Undergraduate Courses
11001 Introduction to Philosophy (3 credit hours)
An introduction to the diverse methods and subject matters in philosophy. Topics may include: What are the arguments for the existence of God? Do humans have free will? Can we know anything with certainty, and how do we know anything at all? Is what we see real, or might it be only an illusion? What makes a person a person - their mind, or their physical attributes? Is the mind the brain, or is it something else? This course may be used to satisfy the Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts Requirement. This course may be used to satisfy the University Global Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Recognize diverse methods and subject areas of philosophy. Demonstrate an understanding of how to examine questions and issues from diverse perspectives. Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues addressed by major figures from the history of philosophy. Develop the ability to (re)present philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Engage students in development of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: None. | top
11009 Critical Thinking (3 credit hours)
The place of argument in reasoning and the place of reasoning in thinking are explored through a concentration on argument -- its structure, expression, function, and limits. This course may be used to satisfy the Kent Core.
Outcomes: Learning to think constructively and critically. Understanding the premise-conclusion structure of basic arguments, and various ways premises are integrated. Recognizing common fallacies. Understanding the principles of creative thinking.
Prerequisites: None. | top
21001 Introduction to Ethics (3 credit hours)
This course considers what constitutes ethics, not just which specific acts or act-kinds are ethical, using at least three primary sources from varied ethical traditions. This course may be used to satisfy the Kent Core. This course may be used to satisfy the University Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Acquire critical reading, writing, and inquiry skills for the arguments and ethical theories of representative thinkers in the Western tradition. Appreciate philosophical views significantly different from one’s own. Apply ethical arguments and theories to real world situations.
Prerequisites: None. | top
21002 Introduction to Formal Logic (3 credit hours)
Techniques of formal logic, traditional and contemporary. This course may be used to satisfy the Kent Core.
Outcomes: Develop an understanding of the nature of deductive reasoning. Develop a fluency in the formal languages of propositional logic, and predicate logic. Learn techniques of proof construction. Learn techniques for determining whether or not an argument is deductively valid.
Prerequisites: MATH 00022 with a minimum C grade or minimum 22 ACT mathematics score or minimum 520 SAT mathematics score or minimum 35 ALEKS placement exam score. | top
30015 Medicine and Morality (3 credit hours)
A philosophical exploration of at least three issues related to current medical practices, which may include ethical, religious, legal and clinical aspects.
Outcomes: Learn ethical arguments about three controversial issues in contemporary medical practice, as well as the ethical theories used in these arguments.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy or junior standing. | top
30025 Environmental Ethics (3 credit hours)
A philosophical examination of ethical issues in environmental studies, including topics such as: animal ethics and the sources of our food; the value of nature and environmental aesthetics; sustainability and biodiversity; ecofeminism, social justice and radical ecology; and the human response to climate change. The course is designed to complement fields of study such as geography, environmental studies and biology.
Outcomes: Learn to critically think, reflect, and write about perspectives of ethical issues in environmental studies, such as environmental aesthetics, sustainability, and biodiversity, and social justice. Learn to apply ethical concepts to such interdisciplinary fields as geography, environmental studies, and biology.
Prerequisites: None. | top
31001 Ancient Greek Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Examination of issues of Greek thought from its inception through Plato and Aristotle. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Enhance knowledge and understanding of 3 main periods of ancient Greek philosophy: Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle, and Hellenism. Improve philosophical writing. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31002 Medieval Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Examination of issues in medieval thought: for instance, the existence and nature of God and the problem of universals. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Understand and critically evaluate the views of major thinkers of the early to late medieval period. Demonstrate recognition of arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Improve philosophical writing.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31003 Continental Rationalism (3 credit hours)
Selections from Rationalists; for instance, Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Understand central works of philosophers such as Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz in detail. Learn and appreciate the significance of continental rationalism in the context of Western philosophy. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Improve philosophical writing.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31004 British Empiricism (3 credit hours)
Selections from British Empiricists such as Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. The empiricists believed that reality was best understood using sensory evidence and observational methods. What do these human investigations tell us about the nature of properties, existence, and causation? This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Enhance knowledge and understanding of 3 significant British Empiricists: John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Improve philosophical writing.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31005 German Critical Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Selections from philosophers such as Kant, Fichte, and others who began the movement known as German idealism. These thinkers emphasized a turn towards mind as constructing the world as it appears to us. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Understand and critically interpret the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and his contemporaries in breadth and in careful detail. Express an understanding of Kant’s arguments verbally and in writing, reflecting their reading of the texts, lectures, and secondary sources.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31006 Nineteenth Century Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Nineteenth-century philosophy is primarily a response to German Idealism. Questions in social and political philosophy, as well as in metaphysics and epistemology, are considered in the works of philosophers such as Hegel, Fichte, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Understand and write proficiently about the major writers of nineteenth century philosophy: Hegel through Nietzsche. Demonstrate recognition of philosophic arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that informs those arguments and writings.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31010 Twentieth Century Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Selections from representatives of the most influential schools of thought within twentieth-century philosophy; for example, existentialists such as Sartre, pragmatists such as Dewey, logical positivists such as Carnap, phenomenologists such as Heidegger, and post-structuralists such as Derrida. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Enhance knowledge and understanding of significant figures and philosophical developments of the Twentieth Century. Improve philosophical writing. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31020 American Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Selection from principal American philosophers from colonial times to present, such as Emerson, Peirce, William James, Dewey, Quine and Martin Luther King. American philosophy reflects the historic values of liberty, enterprise, industry, practicality, and diversity interwoven in the fabric of American life. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive course graduation requirement with approval of major department.
Outcomes: Understand the major historical movements in American philosophy: Puritanism, transcendentalism, evolutionary naturalism, pragmatism, realism, and contemporary developments. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Improve philosophical writing.
