Courses
View Current Syllabi and Course Materials
View Current Course Offerings
Catalog Listing
- U = for undergraduate credit only
- UG = for undergraduate or graduate credit
- G = for graduate credit
- R after the credit indicates the course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the R.
U 100 Introduction to Philosophy, 3 cr.
An introduction to philosophy through examination of the thought of selected
great philosophers or of traditional positions on classical philosophical
problems.
U 105 Introduction to Existentialism, 3 cr.
An introduction to philosophy through examination of a selected theme.
Focusing themes will vary; existentialism, technology and the good life,
justice, environmental value, and science and society are examples.
U 119H Philosophical Perspectives on Women in the Western Hemisphere,
3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Same as LS & WS 119H. Introduction to the
discipline and scope of Western philosophy focusing on women as the subject
rather than men. A chronological study following the ideological development
in the West of social attitudes and scientific theses.
U 190 Supervised Internship, 1-6 cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department
chair.
U 195 Special Topics, Variable cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors,
experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current
topics.
U 198 Cooperative Education Experience, 1-6 cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom
experience which provides practical application of classroom learning
during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the
faculty supervisor and the Cooperative Education Office.
U 200E Ethics: The Great Traditions, 3 cr.
Offered every term. An examination of the Western vision of morality through
the careful study of selected writings from Aristotle, Kant and Mill.
Additional works in ethics may supplement primary readings.
U 201E Political Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered autumn and spring. An examination of the issues of political ethics
through the careful study of selected writings from the three great Western
political traditions: classical natural law theory, modern individualism,
and contemporary distributive justice.
U 210 Introduction to Logic: Deduction, 3 cr.
Offered autumn and spring. Understanding general principles of reasoning
and the habits of clear and correct thinking. Emphasis on the analysis
of the logical structure of claims in natural language and the skills
of elementary deductive inference.
U 211 Introduction to Logic: Inductive and Scientific Reasoning,
3 cr.
Offered spring. Prereq., Phil 210. Elementary principles of induction
and scientific reasoning. Emphasis on effective evaluation of information
and argument in public discourse.
U 215 Philosophical Reasoning, 3 cr.
Offered fall. A focus on basic skills essential to success in philosophy:
careful reading, critical analysis, and well-structured writing. Emphasis
on repeated practice in recognizing, reading, analyzing, and writing philosophical
arguments.
U 223E Business and Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. An analysis of ethical conflicts that may arise
in business.
U 251H History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, 3
cr.
Offered autumn. The origin of philosophy in ancient Greece. Its development
in the Roman Empire. Its encounter with the Jewish, Christian and Islamic
traditions.
U 252H History of Modern Philosophy, 3 cr.
Offered spring. A survey of the history of philosophy from Descartes to
Hegel, which includes other Continental Rationalists, the British Empiricists,
and Kant.
U 290 Supervised Internship, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department
chair.
U 295 Special Topics, Variable cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors,
experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current
topics.
U 296 Independent Study, 1-6 cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently.
U 298 Cooperative Education Experience, Variable cr.
(R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the
Cooperative Education Office.. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus.
U 300E Systematic Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered spring. Development of the fundamental principles grounding moral
reasoning in the Western tradition. A more thorough treatment of the material
offered in PHIL 200 intended for the philosophy major or prepared student
interested in a rigorous introduction to the foundations of ethics.
U 325E Morality and the Law, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division course in Perspective
5 or consent of instr. Analysis of moral reasoning in Anglo-American law,
emphasizing certain ethical and legal concepts and the role of the Supreme
Court.
UG 340L Aesthetics, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. The nature of
aesthetic experience, of the standards of art criticism, and of the kinds
of knowledge communicated by art. Readings from philosophers, artists,
and art critics.
U 375 Agriculture, Society and Ecology; 1 cr.
Offered every spring. Same as EVST and SOC 375. Lecture series that accompanies
cooperative education credit for students participating in the PRogram
in Ecological Agriculture and Society (PEAS).
U 390 Supervised Internship, 1-12 cr. (R-12)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department
chair.
U 391 Agriculture in the Humanities and Fine Arts, 1
cr.
Offered autumn. Same as LS 391. Lecture series that accompanies cooperative
education credit for students participating in the PRogram in Ecological
Agriculture and Society (PEAS).
U 393 Omnibus, Variable cr. ( R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Independent work under
the University omnibus option.
U 394 Seminar, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 395 Special Topics, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors,
experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current
topics.
U 396 Independent Study, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermitently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 397 Research, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 398 Cooperative Education Experience, 1-12 cr. (R-12)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the
Cooperative Education Office. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus.
UG 410 Formal Logic: Scope and Limits, 3 cr.
Offered spring. Prereq., Phil 210 or equiv. A systematic study of first-order
logic, including development of standard metatheory and the significance
of modern formal methods.
UG 411 Philosophy of Science, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. A consideration
of philosophical issues relating to the nature of modern physical science:
method, explanation, theory, progress, space/time, causality, relation
of science to philosophy.
UG 412 Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Philosophical
issues relating to the nature of social science: human behavior, relation
of social science to philosophy and physical science.
UG 421E Medical Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing and lower-division
course in Perspective 5, or consent of instr. An examination of ethical
problems raised by the practice of medicine and by recent developments
in medically-related biological sciences.
UG 422E Contemporary Moral and Political Theory, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing and PHIL 200E
or 201E. Recent theories in ethics and their implications; recent work
in political theory, emphasizing contemprary liberalism and its critics.
