosophy of Emotions
Fall 2021
Philosophy of Emotions
Jankovic
Emotions upset us, overtake us, make us do things we later regret. Our stomachs twist, hearts pound, cheeks burn. But sometime they make our hearts flutter, chests expand, faces brighten. It’s the kind of stuff that makes life exciting. This course will concern emotions and the range of human motivation. We will ask general questions such as: What kind of mental states are emotions? How are they related to action? Are there universal emotions or are they culturally relative? Are emotions merely biological, a brute reflex often at odds with our rationality? Or are they constructed, a result of cultural influences? We will also consider specific emotions: Is anger always bad? Is love an emotion or something more similar to judgment? Is it always wrong to feel envy? We will read what philosophers have said about these questions and meet to think, discuss and write about them.
Satisfies the Philosophy major seminar requirement.
Counts as an elective for the Philosophy minor.
Prerequisites & Notes
This course can be repeated for credit given sufficiently distinct topics: check with the department chair. (Fall, Spring)
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PHI 451 - Senior Colloquium in Philosophy Instructor
Layman, Studtmann, Busch
Capstone course required of all senior Philosophy majors. The seminar is organized around the work of four or five philosophers who visit the campus during the semester to discuss their work with students. Topics vary.
Prerequisites & Notes (Spring)
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Physics |
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PHY 101 - Removing the Barriers to Inclusivity in Physics and Astronomy Instructor
Belloni
This course will examine the historical and current barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusivity in physics and astronomy (that also apply to other STEM fields), and how to reduce barriers that exclude individuals from STEM based on intersecting domains of identity (race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, physical ability, etc.). Scholarship from the physics and astronomy education research community will form the course’s foundation, with specific readings that focus on lack of diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and the proven techniques that can mitigate these factors. Students will contribute their diverse experiences, interests, and personal knowledge of barriers to inclusion in STEM to examine diversity, equity, justice, and inclusivity, to analyze techniques that can mitigate inequities, and to implement evidence-based strategies.
Satisfies a major requirement in Educational Studies via CIS
Satisfies a minor requirement in Educational Studies
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement
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PHY 104 - Physics of the Environment with Lab Instructor
Staff
A study of the physical laws and processes that underlie environmental phenomena with a special focus on energy. Technical, economic and social consequences of these laws and processes will be examined to better delineate the complex decisions related to environmental issues. One laboratory period each week.
Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in Natural Science Track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the 100-level laboratory requirement in the Experimental Physics minor.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Designed for non-science majors. Not open to students with credit in PHY 103.
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PHY 106 - Introductory Astronomy with Lab Instructor
Thompson
A survey of the current scientific view of the Universe. Emphasis on the physical and mathematical principles necessary to understand how astronomers observe and interpret phenomena. Topics include the historical development of major astronomical theories, the interaction of light and matter, the life cycle of stars, and the structure and evolution of the Universe. One laboratory period per week which will include daytime laboratories and evening observing and astrophotography sessions.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Not open to students with credit in PHY 105. (Fall)
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PHY 116 - Music: Sound with Impact (=MUS 116) Instructor
Boye
Scientific principles applied to musical sound production, propagation, storage, detection, and perception. Students will work individually and in teams to analyze and appreciate diverse world music styles, create and play instruments, and examine current practices in live performance. Class meets for 1 hour 3 times/week in a combined discussion/presentation setting and 3 hours of laboratory activity per week.
Satisfies a requirement in the Experimental Physics minor.
Satisfies a requirement in the Music major and minor.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Does not count for credit in the Physics major.
Prerequisites & Notes Who Should Take This Class? This class welcomes all Davidson students, especially first- and second-year students that have not yet chosen a major, non-science major students, and anyone who loves music. There are no math or science prerequisites, and no prior experience in physics is expected. Of course, we will need to use math - at the level of high school algebra and trigonometry - in this course. The creative and open-ended nature of the labs and final project will give all students the opportunity to work at an appropriate and rewarding level consistent with relevant STEM preparation. Students of all cultures, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome, valued, and appreciated in this class.
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PHY 120 - General Physics I Instructors
Belloni, Boye, Yukich
Mechanics, rotational motion, fluids, waves, sound, and thermodynamics. One laboratory each week.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes (Fall)
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PHY 125 - General Physics with Calculus I: Studio (Integrated Laboratory and Lecture) Instructors
Belloni, Levy, Thompson
Mechanics, rotational motion, fluids, waves, sound, and thermodynamics. Course designed for students who intend to major in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and/or students planning to pursue a degree in engineering or medicine. Class meets for 2 hours, 3 times per week in a combined lecture/laboratory studio setting. Of this time, 3 hours per week are dedicated to laboratory work.
