Philosophy

Major

Due to University Updates, Course Numbers for all Departments have Changed. Please reference the Courses Tab for new Course Numbers.

Please Note:  Changes made to this program appear on the “Revisions” tab.

Requirements for the Major (36 credits)

I. Required Courses (20 credits)

• PHIL 1/Introduction to Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 4/Introduction to Ethics (4)
• PHIL 13/Introduction to Logic (4)
• PHIL 36/History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 38/History of Modern Philosophy (4)

II. Either PHIL 113/Analytic Philosophy (4) or PHIL 135/Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4)

III. Either PHIL 118/Theory of Knowledge (4) or PHIL 119/Problems of Metaphysics (4)

IV. Two additional upper-level, 4-credit philosophy courses (8 credits)

Recommended: Students majoring in philosophy should take courses in other departments that are particularly relevant to their own philosophic interests and should consult their major adviser when they select their courses. Students should gain some proficiency in a foreign language if they wish to go on to do graduate work in philosophy.

Minor

Due to University Updates, Course Numbers for all Departments have Changed. Please reference the Courses Tab for new Course Numbers.

Requirements for the Minor (24 credits)

I. Required Courses (8 credits)

• PHIL 1/Introduction to Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 4/Introduction to Ethics (4)

II. Four other 4-credit courses in philosophy at the intermediate and upper level, at least two of which must be at the upper level (16 credits).

The courses must be selected in consultation with the department.

Faculty

Faculty

• Professor: Erik Anderson (chair), Thomas Magnell
• Associate Professor:  Seung-Kee Lee

Courses Offered

Courses Offered

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PHIL 101 - Formerly 1 - Introduction to Philosophy (4)

A probing of fundamental philosophical questions, such as: Are there rational grounds for the existence of God? Can the notion of God be reconciled with the presence of evil? How do we know what we know? What is a cause? Could there be disembodied thoughts? Is human behavior free or is it determined? Are there objective grounds for values? What makes a society just? What counts as a good explanation? The specific questions for extended study are selected by the instructor.
Offered every semester.
Fulfills: BH

PHIL 104 - Formerly 4 - Introduction to Ethics (4)

An examination, both critical and historical, of moral theories that have shaped Western thought. Of central concern are questions about the criteria of moral goodness, the strictures of moral obligation, and the nature of justice. Some attention is given to the subjects of moral relativism, hedonism, and egoism. The theories of moral reasoning considered include those of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, the Cynics, the Epicureans, Hobbes, Kant, Bentham, and J. S. Mill.
Offered every semester.
Fulfills: BH

PHIL 213 - Formerly 13 - Introduction to Logic (4)

A study of the principles and methods of correct reasoning. Emphasizes the analysis of arguments, informal fallacies, and elementary deductive logic.
Offered annually. Same as: MATH 213 - Formerly 13 -
Fulfills: BH, BI, Q

PHIL 210 - Formerly 36 - History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4)

A survey of the history of philosophy from pre-Socratic Greek thought to medieval scholasticism. Particular attention is given to works of Plato and Aristotle. The views of pre-Socratics, Stoics, Epicureans, Augustine, and Aquinas are also discussed.
Offered fall semester.
Fulfills: BH, WM

PHIL 211 - Formerly 38 - History of Modern Philosophy (4)

A survey of European philosophical thought in the 17th and 18th centuries. Readings are largely in the areas of metaphysics and epistemology and include selections from the works of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.
Offered spring semester.
Fulfills: BH, WM

PHIL 304 - Formerly 104 - Problems of Ethics and Meta-Ethics (4)

Critical discussions of issues in contemporary moral philosophy in the areas of applied ethics, normative ethics, and meta-ethics. At the most highly theoretical level are considerations about the meaning of moral terms that give rise to cognitive and noncognitive theories of ethics. At a more immediate level are problems of practical concern having to do with such issues as euthanasia, abortion, animal rights, and world hunger. Readings are from 20th-century philosophers, most of whom are alive today.
Offered spring semester.

