PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY

CURTIS BROWN, Ph.D., Professor

ANDREW KANIA, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

LAWRENCE D. KIMMEL, Ph.D., Professor

STEVEN LUPER, Ph.D., Professor; Chair

JUDITH R. NORMAN, Ph.D., Professor

THE MAJOR

To be accepted as a major in philosophy, students must have taken Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 1301) or Ethics (PHIL 1354). The requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in philosophy are as follows:

I. The common curriculum

II. Departmental requirements:

33 hours in philosophy, at least 24 of which must be upper division, including:

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy or 1354 Ethics

PHIL 2340 Symbolic Logic I

PHIL 3320 Classical Greek Philosophy

PHIL 3322 Early Modern Philosophy

PHIL 3323 Nineteenth Century Philosophy I or 3326 Nineteenth Century Philosophy II

PHIL 3330 Metaphysics or 3339 Epistemology

Senior Experience: a Senior Essay, reflecting an intensive study of the recent literature on a philosophical topic, and written under the supervision of a faculty advisor during the senior year, while enrolled in any upper-division philosophy course (requires permission of the instructor and simultaneous enrollment in PHIL 4001). The department will also accept an approved Senior Experience course from a student’s second major.

Any one of:

PHIL 4381 Seminar on Plato

PHIL 4382 Seminar on Aristotle

PHIL 4391 Seminar on a Philosophical Problem

PHIL 4392 Seminar on a Philosopher

PHIL 4393 Seminar on a Philosophical Movement

PHIL 4395 Senior Thesis

Students may choose to combine the remaining courses into a program of their own design, or may elect to concentrate in one of the following areas by taking the courses indicated:

Metaphysics and Epistemology

3330 Metaphysics and 3339 Epistemology

Any two of the following: 3324 Pragmatism, 3325 Existentialism, 3331 Philosophy of Mind, 3333 Philosophy of Language, 3338 Philosophy of Religion, 3332 Philosophy of Science, 3348 Provability, 3349 Topics in Logic, 4395 Senior Thesis.

History of Philosophy

3324 Pragmatism and 3325 Existentialism

Any two of the following: 3327 The Philosophies of India, 3328 The Philosophies of China, 3329 Continental Philosophy, 3350 Philosophy of Culture, 4395 Senior Thesis.

Morality, Politics, and the Law

3351 Social and Political Philosophy and 3352 Ethical Theory

Any two of the following: 3350 Philosophy of Culture, 3353 Philosophy of Law, 2356 Applied Ethics, 2357 The Meaning of Life, 3356 Marx and Marxism, 3359 Biomedical Ethics, 4395 Senior Thesis.

III. Electives sufficient to total 124 hours.

THE MINOR

The minor consists of 18 hours of philosophy including:

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy or 1354 Ethics

PHIL 3320 Classical Greek Philosophy or 3322 Early Modern Philosophy

Four more upper division courses.

COURSES

LOWER DIVISION

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy

An introduction to Philosophy through a critical study of major philosophical figures (such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Hegel, and Marx) and central philosophical issues. At least half of the course will be devoted to issues concerning values. Ethical theories will be discussed, assessed, and applied.

PHIL 1302 Introduction to Asian Philosophy

An introduction to the classical philosophical traditions of Asia - Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism - with an emphasis on their approach to major philosophical questions.

PHIL 1341 Tools for Reasoning

Reasoning is the process of using the evidence available to us in order to make informed decisions about what to believe and do. Good reasoning requires the ability to identify and assess deductive arguments; to formulate hypotheses, test them, and choose those that are best supported by the evidence; and to assess which courses of action are most reasonable given our beliefs and values. This class will introduce a number of tools that are useful for reasoning, including deductive logic, probability and statistics, and decision theory. The course will also consider problem-solving techniques and ways of evaluating the credibility of sources.

PHIL 1354 Ethics

An introduction to traditional and contemporary problems and theories in ethics.

PHIL 2340 Symbolic Logic I

An introduction to formal deductive logic, covering propositional logic (truth-functional logic) and first-order predicate logic (quantification theory). Typical topics covered include: techniques of symbolization, truth tables, validity and soundness, and techniques of natural deduction. Symbolic notation is used extensively. Does not require PHIL 1341 as a prerequisite.

PHIL 2356 Applied Ethics

An application of ethical theory to a particular moral issue. Each offering will focus on a specific issue or a set of closely related issues; topics will vary from one offering to the next. Examples of topics that may be covered include: abortion; genetic engineering; environmental justice; urban issues such as group discrimination, housing restrictions, regulation of vice, and city planning; and business issues such as economic justice, corporate responsibility, risk assessment, truth in advertising, and whistle blowing.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301, 1354.

PHIL 2357 The Meaning of Life

A critical examination of a wide range of approaches to the question, ‘Does life have meaning?’ Among the philosophers to be covered are Aristotle, Tolstoy, Kant, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Camus, Miguel de Unamuno, and Thomas Nagel.

