Philosophy

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Requirements

The Major
The Minors
Departmental Honors Program

The Major

To be accepted as a major in philosophy, students must have taken three hours in philosophy. The requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with a major in philosophy are as follows:

I. Departmental requirements

A. 34 hours in philosophy, at least 24 of which must be upper division.

B. All of the following three courses:

PHIL 2340	Symbolic Logic I
PHIL 3410	Classical Greek Philosophy
PHIL 3422	Early Modern Philosophy

C. One of the following two courses:

PHIL 3430	Metaphysics
PHIL 3439	Epistemology

D. One of the following four courses:

PHIL 4491	Seminar on a Philosophical Problem
PHIL 4492	Seminar on a Philosopher
PHIL 4493	Seminar on a Philosophical Movement
PHIL 4395	Senior Thesis

II. University requirements: completion of all other required elements of the Pathways curriculum and at least 120 credit hours.

The Minors

Students may choose from the following four minors in philosophy:

I. Minor in Philosophy

The requirements for a minor in philosophy are as follows:

A. 18 hours in philosophy, 12 of which must be upper division.

B. One of the following two courses:

PHIL 3410	Classical Greek Philosophy
PHIL 3422	Early Modern Philosophy

II. Minor in Ethics

The requirements for a minor in ethics are as follows:

A. 18 hours in philosophy, of which at least 12 must be upper division.

B. Three of the following courses:

PHIL 1350	Environmental Ethics
PHIL 2457	Meaning of Life
PHIL 3450	Metaethics
PHIL 3451	Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 3452	Ethical Theory
PHIL 3453	Philosophy of Law
PHIL 3454	Philosophy of Gender
PHIL 3459	Biomedical Ethics

III. Minor in Philosophy of Art

The requirements for a minor in philosophy of art are as follows:

A. 18 hours in philosophy, of which at least 12 must be upper division.

B. Three of the following courses:

PHIL 2455	Aesthetics
PHIL 3457	Philosophy of Film
PHIL 3458	Philosophy of Music
PHIL 3460	Philosophy of Literature

IV. Minor in Logic and the Philosophy of Cognition

The requirements for the minor in logic and the philosophy of cognition are as follows:

A. 18 hours in philosophy, of which at least 12 must be upper division.

B. PHIL 2340 Symbolic Logic I

C. Three of the following courses:

PHIL 1341	Tools for Reasoning
PHIL 3431	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 3432	Philosophy of Science
PHIL 3439	Epistemology
PHIL 3340	Symbolic Logic II
PHIL 3343	Nonclassical Logics

V. Minor in the History of Philosophy

The requirements for a minor in the history of philosophy are as follows:

A. 18 hours in philosophy, of which at least 12 must be upper division.

B. PHIL 3410 Classical Greek Philosophy

C. PHIL 3422 Early Modern Philosophy

D. At least 2 of the following courses:

PHIL 2425	Existentialism
PHIL 3411	Hellenistic Philosophy
PHIL 3412	Late Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 3423	German Idealism
PHIL 3426	Nietzsche and German Philosophy
PHIL 3429	Continental Philosophy

Departmental Honors Program

I. To be accepted into the Department Honors Program, students must be philosophy majors who have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.33, and a grade-point average of 3.75 within the department, at the end of the Fall semester of the Junior year. Such students may request admission to the Honors Program. The request should be in writing and should be submitted to the chair of the department at the end of the Fall semester of the Junior year. The request should be accompanied by a report from the Registrar’s Office, showing their grade-point averages. The members of the philosophy department will decide which students are accepted.

II. To receive Departmental Honors, majors in philosophy must (i) have, at graduation, a grade-point average of 3.75 within the department and a cumulative grade-point average of 3.33; (ii) complete the requirements for the major; (iii) take a comprehensive exam; and (iv) complete the following courses:

A. PHIL 3439 Epistemology

B. At least one of the following:

PHIL 3430	Metaphysics
PHIL 3431	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 3433	Philosophy of Language

C. At least one of the following:

PHIL 3450	Metaethics
PHIL 3451	Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 3452	Ethical Theory

D. At least one of the following:

PHIL 3423	German Idealism
PHIL 3426	Nietzsche and German Philosophy
PHIL 3429	Continental Philosophy

E. At least one of the following (preferably all three):

An intermediate-level course in German, French, or Greek
PHIL 3340 Symbolic Logic II
A course in mathematics at the level of MATH 1311 (Calculus I) or higher

F. PHIL 4396 Thesis I

G. PHIL 4397 Thesis II

Courses

Lower Division

PHIL-1301 Knowledge, Reality, and the Good Life

An introduction to philosophy, emphasizing central issues in epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. Typical topics include: the problem of evil, the mind-body problem, the possibility of knowledge, the existence of God, personal identity, freedom and determinism, the good life, and what makes actions right or wrong.