Prerequisites: At least one of PHIL 11009, 21002, 41038; and at least one of PHIL 11001, 21001. | top
31030 Existentialism (3 credit hours)
Examination of the themes of existentialism, which include absurdity, freedom, and the individual's relationship to the world. Philosophers studied may include Sartre, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, de Beauvoir, Ortega y Gasset, Marcel, and Tillich.
Outcomes: Understand, critically evaluate, and effectively write about major themes and arguments in existentialism. Express existential themes aesthetically using creativity and imagination.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31035 Philosophy and Justice (3 credit hours)
Consideration of topics and issues relevant to the concept of justice, as addressed by a range of classical and contemporary philosophers. Topics may include the nature of justice from feminist, libertarian, liberal, socialist, communitarian, egalitarian, and social welfare perspectives; and the application of these perspectives to practical issues such as affirmative action, democracy, equal pay, environmental justice, just war, criminal justice, civil disobedience, tort law and poverty. Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. This course may be used to satisfy the University Domestic Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Understand and critically examine various theories and ideas regarding the nature of justice. Examine practical applications to social and political issues and problems or public policy. Understand and examine how different public policies; political, social, and economic structures; and various disagreements on these issues reflect different ideas of justice.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31040 Feminist Philosophy (3 credit hours)
The course introduces feminist philosophy understood as social critique: a critique of unjust, exclusionary, and oppressive systemic practices surrounding sex, sexuality, and gender. As such, the course focuses on issues such as gender identity, sexual difference, the sex and gender binaries, gendered experience, trans embodiment, and LGBTQI marginalization. The course asks whether, and if so, how, feminist theory (more broadly) and feminist philosophy (more narrowly) could draw on canonical philosophical texts, traditions, and figures. The course focuses extensively on contemporary approaches, including queer, race, and gay and lesbian theory. This course may be used to satisfy the University Domestic Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Thoughtfully read and critically analyze issues and questions raised in the readings. Learn the methodology of philosophical questioning from a feminist perspective, broadly construed as applicable to other areas of education and life. Understand fundamental issues in current feminist writings, appreciating the history and sources from which today's issues spring.
Prerequisites: One course in Philosophy. Students with junior standing of above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31050 Philosophy through Literature (3 credit hours)
This course introduces several philosophical problems via an examination of those problems and themes in works of literature. The course combines philosophical essays with works of poetry, short novels, and short stories, so as to expose students to diverse perspectives on complex philosophical problems.
Outcomes: Identify philosophical themes across several works of literature and connect those themes to philosophical arguments about the nature of time, modality, personal identity, and philosophy of religion, among other topics.
Prerequisites: One course in Philosophy. Students with junior standing of above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31060 Philosophy of Art and Beauty (3 credit hours)
Investigation of concepts such as the artistic object and creative expression, and examination and critique of a range of theories designed to solve various problems in the field of aesthetics, or the study of the nature and principles of artistic beauty. Examples drawn from diverse genres such as the visual arts, drama, music, and dance provide the context for discussion of topics including what makes something beautiful and what is involved in an act of creativity. Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override.
Outcomes: Understand art as imitation, emotional engagement, a play of forms, the unification of experience, and existential truth. Learning to integrate abstract ideas with contemporary issues in art and art theory. Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues addressed by major figures from the history of philosophy.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31070 African and African-American Philosophies (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with PAS 30010) Exploration of philosophical issues in African and African-American or Black thoughts systems. Topics may include the examination of the issue of the existence of a Black philosophy, the nature of traditional African knowledge, beliefs about personhood, the basis and rationality of witchcraft or other metaphysical beliefs, communalism, the nature of Black moral and aesthetic values, and contemporary analysis of race, racism, slavery, civil rights, pan-Africanism, and criticisms of colonialism, Black development, democratic governance and social policies regarding Blacks. Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. This course may be used to satisfy the University Domestic Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Demonstrate understanding of the ideas, thought systems, beliefs, values, and ways of life of Africans and people of African descent. Demonstrate understanding and appreciation of how these ideas, beliefs, values, and ways of life constitute a philosophical system. Demonstrate understanding of the ideas of African and African-American thinkers on various issues and problems. Understand how their unique experiences as oppressed peoples have influenced their ideas and beliefs. Critically examine and reflect on these ideas and the view of thinkers.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31075 Philosophy and Culture (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of various philosophical ideas and issues from diverse cultural perspectives. Topics include pluralism, coexistence, toleration and relativism. This course may be used to satisfy the University Global Diversity Requirement.
Outcomes: Learn various perspectives on themes related to doing philosophy in a broad cultural context that includes philosophies outside the West, e.g., African, Asian philosophies. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and evaluate these cultural perspectives and the ideas that develop from them. Learn the various cultural conditions and environments in which philosophical ideas and beliefs develop and are discussed or examined. Learn and be able to critically examine the concepts of “cultural diversity,” “multiculturalism,” and their moral, linguistic, educational, epistemological, social, political, legal and policy implications and underpinnings. Demonstrate the ability to view or examine philosophical problems, issues, and ideas from diverse and multicultural perspectives.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
31080 Foundations in the History and Philosophy of Science (3 credit hours)
An introduction to the study of science as a social, cultural, and historical phenomenon with an emphasis on the history of science since 1500 and the major philosophical approaches to science developed in the twentieth century.
Outcomes: Understand and critically evaluate the evolution of science since 1500 as a social, cultural, and historical phenomenon. Learn and evaluate the major philosophical approaches to science developed in the twentieth century.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
32091 SEM: Philosophical Reflections (3 credit hours)
(Repeated registration permitted with departmental approval.) Junior-level seminar with variable topics of philosophical interest. Please check the departmental website or contact the professor regarding each semester’s topic.
Outcomes: TBA
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
40005 Healthcare Ethics (3 credit hours)
Ethical problems in health care critically assessed, and consideration of how these specific ethical problems illuminate the ethical enterprise.
