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College of Arts & SciencesAcademic DepartmentsPhilosophy & ReligionStudentsPhilosophyPhilosophy Courses
College of Arts & SciencesAcademic DepartmentsPhilosophy & ReligionStudentsPhilosophyPhilosophy Courses
Philosophy Courses
000 - ORIENTATION
1.00 Credit(s)
Familiarization with the department, requirements for majors, planning program of courses, University catalog and library. Graded S/U.
100 - INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
An introduction to philosophical inquiry, its scope and methodology, through a study of representative philosophical problems such as the nature of ethical values, principles of correct reasoning, the possibility and limits of knowledge, and the distinction between appearance and reality.
190 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
202 - ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
Greek philosophical traditions against the background of the PreSocratics and Socrates, with a special emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor.
206 - MODERN PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
The principle philosophers during the 17th and the 18th centuries, such as Descartes, Locke, Spinoza, Hume and Kant, with special attention to the historical development of ideas. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor.
225 - PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
4.00 Credit(s)
Critical inquiry into issues such as the nature and existence of God, the problem of evil, the significance of religious experience, the justification of religious belief, and the relation of faith and reason. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instruction. (Also listed as RELG 225) (Formerly PHIL 325/RELG 325)
228 - PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
4.00 Credit(s)
The major philosophical theories of law, from legal positivism to originalism. Application to topics such as criminal law, contract law, and constitutional interpretation. Specific applications include but are not limited to: free speech, the insanity defense, and surrogate mother contracts. Prerequisities: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor. (Formerly PHIL 351)
234 - LOGIC
4.00 Credit(s)
The study of logical fallacies and the principles of correct reasoning. The application of formal logical analysis to arguments encountered in ordinary language. WILL NOT SATISFY THE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN PHILOSOPHY.
238 - ETHICS
4.00 Credit(s)
Selected ethical theorie and their rational justification. The use of ethical theories for resolving ethical issue in personal and social decision-making. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
240 - ETHICS IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE
4.00 Credit(s)
Ethical behavior with emphases on ethical theories and their rational justification, on such problems as relativism and why be moral, and on resolving issues as they arise in case studies from engineering, business, and health care. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor. (Formerly PHIL 336)
243 - ASIAN PHILOSOPHIES
4.00 Credit(s)
Asian philosophical traditions on the metaphysical, epistemological, logical and ethical questions about the universe's and human beings' origins, natures and purposes, including the historicial origins of these traditions, their development and their interactions. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
250 - AESTHETICS
4.00 Credit(s)
An examination of classical and contemporary theories of art and aesthetic experience. Consideration of the nature of various arts and of issues such as meaning, truth, and value in art. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.(Formerly PHIL 341)
260 - PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
4.00 Credit(s)
This course explores the logical and philosophical foundations that underlie science. Specific issues include: what is the difference between science and pseudo-science, what are scientific explanations, laws and theories, and what are science's limits. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
290 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
310 - ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
4.00 Credit(s)
Theories of value, with special emphasis on the possible justification of extending the moral community to include non-human nature. Foci will include: future generations, pollution, the commons, "jobs vs. wilderness", and legal and moral rights. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
320 - POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
Theories of political philosophy, such as social contract, libertarianism, utilitarianism, feminist and political liberalism. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
340 - METAPHYSICS
4.00 Credit(s)
An examination of theories of being with refer ence to problems such as reality, existence, essence, nature and their implications for knowledge and values. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
344 - ETHICAL THEORY
4.00 Credit(s)
Major ethical theories, such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue theory. Additional topics, such as ethical egoism, moral realism, and ethical relativism. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
355 - EPISTEMOLOGY
4.00 Credit(s)
Knowledge, its origins, structure, scope, justification and limitations, with reference to such problems as skepticism, realism, sense perception, mental representation, opinion and truth. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
390 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
480 - PHILOSOPHY SENIOR ESSAY
4.00 Credit(s)
A critical essay on a topic selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. The student enrolls for this course in the quarter during which the paper is to be completed. However, preliminary work on this project commences no later than the beginning of the senior year. (For majors only.)
483 - PHILOSOPHY SENIOR HONORS ESSAY
4.00 Credit(s)
Open to students with at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA in their Philosophy or Philosophy and Religion major. The student enrolls for this course in the quarter during which a critical essay is to be completed on a topic selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. However, preliminary work on this project commences no later than the beginning of the senior year.