PHIL 313 - Formerly 113 - Analytic Philosophy (4)

A seminar on influential work of 20th-century philosophers who developed and practiced methods of analysis. Discussions center on problems in the philosophy of language and on problems of epistemology concerning the grounds for our knowledge of the external world, of the past, and of ourselves and others. Readings are drawn from the works of Russell, Moore, Ayer, Ryle, Strawson, and Quine.
Offered fall semester in even-numbered years.

PHIL 314 - Formerly 114 - Existentialism (4)

A study of the classics of, and major influences upon, existentialist thought. Authors emphasized are Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Camus, and Sartre. Some attention is given to Husserl's phenomenology and its influence outside philosophy proper.
Offered alternate years.

PHIL 317 - Formerly 117 - History of 19th-Century Philosophy (4)

A study of post-Kantian Continental philosophical systems from Hegel through Nietzsche. Other major figures studied are Fichte, Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, and Marx.
Offered alternate years.

PHIL 318 - Formerly 118 - Theory of Knowledge (4)

A critical examination of the following topics: the problems of perception, of memory, and of necessary truth; the justification of empirical knowledge; and the issue between rationalism and empiricism. The readings are taken from primary sources, both classical and contemporary.
Offered fall semester in even-numbered years.
Fulfills: WI, BH

PHIL 319 - Formerly 119 - Problems of Metaphysics (4)

A critical examination of the following topics: the problem of time, of mind and body, of the self, of determinism and fatalism, and of the issue between idealism, materialism, and psychophysical dualism. The readings are taken from classical and contemporary primary sources.
Offered spring semester in even-numbered years.
Fulfills: BH, WI

PHIL 320 - Formerly 120 - Philosophy of Science (4)

An emphasis on the theory of scientific explanation. Other topics include the logic of confirmation and of disconfirmation, the nature of scientific laws, and the marks of pseudo-science.
Offered alternate years.
Fulfills: WI, BH

PHIL 322 - Formerly 122 - Philosophy of Mind (4)

A study of the distinctive nature of self and mind. Topics covered are behaviorism, identity materialism, dualism, the problems of personal identity and of individuation.
Offered spring semester in odd-numbered years.
Fulfills: WI, BH

PHIL 328 - Formerly 128 - Philosophy of Religion (4)

An exploration of whether or not belief in the existence of God is rational. Arguments are considered based on the origin of the universe, the problem of evil, the nature and variety of religious experience, the phenomenon of morality, and the ethics of belief.
Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years.
Fulfills: BH

PHIL 330 - Formerly 130 - Philosophy of Law (4)

A critical appraisal of various theories of law: the theory of natural law, legal positivism, legal realism, and the recent critical legal studies movement. An investigation of the limits of the authority of society over the individual, including the issues of paternalism and privacy. A study of different theories of punishment and the scope of responsibility for criminal behavior. Offered in alternate years.
Same as: PSCI 330 - Formerly 130 -

PHIL 334 - Formerly 134 - Aesthetics (4)

A study of a variety of questions centered upon philosophical aspects of art. Of primary concern are the notions of beauty, formalism, emotivism, criticism, expression, creation, and evaluation. Throughout, careful attention is paid to specific works of art as they serve to illuminate philosophical concerns.
Offered alternate years. Same as: ARTH 242 - Formerly ARTHST 42 -
Fulfills: WI, DUS, BI, BH

PHIL 335 - Formerly 135 - Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4)

A seminar on issues at the center of philosophical controversy today, such as the controversy over free will and determinism, the possibility of artificial intelligence, and the Gettier problem. Discussions range over epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language. Readings are selected from works written in the second half of the 20th century by philosophers such as Ayer, Foot, Strawson, Frankfurt, Putnam, Boden, Searle, Gettier, Chisholm, and Nagel.
Offered spring semester in odd-numbered years.
Fulfills: WI, BH