Outcomes: Become familiarized with canonical and contemporary moral theories, including Beauchamp and Childress’s “principlism.” Examine several ethical issues in contemporary clinical medicine, and the application of ethical theories to these issues. Demonstrate working knowledge of both these ethical theories and their application to clinical medicine.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
40093 Variable Title Workshop in Philosophy (1-6 credit hours)
(Repeated registration permitted with departmental approval. S/U grading.) Senior-level workshopp with variable topics of philosophical interest. Please check the departmental website or contact the professor regarding each semester’s topic.
Outcomes: TBA
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
41010 Problems in the Philosophy of Religion (3 credit hours)
Philosophical examination of issues and problems presented by various writers in philosophy of religion.
Outcomes: Understand multiple philosophical approaches to a variety of standard topics in philosophy of religion. Gain facility in reading primary texts in philosophy. Apply selected concepts from class in daily life.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41020 Social and Political Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of classical and contemporary philosophical theories of the nature of society, and the state as political system that best represents a well-organized society. Topics may include the nature, existence, and justification of the state, the issue of political obligation, theories of anarchism, utopia, democracy, liberalism, communitarianism, citizenship, and patriotism, and examination of the nature of the social and political values or notions of rights, equality, and liberty.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas and theories of major philosophers regarding the nature of a society, an ideal society, or a well-ordered or organized society. Examine the nature of good political structures and systems as features or manifestations of a well-ordered or a well-organized society. Critically examine and reflect on the ideas of major philosophers in this field. Understand the practical application of the ideas of major philosophers for the purpose of critically reflecting on modern political systems and societies.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41025 Philosophy of Law (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of the nature, features, foundation, and function of law. Topics may include the debate between natural law theory and legal positivism, with respect to whether law and moral are necessarily connected, as well as the nature of judicial decision, constitution interpretation, the basis and elements of criminal, civil law (contract, tort) law, the grounds for obeying or disobeying bad laws, and analysis of some supreme court cases which raise philosophical issues about the nature and function of law.
Outcomes: Understand in depth the ideas and theories of major philosophers regarding the nature of law, and the role and function of law in any society. Examine the nature and features of a good legal system, and the underpinnings of a good legal system. Critically examine and reflect on the ideas of philosophers regarding the nature and role of law. Examine the conceptual and philosophical issues or problems arising from the different views about the nature and function of law. Articulate plausible original views or ideas regarding the nature of law, legal systems, and the role or function of law.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41030 Ethical Theory (3 credit hours)
In this course, students will explore developments in the dominant normative theories of 20th and 21st century Anglo-American ethics, including consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, ethics of care, and varieties of contract theory.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of ethical theory. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41033 Philosophy of Imagination (3 credit hours)
Drawing from a variety of approaches and figures in the history of philosophy, the course examines the imagination as a distinctive faculty and type of consciousness. Some of the central questions of the course are: How does the imagination relate to perception, judgment, or memory? How are we to understand the work of the imagination from an epistemic, metaphysical, moral, or aesthetic point of view? What role, if any, does the imagination play in scientific and philosophical inquiry?
Outcomes: Enhance knowledge of main theories of imagination in the Western canon (e.g., Aristotelian, Stoic, early British empiricist, Kantian, German Idealist, or phenomenological). Demonstrate knowledge with respect to relevant main ideas and views, especially surrounding the imagination's relation to other acts (such as perception, memory, and judgment) as well as the imagination's role in knowledge acquisition, aesthetic experience, and philosophical and/or scientific thought. Improve philosophical writing and critical reading skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41034 Philosophy of Psychology and Psychiatry (3 credit hours)
This course addresses the question, “What are mental disorders?” using the methods of philosophy. We consider metaphysical questions such as, “Are mental disorders natural kinds or social kinds?” and “Can we provide a reductionist account of mental disorder?”, questions from Philosophy of Mind such as, “Can a theory of mind-brain dualism accommodate the possibility of mental disorder?”, and ethical questions such as, “How can we hold people with personality disorders responsible for their actions without blaming them?” By addressing the nature of mental disorder from a variety of philosophical angles, we will examine not only how each subfield answers the question in isolation, but also how each subfield might complement or contradict other philosophical approaches.
Outcomes: Learn about philosophical and theoretical issues in historical and/or contemporary psychology and psychiatry. Learn about a range of philosophical approaches to issues in psychology and psychiatry, which may include metaphysics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, ethics, and value theory. Demonstrate an ability to produce advanced undergraduate-level research by writing short papers based on provided prompts.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41035 Philosophy of Science (3 credit hours)
What is science? What are its distinctive aims and methods, and how do they bolster the epistemic authority of scientific theories? Do sociological, historical, and cultural factors play a major role in the advancement of scientific thought? These questions, and others like them, define the philosophy of science – a branch of philosophy that deals with the metaphysical, epistemological, and normative issues that arise in the study of scientific practice.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of philosophy of science, including issues such as theory change, induction, scientific realism and nature of physical laws. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41036 Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3 credit hours)
In this course, students focus on issues at the interface of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and artificial intelligence. These fields, which comprise contemporary cognitive science, present the philosopher with an opportunity to clarify foundational concepts, such as computation, innateness, language, perception, and learning. Ultimately, the goal of the course is to understand various proposals about how neural computation could amount to human intelligence and consciousness.
Outcomes: Learn about the core assumptions of contemporary cognitive science, such as the mind being a natural computational system or that mental functioning is explainable as neural information processing. Engage with foundational debates in the philosophy of cognitive science, such as innateness, modularity, representation, consciousness, animal minds, and models of cognition. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41037 Renaissance and Early Modern Phil. and Science (3 credit hours)
An investigation of the work of the most important European philosophers of the 15th-17th centuries, with a particular emphasis on the interrelation between philosophy and science in their thought, and on the influence of Greek philosophy on the intellectual life of the time.
