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PHIL 110
(3)
Critical Thinking
A survey of concepts and methods geared to the advancement of skills in
critical thinking. Subject matter includes the nature of critical
thinking; the relations between logic and language; the relations
between rhetorical persuasion and relational argumentations; the nature
of word definition; the practical functions of language; the structure
of arguments, deductive and inductive; the difference between valid and
invalid, or strong and weak reasoning; methods for analyzing and
evaluating arguments; common argumentative fallacies; basic symbolic
logic.
PHIL 210 (3)
Symbolic Logic
Use of symbolic notation
to understand the structure of logical arguments. Translation of
sentences from ordinary language into logical notation, construction of
truth tables, and the use of formal deduction rules to prove the
validity of arguments. Prerequisite: Completion of the Entry-Level
Mathematics (ELM) requirement or completion of the Critical Thinking
General Education requirement.
PHIL 310 (3)
Western Philosophy:
Ancient Greece and Rome
Surveys the development of
Western philosophy in ancient Greece and Rome, from 700 BCE to 300 CE.
Study of philosophy is set against background consideration of broader
historical and cultural developments in the arts, sciences, and
technology, and the context of political, social, and economic life. May
not be taken for credit by students who have received credit for PHIL
320.
PHIL 311 (3)
Western Philosophy: The
Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Surveys the development of
Western philosophy in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Study of
philosophy is set against background consideration of broader historical
and cultural developments in the arts, religion, and sciences, and the
context of political, social, and economic life.
PHIL 312 (3)
Western
Philosophy: The Early Modern Period
Surveys the development of
Western philosophy in the early modern age, 1600-1800. Study of
philosophy is set against background consideration of broader historical
and cultural developments in the arts, sciences, and technology, and the
context of political, social, and economic life.
PHIL 314 (3)
Western
Philosophy: Late Modern and Post-Modern
Surveys the development of
Western philosophy in the late modern age, 1800-2000. Study of
philosophy is set against background consideration of broader historical
and cultural developments in the arts, sciences, and technology, and the
context of political, social, and economic life.
PHIL 315 (3)
Ethics:
Theory and Application
An introduction to ethical theory and applied
ethics. Surveys the major ethical theories developed in Western
philosophy, and examines
the ways in which theoretical approaches are applied to contemporary
personal and social issues. Study of philosophy is complemented by
discussion of intellectual history and exploration of a range of related
disciplines such as bioethics, environmental ethics, business ethics,
and public policy.
PHIL 318 (3)
Non-Western
Philosophy: Theories of Value and Action
A survey of ethical
traditions from non-Western cultures. Emphasis is on the religious
and philosophical traditions of Asia, but African and Native American
traditions are also discussed. Subjects include Hinduism and the Vedic
traditions, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and others.
PHIL 320 (3)
Philosophy and Culture
of Ancient Greece
Offers a survey of ancient
Greek philosophy, anchored in a study of the ancient Greek cultural
world. Readings of the Pre-Socratic philosophers, of Plato, and
Aristotle are related to an examination of Greek civilization in its
broadest dimensions. Begins with a study of the historical, political
and economic conditions of Greek life. Students read philosophic works,
examine the epic poetry of Hesiod and Homer, the dramatic arts of
tragedy and comedy, the ancient traditions of Greek mythology, and the
values expressed through the visual arts of the Greeks. Emphasizes
ethics, tracing linkages and similarities of sensibility between
philosophical and non-philosophical expressions of the Greek view of
human life. Serves well as a first course in philosophy, and as a more
general survey of ancient Greek culture.
PHIL 335 (3)
Social and Political
Philosophy
A survey of classical
social and political thinkers of Western world. Intends to heighten
critical awareness of the basic conceptual presuppositions of life in
political society, the fundamental issues and problems that arise from
political life, and the values underpinning democratic political
traditions. Theses include: the basic nature of social existence, the
purposes of government, the role of the state, and the dissemination of
political power.
PHIL 340 (3)
Ethics and the
Environment
A study of recent
developments in the field of environmental ethics: Examines the moral
and ethical status of the natural world. Environmental ethics is the
attempt to think through issues such as: the proper place of human
beings in nature, the extent of our moral and ethical obligations to the
natural world, the ethical foundations of public environmental policy,
the principles that govern environmental use and protection, and the
legitimacy of various approaches to environmental advocacy. A survey of
classical ethical theories will provide context for discussion of
environmental ethics, and examination
of current environmental issues (i.e., the Endangered Species Act, the
debate over use of public lands) will serve as a “testing ground” for
the practical application of environmental ethical theories.
PHIL 345 (3)
Bioethics and Medical
Ethics
A survey of ethical issues
in biological and medical research and practice. Offers and introductory
survey of ethical and moral theory, and investigates the application of
moral and ethical theory to issues such as animal and human research,
the doctor-patient relationship, reproductive technologies, and
biotechnology.
PHIL 355 (3)
Philosophy of Religion
A philosophical
investigation of the religious dimension of human experience. Explores
the standard, classic texts in the philosophy of religion, discussing a
range of viewpoints regarding the significance of religious experience.
Subjects include phenomenology of religious experience, the
intelligibility of religious belief and disbelief, and various
approaches to the nature of divinity and its meaning for human life.
PHIL 390 (3)
Topics in Philosophy
Selected topics of study
drawn from the sub-disciplines of philosophy. Topics will vary according
to the instructor and semester offered. Students should check the Class
Schedule for listing of actual topics. May be repeated for a total of
six (6) units of credit as topics change.
PHIL 490 (1)
Exit Seminar for the
Minor
The Exit Seminar allows
students and faculty to reflect on the learning experience of the
Philosophy Minor. Students construct a brief portfolio of essays written
for coursework in the Minor, and complete a reflective essay discussing
their overall experience of the Minor. Students are interviewed by
faculty regarding their progress through the Minor, and share their
experiences with one another in guided discussions of the Minor
curriculum. To be taken in the final semester of coursework
for the Minor. Graded Credit/No Credit. Prerequisite: Consent of Program
Director.
PHIL 499 (3)
Supervised Independent
Study
Addresses a special
interest not covered in a regular course or provides an opportunity to
explore in greater depth a subject introduced in a regular course.
Discussion in individual conferences. May be repeated for a total of six
(6) units of credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
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Philosophy Program