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-1350 Environmental Ethics

A study of the moral status of the things and creatures that make up the environment, and their moral relationship to people. Particular attention will be given to the responsibilities of people to protect and preserve the environment, and to conserve resources for future generations. (Offered every year).

PHIL-1354 Ethics

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

PHIL-1359 Professional Ethics

A critical Examination of ethics and ethical issues involved in professional life. Typical topics will include the following: ethical theory, theory of justice, professional codes of conduct, corporate responsibility, harassment policy, affirmative action, the moral status of animals, experimentation using animal and human subjects, the physician-patient relationship, reproductive ethics, and health care policy. (Also listed as BUSN 1359.) PHIL 1354 and PHIL 1359 may not both be taken for credit.

PHIL-2425 Existentialism

The development of existential thought from the writings of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to more recent work by Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus. (Offered every other year).

PHIL-2438 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 2460.)

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 1341 as a prerequisite.

PHIL-2455 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.

PHIL-2456 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 which may be covered include: abortion; genetic engineering; environmental justice; urban issues such as group discrimination, housing restrictions, regulation of vice, and city planning; and truth in advertising and whistle blowing.

PHIL-2457 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.

PHIL-2460 Ancient Science and Medicine

An overview of science and medicine in antiquity, with an emphasis on its relation to ancient philosophy. Topics typically include: astronomy, cosmology, physics, biology, and medicine. The course will focus on such figures as Anaximander, Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Eudoxus, Hierophilus, Ptolemy, and Galen. (Offered every other year.)

Upper Division - History of Philosophy

PHIL-3410 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: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3411 Hellenistic Philosophy

A study of the dominant philosophical schools after the death of Aristotle - Stoics, Epicureans,and Skeptics - with a particular emphasis on ethics (virtue ethics, hedonism) and epistemology. Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or Consent of Instructor.

PHIL-3412 Late Ancient and Medieval Philosophy

A study of philosophical problems that arose in the historical and intellectual context of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The course will include topics in metaphysics, philosophy of religion, ethics, and mysticism. It will emphasize the ancient origins of Medieval thought, and clarify the intellectual roots of Christianity by discussion of the key notions, ideas and figures that crucially contributed to shaping Western culture. (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3422 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. (Offered every year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3423 German Idealism

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. (Also listed as GRST 3460.)(Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in philosophy or consent of instructor.

PHIL-3426 Nietzsche and German Philosophy

A study of the 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. (Also listed as GRST 3461.) (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3428 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. Course taught in English. (Also listed as CHIN 3428.)(Offered occasionally). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3429 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: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

Upper Division - Metaphysics and Epistemology

PHIL-3430 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. (Offered every other year). Prerequisites: Any course in Philosophy or Consent of Instructor

PHIL-3431 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. (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3432 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. (Offered every other year). Prerequisites: Both PHIL 2340 and an additional course in philosophy; or 9 hours in any one of the natural or social sciences

PHIL-3433 Philosophy of Language

A critical study of contemporary issues about language, meaning, reference, translation, and interpretation. (Offered every other year). Prerequisites: Both PHIL 2340 and an additional course in philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3439 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: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

Upper Division - Advanced Logic

PHIL-3340 Symbolic Logic II

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 Lowenheim-Skolem theorem, and Godel's incompleteness theorems; connections with issues in computability theory and the foundations of mathematics. Prerequisite: PHIL 2340 or consent of instructor, or CSCI 1323.

PHIL-3343 Nonclassical Logics

Extensions of, and alternatives to, classical logic. Possible topics include modal logic, intuitionistic logic, many-valued logic, and fuzzy logic. Some attention is paid to connections between these logics and topics in philosophy, computer science, and linguistics. Prerequisite: PHIL 2340 or consent of instructor

Upper Division - Value Theory

PHIL-3450 Metaethics

A study of contemporary attempts to answer the question of whether there are moral facts or whether any moral claims are objective. (Offered every other year) Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or the consent of instructor.