Outcomes: Gain an understanding of philosophical currents in Renaissance Europe and the philosophical background of Renaissance science. Appreciate the ways in which philosophical, scientific, political, and artistic developments were intimately connected during this time period. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41038 Intermediate Logic (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with CS 41038 and MATH 41038 and MATH 51038) A detailed, systematic study of symbolic logic for philosophy majors, mathematics majors, computer science majors, and anyone else interested in advanced study in logic. The aim of the course is twofold: first, to develop a facility in understanding and using symbolic logic for various purposes, and second, to understand and appreciate symbolic logic as an area of study in itself. Topics include the distinction between syntactic, object-level proofs and semantic, meta-level proofs, the distinction between axiomatic systems and natural deduction systems of object-level proofs, various systems of modal logic, and some non-classical logics.
Outcomes: Develop a facility in understanding and constructing formal object level proofs and semantic metaproofs in first order predicate calculus with identity. Understand and appreciate a variety of non-classical logics. Develop the ability to (re)present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: One course in philosophy (PHIL). Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override. | top
41040 Epistemology (3 credit hours)
What is the difference between merely believing something to be the case and knowing it to be the case? In this course students examine various theories designed to answer this question and evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses. The course will cover the Gettier problem that questions the traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief, the debate between foundationalism and coherentism, the debate between internalism and externalism about justification, naturalized epistemology, and virtue epistemology.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers regarding various issues in contemporary epistemology. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various epistemological views.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41042 Metaphysics (3 credit hours)
Covers several topics in contemporary analytic metaphysics. Topics may include existence, identity, things and their persistence over time, the nature of modalities and possible worlds, and the relationship between material parts and wholes.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers regarding various issues in contemporary metaphysics. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various metaphysical views.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41045 Metalogic (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with CS 41045 and CS 51045 and MATH 41045 and MATH 51045) A detailed, systematic study of metalogic for philosophy majors, mathematics majors, computer science majors, and anyone else interested in advanced study in logic. Topics include the soundness and completeness of the propositional and predicate calculi, the decidablility of propositional calculus, the undecidability of predicate calculus, Gödel’s incompleteness proof for languages capable of expressing arithmetic, the co-extensionality of the set of general recursive functions, abacus computable functions, and Turing computable functions, and the philosophical motivations for the Church-Turing Thesis that all computable functions are Turing computable.
Outcomes: Understand various metaproof techniques including diagonalization and mathematical induction. Understand in great detail the proofs of important metalogical results: Soundness and Completeness of Predicate Calculus, Uncomputability of the halting function, Undecidability of Predicate Calculus, Godel’s incompleteness theorem, The co-extensionality of general recursive functions, abacus computable functions, and Turing computable functions.
Prerequisites: PHIL 41038. | top
41048 Metaethics (3 credit hours)
Metaethics is the study of the nature and justification of moral judgments, as distinct from ethics, which aims to articulate principles, criteria, or alternative approaches to understanding and achieving goodness and right action. Metaethics examines the concepts, ontology, psychology, and modes of justification employed within ethics. This course will explore recent developments about such questions as: which, if any, ethical judgments can be true or false; whether we can know true ethical statements; and to what kinds of properties, if any, ethical judgments and beliefs refer.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of metaethics, which is the study of the nature and justification of moral judgments, as distinct from ethics, which aims to articulate principles, criteria, or alternative approaches to understanding and achieving goodness and right action. Demonstrate recognition of philosophic arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41050 Analytic Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Focuses on the history and continued evolution of analytic philosophy. Readings include works by philosophers such as Frege, Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Schlick, Carnap, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, Grice, Quine, Davidson, Kripke, Putnam, and others. The aim of the course is (i) to understand the theses and themes that commonly arise in analytic philosophy, their philosophical motivations, and the problems they face, and (ii) to become familiar with the methodologies used by analytic philosophers including (but not limited to) logical analysis, appeals to ordinary language, the use of thought experiments, and the use of possible world semantics.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers concerning the logical analysis of concepts and natural language approaches to analysis. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various types of analysis.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41055 Phenomenology (3 credit hours)
In-depth study of the phenomenological movement in twentieth-century philosophy, from its origin in the thought of Edmund Husserl and his contemporaries, through such canonical thinkers as Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, to various contemporary developments. Substantial time is also devoted to considering applications of phenomenology to various disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. This is in keeping with the overall focus in this seminar on phenomenology not only as a philosophical school, but also as a methodology with broad and diverse applications.
Outcomes: Gain an understanding of the thought of select major figures in the history of phenomenology. Understand important contemporary debates and themes within phenomenology. Examine selected applications of the phenomenological method to philosophical questions and/or problems in disciplines other than philosophy. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41060 Pragmatism (3 credit hours)
Detailed reading from classical American pragmatists along with some attention to later interpretations and explorations of current re-appraisals and developments.
Outcomes: Understand the seminal works of the classical pragmatists: Peirce, James, and Dewey. Learn to integrate the values of action, problem-solving, and consensus-building within a pluralistic society. Understand a phenomenology of experience that undercuts the dualisms of mind and matter, subject and object, self and world.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41065 Plato (3 credit hours)
Detailed examination of selected Platonic dialogues, with some attention to Plato's development and dismissal of certain pre-Socratic (and Socratic) themes.
Outcomes: Study selected Platonic dialogues in depth, including various interpretations of them. Develop a personal interpretation of the dialogues. Demonstrate an understanding of central themes in Plato’s work. Appreciate the relevance of Plato’s thought to contemporary philosophical issues and debates. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41070 Aristotle (3 credit hours)
Detailed examination of selected works of Aristotle, with some attention given to Aristotle's development and dismissal of certain pre-Socratic and Platonic themes.
