PHIL - PHILOSOPHY

PHIL - 1010   INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC
[3 hours]  (not for major credit)  An introduction to the symbolic analysis of argument components and structures. Topics include definition, syllogistic reasoning, semantics, sentential logic and probability.

PHIL - 1020   CRITICAL THINKING
[3 hours]  (not for major credit)  A study of principles and patterns of good reasoning and writing, including the evaluation and construction of arguments and the identification and avoidance of fallacies.

PHIL - 2200   INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  (not for major credit)  An introduction to philosophical reflection on such issues as the existence of God, free will, knowledge and objectivity, social justice and moral responsibility.

PHIL - 2400   CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMS
[3 hours]  A study of topics such as abortion, euthanasia, environmental responsibility, famine relief, affirmative action, and sexuality.  Attention is paid to moral argument and the bases of moral decisions.

PHIL - 3000   SYMBOLIC LOGIC
[3 hours]  Course is crosslisted as MATH 3000. A study of propositional and predicate logic, techniques used to evaluate deductive arguments.  Topics may include computability, set theory, Bayesianism and other formal systems with philosophical and mathematical relevance.

PHIL - 3060   PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
[3 hours]  A historical and critical examination of topics in the philosophy of language such as truth, reference, representation, metaphor and interpretation.

PHIL - 3120   BUSINESS ETHICS
[3 hours]  An examination of the ethical dimensions of the relationships between a business and employees, consumers, other businesses, society, government, the law and the environment.

PHIL - 3140   COMPUTERS AND CULTURE
[3 hours]  A study of the philosophical issues computers raise which affect and reflect human values. Topics include censorship and privacy on the internet, virtual reality and the possibility of artificial intelligence.

PHIL - 3180   ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
[3 hours]  An examination of our relation and responsibility to the natural environment.  Topics include risk assessment, the value of non-human living things, resource use, economics, technology, environmental racism and ecology.

PHIL - 3210   ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  A study of ancient and medieval philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Aquinas.

PHIL - 3230   MODERN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  A study of early modern philosophy from Descartes to Kant. Writing intensive course.

PHIL - 3240   EXISTENTIALISM
[3 hours]  A study of existential philosophers, including Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, Camus, Jaspers, Heidegger and others.  Topics may include anxiety, meaning and meaninglessness, freedom, and human sociability.  Prerequisite: one course in philosophy

PHIL - 3250   CURRENT EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An examination of some of the most influential developments in European thought since 1960, such as structuralism, hermeneutics, deconstruction, feminism, and post-modernism.

PHIL - 3300   PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY
[3 hours]  An examination of philosophical topics raised by evolutionary biology including the relation between theory and fact, the characterization of natural kinds, teleology, reductionism, and the history of human morality.

PHIL - 3310   SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
[3 hours]  A study of twentieth-century science and its relationships with government, industry, religion and medicine, including the emergence of Big Science and the future of science education and research.

PHIL - 3320   PHILOSOPHY OF MATHEMATICS
[3 hours]  A study of philosophical writings, from Plato to the present, on the nature of mathematical objects, knowledge and progress.  Topics may include form, number, proof, certainty, consistency, completeness and representation.

PHIL - 3370   MEDICAL ETHICS
[3 hours]  The application of ethics to the practice of medical professionals.  Topics include authority, paternalism, truth-telling, informed consent, health care reform, genetic manipulation, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia.

PHIL - 3400   ETHICAL THEORY
[3 hours]  A study of the moral philosophies of Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill and their critics, focusing on knowledge and justification, virtue, justice, happiness, conflicts of obligation and ideals of community.

PHIL - 3500   EASTERN THOUGHT
[3 hours]  An examination of major philosophies of Asia and the Far East, their specific concerns and their relevance to contemporary problems.

PHIL - 3510  ZEN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An intensive examination of the philosophical, literary and historical roots of Zen (Ch�an) teachings and meditative praxis as found in Madhyamika, Yogacaara, Hua-yen and Taoism and an exploration of the ontological and phenomenological dimensions of Zen thought.

PHIL - 3540   FEMINISM AND PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  Course is crosslisted as WGST 3550. An examination of feminist perspectives in philosophy, exploring the relevance of gender to central questions in ethics, political theory, and epistemology.