UPPER DIVISION

History of Philosophy

PHIL 3320 Classical Greek Philosophy

A study of the major figures in ancient Greek philosophy from Thales to Aristotle, with a special focus on thinkers of the high classical period: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354 or consent of instructor.

PHIL 3321 Hellenistic Philosophy

A study of the dominant philosophical schools after the death of Aristotle - Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics - with some treatment of later developments, e.g., Neoplatonism.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354 or consent of instructor.

PHIL 3322 Early Modern Philosophy

A study of the classical modern philosophers, including the Rationalists: Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza; the Empiricists: Locke, Berkeley, and Hume; and the attempted synthesis of Kant.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3323 Nineteenth Century Philosophy I

A study of important thinkers and movements at the beginning of the 19th century. We will focus initially on Kant, and investigate how German Idealism and Romanticism developed in the aftermath of Kant’s critical philosophy. After an extended treatment of Hegel, we will look at the Young Hegelians and Marx. The course will focus on issues in metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of history, and the problem of subjectivity.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3324 Pragmatism

A study of American pragmatic philosophy. The emphasis will be on Peirce, James, and Dewey; some attention will be paid to such contemporary figures as Quine and Rorty.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3322.

PHIL 3325 Existentialism

The development of existential thought from the writings of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to more recent work by Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3322.

PHIL 3326 Nineteenth Century Philosophy II

A study of important thinkers and movements at the end of the 19th century. We will focus initially on Kant before seeing how Schopenhauer and finally Nietzsche developed on the basis of the Kantian philosophy. After an extended treatment of Nietzsche, we will look at how Freud and psychoanalysis grew out of this tradition. The course will focus on issues in epistemology, the philosophy of art, the philosophy of nature, and the development of the notion of the unconscious.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3327 The Philosophies of India

A study of the classical traditions of Buddhist and Indian (Hindu) philosophies. The emphasis will be on issues of perennial philosophical concern to both Eastern and Western thought such as: the nature of the self and the problem of personal identity, monism and pluralism, immortality and reincarnation, knowledge and illusion.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3328 The Philosophies of China

A study of the three major indigenous philosophical movements in China: Confucianism, Taoism, and Neo-Confucianism. Special attention will be paid to themes and problems common to all three movements, including: the metaphysics of harmony and conflict, the individual and society, the cultivation of human virtues and human perfectibility, and humankind’s relation to nature.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3329 Continental Philosophy

A close reading of some of the major texts of twentieth-century French and German philosophy, with some attention to their roots in nineteenth-century philosophy.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3322.

Metaphysics

PHIL 3330 Metaphysics

A survey of traditional and contemporary philosophical issues about the nature of reality. Typical topics covered include some of the following: the mind-body problem, personal identity, free will and determinism, causation, time, fatalism, universals and particulars, essentialism, possible worlds.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3322.

PHIL 3331 Philosophy of Mind

A critical study of contemporary approaches to the mind-body problem, including dualism, behaviorism, the identity theory, and functionalism. Also addressed will be such other issues as the nature of mental representation, the possibility of artificial intelligence, and the sources of intentionality.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3332 Philosophy of Science

A study of philosophical views about the sciences. Topics may include: explanation, confirmation, the historical development of science, realism vs. anti-realism, the relation between the natural and social sciences, and the difference between science and pseudo-science.

Prerequisites: Either PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 2340 or 9 hours in any of the natural or social sciences.

PHIL 3333 Philosophy of Language

A critical study of contemporary issues about language, meaning, reference, translation, and interpretation.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 2340.

PHIL 3338 Philosophy of Religion

A critical discussion of philosophical issues arising in religion and theology. Typical topics covered include: religious language, arguments for God’s existence, religious experience, miracles and revelation, the relationship of faith and reason, the nature of God, the problem of evil, death and immortality. (Also listed as RELI 3360.)

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354, or 3 semester hours in the academic study of religion, or consent of instructor.

PHIL 3339 Epistemology

A critical study of problems in the theory of knowledge, such as: the difference between knowledge and belief; the possibility of knowledge; the conditions under which a belief is rational.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3322.

Advanced Logic

PHIL 3340 Symbolic Logic II

Topics include: Review of first-order logic from a more abstract perspective than that taken in PHIL 2340; introduction to set theory; basic metalogical results including soundness, completeness, compactness, the Löwenheim-Skolem theorem, and Gödel’s incompleteness theorems; connections with issues in computability theory and the foundations of mathematics.

Prerequisite: PHIL 2340 or CSCI 1323 or consent of instructor.

PHIL 3343 Non-Classical Logics

Extensions of, and alternatives to, classical logic. Possible topics include modal logic, intuitionist logic, many-valued logic, and fuzzy logic. Some attention to connections between these logics and topics in philosophy, computer science, and other areas

Prerequisite: PHIL 2340 or consent of instructor.

Value Theory

PHIL 3350 Philosophy of Culture

Inquiry into the different forms and forces which shape contemporary life. The value and impact of art, science, and social, economic, and political technology as determinants of an emerging culture in the 21st century.