Outcomes: Study selected Aristotelian texts in depth, including various interpretations of them. Develop a personal interpretation of the texts. Demonstrate an understanding of central themes in Aristotle’s work. Appreciate the relevance of Aristotle’s thought to contemporary philosophical issues and debates. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41076 Continental Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Investigation of some figure, issue, or theme in continental philosophy from Descartes to present.
Outcomes: To understand in great detail the ideas of one or more major philosophers or philosophical trends in Continental philosophy. To critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with the views studied.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41080 Philosophy and Art: 1890 - Present (3 credit hours)
Exploring, with emphasis on the modern age, philosophical conceptions of art in their interplays with, especially, practicing artists' attitudes toward theory.
Outcomes: Study selected texts by various philosophers of this time period that deal explicitly with specific artworks, artists, or artistic schools, as well as selected texts written by artists and art critics. View artworks from this time period and develop an understanding of how the artists’ philosophical convictions were expressed in their works. Appreciate the mutual influence between artists and philosophers during this time period. Gain an understanding of the scientific, political, and cultural influences that shaped both the philosophy and the art of this period. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41091 Seminar in World Philosophy (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions outside the Western canon.
Outcomes: Learn various ideas contained within the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues outside the Western canon. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and evaluate these ideas.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41491 Seminar in Asian Philosophy (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions in Asian philosophy.
Outcomes: Learn various ideas contained within the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues within the Asian philosophical traditions. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and evaluate these ideas.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
41591 Seminar in the History of Ethics (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions in the history of ethics.
Outcomes: Demonstrate increased awareness and understanding of complex issues and complex philosophical texts. Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of ethical views and issues addressed by major figures from the history of ethics. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Demonstrate the ability to draw links or associations between various arguments and philosophical sources and resources. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: One of the following courses: PHIL 31001, PHIL 31002, PHIL 31003, PHIL 31004, PHIL 31005, PHIL 31006, PHIL 31010 or PHIL 31020. | top
49995 Special Topics (2-3 credit hours)
(Repeatable when content varies)
Outcomes: Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of major concepts and/or theoretical principles in the topic area: Communicate effectively in a variety of formats as appropriate to the topic, Engage in critical discussions about the topic, Use the concepts, language, and major theories of the discipline.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission. | top
49996 Individual Investigation (1-3 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit with departmental approval. IP grade permissible.)
Outcomes: Execute a project (research study, creative endeavor, etc.) which involves a structured approach to problem solving, planning and project management; Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their project in-depth and communicate the critical issues and key factors of the project; Identify basic principles and knowledge related to their project; Summarize their learning experiences verbally or in writing; Work constructively with faculty mentor.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission. | top
49999 Senior Honors Project (2-3 credit hours)
(Repeated registration permitted with departmental approval prior to registration) Thesis or other independent study or creative project.
Outcomes: TBA
Prerequisites: Departmental permission. | top
Graduate Courses
50005 Healthcare Ethics (3 credit hours)
Ethical problems in health care critically assessed, and consideration of how these specific ethical problems illuminate the ethical enterprise. Students with junior standing or above, who have not taken a Philosophy (PHIL) course, should contact the department for a prerequisite override.
Outcomes: This course will serve as an examination of several contemporary issues encountered in the delivery of healthcare, as well as the ethical theories and principles that shape our understanding and treatment of these issues. The course will emphasize the complexity of the questions at hand, and attempt to undermine an attitude of formulaic problem solving that occasionally accompanies applied ethics. Topics addressed will include respect for patients and autonomy, paternalism, the patient-provider relationship, conflicts between research and therapy, end of life issues, resource allocation, and the funding of and access to healthcare. Philosophical theories addressed will include virtue ethics, deontological ethics, utilitarianism, and principlism. By the end of the course, you should exhibit familiarity with and understanding of the ethical theories and principles investigated as well as basic skills of analysis. You should be able to critically engage (that is, analyze and evaluate) these theories and principles for weaknesses and strengths, and be able to utilize these theories and principles when assessing healthcare topics, issues, and concerns not covered in class.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
50093 Variable Title Workshop in Philosophy (1-6 credit hours)
(Repeated registration permitted with departmental approval. S/U grading.) Senior-level workshopp with variable topics of philosophical interest. Please check the departmental website or contact the professor regarding each semester’s topic.
Outcomes: TBA
Prerequisites: Instructor permission. | top
51010 Problems in the Philosophy of Religion (3 credit hours)
Philosophical examination of issues and problems presented by various writers in philosophy of religion.
Outcomes: To be able to express understanding of multiple philosophical approaches to a variety of standard topics in philosophy of religion. To gain facility in reading difficult analytic and continental philosophy. To apply selected concepts from class in daily life.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51020 Social and Political Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of classical and contemporary philosophical theories of the nature of society, and the state as political system that best represents a well-organized society. Topics may include the nature, existence, and justification of the state, the issue of political obligation, theories of anarchism, utopia, democracy, liberalism, communitarianism, citizenship, and patriotism, and examination of the nature of the social and political values or notions of rights, equality, and liberty.
Outcomes: To be familiar with and understand the ideas and theories of major philosophers regarding the nature of a society, an ideal society, or a well-ordered or organized society. To examine the nature of good political structures and systems as features or manifestations of a well-ordered or a well-organized society. To critically examine and reflect on the ideas of these philosophers. To understand the practical application of the ideas of major philosophers for the purpose of critically reflecting on modern political systems and societies.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51025 Philosophy of Law (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of the nature, features, foundation, and function of law. Topics may include the debate between natural law theory and legal positivism, with respect to whether law and moral are necessarily connected, as well as the nature of judicial decision, constitution interpretation, the basis and elements of criminal, civil law (contract, tort) law, the grounds for obeying or disobeying bad laws, and analysis of some supreme court cases which raise philosophical issues about the nature and function of law.
