PHILOSOPHY
Professors Hinlicky,Wisnefske; Associate Professor Zorn; Assistant
Professor Adkins
The study of philosophy examines the most basic questions of
life.The study of philosophy prepares students for any number
of career options by equipping them with a better selfunderstanding,
and developing in them the ability to reason
clearly and to write convincingly.
A major in philosophy requires the completion of nine units.
These include:
Surveys (none required, and only one may count
toward the major)
PHIL 101 Philosophical Inquiry
PHIL 105 Socrates, Jesus, and the Buddha
Logic (at least one)
PHIL 122 Logic
PHIL 215 Symbolic Logic
History of Philosophy (at least two)
PHIL 213 Religions and Philosophies of India, or
PHIL 218 Religions and Philosophies of China
PHIL 251 Early Western Philosophy
PHIL 252 Modern Western Philosophy
Topics (at least two)
PHIL 205 Moral Philosophy
PHIL 211 Philosophical Issues in the Sciences
PHIL 222 Business Ethics
PHIL 223 Medical Ethics (cross-listed SOCI 223)
PHIL 260 Selected Topics in Philosophy
PHIL 265 American Philosophy
Advanced (at least two)
PHIL 310 Kant's Critical Philosophy
PHIL 321 Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 330 Nietzsche and Heidegger on Nihilism
PHIL 332 Metaphysics
Senior Thesis (one)
PHIL 410, 411, 412 ( 1 / 2 ,) (1), ( 1 / 2 ) or
PHIL 495, 496, 497 ( 1 / 2 ), (1), ( 1 / 2 )
POLI 342 or 343 may be considered electives with
approval of the department, as may some IL courses.
Minor in Philosophy
A minor in philosophy requires the completion of six units.
These include:
Surveys (none required, and only one may count
toward the minor)
PHIL 101,105 Logic (at least one)
PHIL 122, 215 History of Philosophy (at least one)
PHIL 213, 218, 251, 252 Topics (at least one)
PHIL 205, 211, 222, 223, 260, 265 Advanced (at least two)
PHIL 310, 321, 330, 332
POLI 342 or 343 may be considered electives with
approval of the department, as may some IL courses.
101 Philosophical Inquiry
An examination of philosophers' answers to the questions:
What can I know? What ought I do? What might I hope for?
and What is it to be a human being? (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
105 Socrates, Jesus, and the Buddha
A survey of the main figures in the philosophical and
religious traditions of the Western world, as well as major
figures in Eastern philosophy and religion. All members of the
department of Religion and Philosophy will
contribute lectures. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
122 Logic
This course seeks to develop skills in formulating and
evaluating arguments. Topics covered include the nature
and types of arguments, patterns of fallacious reasoning,
inductive logic, and systems of deductive logic. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
205 Moral Philosophy
An investigation of the sources of, and our responses to,
human dignity. Readings include slave and internment
narratives, research from the social sciences, philosophical
analyses, as well as debates on specific moral issues. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission. (1)
211 Philosophical Issues in the Sciences
An inquiry into the assumptions behind scientific methods,
the aims of scientific achievements, and the history of
scientific discovery. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission.
213 Religions and Philosophies of India
An interdisciplinary examination of the philosophical and
religious traditions of South Asia. Topics include the central
ideas and practices of these traditions, their historical
development, their styles of reasoning, and the relationship
between religion and philosophy. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
215 Symbolic Logic
An introduction to truth functional logic including truth
tables, and natural deduction in propositional and predicate
logic. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
218 Religions and Philosophies of China
An interdisciplinary examination of the philosophical and
religious traditions of East Asia. Topics include the central
ideas and practices of these traditions, their historical
development, their styles of reasoning, and the relationship
between religion and philosophy. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
222 Business Ethics
An examination of normative questions arising from business
practice and decision-making, focusing on the analysis of
theories of ethical action and character, and their application
to contemporary business issues. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
223 Ethics and Medicine
An examination of ethical issues in medicine and the moral
principles that might be employed to resolve ethical
dilemmas. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Sociology 101.
(Cross-listed as Sociology 223.)
251 Early Western Philosophy
An analysis of the history of Western thought from the rise of
classical philosophy with the pre-Socratic philosophers
and the pivotal figures of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle,
through the evolution of classical thought in Hellenistic
philosophies and medieval thinkers such as St. Augustine and
St.Thomas Aquinas. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
252 Modern Western Philosophy
A study of the attempts of thinkers such as Bacon, Hobbes,
Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, and Kant to come
to terms with the scientific, political, and religious changes in
the modern world. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
260 Selected Topics in Philosophy
The study of a particular issue, theme, or philosopher of
current interest. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
265 American Philosophy
The development of American philosophy from the colonial
period to contemporary thinkers. Particular emphasis will be
placed on the pragmatist tradition, including 19th-century
thinkers such as Peirce, James, and Dewey, and contemporary
figures such as Quine, Davidson, and Rorty. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
310 Kant's Critical Philosophy
A consideration of the philosophical questions Kant
addressed, his answers to them, and their impact on
existentialism, pragmatism and language philosophy. Focusing
on his major works it considers the viability of Kant's
philosophy today. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission.
321 Philosophy of Religion
Is it reasonable to believe in God? Can we know anything
about God? Different ways of responding to these questions,
along with the different views of rationality and religion they
imply, are explored using classical and contemporary sources. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission.
330 Nietzsche and Heidegger on Nihilism
A consideration of Nietzsche's charge that Christian and
Plantonic thought is Nihilistic. It examines Heidegger's
commentary on Nietzsche's attack, and makes inquiries
concerning the connection between nihilism and nazism. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission.
332 Metaphysics
An examination of questions concerning the ultimate nature
of reality, including such topics as time, identity, mind and
body, language, truth, and the implications of idealist and
realist approaches to these questions. (1)
Lecture: 3 hrs/wk.
Prerequisite: Previous philosophy course or permission.
405, 406, 407 Independent Study and Research
Selected topics in philosophy carried out under the direction
of a member of the departmental staff. Enrollment with the
approval of the department. ( 1 / 2 , 1, 1 / 2 )
410, 411, 412 Senior Thesis
At the end of the junior year every major will register with a
member of the department to study and write a major paper
in the final year. Guidelines, requirements and dates are
explained in "The Senior Thesis." ( 1 / 2 , 1, 1 / 2 )
495, 496, 497 Honors Project
A program of independent study culminating in a paper.
Prerequisite:To qualify for consideration to receive honors in the
major, a student in his/her senior year or in the Summer prior to the
senior year, must work under the guidance of his/her committee.A
written proposal and application must be approved by the committee
and department.A minimum GPA of 3.4 in the major is required.
495 Honors Project is prerequisite for 497 Honors Project. ( 1 / 2 , 1, 1 / 2 )