The discussion of some topics will require a basic understanding of simple derivatives and integrals. For this reason, prior or concurrent experience with calculus is recommended (especially for students considering taking PHY 235), although it is not required as the course contains a brief review of the prerequisite calculus needed.
Satisfies a requirement in the Applied Mathematics interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Corequisite: MAT 111 or MAT 112
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PHY 200 - Computational Physics (= CSC 200) Instructor
M. Kuchera
(Cross-listed as CSC 200) This course is an introduction to computer programming and computational physics using Python. No prior programming experience is necessary. This course will provide studetns with the skills required to write code to solve physics problems in areas including quantum physics, electromagnetism, and mechanics. Structured programming methods will be covered as well as algorithms for numerical integration, solving differential equations, and more.
Satisfies a requirement in the Data Science interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Mathematical and Quantitative Thought requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Co-requisite: Physics 120, 125, or 130 at Davidson or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
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PHY 214 - Energy, the Environment, and Engineering Design (=ENV 214) Instructor
Gfroerer
An introduction to engineering design through a focus on energy and the environment. Students work in teams to create computer-controlled models of energy-efficient buildings. Class meets for 2 hours 3 times/week in a combined discussion/laboratory setting with 3 hours of open laboratory activity per week.
Counts as an environmental natural sciences content course for the environmental studies interdisciplinary major and minor.
Satisfies a requirement in the Experiemental Physics minor.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Does not count for credit in the Physics major.
Who Should Take This Class? This class welcomes all Davidson students, especially first- and second-year students that have not yet chosen a major, non-science major students, and students interested in Engineering and/or Environmental Studies. There are no math or science prerequisites, and no prior experience in physics is expected. Of course, we will need to use math - at the level of high school algebra and trigonometry - in this course. The creative and open-ended nature of the labs and final design project will give all students the opportunity to work at an appropriate and rewarding level consistent with relevant STEM preparation. Students of all cultures, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome, valued, and appreciated in this class.
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PHY 225 - General Physics II: Studio (Integrated Laboratory and Lecture) Instructors
Bastani, S., Belloni, M., Kuchera, A.
Electricity and magnetism, circuits, optics, and modern physics (special relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics). Class meets 6 hours per week (2-hour block, three times per week) in a combined lecture/laboratory setting with time distributed equally between course material and laboratory exercises (3 hours lecture/3 hours laboratory).
Satisfies a major requirement for Physics
Satisfies a major requirement for Chemistry
Satisfies a minor requirement for Astrophysics
Satisfies a minor requirement for Applied Physics
Prerequisites & Notes PHY 125 or PHY 130 or permission of the instructor.
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PHY 230 - General Physics with Calculus II Instructors
Boye, M. Kuchera
Electricity and magnetism, circuits, optics, and modern physics (special relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics). More comprehensive than Physics 220 and designed for students who intend to major in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and/or plan to pursue a degree in engineering. One laboratory each week.
Satisfies the Natural Science requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes PHY 130 or permission of the instructor. (Fall/Spring)
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PHY 235 - General Physics with Calculus II: Studio (Integrated Laboratory and Lecture) Instructors
Bastani, S., Belloni, M., Kuchera, A., Yukich
Electricity and magnetism, circuits, optics, and modern physics (special relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics). More comprehensive than Physics 225 and designed for students who intend to major in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and/or plan to pursue a degree in engineering. Class meets 6 hours per week (2-hour block, three times per week) in a combined lecture/laboratory setting with time distributed equally between course material and laboratory exercises (3 hours lecture/3 hours laboratory).
Satisfies a major requirement for Physics
Satisfies a major requirement for Chemistry
Satisfies a minor requirement for Astrophysics
Satisfies a minor requirement for Applied Physics
Prerequisites & Notes Prerequisites: PHY 125 or PHY 130 or permission of the instructor.
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PHY 330 - Classical Mechanics Instructor
Levy
Newtonian principles are used with differential, integral, and vector calculus to analyze classical dynamics. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of mechanics are also developed and applied. Topics may include: linear and non-linear oscillations, gravitational systems, the calculus of variations, many-particle systems, non-inertial reference frames, rigid-body dynamics, normal modes, and wave theory.
