Course Description

Instructor: David E Smith

Last year, we did Themes in Philosophy 1, a philosophy buffet! We looked at rationality, free will, anti-vaxxing movements, and philosophy of humor. In this series we look at more fascinating themes in philosophy—another philosophy buffet! Topics include epistemology (philosophy of knowledge, one lecture), human rights theory and application (two lectures), philosophy of democracy (two lectures), and religion and politics in America (two lectures). Themes in Philosophy 1 is not a prerequisite.

Instructor Bio: Dr. David E. Smith grew up in the world of fundamentalist religion. As an adult he gradually moved away from that worldview and became a religious progressive/skeptic. After earning an M.A. in philosophy of religion, he received a second M.A. and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Formerly a full-time philosophy and religious studies faculty member at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA, he now teaches for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington and offers independent seminars and personal consultations in comparative religion and philosophy. He has published widely in these areas, as well. His mission is to empower people to think well for themselves about things that matter.