PHIL - 3550   PHILOSOPHY OF CULTURE
[3 hours]  Examines the relevance of cultural differences to values and modes of thought through case studies in non-Western culture. Topics may include cultural relativism and cultural imperialism.

PHIL - 3560   AESTHETICS
[3 hours]  An analysis and evaluation of aesthetic topics such as the definition of art, truth in the arts, the role of representation, the nature of aesthetic value, and the character of aesthetic experience.

PHIL - 3570   PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
[3 hours]  A critical and philosophical analysis of topics in religion including the problem of evil, faith and reason, the existence of God and the nature of the religious experience.

PHIL - 3600   THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
[3 hours]  An historical and contemporary inquiry into the nature and limits of knowledge and justification.  Topics include truth, skepticism, objectivity and relativism.

PHIL - 3630   PHILOSOPHY OF PSYCHOLOGY
[3 hours]  A philosophical examination of problems concerning the nature of mind such as the relation between mind and body, self knowledge, free will, and personal identity.

PHIL - 3710   PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
[3 hours]  Course cross-listed as LST 3720.  A study of philosophical issues raised by law such as the relation of law to morality, obligation to obey the law, paternalism, censorship and free speech.

PHIL - 3750   SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  Course cross-listed as LST 3750.  A study of classic and contemporary treatments of justice, authority, the relations between individual and community, the meaning of freedom and equality, power and violence, and race and gender.

PHIL - 3760   CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
[3 hours]  Course cross-listed as LST 3760.  A philosophical study of topics such as crime, responsibility, justice and punishment.  Special attention is paid to current practices in the criminal justice system.

PHIL - 3900   SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Topics vary.

PHIL - 4060   TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
[3 hours]  Advanced study of issues in the philosophy of language such as:  realism and anti-realism, holism and normativity, externalism and individualism, skepticism and rule following, pragmatics and implicature.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4210   ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  An intensive study of the texts and arguments of Presocratic philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, or Hellenistic philosophers.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4230   MODERN PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  An intensive study of one or more Continental or British philosophers from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.     Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy 2 3000-level philosophy classes or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4240   19TH C. EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An intensive study of European philosophy after Kant, including Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4250   PHENOMENOLOGY
[3 hours]  An intensive study of major works from phenomenological philosophers, such as Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, or Merleau-Ponty.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes or 1 3200-level philosophy class, and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4260   RECENT EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An examination of texts and problems in the Frankfurt school, post-structuralism, deconstruction, and post-modernism, or of such thinkers as Habermas, Foucault, Derrida, and Lyotard.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4270   AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  A study of the development of American Philosophy, or one or more of Pierce, James, Dewey, or Mead.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4280   20TH C. ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  Selected readings from Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, the Vienna Circle, the Ordinary Language school, and American neo-pragmatists such as Quine, Rorty and Davidson.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4300   PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCE
[3 hours]  A study of scientific inquiry including the structure of scientific explanations, relations of evidence and confirmation, the metaphysics of theoretical entities, and the nature of scientific change and progress.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4330   PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
[3 hours]  A study of philosophical and logical problems encountered in the social sciences: statistical vs. causal explanation, operational definition, laws and hypotheses, inductive methods, the status of social facts.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4400   ETHICS SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Selected topics or philosophers in ethical theory.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4500   BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An examination of significant developments in Buddhist philosophical thought including that of Abhidharmika, Madhyamika, Yogacara, Hua-yen and Ch�an (Zen).  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4600   EPISTEMOLOGY
[3 hours]  Advanced study of issues in the theory of knowledge such as: the nature and limits of knowledge, a priori and empirical knowledge, skepticism, empiricism and pragmatism.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4610   CRITICAL THINKING AND EDUCATION
[3 hours]  A study of the principles and pitfalls of contextually good reasoning as relevant to the pre-school - 12 classroom.  Topics include: elements of critical thinking, its assessment, transfer and development.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4650   PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
[3 hours]  Advanced study of issues in the philosophy of mind such as: intentionality and misrepresentation, rationality and interpretation, supervenience and reductionism, folk psychology and eliminative materialism.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4750   POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Course cross-listed as LST 4750.  Selected topics or philosophers in political philosophy.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4900   ADVANCED SEMINAR
[2 - 4 hours]  Topics vary.  Prerequisite: 2 3000-level philosophy classes, or 1 3200-level philosophy class and Jr. standing, or permission of instructor

