Philosophy Catalog

PHIL 114 Introduction to Logic (3) An introduction to critical thinking and writing with an emphasis on improving students' skills in developing and evaluating logical arguments. Topics include basic logical relationships, use of evidence and sources, precise definition, informal fallacies, analogical arguments, and writing persuasive and critical papers.

PHIL 123 Introduction to Western Philosophy (3) An interdisciplinary introduction to Western history, arts, culture and ideas emphasizing philosophical contributions. The major philosophical traditions and problems originating between the Presocratic period and the 17th century will be emphasized.

PHIL 190 Selected Topics in Introductory Philosophy (1-4)

PHIL 214 Symbolic Logic (3) An introduction to elementary symbolic logic, the vocabulary and the rules for manipulating the items in this vocabulary and the rules for translating from logic to English and English to logic. PHIL 220 Philosophical Themes in Literature (3) Selected readings from important works of world literature in which philosophical issues are treated. May include works of Sophocles, Aeschylus, Dante, Dostoyevsky, Camus, Sartre, Borges, and others; focus will vary. PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 230 Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy (3) An examination of the origins and development of theories of law, personal rights and personal property, with emphasis on their relations to theories of human nature. Alternative theories of social structure will be examined, including communism, totalitarianism and democracy. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 or 124 recommended but not required.

PHIL 240 Philosophy and Feminism (3) An examination of philosophical issues raised by the women's movement, and of the theories underlying these issues. Topics to be discussed include abortion, pornography, affirmative action, comparable worth, and the moral development of women. Readings include theoretical works by contemporary philosophers. PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 250 Ethics and Applications (3) An introduction to moral theory with applications to a broad selection of legal and moral problems. These may include abortion and euthanasia; war; animal rights; issues in social and criminal justice; problems in business, legal and medical practice; and responsibilities to future generations.

PHIL 255 Business Ethics (3) An introduction to moral theory, with special attention to major ethical issues that arise in the practice of American business. These may include the morality of the free market, the nature of property, product liability, advertising, management vs. employee rights, whistle-blowing, health and safety issues, affirmative action, comparable worth and the environment.

PHIL 260 Ethics in Health Professions (3) An introduction to moral theory, with special attention to moral issues that arise in the practices of nursing and medicine. These may include such issues as informed consent and proxy decision-making, euthanasia, abortion, social justice and health care, concepts of health and disease, allocation of resources, and professional responsibilities and relationships.

PHIL 265 Ethics and Technology (3) An introduction to ethical theory, with special attention to ethical issues arising in engineering and the sciences. These may include professionalism, codes of ethics and corporate responsibilities, conflicts of interest, safety and risk assessment, whistle-blowing, and the use of animals and humans in research. This course may not be taken in conjunction with Philosophy 250 or 255.

PHIL 280 Introduction to Philosophy of Science (3) An introduction to the history and philosophy of science, including the nature of "scientific explanation," scientific laws and their role in explanation, and the relation between science and religion. Readings will focus on great achievements in science such as the Copernican Revolution, Newtonian mechanics, Einstein's theory of relativity, and Darwinian evolution. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy recommended but not required.

PHIL 290 Selected Topics in Philosophy (1-4) Prerequisite: Any 100- or 200-level course in philosophy or permission of instructor.

PHIL 300 History of Ancient Philosophy The Greeks (3) A survey of philosophical thought in the West from its mythopoetic origins through late Greek and Roman Neo-Platonism. Primary emphasis will be on the works of Plato and Aristotle, and such problems as the nature of justice, the good state, knowing, change, the origins of science, the place of reason and irrationality in the good life, the nature of reality and the encounter between Classical and early Christian thinkers. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 305 History of Philosophy Modern (3) A survey of Western philosophy from the 17th century to the 20th, emphasizing the contributions of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, and Nietzsche. Epistemology, social and political philosophy, and ethics are stressed. PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 311 Theory of Knowledge (3) An examination of some of the philosophical problems pertinent to human knowledge (e.g., knowledge of others, self-knowledge, faith, belief and truth). Readings include selections from Descartes, Locke, Russell, Ayer and Austin. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 315 Philosophy of Religion (3) Major issues in the philosophy of religion include monotheism vs. polytheism, the attributes of God, arguments for belief in God, grounds for disbelief in God, direct experience of the Divine, the reliability of scriptural sources, faith without proof, problems of religious language, verifiability, religion as attitude, alternatives to anthropomorphism in religion, theist vs. non-theist religious belief and immorality. Readings will be included from scriptural and philosophical sources. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 recommended but not required.

PHIL 320 Philosophy of the Arts (3) An examination of conceptual problems in the arts, including questions about what art is, the creative process, appreciation, interpretation and judgment, the standards by which art may be evaluated, the function of art and the mechanics of artistic effects. Exposure to various works of film, music, literature and other media is an intrinsic part of this course, as is participation in some limited creative and critical activity. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 recommended but not required; some experience with at least one of the arts.

PHIL 331 Law, Liberty and Morality (3) An examination of the use of the law to enforce public and private morality, particularly sexual morality and of the influence of public morality upon the law. Special emphasis will be reserved for a study of the relationship of the individual to society and for an exploration of the concept of anarchism. Readings from Hart, Devlin, Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated, Wolfe and others. Prerequisite: PHIL 123 is recommended but not required.

PHIL 350 Ethical Theory (3) Critical discussion of fundamental moral questions at the theoretical level: What makes an action morally right? What makes a person morally good? Are there moral rights? Who has moral rights? When is a person morally responsible for her or his behavior? What is the good life? PHIL 255 or PHIL 260 required.

PHIL 380 (3) Topics in Philosophy of Science (3) Critical discussion of questions in contemporary philosophy of science: What is the relation between theory and observation? What distinguishes science from non-science? Are unobservable entities (e.g., quarks) real or merely devices for making predictions? What is the relation between physics and the other natural sciences? Prerequisite: Philosophy 211 or 280 strongly recommended but not required.

PHIL 390 Selected Topics in Philosophy (1-4) Prerequisite: Any 200- or 300-level course in philosophy or permission of instructor.