Prerequisites: PHIL 1301 or 1354; and 3320 or 3322.

PHIL 3351 Social and Political Philosophy

A critical study of philosophical views about society and politics, with particular attention to the concepts of sovereignty, obligation, rights, justice, equality, and liberty.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3352 Ethical Theory

A discussion of issues in normative ethics and metaethics. Typical topics covered include some of the following: the meaning of ethical terms, the justification or moral principles and judgments, intrinsic and extrinsic value, consequentialism and deontology, moral relativism, natural rights, theories of justice.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3353 Philosophy of Law

A critical study of legal theory, legal reasoning, and the role of law in contemporary society.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3354 Philosophy of Gender

A study of issues in the philosophy of gender, through reading the work of historical and contemporary theorists. Topics may include the ontology of sex, gender, and sexuality; the nature and goals of feminism; homosexual rights; the ethics of consent, pornography, and prostitution; and gendered language.

Prerequisite: One of PHIL 1301, 1354, WAGS 2350, 2351, 2352.

PHIL 3355 Aesthetics

A study of issues in the philosophy of the arts, through the examination of works of art and the reading of historical and contemporary philosophers and critics. Topics to be discussed include: what makes something a work of art, the nature of artistic representation, the evaluation of works of art, and problems peculiar to such specific art forms as literature, painting, music, and film.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

PHIL 3356 Marx and Marxism

In this class, students will study the ideas of Karl Marx and the impact they have had on 20^th century thought. The class will have two components: the philosophy of Marx and the contemporary application of Marxist principles to various problems and disciplines.

PHIL 3357 Philosophy of Film

A study of issues in the philosophy of film, through reading the work of historical and contemporary philosophers and critics, and studying films. Topics may include: the nature of film, its status amongst the arts, issues of authorship and narrativity, issues of interpretation, and the nature and ethics of documentary.

Prerequisite: One of PHIL 1301, 1354, FILM 1301, 2301.

PHIL 3358 Philosophy of Music

In this course we will investigate several philosophical issues raised by music, from the question of what exactly music is, through the nature of various musical objects (works, performances, recordings), to how we should approach music, and what its value is. Throughout we will question how far the theories we discuss can be applied beyond their (typical) application to Western classical music. Students will be expected to bring their experience – as composers, performers, and listeners – to bear on the issues we discuss.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354, or MUSIC 1304 or 1403, or consent of instructor.

PHIL 3359 Biomedical Ethics

A study of ethical issues associated with the practice of medicine and the pursuit of biomedical research. Topics may include: physicians’ obligations and patients’ rights; experimentation on humans and animals; assisted suicide; euthanasia; abortion and parental rights; genetic engineering; and social justice and the right to health care.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1354.

PHIL 3360 Philosophy of Literature

A critical study of conceptual, referential, and structural issues in literature. Alternate years.

Prerequisite: PHIL 1301 or 1354.

Seminars and Special Courses

Successful completion of 6 upper-division hours in philosophy is a prerequisite for all courses in this category.

PHIL 3-90 Directed Studies

Individual work under faculty supervision. 1 to 3 semester hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

PHIL 4001 Senior Experience

Philosophy majors may satisfy the Senior Experience requirement of the University’s Common Curriculum by completing this class while enrolled in any upper-division course. Students will write a Senior Essay, reflecting an intensive study of the recent literature on a philosophical topic, under the supervision of a faculty advisor. This is a pass/fail, no-credit course.

Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of instructor.

PHIL 4-90 Directed Studies

Individual work under faculty supervision. 1 to 3 semester hours.

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

PHIL 4381 Seminar on Plato

A careful analysis of some of the philosophical writings of Plato.

Prerequisite: 6 upper-division hours.

PHIL 4382 Seminar on Aristotle

A careful analysis of some of the philosophical writings of Aristotle.

Prerequisite: 6 upper-division hours.

PHIL 4391 Seminar on a Philosophical Problem

An in-depth study of a contemporary problem in philosophy.

Prerequisite: 6 upper-division hours or consent of instructor.

PHIL 4392 Seminar on a Philosopher

A careful analysis of the work of a particular philosopher. Topics may vary but include: A. Aristotle; B. Austin; D. Descartes; E. Hegel; F. Locke; K. Kant; M. Marx; P. Plato; W. Wittgenstein; Z. other figures.

Prerequisite: 6 upper-division hours.

PHIL 4393 Seminar on a Philosophical Movement

An intensive study of the works of the philosophers in a particular philosophical school or movement. The seminar may take a chronological approach or it may be topical in structure.

Prerequisite: 6 upper-division hours in philosophy.

PHIL 4395 Senior Thesis

Research and classroom discussion culminating, for each student, in a thesis to be defended before Philosophy Department faculty. Supervision for thesis provided by course instructor and a second faculty member with expertise in student’s area of research.

Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of the Department Chair.