Some of philosophy’s deepest and most persistent questions are about our place in and our interactions with the natural world. Are we ourselves part of that world, or are we somehow outside of it? How can we know about the world, if we can at all? Do we have the freedom to choose our own actions, or are our choices settled in advance? This course provides an introduction to philosophy through the lens of these questions, which we will discuss in both historical and contemporary forms. We will also ask after the role and value of philosophy in addressing them. Might science ultimately provide their answers? Might religion? What, if anything, makes philosophy a distinctive and distinctively valuable tool for their investigation?