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Next: Physical Education (PED) Up: Courses of Instruction Previous: BACHELOR OF MUSIC (B.Mus.)
Philosophy (PHI)
Paul Gray (chair), James White
Essential to a liberal education is the ability to think, to detect bad arguments and evidence, to see more than one side of a matter and to decide which is best, to construct a coherent case, and to make words perform their tasks with clarity and precision. These principles, along with a concern for representing the principal areas of philosophical inquiry, and an emphasis on the careful, creative, and critical reading of important philosophical texts, guide the Department in planning its curriculum.
Major: A minimum of nine course credits, which include PHI 111 and 202; either 203 or 204; two courses selected from 302, 304, 305, and 306; and four additional courses in Philosophy, at least three of which must be at the 300 level.
Minor: A minimum of six course credits in Philosophy which include PHI 111 and 202; either 203 or 204; either 302 or 304 or 305 or 306; and two additional 300-level courses in Philosophy.
111. Introduction to Philosophy
Problems of philosophy as they are discussed in the writings of major
philosophers. Designed for first year students and sophomores. (Humanities)
201. Aesthetics
The nature of art, beauty, criticism, and the relation of art to
science, religion, and society. Study of a number of classics in this
area by philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Tolstoy, and
Ortega. Offered subject to availability of faculty. (Humanities)
202. Ethics
The nature of moral
experience, moral judgments, and moral principles, and the relation of
each to the other. Readings from some major ancient, modern, and
contemporary moral philosophers. (Humanities) GRAY
203. Logic and Critical Thinking
Principles and techniques useful for evaluating arguments and avoiding
fallacious reasoning in ordinary life. (Humanities) WHITE
204. Symbolic Logic
An introduction to formal argument analysis, including first order
predicate logic and mathematical logic. Alternate years. WHITE
224. Environmental Ethics
Moral dilemmas associated with human populations, industrial
productivity, a deteriorating environment, and generally, our treatment
of the natural world. Team-taught by a philosopher and a biologist, the
course will critically analyze the conceptual framework within which
questions about the environment are raised and debated, and provide
biological information relevant to those questions. Alternate years. (Humanities) WHITE and BLACK
225. Utopia
Philosophical study
of selected works in Utopian literature: Plato's Republic,
More's Utopia, and more recent utopian visions. (Humanities)
GRAY
280/380. Internship: see Courses 280/380.
290/390. Individual Project: see Courses 290/390.
301. Asian Philosophy
Major
traditions in Asian philosophy including Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism,
and Hinduism. Alternate years. (Humanities)
302. Ancient Philosophy
Advanced
study of philosophers from the ancient period, such as the Presocratics,
Plato, and Aristotle. Alternate years. (Humanities)
303. Mediaeval Philosophy
Study
of philosophers of the mediaeval period such as Augustine, Aquinas, Duns
Scotus, and Ockham. Offered every third year. (Humanities)
304. Modern Philosophy: Seventeenth Century
Study of the philosophers of the early modern era such as Bacon, Descartes, Hobbes,
Locke, Spinoza, and Leibniz. Alternate years. (Humanities) GRAY
305. Modern Philosophy: Eighteenth
Century
European philosophy from 1700 to 1800. Study of
the philosophers of the middle of the modern era such as Hume, Voltaire,
Rousseau, and Kant. Alternate years. (Humanities) GRAY
306. Modern Philosophy: Nineteenth
Century
European philosophy from 1800 to 1900. Study of
the philosophers of the late modern era such as Hegel, Schopenhauer,
Kierkegaard, Mill, Marx, and Nietzsche. Alternate years. (Humanities)
GRAY
307. Marx and Marxism
Primary emphasis on reading a comprehensive and balanced selection of the writings of Karl Marx. Reading will include some leading Marxists such as Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Marcuse. Alternate years. (Humanities) GRAY
308. American Philosophy
Intensive study of two major American philosophers such as William James and John Dewey. Offered every third year. (Humanities) GRAY
309. Existentialism
Reflections on death, the meaning of life, absurdity, alienation, despair, freedom, and the self. Intensive study of the works of two major European existentialists such as Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre. Alternate years. (Humanities) GRAY
352. Philosophy of Feminism
Explores feminist critiques of Western philosophy and issues in feminist
ethics, epistemology, and political theory. Alternate years. (Humanities)
353. Philosophy of Law
Inquiry
into the nature of a legal system, legal reasoning, relation of morality
to law, the role of law in society, and topics in constitutional
interpretation. Students will read judicial opinions and other material
that they are likely to encounter in law school. Alternate years. (Humanities)
354. Political Philosophy
Intensive study of the work of a major political philosopher, compared
with other important contributions to moral and political philosophy. Offered every third year. (Humanities) GRAY
355. Philosophy of Religion
Philosophical examination of the major concepts and claims of the Western religious tradition. Topics to be discussed include the nature and existence of God, the problem of evil, the nature of religious language, the relation between faith and reason, the possibility of religious knowledge. Alternate years. (Humanities) WHITE
356. Philosophy of Science
Examination of science as a source of information about the world. The
structure of scientific confirmation and explanation. The nature of
scientific knowledge and progress. The difference between science and
pseudo-science. The role of gender and social values in science.
Alternate years. (Humanities) WHITE
357. Philosophy in Literature
Philosophical study of selected works of world literature. Alternate
years. (Humanities) GRAY
358. Philosophy of Mind
Theories about the mind and mental phenomena: the relationship between minds and brains; consciousness; free will; artificial intelligence; and the philosophy of psychology. Alternate years. (Humanities) WHITE
359. Postmodern Philosophy
Introduction to a very recent post-Analytic movement in twentieth century philosophy. Study of the views of philosophers such as Lyotard, Foucault, and Rorty. Offered every third year. (Humanities) GRAY
360. Evolution and Philosophy
An examination of the theory of evolution--what it says, what support
it has, what it can (and cannot) explain--in order to see what (if any)
implications it has for religion, morality, philosophy, and the
understanding we have of ourselves and our world. Alternate years.
(Humanities) WHITE
361
through 366. Topics in Philosophy
Study of one major philosopher, one major problem, or one major philosophical movement. Offered subject to availability of faculty. (Humanities)
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