Time Schedule:
Walter S. Clifton
PHIL 301
Seattle Campus
Philosophical topics at the intermediate level. Content varies each quarter, depending on instructor.
Class description
"Philosophy and Literature" There are many philosophical issues surrounding the practice of creating and enjoying literature. Some of them that will be discussed in this course include the following: deciding how to define literature, determining the proper role of the author in literary interpretation, figuring out how emotions relate to the reading of literature, determining the status of fictional characters, considering whether ethical truths can be learned from literature and whether literature may be criticized for containing immoral themes. We will spend some extra time considering the issue of whether philosophical insights themselves can appear in literary works and whether they are better conveyed in this medium, rather than in the traditional non-fictional philosophical paper or book. We will consider a test case with Iris Murdoch, comparing/contrasting her moral views as laid out in her philosophical work The Sovereignty of Good and as they appear in one of her novels.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