PHIL-3451 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: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3452 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: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3453 Philosophy of Law

A critical study of legal theory, legal reasoning, and the role of law in contemporary society. Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or consent of instructor

PHIL-3454 Philosophy of Sex, Gender, & Sexuality

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; gendered language; same-sex marriage; the ethics of consent; pornography; and prostitution. (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or WAGS 2310, 2350, 2351, or 2352, or consent of instructor

PHIL-3457 Philosophy of Film & Videogames

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. (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy, or Introduction to Film Studies (COMM 1302 or FILM 1302), or International Cinema (COMM 2301 or FILM 2301), or Consent of Instructor.

PHIL-3458 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. (Also listed as MUSC 3458.) (Offered every other year.) Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or MUSC 1301 or MUSC 1203 or consent of instructor

PHIL-3459 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.

PHIL-3460 Philosophy of Literature

In this course we will investigate several philosophical issues raised by literature, such as what exactly literature is, the nature of literary authorship and interpretation, why it is we respond emotionally to fictional characters, and what the value of engaging with literature is. (Offered every other year). Prerequisite: Any course in Philosophy or six hours of English or consent of instructor

PHIL-3361 Theorizing Myth

A survey of theoretical approaches to myth from the eighteenth century to the present. This survey begins with the transition from renaissance belief that myth is a form of moral instruction conveyed by allegory to the romantic belief that myth is a symbolic mode of discourse offering insight into transcendental reality. We will then chart the evolution of this approach, beginning with its inspiration in Kantian metaphysics and earliest formulations by German romantics such as Schiller and proceeding on to Freud and Ricoeur. A second strand begins with Hegel's theories of "false consciousness" that would in time develop into interpretations of myth as ideology , under the influence of Marx, Adorno, and Althusser. A final strand begins with the early folklorists, the brothers Grimm, and would in time develop into functionalist approaches to myth by anthropologists such as Malinowski, Boas, and Levi-Strauss. The resulting big picture is as much an intellectual history of modernity as a history of theorizing myth.(Also listed as CLAS 3350.) Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Seminars and Special Courses

PHIL-3-80 Philosophy for Children

This is a service learning class in which students learn the theory and practice of teaching philosophy to children. Students will attend a weekly class at Trinity in which they study and discuss educational theory, and learn about methods for teaching children philosophy. They also create and discuss various lesson plans. They then visit a public school where they meet with small groups of children and lead discussions of philosophy. May be repeated for credit. 1 to 3 semester hours. Prerequisites: One course in Philosophy or Education or consent of instructor.

PHIL-3-90 Directed Studies

Individual work under faculty supervision. 1 to 4 semester hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

PHIL-3-91 Internship in Law and Philosophy

Students taking this class will work for various law of government offices as interns whose responsibilities will be determined by those offices and by supervising faculty. They will then complete a writing assignment in which they relate their experience in the internship to issues in ethics, social and political philosophy, and/or the philosophy of law. Pass/Fail only. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor

PHIL-4180 Readings in Philosophy

A close reading of a seminal philosophical text. Pass / Fail only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: one class in philosophy and consent of instructor

PHIL-4-90 Directed Studies

Individual work under faculty supervision. 1 to 4 semester hours. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

PHIL-4491 Seminar on a Philosophical Problem

An in-depth study of a contemporary problem in philosophy. Prerequisite: 8 upper-division hours or consent of instructor.

PHIL-4492 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: 8 upper-division hours in Philosophy of consent of instructor

PHIL-4493 Seminar on a Philosophical Movement

An intensive study of 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: 8 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.

PHIL-4396 Thesis I

Taken during the Spring semester of the Junior year. Students draft a thesis under the supervision of a faculty member. The completed draft will be defended before the members of the department, who will decide whether it should be developed further. Students who do outstanding work in Thesis I will be invited to enroll in Thesis II. Students who take Thesis II are not eligible to enroll in PHIL 4395 (Senior Thesis). Requires consent of chair and Instructor.

PHIL-4397 Thesis II

Taken during the Fall semester of the Senior Year. In thesis II students will complete the theses that they drafted in Thesis I. The completed essay will be defended before the members of the department, who will decide whether to confer Departmental Honors. Requires Consent of Department chair and Instructor, and completion of PHIL 4396.

Faculty

Curtis Brown, Ph.D. , Professor

Andrew Kania, Ph.D. , Professor

Steven Luper, Ph.D. , Professor

Judith Norman, Ph.D. , Professor; Chair

Ronni Gura Sadovsky , Assistant Professor

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Philosophy

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The Major

The Minors

Departmental Honors Program

Lower Division

Upper Division - History of Philosophy

Upper Division - Metaphysics and Epistemology

Upper Division - Advanced Logic

Upper Division - Value Theory

Seminars and Special Courses

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