PHILOSOPHY

Professors Hinlicky, Wisnefske, Zorn; Assistant Professor Adkins; Lecturers Baas, Kelly

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 self understanding, 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 315

Hegel

      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, 315, 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.

315 Hegel

An introduction to the thought of G.W.F. Hegel. Through examination of his central writings, students will encounter the major questions of his thought: Where does philosophy begin? Does it have any presuppositions? What is the method appropriate to philosophy? What is the purpose of philosophy? (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)