HUMS 217 The Search for Wisdom: Philosophy As a Way of Life

Division of Liberal Arts

3 credits 45.0 hours
200 level undergraduate course

This course sets out from the ancient Greek idea that philosophy is first of all the search for wisdom, or how to leave the best life possible. The course’s primary focus is how a variety of thinkers, from the 16th century to recent times, have attempted to recover the idea that philosophy is first of all a quest for a practical wisdom, or a way of life. After looking at a few ancient precedents, the course concentrates on Montaigne, Descartes, Goethe, Thoreau, Nietzsche, James, Wittgenstein, and Weil.

Prerequisites FYWT*101 or FYWT*112

This course is not repeatable for credit.
This course is equated with the following courses: LACR*210, HUMS*223, HUMS*214, HUMS*217, HUMS*227, HUMS*213, HUMS*219, HUMS*222, HUMS*229, REG*228, HUMS*221, HUMS*224, HUMS*225, HUMS*226, HUMS*218, HUMS*220, HUMS*212, HUMS*215, HUMS*216, HUMS*210, HUMS*211