Prerequisites & Notes Corequisite: Mathematics 113 or 140. Prerequisite: Physics 220, 225, or 230 or permission of the instructor. (Fall)
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PHY 335 - Advanced Laboratory Instructor
Gfroerer, Yukich, A. Kuchera
Senior-level capstone physics course. Students conduct advanced experiments in classical mechanics, optics, quantum mechanics, and statistical and thermal physics. Theoretical analysis, computational modeling, and scientific presentation skills are employed. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisites & Notes Physics 320 and Physics 310. Physics 330 is recommended. (Spring)
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PHY 350 - Electricity and Magnetism Instructor
J. Yukich
Electrostatics, magnetostatics, and electromagnetic waves, with emphasis on the application of Maxwell’s equations.
Prerequisites & Notes Corequisite: Mathematics 160 or Physics 201. Prerequisite: Physics 330 or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
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PHY 360 - Quantum Mechanics I Instructor
Kuchera M
Quantum mechanics with applications to exactly-solvable systems.
Prerequisites & Notes Mathematics 150 or Physics 201, Physics 320, Physics 330, and PHY 350, or permission of the instructor. (Fall)
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PHY 391 - Special Topics in Physics Instructor
Staff
Open to qualified students with permission of instructor. Topics announced in advance of registration.
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PHY 392 - Special Topics in Physics Instructor
Staff
Open to qualified students with permission of instructor. Topics announced in advance of registration.
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PHY 395 - Independent Study Instructor
Yukich
Open to students with substantial backgrounds in physics with written permission from a supervising professor who reviews and approves the study topic. The independent study typically culminates in a paper and/or an oral presentation.
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PHY 397 - Independent Study in Advanced Software Development in Science Instructor
M. Kuchera
Independent study using computers to model dynamical systems in the natural sciences under the direction and supervision of the instructor who approves the specific topic of study. Emphasis is on the use of object-oriented programming and web-based protocols to investigate both dynamical systems and the representation of those systems as data structures and algorithms.
Prerequisites & Notes CSC/PHY 200 or CSC 121 and one of PHY 310, CSC 231 or CSC 325, or permission of the instructor. (Fall/Spring)
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PHY 400 - Statistical and Thermal Physics Instructor
Yukich
An introduction to thermal physics using a statistical approach to describe systems composed of very many particles. The conclusions of classical thermodynamics are derived from statistical results.
Prerequisites & Notes Physics 330 or permission of the instructor. (Fall)
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PHY 410 - Intermediate Astrophysics Instructor
Thompson
Astrophysical techniques are considered using the techniques of classical mechanics, electromagnetic theory, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics. Topics include: stellar and planetary motions, electromagnetic radiation, radiative transfer, stellar structure and formation, galaxies, gravitational waves, and cosmology.
Prerequisites & Notes Two or more of Physics 330, 350, 360, and 400, or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
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PHY 415 - Optics and Lasers Instructor
Yukich
Applications of electromagnetic theory to modern optics and lasers. Topics include electromagnetic wave propagation and superposition, optical elements and devices, Fourier transforms, diffraction, polarization, interference, and coherence theory. Specific applications are made to lasers, spectrometers, interferometers, and optical systems.
Prerequisites & Notes Physics 350 or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
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PHY 420 - Solid State Physics Instructor
Staff
An examination of the properties of solids and their device applications. Topics will include: crystal structure and diffraction; phonons and lattice vibrations; free electron theory and band structure; semiconductors; magnetic properties; electrical properties; and superconductivity.
Satisfies a major requirement in Physics.
Prerequisites & Notes Physics 330 or permission of the instructor. Physics 350, 360, and 400 are recommended.
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PHY 425 - Nuclear Physics Instructor
A. Kuchera
Properties and applications of atomic nuclei are examined through nuclear structure, reactions, and decays. These topics will be studied from both theoretical and experimental perspectives to understand the nature of the fundamental nuclear forces.
Satisfies Physics major requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Prerequisites: Two or more of Physics 330, 350, 360, and 400, or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
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PHY 430 - Advanced Mechanics Instructors
Belloni, Boye
Continuation of Physics 330 including computer modeling. Topics include motion in non-inertial reference frames, rigid-body motion, Hamiltonian formalism, coupled oscillations and other selected topics such as special and general relativity.