497 - INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
Departmental permission required. May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
1.00 Credit(s)
Familiarization with the department, requirements for majors, planning program of courses, University catalog and library. Graded S/U.
100 - INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
An introduction to philosophical inquiry, its scope and methodology, through a study of representative philosophical problems such as the nature of ethical values, principles of correct reasoning, the possibility and limits of knowledge, and the distinction between appearance and reality.
190 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
202 - ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
Greek philosophical traditions against the background of the PreSocratics and Socrates, with a special emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor.
206 - MODERN PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
The principle philosophers during the 17th and the 18th centuries, such as Descartes, Locke, Spinoza, Hume and Kant, with special attention to the historical development of ideas. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor.
225 - PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
4.00 Credit(s)
Critical inquiry into issues such as the nature and existence of God, the problem of evil, the significance of religious experience, the justification of religious belief, and the relation of faith and reason. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or consent of the instruction. (Also listed as RELG 225) (Formerly PHIL 325/RELG 325)
228 - PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
4.00 Credit(s)
The major philosophical theories of law, from legal positivism to originalism. Application to topics such as criminal law, contract law, and constitutional interpretation. Specific applications include but are not limited to: free speech, the insanity defense, and surrogate mother contracts. Prerequisities: sophomore standing or consent of the instructor. (Formerly PHIL 351)
234 - LOGIC
4.00 Credit(s)
The study of logical fallacies and the principles of correct reasoning. The application of formal logical analysis to arguments encountered in ordinary language. WILL NOT SATISFY THE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT IN PHILOSOPHY.
238 - ETHICS
4.00 Credit(s)
Selected ethical theorie and their rational justification. The use of ethical theories for resolving ethical issue in personal and social decision-making. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
240 - ETHICS IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE
4.00 Credit(s)
Ethical behavior with emphases on ethical theories and their rational justification, on such problems as relativism and why be moral, and on resolving issues as they arise in case studies from engineering, business, and health care. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor. (Formerly PHIL 336)
243 - ASIAN PHILOSOPHIES
4.00 Credit(s)
Asian philosophical traditions on the metaphysical, epistemological, logical and ethical questions about the universe's and human beings' origins, natures and purposes, including the historicial origins of these traditions, their development and their interactions. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
250 - AESTHETICS
4.00 Credit(s)
An examination of classical and contemporary theories of art and aesthetic experience. Consideration of the nature of various arts and of issues such as meaning, truth, and value in art. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.(Formerly PHIL 341)
260 - PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
4.00 Credit(s)
This course explores the logical and philosophical foundations that underlie science. Specific issues include: what is the difference between science and pseudo-science, what are scientific explanations, laws and theories, and what are science's limits. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
290 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or the consent of the instructor.
310 - ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
4.00 Credit(s)
Theories of value, with special emphasis on the possible justification of extending the moral community to include non-human nature. Foci will include: future generations, pollution, the commons, "jobs vs. wilderness", and legal and moral rights. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
320 - POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
4.00 Credit(s)
Theories of political philosophy, such as social contract, libertarianism, utilitarianism, feminist and political liberalism. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
340 - METAPHYSICS
4.00 Credit(s)
An examination of theories of being with refer ence to problems such as reality, existence, essence, nature and their implications for knowledge and values. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
344 - ETHICAL THEORY
4.00 Credit(s)
Major ethical theories, such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue theory. Additional topics, such as ethical egoism, moral realism, and ethical relativism. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
355 - EPISTEMOLOGY
4.00 Credit(s)
Knowledge, its origins, structure, scope, justification and limitations, with reference to such problems as skepticism, realism, sense perception, mental representation, opinion and truth. Prerequisites: junior standing or the consent of the instructor.
390 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
480 - PHILOSOPHY SENIOR ESSAY
4.00 Credit(s)
A critical essay on a topic selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. The student enrolls for this course in the quarter during which the paper is to be completed. However, preliminary work on this project commences no later than the beginning of the senior year. (For majors only.)
483 - PHILOSOPHY SENIOR HONORS ESSAY
4.00 Credit(s)
Open to students with at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA in their Philosophy or Philosophy and Religion major. The student enrolls for this course in the quarter during which a critical essay is to be completed on a topic selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. However, preliminary work on this project commences no later than the beginning of the senior year.
497 - INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY
1.00 to 4.00 Credit(s)
Departmental permission required. May be repeated for credit, depending on content.
