Colin Mathers
Senior Lecturer
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
Office Location
Colin Mathers
Senior Lecturer
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
Education
BA, DePauw University; MA, Ph.D., University of Rochester
Bio
Although Colin’s area of specialization in graduate school was Epistemology, his interests have turned to questions of both Ethical Theory as well as Applied Ethics topics. When Colin is not engaged in deep philosophical thought, he spends time listening to jazz and enjoys playing bridge.
Currently Teaching
PHIL-102
Introduction to Moral Issues
3 Credits
This course examines ethical questions that arise in the course of day-to-day individual and social life. Some consideration will be given to ethical theory and its application to such questions, but emphasis will be on basic moral questions and practical issues. Examples of typical issues to be examined are: What are the grounds for moral obligations like keeping promises or obeying the law? How do we reason about what to do? Examples of typical moral issues that may be introduced are capital punishment, euthanasia, abortion, corporate responsibility, the treatment of animals, and so forth.
PHIL-205
Symbolic Logic
3 Credits
An introduction to symbolic, or formal, deductive logic and techniques, such as truth tables, truth trees, and formal derivations. The emphasis will be on propositional (or sentential) logic and first-order predicate logic.