PHIL - 4920   DIRECTED READINGS
[1 - 4 hours]  Prerequisite: Prior arrangement with instructor

PHIL - 4990   INDEPENDENT STUDY FOR HONORS
[3 hours]  Prerequisite: Junior standing and consent of departmental chairperson

PHIL - 5060   PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
[3 hours]  Advanced study of issues in the philosophy of language such as: realism and anti-realism, holism and normativity, externalism and individualism, skepticism and rule following, pragmatics and implicature. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5210   ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  An intensive study of the texts and arguments of Presocratic philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, or Hellenistic philosophers. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5230   MODERN PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  An intensive study of one or more Continental or British philosophers from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5240   19TH CENTURY EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An intensive study of European philosophy after Kant, including Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.

PHIL - 5250   PHENOMENOLOGY
[3 hours]  An intensive study of major works from phenomenological philosophers, such as Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, or Merleau-Ponty.  Course may be repeated as topics and texts vary.

PHIL - 5260   RECENT EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An examination of texts and problems in the Frankfurt School, post-structuralism, deconstruction, post-modernism, or of such thinkers as Habermas, Foucault, Derrida, and Lyotard. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5270   AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  A study of the development of American philosophy, or of one or more of Pierce, James, Dewey, or Mead.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5280   20TH CENTURY ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  Selected readings from Frege, the Russell, Wittgenstein, the Vienna Circle, the Ordinary Language school, and American neopragmatists such as Quine, Rorty and Davidson. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5300   PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCE
[3 hours]  A study of scientific inquiry including the structure of scientific explanations, relation of evidence and confirmation, the metaphysics of theoretical entities, and the nature of scientific change and progress.

PHIL - 5330   PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
[3 hours]  A study of philosophical and logical problems encountered in the social sciences: statistical vs. causal explanation, operational definition, laws and hypotheses, inductive methods, the status of social facts.

PHIL - 5400   ETHICS SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Selected topics or philosophers in ethical theory. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5500  BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  An examination of significant developments in Buddhist philosophical thought including that of Abhidharmika, Madhyamika, Yogacara, Hua-yen and Ch�an (Zen). Prerequisite: Graduate standing

PHIL - 5600   EPISTEMOLOGY
[3 hours]  An advanced study of issues in the theory of knowledge, such as: the nature and limits of knowledge, a priori and empirical knowledge, skepticism, empiricism and pragmatism.

PHIL - 5610   CRITICAL THINKING AND EDUCATION
[3 hours]  A study of the principles and pitfalls of contextually good reasoning as relevant to pre-school - 12 classroom. Topics include: the elements of critical thinking, its assessment, transfer and development.

PHIL - 5650   PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
[3 hours]  Advanced study of issues in the philosophy of mind such as: intentionality and misrepresentation, rationality and interpretation, supervenience and reductionism, folk psychology and eliminative materialism. Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5750   POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Selected topics or philosophers in political philosophy.  Course may be repeated as topics vary.

PHIL - 5920   READINGS IN PHILOSOPHY
[3 hours]  Critical inquiry into selected works of a particular philosopher or a specific philosophical problem.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

PHIL - 5990   INDEPENDENT STUDY
[1 - 3 hours]  Directed study in philosophy under supervision of a philosophy faculty member.  Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

PHIL - 6000   ADVANCED LOGIC
[3 hours]  A study of propositional and predicate logic, as well as examination of issues in the philosophy of logic.

PHIL - 6370   ETHICS AND HEALTH CARE
[3 hours]  Advanced level course in ethics for health care related majors.  An emphasis on ethical theory and its application to ethical problems in health care practices.  Not open to philosophy majors.

PHIL - 6800   PROSEMINAR
[1 - 6 hours]  Participation in departmental faculty-graduate student colloquia and mentoring program. Credit will carry the grade of S or U, and will not count toward credit hour requirements for the M.A. degree.  Prerequisite: Permission of graduate adviser in philosophy

PHIL - 6930   SEMINAR
[3 hours]  Advanced philosophy seminar open only to graduate students.

PHIL - 6960   THESIS
[1 - 16 hours]

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Last Updated: 6/27/22