Course Description

Instructor Bio - Dr. David E. Smith (Current Instructor, OLLI at University of Washington)

Explanation and discussion of fascinating themes in philosophy—a philosophy buffet! Topics include rationality, free will, anti-vaxxing movements in the United States, and philosophy of humor.

Meet Instructor David Smith

March 1: Rationality

What is reason, how does it work, and how does it relate to other aspects of our humanity, like intuition, imagination, and emotion? In this lecture David describes both the essential nature of reason and its limitations.

March 15: Free Will

What is free will and is it real? To what extent are our decisions determined by genetics and experience, and to what extent do we really have the power to choose between options? And how should we think about and respond to people who make very bad choices? In this lecture David discusses three different views of free will.

March 22: Anti-vaxxing Movements in the United States

Many people in the United States refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Why? What are the reasons given, and are the reasons valid? Why do people believe unfounded conspiracy theories? Why do intelligent people sometimes believe nonsense? When should we trust mainstream institutions and experts, and when should we question them? In this lecture David describes the similarities and differences between different anti-vaxxing movements and evaluates their reasoning.

March 29: Philosophy of Humor

What is humor and why do we find certain things funny? What does humor do for us? What are the ethical boundaries of comedy? Can comedians say anything they want, and how do they sometimes communicate serious ideas through humor? In this lecture David explains the three major theories of humor and uses them to interpret an excerpt from a standup comedian.

Instructor Bio

Dr. David E. Smith grew up in the world of fundamentalist Christianity. As an adult, he gradually moved away from that perspective and became a religious progressive/skeptic. After earning an M.A. in philosophy of religion and serving as an urban law enforcement officer, he received a second M.A. and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Formerly an associate professor at a liberal arts college, David now teaches for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington and offers courses in religion and philosophy at many different venues in the Seattle area through Beliefs and Ethics Seminars. He has published in these areas as well. His mission is to empower people to think for themselves about things that matter.