Introductory Courses
Any 100- or 200-level course is appropriate as a first course in philosophy; none presupposes any previous departmental courses.
120. Introduction to Philosophy
An introduction to the methods of philosophical thinking through discussion and analysis of selected classical and contemporary texts and problems. Open only to Freshmen and Sophomores during the regular semesters; open to all students in the summer sessions.
(3/0/3) DINKINS, MICHELMAN
206. Reasoning and Critical Thinking
A course aimed at developing the student's ability to evaluate arguments and other informative prose and to construct arguments with greater cogency and effectiveness. The course employs only a minimal amount of formal logic.
(3/0/3) KELLER, WILLIAMS, BEDNAR
210. Bio-Medical Ethics
An introduction to ethics through a study of its applications in the area of health care. The course includes a survey of the major ethical theories and focuses on a selection of important problem areas such as euthanasia, reproductive technologies, human experimentation, and the justice of health care distribution.
(3/0/3) KAY
213. Ethics and Business
An introduction to ethics through discussion and analysis of major ethical systems, theories of social and economic justice, and specific case studies in the area of business.
(3/0/3) WILLIAMS
215. Environmental Ethics
An exploration of the challenges presented by the ethical analysis of environmental issues.
The course explores both the theoretical and practical aspects of these issues.
(3/0/3) LOWRY, WILLIAMS
216. Social and Political Philosophy
An introduction to some of the most influential theories of Western social and political thought. Topics include the nature and legitimacy of political authority and democracy, the role of morality in society, the duties and responsibilities of citizens, and the challenges of diversity and inclusion. Multicultural and feminist perspectives are components of the course.
(3/0/3) WILLIAMS
223. Philosophy of Science
An examination of the methods, aims, and limits of scientific inquiry, with special attention to the evaluation and construction of arguments. The course will explore the logic of scientific explanation and the nature of scientific laws, theories, and change.
(3/0/3) KAY
225. Science and Religion
An examination of the nature of science and religion and their historical and contemporary relationships. The course will explore a selection of traditional problem areas such as evolution, cosmology, ethics, and education. (This course may count toward requirements for a Religion major.)
(3/0/3) KAY
244. Theories of Human Nature
An examination of selected classical and modern conceptions of the human being. Aristotle, Darwin, sociobiology, and our relation to other animals are among the topics to be explored.
(3/0/3) MICHELMAN
280+. Special Topics
An introduction to philosophy through the study of a topic of current interest.
Advanced Courses
The satisfactory completion of an introductory course or permission of the instructor is prerequisite to enrollment in any advanced course in the department.
301. Philosophy of Law
An introduction to basic issues in the philosophy of law, such as methods of legal reasoning, the relation between legal norms and moral values, and the scope and foundations of rights. Seminal concepts of concern to law are discussed, including liberty, justice and punishment. Readings include classical and contemporary essays in jurisprudence, studies of specific U.S. and international cases, and selected U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
(3/0/3) DINKINS
304. Philosophy through Literature
A discussion and analysis of classical and contemporary philosophical issues as they are presented in selected works of literature, with attention to the question of how philosophical ideas are conveyed through this alternative medium. Topics include: political philosophy; responsibility, free will, and determinism; the nature and purpose of humanity; and the meaning of life.
(3/0/3) DINKINS
310. Aesthetics
An examination of issues in the philosophy of art placed in an art-historical context. Topics include Kant's aesthetics and the possibility of aesthetic disinterest, the representation of nature, theories of abstract art, and the role of emotion versus that of intellect in creating and appreciating art. (This course is required of Art History majors.)
(3/0/3) MICHELMAN
311. Principles of Ethics
A study of the major systems of ethical thought, both ancient and modern, and their development. Emphasis is on the critical examination and reevaluation of those systems in light of contemporary social developments and non-Western thought.
(3/0/3) WILLIAMS
321. Formal Logic
An introduction to the techniques of modern formal logic, including Venn diagrams, propositional calculus, and first-order polyadic predicate calculus. Offered every semester on an auto-tutorial basis. Interested students should consult with the instructor.
(3/0/3) KELLER
331. African Philosophy.
An introduction to traditions of African philosophical thought focusing on problems of definition, sources, function, and methodology. The course compares the scope and application of African thought on basic philosophical questions of human existence with recent developments in Western philosophy.
(3/0/3) KAY
335. Buddhist Philosophy
An introduction to key concepts in Buddhism’s view of persons, the world, and salvation. The course examines these concepts as they were expressed in early Buddhism and in recent Zen Buddhism, and it contrasts these concepts with their Western analogues.
(3/0/3) KELLER
342. Philosophy of Religion
An examination of the meaning of religious beliefs and of arguments about their truth or falsity. The course focuses on religious beliefs about God and includes some discussion of different ideas of God within the Western tradition. (This course may count toward requirements for a Religion major.)
(3/0/3) KELLER
345. Metaphysics and Epistemology
A systematic survey of issues in the two fields and of their interrelations. The course considers the fundamental concepts in terms of which we think about the world, and the nature of knowledge and of justified belief.
(3/0/3) KELLER, BEDNAR
351. Western Philosophy in Antiquity and the Middle Ages
A survey of classical and medieval thought focusing on the core topics of interest to the philosophers of those eras: the nature, purpose, and best life of persons; the ideal State; and the nature of the physical world and God. Emphasis is on discussion of primary texts drawn from pre-Socratic fragments, the works of Plato and Aristotle, and representatives of diverse philosophical traditions through the 14th century.
(3/0/3) DINKINS
352. Early Modern European Philosophy
A historical survey of the rise of modern European philosophy in its cultural setting during the 17th and 18th centuries. Emphasis is on the study of selected primary texts, from Descartes to Hume, in relation to the philosophical, religious, and scientific thought of their day.
(3/0/3) KAY
353. Nineteenth-Century European Philosophy
A survey of the development of 19th-century philosophy beginning with Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. The course examines Kant's legacy in Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche, focusing on primary texts. Issues include the role of cognition in constituting the world, the historical and economic dimensions of consciousness, and the importance of the passions for philosophical discourse
(3/0/3) MICHELMAN
358. Topics in the History of Philosophy
An examination of the work of a particular philosopher, philosophical movement, or
time period in the history of philosophy. Topics will be announce whenever the course
is offered and will change according to student and faculty interest.
(3/0/3) STAFF
425. Rationality and Commitment
A critical examination of the issue of the extent to which reason can and should guide our moral commitments.
(3/0/3) KELLER
450. Senior Directed Study
A course of individualized directed study in which the student prepares a written paper (normally a revised and expanded version of earlier work) and makes an oral presentation on the paper topic. Required of all students majoring in philosophy. Normally to be completed in the fall of the senior year. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
(1/0/3) STAFF
470. Independent Study in Philosophy
A course in which the student pursues independently, under the guidance of a member of the department, a specific philosophical topic of interest. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
(0/0/3) STAFF
480+. Special Topics
A study centered around one philosophical topic of current interest.
(3/0/3) STAFF