Course Descriptions (Per Subject)

PHIL 100.  Introduction to Philosophy.  4. 
Major philosophical problems, methods and positions, as set forth in selected historical and contemporary philosophical texts, including works by Plato, Descartes, Hume and others. Fulfills humanities and social justice/ environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 110.  How to Think.  4. 
This course serves as an introduction to informed reasoning, argumentative logic, and critical thinking. Throughout the course, emphasis will be given to the study of language, reason, intercultural epistemology, and their uses in constructing thoughtful reasoning and discourse. Some of the material covered throughout the semester will include analysis of language, sentential meaning, scope, linguistic fallacies, classical and contemporary methods of argument evaluation/construction, translation, and syllogisms. Students will then transpose these skills onto discussion and analysis of diverse intellectual, cultural, and professional contexts.

PHIL 111.  Ethics.  4. 
Chief theories of the nature and principles of the moral life, with regard to both the ends human beings seek and the obligations which claim their commitment. Fulfills humanities and social justice/ environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 150.  Special Topics.  1-8. 
Recent examples include Philosophy of Science, Ethics of Sport and Death, Horror & Morbid Fascination. May also be offered at 200 level (as PHIL 250), 300 level (as PHIL350) and 400 level (as PHIL 450).

PHIL 231.  Philosophy and Sexuality.  4. 
Inquiry into the relationship between values and sexuality. Topics include pleasure, love, homosexuality, prostitution, monogamy and sexual perversion. Fulfills social justice/environmental responsibility requirement (1998). Evaluating systems and environments requirement (2019).

PHIL 241.  Ethics In a Digital World.  4. 
Philosophy 241 provides students with the opportunity to investigate questions of ethics and current/emerging technology. What are the moral/immoral uses of artificial intelligence (AI)? Is is acceptable for companies to gather, access, and share your data? Is there such a thing as an ethical hack? How does digital medial force people to reconsider "ownership," "copyright," and "theft"? How do computer technologies reflect or undermine the values of privacy and anonymity? What are the limits (if any) of free speech online? Philosophy 241 fulfills humanities and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 242.  Environmental Ethics.  4. 
Exploration of environmental topics from several theoretical, cultural and religious perspectives. Questions include: What are our responsibilities to the environment? To what extent are these responsibilities affected by the interests of other persons or groups? What is the source of these responsibilities and to whom are we obligated? Fulfills humanities and social justice/ environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 244.  Bioethics.  4. 
Introduces the student to ethical problems associated with the practices of medicine, biomedical research, and healthcare social policy. Topics include patient rights, reproductive rights, end-of-life decision making, drug legalization, addition, and treatment, use of reproductive technologies, intersectional social justice, cross-cultural attitudes towards medicine, moral application to scenarios in health administration, pandemic ethics, and healthcare resource allocation/distribution. Fulfills humanities and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments (2019).

PHIL 247.  Philosophy of Law and Leadership.  4. 
Conceptual analysis and moral evaluation of laws and legal systems: the nature and validity of law, law and morality, the obligation to obey the law, law and judicial decision-making, criminal responsibility, and the nature of punishment. Fulfills humanities and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 260.  Independent Study.  1-8. 
May also be offered at 300 level (As PHIL 360 or 400 level (as PHIL 460).

PHIL 261.  Philosophy and Race.  4. 
Examines race and racism, exploring the relationship between liberal ideas of freedom and equality and the reality of group exclusion. Key questions include: What conception of race will do justice to individuals? experience of social realities while avoiding scientific errors? What conception of race and racism are needed in order to help dismantle systemic racism? Fulfills humanities and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/ humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 290.  Internship.  1-8. 
May also be offered at the 300 level (as PHIL 390).

PHIL 292.  Formal Logic.  4. 
Methods, foundations and philosophical implications of using symbolic languages to evaluate deductive reasoning. Fulfills numeric/symbolic engagement requirement (2019).

PHIL 310.  Ancient Western Philosophy.  4. 
Historical development of philosophical thought in Western civilization in terms of the main periods and thinkers of ancient Greek philosophy.

Prerequisite: Historical Perspectives, and at least one prior philosophy course. Fulfills humanities requirement (1998). Arts/humanities requirement (2019).

PHIL 320.  Modern Western Philosophy.  4. 
Major developments of Western philosophical thought in the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing philosophical inquiry into metaphysical systems and problems of knowledge.

Prerequisite: Historical Perspectives, and at least one prior philosophy course. Fulfills humanities requirement (1998). Arts/humanities requirement (2019).

PHIL 333.  Individual Philosopher.  4. 
Intensive study of the works of an individual philosopher (e.g., Maimonides, Plato, Spinoza, Kant, Nietzsche, Mill, James) whose thought has had a lasting influence on Western philosophy.

Prerequisite: Historical Perspectives.

PHIL 336.  Social and Political Philosophy.  4. 
Principal theories of the foundation of political society; the nature of political authority; limits of political obligation; relation of theories of human nature to social/political theory.

Prerequisite: Historical Perspectives. Fulfills humanities and social justice/environmental responsibility requirements (1998). Arts/humanities and evaluating systems and environments requirements (2019).

PHIL 385.  Departmental Seminar I.  4. 
Departmental Seminar I. 4. Intensive, advanced philosophical inquiry into contemporary philosophical topics. Each year the course content changes, but it always provides an opportunity for a small group of students to engage intensely and collaboratively with contemporary work in the academic discipline of Philosophy at the upper-division undergraduate level. The course is a writing-intensive seminar with two lines of enrollment (PHIL 385, PHIL 485) meeting together. Philosophy majors enroll once at the 385-level, when they are in their third year of college (or the equivalent), and once at the 485-level, when they are in their fourth year (or the equivalent). Pre-requisites for PHIL 385: PHIL 200 or 292 and at least two other Philosophy courses.

PHIL 401.  Senior Seminar in Philosophy.  4. 
Main developments in 20th-century analytic philosophy with emphasis on philosophy of language, epistemology and metaphysics. Capstone course for the major.

PHIL 470.  Senior Thesis.  1-8.  

PHIL 485.  Departmental Seminar II.  4. 
Intensive, advanced philosophical inquiry into contemporary philosophical topics. Each year the course content changes, but it always provides an opportunity for a small group of students to engage intensely and collaboratively with contemporary work in the academic discipline of Philosophy at the upper-division undergraduate level. The course is a writing-intensive seminar with two lines of enrollment (PHIL 385, PHIL 485) meeting together. Philosophy majors enroll once at the 385-level, when they are in their third year of college (or the equivalent), and once at the 485-level, when they are in their fourth year (or the equivalent). Pre-requisite for PHIL 485: PHIL 385.

PHIL 490.  Departmental Honors.  1-8.  

PHIL 499.  PHIL 499.  4. 
An intensive writing workshop in which students choose a paper they produced in a previous course (usually PHIL 485) and revise that paper in close consultation with the course instructor, their advisor, and their colleagues (other senior majors in the course) with the aim of publishing that paper.