Outcomes: To be familiar with and understand in depth and in great detail, the ideas and theories of major philosophers regarding the nature of law, and the role and function of law in any society. To examine the nature and features of a good legal system, and the underpinnings of a good legal system. To critically examine and reflect on the ideas of philosophers regarding the nature and role of law. To examine the conceptual and philosophical issues or problems arising from the different views about the nature and function of law. To be able to articulate plausible original views or ideas regarding the nature of law, legal systems, and the role or function of law.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51030 Ethical Theory (3 credit hours)
In this course, students will explore developments in the dominant normative theories of 20th and 21st century Anglo-American ethics, including consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, ethics of care, and varieties of contract theory.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of ethical theory. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51033 Philosophy of Imagination (3 credit hours)
Drawing from a variety of approaches and figures in the history of philosophy, the course examines the imagination as a distinctive faculty and type of consciousness. Some of the central questions of the course are: How does the imagination relate to perception, judgment, or memory? How are we to understand the work of the imagination from an epistemic, metaphysical, moral, or aesthetic point of view? What role, if any, does the imagination play in scientific and philosophical inquiry?
Outcomes: Enhance knowledge of main theories of imagination in the Western canon (e.g., Aristotelian, Stoic, early British empiricist, Kantian, German Idealist, or phenomenological). Demonstrate knowledge with respect to relevant main ideas and views, especially surrounding the imagination's relation to other acts (such as perception, memory, and judgment) as well as the imagination's role in knowledge acquisition, aesthetic experience, and philosophical and/or scientific thought. Improve philosophical writing and critical reading skills. Attain familiarity with contemporary debates in image and imagination theory and successfully engage with these contemporary debates.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51034 Philosophy of Psychology and Psychiatry (3 credit hours)
This course addresses the question, “What are mental disorders?” using the methods of philosophy. We consider metaphysical questions such as, “Are mental disorders natural kinds or social kinds?” and “Can we provide a reductionist account of mental disorder?”, questions from Philosophy of Mind such as, “Can a theory of mind-brain dualism accommodate the possibility of mental disorder?”, and ethical questions such as, “How can we hold people with personality disorders responsible for their actions without blaming them?” By addressing the nature of mental disorder from a variety of philosophical angles, we will examine not only how each subfield answers the question in isolation, but also how each subfield might complement or contradict other philosophical approaches.
Outcomes: Learn about philosophical and theoretical issues in historical and/or contemporary psychology and psychiatry. Learn about a range of philosophical approaches to issues in psychology and psychiatry, which may include metaphysics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, ethics, and value theory. Demonstrate an ability to produce graduate-level research by writing longer papers in which they develop and defend their own thesis.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51035 Philosophy of Science (3 credit hours)
What is science? What are its distinctive aims and methods, and how do they bolster the epistemic authority of scientific theories? Do sociological, historical, and cultural factors play a major role in the advancement of scientific thought? These questions, and others like them, define the philosophy of science – a branch of philosophy that deals with the metaphysical, epistemological, and normative issues that arise in the study of scientific practice.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of philosophy of science, including issues such as theory change, induction, scientific realism and nature of physical laws. Demonstrate recognition of philosophic arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51036 Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3 credit hours)
In this course, students focus on issues at the interface of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and artificial intelligence. These fields, which comprise contemporary cognitive science, present the philosopher with an opportunity to clarify foundational concepts, such as computation, innateness, language, perception, and learning. Ultimately, the goal of the course is to understand various proposals about how neural computation could amount to human intelligence and consciousness.
Outcomes: Learn about the core assumptions of contemporary cognitive science, such as the mind being a natural computational system or that mental functioning is explainable as neural information processing. Engage with foundational debates in the philosophy of cognitive science, such as innateness, modularity, representation, consciousness, animal minds, and models of cognition. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51037 Renaissance and Early Modern Phil. and Science (3 credit hours)
An investigation of the work of the most important European philosophers of the 15th-17th centuries, with a particular emphasis on the interrelation between philosophy and science in their thought, and on the influence of Greek philosophy on the intellectual life of the time.
Outcomes: Gain an understanding of philosophical currents in Renaissance Europe and the philosophical background of Renaissance science. Appreciate the ways in which philosophical, scientific, political, and artistic developments were intimately connected during this time period. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51038 Intermediate Logic (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with CS 41038 and MATH 41038 and MATH 51038) A detailed, systematic study of symbolic logic for philosophy majors, mathematics majors, computer science majors, and anyone else interested in advanced study in logic. The aim of the course is twofold: first, to develop a facility in understanding and using symbolic logic for various purposes, and second, to understand and appreciate symbolic logic as an area of study in itself. Topics include the distinction between syntactic, object-level proofs and semantic, meta-level proofs, the distinction between axiomatic systems and natural deduction systems of object-level proofs, various systems of modal logic, and some non-classical logics.
Outcomes: Develop a facility in understanding and constructing formal object level proofs and semantic metaproofs in first order predicate calculus with identity. Understand and appreciate a variety of non-classical logics. Develop the ability to (re)present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51040 Epistemology (3 credit hours)
What is the difference between merely believing something to be the case and knowing it to be the case? In this course students examine various theories designed to answer this question and evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses. The course will cover the Gettier problem that questions the traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief, the debate between foundationalism and coherentism, the debate between internalism and externalism about justification, naturalized epistemology, and virtue epistemology.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers regarding various issues in contemporary epistemology. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various epistemological views.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51042 Metaphysics (3 credit hours)
Covers several topics in contemporary analytic metaphysics. Topics may include existence, identity, things and their persistence over time, the nature of modalities and possible worlds, and the relationship between material parts and wholes.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers regarding various issues in contemporary metaphysics. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various metaphysical views.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51045 Metalogic (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with CS 41045 and CS 51045 and MATH 41045 and MATH 51045) A detailed, systematic study of metalogic for philosophy majors, mathematics majors, computer science majors, and anyone else interested in advanced study in logic. Topics include the soundness and completeness of the propositional and predicate calculi, the decidablility of propositional calculus, the undecidability of predicate calculus, Gödel’s incompleteness proof for languages capable of expressing arithmetic, the co-extensionality of the set of general recursive functions, abacus computable functions, and Turing computable functions, and the philosophical motivations for the Church-Turing Thesis that all computable functions are Turing computable.