PHIL 344 - Formerly 144 - Environmental Aesthetics (4)

An exploration of questions centered at the intersection of aesthetics and environmental philosophy. Of primary concern are the relation between the aesthetic appreciation of nature and the aesthetic appreciation of art; the roles played by scientific knowledge, emotional engagement and imagination in the aesthetic appreciation of nature; the thesis that all of wild nature has positive value; and the theoretical role aesthetic considerations play in the rationale behind environmental conservation.
Offered in alternate years. Same as: ESS 344 - Formerly 144 -
Fulfills: BI, BH, WI

PHIL 345 - Formerly 145 - Selected Topics in Philosophy (2-4)

Topics in philosophy, varying from term to term as the department may direct.
May be repeated for credit as topic changes. Offered annually.
Fulfills: BH, WI

PHIL 351 - Formerly 151 - Symbolic Logic (4)

An introduction to the propositional and predicate calculus, notions of proof, model, consistency, and truth; the Deduction, Compactness, and First Incompleteness Theorems and philosophical ramifications. Meets: 150 minutes weekly.

PHIL 352 - Formerly 152 - Philosophy of Language (4)

A seminar on problems of meaning, truth, and reference. Discussions focus on some of the following topics: the nature of names and descriptions, identity statements and their analysis, necessary truths, the semantic theory of truth, the thesis of the interdeterminacy of translation, and the problem of propositional attitudes. Readings include selections from Frege, Russell, Strawson, Quine, Tarski, Austin, Searle, Wittgenstein, and Kripke.
Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years.
Fulfills: WI, BH

PHIL 353 - Formerly 153 - Seminar in the History of Philosophy (4)

A seminar centered on the study of a major historical figure, such as Plato, Aristotle, or Kant, or an influential movement, such as pragmatism, logical positivism, or process philosophy. Topic determined each year.
May be repeated for credit as topic changes. Offered annually.

PHIL 356 - Formerly 156 - Independent Study in Philosophy (4)

A tutorial investigating a topic not covered in the regular curriculum. Weekly meetings. Several short papers and a longer term paper. Open to junior and senior philosophy majors at the discretion of the department and the proposed instructor. Required for registration: Departmental approval of the student's written proposal.
May be repeated for credit. Signature of instructor required for registration. Offered every semester.

PHIL 400 - Formerly 198 - Senior Project in Philosophy (2)

The senior project involves guided research that concludes with a substantial paper in Philosophy on a topic chosen in consultation with the instructor. The project typically takes the form of an additional paper for a companion course taken concurrently: either PHIL 304 - Formerly 104 - or 113. The senior project may also be paired with a specialized honors thesis (HON 109). REVISED COURSES

Revisions

Revisions to the Major Effective Fall 2012-2013

Addition of a Capstone course.

Requirements for the Major (36-38 Credits)

I. Required Courses (20-22 Credits)

• PHIL 1/Introduction to Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 4/Introduction to Ethics (4)
• PHIL 13/Introduction to Logic (4)
• PHIL 36/History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 38/History of Modern Philosophy (4)
• PHIL 198/Senior Project in Philosophy (2)

II. Either PHIL 113/Analytic Philosophy (4) or PHIL 135/Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4)

III. Either PHIL 118/Theory of Knowledge (4) or PHIL 119/Problems of Metaphysics (4)

IV. Two additional upper-level, 4-credit philosophy courses (8 credits)

Note: Students enrolling in PHIL 199/Senior project should enroll concurrently in, or have taken previously, one of the following:

• PHIL 113/Analytic Philosophy (fall semester), or
• PHIL 104/Problems of Ethics and Metaethics (spring semester), or
• HON 109/Specialized Honors.

Recommended: Students majoring in philosophy should take courses in other departments that are particularly relevant to their own philosophic interests and should consult their major adviser when they select their courses. Students should gain some proficiency in a foreign language if they wish to go on to do graduate work in philosophy.