PHILOSOPHYProfessors Hinlicky, Wisnefske, Zorn; Assistant Professors Adkins, Vilhauer; Lecturers Kelly, M. Larson-Harris
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.
Surveys (none required, and only one may count toward the major)
Logic (at least one)
History of Philosophy (at least two)
PHIL 205 Moral Philosophy
Advanced (at least two)
Senior Thesis (one) Minor in Philosophy
A minor in philosophy requires the completion of six units.
Surveys (none required, and only one may count toward the minor)
Logic (at least one)
History of Philosophy (at least one)
Topics (at least one)
Advanced (at least one) 101 Philosophical Inquiry
An examination of philosophers’ answers to the questions: What can I know? What ought I do? What might I hope for? What is it to be a human being? (1) 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) 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) 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) 206 Social Philosophy
An introduction to social-political philosophy. Taking the social nature of human life as its basic premise, this course aims to investigate who we are as political animals, what effect the social order in which we live has upon us, and what type of social order would enable us to achieve our highest human potential. The course considers such issues as: the fit ruler and the just state; the social contract; rights, laws, and duties; individual freedom; equality, diversity, and tolerance; representation and participation in political life. (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) 212 Environmental Philosophy
An introduction to environmental philosophy. It will focus on philosophical questions germane to the relationship between humans and the environment. What is the environment? What is the appropriate relation between humans and the environment? Does technology help or hinder this relationship? What responsibilities do humans have with regard to natural resources? (1) 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) (Cross-listed with Religion 213). 215 Symbolic Logic
An introduction to truth functional logic including truth tables, and natural deduction in propositional and predicate logic. (1) 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) (Cross-listed with Religion 218). 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) 223 Ethics and Medicine
An examination of ethical issues in medicine and the moral principles that might be employed to resolve ethical dilemmas. (1) 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) 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) 260 Selected Topics in Philosophy
The study of a particular issue, theme, or philosopher of current interest. (1) 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) 266 Contemporary French Philosophy
An examination of contemporary French thinkers, such as Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, and Jacques Derrida. Each of these thinkers represents an important aspect in the development of what has been variously called post-structuralist and postmodernist discourse as it has developed in France since the May 1968 student riots. The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to some important trends in French thought since 1968. (1) 267 Philosophy and Film
An introduction to the interaction between philosophy and film. Whether implicitly or explicitly every film makes claims about the nature of reality, human nature, society, politics, ethics, and aesthetics. This makes film an excellent place to explore philosophical questions. The course will focus on a director, theme, or genre of film with the goal that film and philosophy mutually explicate one another. (1) 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) 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) 320 Nietzsche
An introduction to the thought of Friedrich Nietzsche. Through an examination of key texts in Nietzsche’s corpus students will be exposed to the major questions of Nietzsche’s thought. What is life? What is the relationship between art and life? Where do values come from? What is power? What is interpretation? (1) 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) 325 Heidegger
An introduction to the thought of Martin Heidegger. Through an examination of key texts in Heidegger’s corpus students will be exposed to the major questions of Heidegger’s thought. What is existence? What is time? What is death? What is truth? What is interpretation? (1) 332 Topics in Metaphysics
A detailed examination of a topic in metaphysics. Topics for any given semester will be chosen by the instructor from among such issues as idealism and realism, language, the philosophy of mind, substance, and time. (1) 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.
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