Outcomes: Understand various metaproof techniques including diagonalization and mathematical induction. Understand in great detail the proofs of important metalogical results: Soundness and Completeness of Predicate Calculus, Uncomputability of the halting function, Undecidability of Predicate Calculus, Godel’s incompleteness theorem, The co-extensionality of general recursive functions, abacus computable functions, and Turing computable functions.
Prerequisites: PHIL 51038. | top
51048 Metaethics (3 credit hours)
Metaethics is the study of the nature and justification of moral judgments, as distinct from ethics, which aims to articulate principles, criteria, or alternative approaches to understanding and achieving goodness and right action. Metaethics examines the concepts, ontology, psychology, and modes of justification employed within ethics. This course will explore recent developments about such questions as: which, if any, ethical judgments can be true or false; whether we can know true ethical statements; and to what kinds of properties, if any, ethical judgments and beliefs refer.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of metaethics, which is the study of the nature and justification of moral judgments, as distinct from ethics, which aims to articulate principles, criteria, or alternative approaches to understanding and achieving goodness and right action. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51050 Analytic Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Focuses on the history and continued evolution of analytic philosophy. Readings include works by philosophers such as Frege, Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Schlick, Carnap, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, Grice, Quine, Davidson, Kripke, Putnam, and others. The aim of the course is (i) to understand the theses and themes that commonly arise in analytic philosophy, their philosophical motivations, and the problems they face, and (ii) to become familiar with the methodologies used by analytic philosophers including (but not limited to) logical analysis, appeals to ordinary language, the use of thought experiments, and the use of possible world semantics.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers concerning the logical analysis of concepts and natural language approaches to analysis. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various types of analysis.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51055 Phenomenology (3 credit hours)
In-depth study of the phenomenological movement in twentieth-century philosophy, from its origin in the thought of Edmund Husserl and his contemporaries, through such canonical thinkers as Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, to various contemporary developments. Substantial time is also devoted to considering applications of phenomenology to various disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. This is in keeping with the overall focus in this seminar on phenomenology not only as a philosophical school, but also as a methodology with broad and diverse applications.
Outcomes: Gain an understanding of the thought of select major figures in the history of phenomenology. Understand important contemporary debates and themes within phenomenology. Examine selected applications of the phenomenological method to philosophical questions and/or problems in disciplines other than philosophy. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51060 Pragmatism (3 credit hours)
Detailed reading from classical American pragmatists along with some attention to later interpretations and explorations of current re-appraisals and developments.
Outcomes: Understand the seminal works of the classical pragmatists: Peirce, James, and Dewey. Learn to integrate the values of action, problem-solving, and consensus-building within a pluralistic society. Understand a phenomenology of experience that undercuts the dualisms of mind and matter, subject and object, self and world.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51065 Plato (3 credit hours)
Detailed examination of selected Platonic dialogues, with some attention to Plato's development and dismissal of certain pre-Socratic (and Socratic) themes.
Outcomes: Study selected Platonic dialogues in depth, including various interpretations of them. Develop a personal interpretation of the dialogues. Demonstrate an understanding of central themes in Plato’s work. Appreciate the relevance of Plato’s thought to contemporary philosophical issues and debates. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51070 Aristotle (3 credit hours)
Detailed examination of selected works of Aristotle, with some attention given to Aristotle's development and dismissal of certain pre-Socratic and Platonic themes.
Outcomes: Study selected Aristotelian texts in depth, including various interpretations of them. Develop a personal interpretation of the texts. Demonstrate an understanding of central themes in Aristotle’s work. Appreciate the relevance of Aristotle’s thought to contemporary philosophical issues and debates. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51076 Continental Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Investigation of some figure, issue, or theme in continental philosophy from Descartes to present.
Outcomes: To understand in great detail the ideas of one or more major philosophers or philosophical trends in Continental philosophy. To critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with the views studied.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51080 Philosophy and Art: 1890 - Present (3 credit hours)
Exploring, with emphasis on the modern age, philosophical conceptions of art in their interplays with, especially, practicing artists' attitudes toward theory.
Outcomes: Study selected texts by various philosophers of this time period that deal explicitly with specific artworks, artists, or artistic schools, as well as selected texts written by artists and art critics. View artworks from this time period and develop an understanding of how the artists’ philosophical convictions were expressed in their works. Appreciate the mutual influence between artists and philosophers during this time period. Gain an understanding of the scientific, political, and cultural influences that shaped both the philosophy and the art of this period. Improve critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51091 Seminar in World Philosophy (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions outside the Western canon.
Outcomes: Learn various ideas contained within the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues outside the Western canon. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and evaluate these ideas.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51491 Seminar in Asian Philosophy (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions in Asian philosophy.
Outcomes: Learn various ideas contained within the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues within the Asian philosophical traditions. Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on and evaluate these ideas.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
51591 Seminar in the History of Ethics (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable a maximum of 2 times) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues from traditions in the history of ethics.