Prerequisites & Notes Physics 330.
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PHY 495 - Independent Research Instructor
Bastani S, Belloni M, Kuchera M, Thompson K, Yukich J
Open to students with substantial backgrounds in physics with written permission of the supervising professor who reviews and approves the research topic. Satisfactory completion of a research project includes a presentation at a departmental seminar.
Prerequisites & Notes (Physics 495, Fall; Physics 496, Spring.)
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PHY 496 - Independent Research Instructor
Belloni M
Open to students with substantial backgrounds in physics with written permission of the supervising professor who reviews and approves the research topic. Satisfactory completion of a research project includes a presentation at a departmental seminar.
Prerequisites & Notes (Physics 495, Fall; Physics 496, Spring.)
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Political Science |
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POL 101 - Contemporary Political Ideologies Instructor
Ahrensdorf
This course investigates the theories at the foundation of liberal democracy, capitalism, communism, fascism, Nazism, and political Islam.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Not open to juniors until the first day of classes; not open to seniors except with permission of the instructor and only once the semester begins.
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POL 141 - Comparative Global Politics Instructors
Rigger
Introduction to the comparative study of political institutions, selected public policy challenges, and political trends in selected countries and regions around the world. Students are introduced to aspects of critical analysis and comparative methods as part of exploration of topics such as comparative electoral systems, executive-legislative relations, health care policies, gun control, immigration, taxation, and democratization.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement.
Credit towards International Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.
Prerequisites & Notes Not open to juniors until drop-add; not open to seniors except with permission of the instructor and only once the semester begins
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POL 180 - Introduction to Policy Analysis Instructor
C. Marsicano, Menkhaus, Murray, Bullock
This course provides students with an introduction to the methods and theory related to policy analysis. Students will learn various forms of policy evaluation including decision analysis, risk analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and others. Policy topics will include issues in domestic and international policy related to education, the arts, the environment, healthcare, national defense, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, foreign direct investment and affairs, and economic policy. Students will write a policy whitepaper advocating for a policy intervention to impact an area of policy of their choosing.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
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POL 182 - Introduction to Political Science Research Methods Instructors
Bersch, Ceka, Crowder-Meyer, O’Geen, Toska
The framework of social science analysis, and the use of statistics for studying political problems. Topics range from research design and hypothesis testing to correlation and multiple regression.
Satisfies the Mathematical and Quantitative Thought requirement.
Satisfies a requirement in the Data Science interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Methods requirement for the Gender and Sexuality Studies major in the Society and Politics track.
Prerequisites & Notes Not open to first-year students.
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POL 202 - Classical Political Theory Instructor
Ahrensdorf
Through a study of works by Aristophanes, Plato, and Aristotle, this course examines the Socratic revolution in the history of thought, why Socrates founded political philosophy, and the radical challenge that classical political philosophy poses to modern and contemporary political thought.
Satisfies a requirement in the Political Science major.
Satisfies a requirement in the Classics major.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement
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POL 224 - Political Institutions Instructor
O’Geen
This course will examine the origins and maintenance of political institutions, as well as the role of institutions in shaping outcomes and behavior. Theories drawing on insights from Political Science, Economics, History, and Sociology will be explored with a focus on applications in American politics.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
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POL 226 - Racial and Ethnic Politics Instructor
Crowder-Meyer
An exploration of the role of ethnic and racial identities in American political life, with special attention to debates about how best to incorporate various American minority groups into the political process.
Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement.
Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement
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POL 227 - Law, Politics and Society Instructor
O’Geen
This course is a survey of issues and themes connecting law, politics, and society. Reading and discussion will focus on American politics and explore topics as wide-ranging as racial inequality in sentencing and imprisonment, historical changes in the interpretation of rights and liberties, and civil procedure.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
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POL 228 - US Environmental Politics and Policy Instructor
Bullock
This course will explore the political challenges and opportunities associated with environmental problems in the United States. Through in-depth cases and role-playing simulations at the local, state, and national levels, students study the competing interests, values, narratives, and knowledge claims in the politics of energy, pollution, natural resources, biodiversity, and climate change.
Satisfies a major or interdisciplinary minor requirement in Communication Studies.
Satisfies depth and breadth course requirement in Social Science track of the Environmental Studies major or interdisciplinary minor.
Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Prerequisites & Notes Offered every other year, in rotation with POL 398.
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