Playing With Philosophy (PHL 0844)

Term: 2025-2026 Academic Year Fall Term

Faculty

Peter B HodgesShow MyInfo popup for Peter B Hodges

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Schedule

Wed, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM (9/17/2025 - 10/8/2025) Location: NC EDEN 1

Description

We will play around with common idioms that include the word "play" as a way to introduce philosophical concepts while we play games, play films, and play music, and even read a play.
For instance, Metaphysics deals with reality, the entire field of play, and the way things are playing themselves out reveals that playing with fire is not a mere play on words, nor child's play, but a replay of playing into the hands, perhaps, of playing God who doesn't play with dice.
With Epistemology, we will play a hunch that playing hard ball with knowledge claims may not be playing the hand we've been dealt. Instead, if we play it by ear and play our heart strings when playing head games, then we will play our cards right by playing around instead of playing the fool, whether or not we are playing dumb about who first said "play it again, Sam."
Regarding Ethical and Aesthetic values, we will play it for all it's worth by playing it straight to find that all work and no play isn't fair play, no matter whether we've been played like a fiddle by those who play to win by playing fast and loose with playing both sides against the middle. Are they playing a trick or just playing with themselves, and should we play it safe and send them to go play on the freeway?
Regarding logic, which some say plays for keeps by playing by the rules, we will play the odds to play out whether turn about is fair play when playing by the book requires us to play the devil's advocate or, at least, keep in play that we may end up like those who play one on T.V.
It's a community education class in horse play from which no one will want to play hookey.