UG 423 Contemporary Political Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Examination
of contemporary political philosophers with particular attention to utilitarian
liberalism and deontological liberalism and their critics.
UG 427E Environmental Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., lower-division course in Perspective
5 or consent of instr. Same as EVST 427E. Critical exploration of selected
philosophical and literary texts pertinent to the ethics of human relationships
with the natural environment.
UG 429E Feminist Ethics, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division perspective 5 course or
consent of instr., Phil 200 strongly recommended. Examination of the implications
for philosophic ethics of the claim that Western men and women have different
moral perspectives.
UG 441 Philosophy in Literature, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing or consent of
instr. Philosophical thought in selected works of literature.
UG 443E Ethics and Public Affairs, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division perspective 5 course or
consent of instr. Examination of morally relevant issues in government,
journalism, education and other social institutions. Issues considered
include deception, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, privacy, paternalism,
responsibilities in conflict with other institutions and responsibilities
across national boundaries, among others.
UG 444 Topics in the Philosophy of the Arts, 3 cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Same as LS 444.
Examination of philosophical problems related to the particular arts and
discussion of the nature of the arts. Topics include music, visual arts,
literature, and film.
UG 450 Classical Modern Philosophers, 3 cr.
Philosophy 450 is a new course covering major philosophers from the modern
rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz) and the modern empiricists
(Locke, Berkeley, Hume).
UG 453 Kant, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., Phil 252H or 6 credit hours in philosophy
or consent of instr. Reading and interpretation of selected works.
UG 455 Politics and Culture, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., PSc 250E or consent of instr. Same as
PSc 455. Study of the ways political processes and cultural issues shape
and modify one another in contemporary western societies.
UG 461 Plato, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., Phil 251H. General introduction to the
philosophy of Plato emphasizing dialogues of the Early and Middle periods.
UG 463 Aristotle, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., Phil 251H. General introduction to Aristotle.
Early biological writings, Categories, De Interpretatione, Nicomachean
Ethics, selections from Physics, De Anima and Metaphysics.
UG 465 Major Philosophers of the 19th Century, 3 cr.
(R-6)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., Phil 252H. Selection to be announced
in the class schedule.
UG 467 20th Century Continental Philosophy, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Intensive study
of the work of one philosopher (Heidegger, Husserl, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty,
Ricoeur, Derrida, etc.) or several texts representing a major movement
in 20th century continental thought (Phenomenology, Existentialism, Hermeneutics,
Post-structuralism, etc.)
UG 469 20th Century Anglo-American Philosophy, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Readings in
analytic philosophy, contemporary empiricism, and contemporary pragmatism.
UG 471 Topics in Philosophy of Language, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Same as Ling
482. Discussion of one or more of the following topics: theories of meaning,
theories of reference, pragmatics, the origin of language, psycholinguistics,
and foundations of linguistic theory.
UG 475H Oriental Thought, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Philosophical
themes in some Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist literature.
UG 477 Philosophy of Society and Culture, 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. A philosophical
examination of cultural forces shaping modern society, forces such as
science, technology, or domesticity.
UG 480 Senior Seminar, 3 cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., senior standing. Research in problems
in philosophy.
U 490 Supervised Internship, Variable cr. (R-12)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department
chair.
U 493 Omnibus, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Independent work under
the University omnibus option.
UG 494 Seminar, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
UG 495 Special Topics, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings
of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time
offerings of current topics.
U 496 Independent Study, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 497 Research, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
G 501 Topics in Philosophy of Science, Mind, or Language; 3 cr. (R-6)
G 502 Topics in Value Theory, 3 cr. (R-6)
G 503 Topics in History of Philosophy, 3 cr. (R-6)
G 504 Colloquium in the Philosophy of Ecology, 3 cr.
(R-6) Same as Evst 504.
Critical study/discussion of current (as well as benchmark) texts and
issues in environmental ethics, environmental politics, and the philosophy
of ecology. Interdisciplinary; open to concerned students from all disciplines.
G 505 Topics in Contemporary Philosophy, 3 cr. (R-6)
G 506 Nature, Language and Politics; 3 cr.
Offered intermittently. Same as EVST 506. Investigation of environmental,
social and political thought from the perspective of contemporary language
theory.
G 510 Philosophy Forum Colloquium, 1 cr. (R-3)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., graduate standing. Discussion and further
exploration of issues presented at the weekly Philosophy Forum.
G 520 Seminar in Foundations of Ethics, 4 cr.
Offered summer. Major traditions in Western moral philosophy along with
feminist and non-Western critiques.
G 521 Theory and Skills for Ethics Teaching, 3 cr.
Offered autumn. Concepts and practical matters relating to the teaching
of practical ethics in classroom and corporate settings.
G 523 Practicum in Teaching Ethics, 4 cr.
Prereq., M.A. teaching ethics emphasis candidates. Field experience in
a post-secondary classroom or off campus learning environment. Field work
includes lession planning, teaching, and evaluation.
G 590 Supervised Internship, 1-12 cr. (R-12)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department
chair.
G 593 Professional Paper, Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently.
G 594 Seminar, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently.
G 595 Special Topics, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors,
experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current
topics.
G 596 Independent Study, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
G 597 Research, Variable cr. (R-9)
Offered intermittently. Directed individual research and study appropriate
to the background and objectives of the student.
G 598 Cooperative Education Experience, 1-12 cr. (R-12)
Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the
Cooperative Education Office. Extended classroom experience which provides
practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus.
G 599 Thesis, Variable cr. (R-6)
Offered intermittently.