Outcomes: Demonstrate increased awareness and understanding of complex issues and complex philosophical texts. Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of ethical views and issues addressed by major figures from the history of ethics. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Demonstrate the ability to draw links or associations between various arguments and philosophical sources and resources. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
59995 Special Topics (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable when content varies)
Outcomes: Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of major concepts and/or theoretical principles in the topic area: Communicate effectively in a variety of formats as appropriate to the topic, Engage in critical discussions about the topic, Use the concepts, language, and major theories of the discipline.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission and graduate standing. | top
59996 Individual Investigation (1-3 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit with departmental approval prior to registration)
Outcomes: 1. Execute a project (research study, creative endeavor, etc.) that involves a structured approach to problem solving, planning and project management; 2. Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss the project in-depth and communicate the critical issues and key factors of the project; 3. Identify basic principles and knowledge related to their project; 4. Summarize their learning experiences verbally or written; and 5. Work constructively with a faculty mentor.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission and graduate standing. | top
60191 Graduate Seminar (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit) Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more philosophical figures or one or more philosophical issues.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of the central ideas and debates within the area of philosophical research addressed in the seminar. Critically and objectively evaluate complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives. Develop critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills. Produce graduate-level philosophical writing.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
60201 Seminar: History of Philosophy (3 credit hours)
Intensive primary-source reading and critical appreciation of the significant works of one or more historical philosophers (other than Plato and Aristotle) or one or more historical philosophical issues.
Outcomes: Demonstrate exposure to and knowledge of main views and issues of philosophy. Demonstrate recognition of philosophical arguments encountered in complex philosophical writings within the contexts and traditions that inform those arguments and writings. Develop the ability to present complex philosophical ideas, theories, and perspectives fairly, objectively, and critically. Develop skills of written reflection and response.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
61000 Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with BMS 61000 and BMS 71000) Introduction into professional and ethical conduct of research. Topics include codes and laws governing research, identification of scientific misconduct, plagiarism, authorship and intellectual properties, ethical animal and human research.
Outcomes: TBA
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
61050 Philosophy of Language (3 credit hours)
Critical examination of nature and function of language, especially in relation to mental function and development.
Outcomes: Understand the ideas of major philosophers regarding various issues in philosophy of language. Critically evaluate the motivations for and problems associated with various views in the philosophy of language.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
61055 Semeiotics (3 credit hours)
(Cross-listed with MCLS 60020) An introduction to contemporary theories of semeiotics and to the application of those theories to linguistics, literature, translation, and technology.
Outcomes: Develop and demonstrate an appreciation of important touchstones of semiotics in the last century, including structuralism, post-structuralism, and pragmatism. Grasp the application of semiotic theory to anthropology, literary criticism and cultural practice.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
61056 Hermeneutics (3 credit hours)
Critical appreciation of the theories and practices of interpretation comprehended according to certain classical, current, and emergent philosophic styles and traditions.
Outcomes: Develop and demonstrate an appreciation of the theory of interpretation, as articulated in the work of figures such as Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, and Gadamer. Understand the concept of interpretation as a mode of existence.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
69101 Graduate Proseminar (3 credit hours)
Students participate in the preparation and planning of the annual Graduate Student Conference, receive professional training and mentoring, and work closely with faculty to write and revise a philosophical essay suitable for use as a writing sample or conference presentation.
Outcomes: Develop the professional skills that are crucial for success in academic philosophy. Produce strong applications to PhD programs. Complete a philosophical essay suitable for use as a conference presentation or a writing sample. Participate in the organization of the annual Graduate Philosophy Conference.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
69194 College Teaching of Philosophy (1 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit) Discussion, critique, and development of concepts to guide the teaching of philosophy including concepts of procedures and tactics for planning, pacing, presenting, representing, and reviewing philosophic texts, figures, and issues.
Outcomes: Develop the pedagogical skills needed to become a competent teacher of philosophy. Learn what is needed to successfully prepare and teach a philosophy course, to effectively and fairly assess student work, and to professionally interact with students.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. | top
69199 Thesis I (2-6 credit hours)
(IP grade permissible) Thesis students must register for a total of 6 hours, 2 to 6 hours in a single semester, distributed over several semesters if desired.
Outcomes: Execute a research project which involves a structured approach to problem solving, planning and project management. Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their project in-depth and communicate the critical issues and key factors of the project. This ability is cultivated in the Advisory Group meetings and publicly demonstrated in the Oral Defense of the Thesis. Identify basic principles and knowledge related to their project. Write an M.A.-level thesis of appropriate length and excellence; make timely progress. For full-time M.A. students, wrap up the entire project by the end of the second academic year in the program. Work constructively with faculty mentor
Prerequisites: Departmental permission and graduate standing. | top
69299 Thesis II (2 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit. IP grade permissible) Thesis students must continue registration each semester until all degree requirements are met.
Outcomes: Continue work on the M.A. thesis, following a structured approach to problem solving, planning and project management. Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their project in-depth and communicate the critical issues and key factors of the project. Work constructively with faculty mentor. Complete an M.A.-level thesis of appropriate length and excellence, making timely progress, at least within the time limits established by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Prerequisites: PHIL 69199 and graduate standing. | top
69995 Special Topics (3 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit) Selected topics in philosophy.
Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of major concepts and/or theoretical principles in the topic area; 2. Communicate effectively in a variety of formats as appropriate to the topic; 3. Engage in critical discussions about the topic; and 4. Use the concepts, language and major theories of the discipline.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission and graduate standing. | top
69998 Research (1-15 credit hours)
(Repeatable for credit) Research or individual investigation for master's level graduate students. Credits earned may be applied toward meeting degree requirements.
Outcomes: Execute a research project which involves a structured approach to problem solving, planning and project management; Demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their project in-depth and communicate the critical issues and key factors of the project; Identify basic principles and knowledge related to their project; Summarize their learning experiences verbally or in writing; Work constructively with faculty mentor.
Prerequisites: Departmental permission and graduate standing. | top