PHL - Philosophy

PHL 101IH  Intro Phil: Reason and Reality: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp, Su) Exploration of the nature of reality and human knowledge. A critical look at the presuppositions of our common sense world view.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Analyze the central ideas of Eastern and Western philosophy
  2. Explain the origins of beliefs and values that are part of Western civilizatio
  3. Critically evaluate the philosophical ideas and arguments central to Eastern and Western philosophy
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of the main figures in the history of philosophy
  5. Discuss a variety of philosophical and cultural ideas from a variety of cultures

PHL 103D  Philosophy and Popular Culture: 3 Credits (2 Lec, 1 Other)

(F, Sp) Introduces philosophy to students through popular culture. Basic philosophical concepts, methods, and theories will be learned through discussion of technology, video games, films, television, therapy, sports, race, gender, alternative sexuality and drug use. -.

PHL 110IH  Intro Ethics: Good and Evil: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp, Su) An examination of traditional and contemporary conceptions of good and evil.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Develop a knowledge of various theoretical approaches to ethics in the history of Western philosophy.
  2. Develop your ability to engage in analysis, critical reflection, and argumentation.
  3. Apply various philosophical positions to different contemporary ethical problems.
  4. Improve your ability to support your own ethical views with good reasoning.
  5. Demonstrate critical reading and thinking skills through verbal and written forms of communication.

PHL 205CS  Other Animals: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

xplores how animals have been understood over time from scientific, philosophical, and cultural perspectives. The various methodologies employed, their underlying assumptions and possible limits, will be discussed, as well as the larger moral issues that they raise.

PHL 207IH  Philosophy of Sport: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F) Sports: Not simply a pastime. Sport, athletics, and play are embedded not only in American culture but traditionally in many other cultures worldwide. In so many ways — economically, politically, socially, educationally— American society depends on individual or team sports, and vice versa. Sport and athletics constitute a kind of mirror for society: in it we see ourselves grappling with violence, justice, fairness, gender, protest, competition, meritocracy, racial tensions, in-group identification and allegiance, play, achievement, virtue, genetic advantages, objectification, economic objectification, etc. Thus the questions raised in and around sports are precisely those that are so timely and urgent in our world today. Employing perspectives from sociology, psychology, literature, biology, philosophy, political theory, economics, epistemology, ethics, ontology, phenomenology, history, and statistics, this course is an interdisciplinary exploration of sport and athletics.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe an empathetic understanding of certain participants, or “stake holders” in sports
  2. Demonstrate the philosophical method, and philosophical analysis.
  3. Practice the fundamentals of a philosophy essay
  4. Explain the place of sports in the United States economy
  5. Describe the complexity of sex and gender segregation in sports
  6. Analyze concepts related to sports such as integrity, excellence, fairness, and competition
  7. Analyze one’s status as a sports fan using a critical perspective.

PHL 212RH  Morality and Society: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Consent of instructor. The philosophical study of contemporary moral issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia, racism, and terrorism. The term will culminate in a substantial piece of original research on a moral issue chosen by the individual student

PHL 236Q  Logic: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

Modern forms of valid inference with applications.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Interpret and draw inferences form mathematical or statistical models represented as formulas, graphs or tables.
  2. Represent mathematical or statistical information numerically and visually
  3. Employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry or formal statistical inference to solve problems.
  4. Explain how science contributes to analyzing complex problems in the contemporary world. Describe the scientific method, the kids of questions asked by scientists and the methods used to explore these questions.
  5. Demonstrate critical thinking, writing and oral communication skills
  6. Work effectively in small groups

PHL 242CS  Scnc/Psuedo Scnc & Subjectivty: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

Introduces both deductive and inductive aspects of scientific reasoning as a foundation for addressing broader questions such as, "Is there demarcation between science and non-science?"; "Is science subjective?"; Is scientific knowledge cumulative?"; and many more.

PHL 255D  Philosophy and Culture: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Consent of instructor. Addresses questions of how philosophy and culture interact, as well as exploring the differences and commonalties between philosophical traditions. Themes may include social justice, identities, society, and culture

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Learning Outcomes:

    This course provides students with the opportunity to understand, explain and critique the broadest possible conceptions of human identity, diversity, and community, as well as how these conceptions should fit into our lives. 

PHL 270D  Philosophies of Asia: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

A critical examination of some classical schools of Indian and Asian philosophy such as Confucianism, Hinduism, or Buddhism.

PHL 278CS  Origins of Life: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

Examination of philosophical theories regarding the nature of life and the methods for scientific discovery of its origin. What are the defining characteristics of life? How would we look for life on other planets? Is artificial life possible?.

PHL 291  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: None required but some may be determined necessary by each offering department. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PHL 303  Approaches to Epistemology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Two previous courses in Philosophy or consent of instructor. The course gives an introduction to some epistemological problems like the problem of skepticism, the problem concerning the nature of justification, the problem of induction, and the problem associated with the nature and existence of God

PHL 304  Metaphysics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PHL 101IH or PHL 110IH, and PHL 236Q. The most basic questions human beings raise in reflecting on their world, themselves and their place in the world. Sample questions concern the possibility of freedom, the relation of mind and brain, and the nature of being

PHL 308  Language and the World: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PHL 101IH or PHL 110IH, and PHL 236Q. A discussion of linguistic meaning, the concept of truth, and the relation between thought and language as viewed by contemporary philosophies

PHL 310  Moral Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. An examination of moral theory. The focus is on such issues as whether morality is objective or subjective as well as methods of moral reasoning

PHL 312  Contemporary Moral Problems: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. An examination of general moral theory with applications to moral problems of current interest such as abortion, the legal enforcement of morality, the death penalty, and nuclear war

PHL 317  Law and Morality: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITES: Either PHL 101IH or PHL 110IH
Examination of philosophical arguments and moral dilemmas that arise in legal contexts including what makes something law, the extent to which laws ought to be followed, legitimate restrictions on individual liberty, and how judges ought to interpret law.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Understand important theories and concepts in moral philosophy and jurisprudence.
  2. Identify arguments embedded in philosophical texts – to identify premises, inferences, and conclusions.
  3. Evaluate arguments for validity and soundness and recognize fallacious reasoning.
  4. Distinguish between normative and descriptive claims, and between different kinds of normative claims (moral, legal, prudential, etc.)
  5. Write clearly and precisely, constructing arguments and supporting those arguments with relevant textual and/or empirical evidence.
  6. Engage in rigorous, but respectful, philosophical debate.

PHL 321  Philosophy & Biomedical Ethics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

An examination of moral problems in medicine such as abortion, euthanasia, human experimentation, and the distribution of scarce medical resources.

PHL 322  Philosophy & Envirnmntl Ethics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. This course reviews the major readings, both classical and contemporary, on environmental ethics, and isolates the major issues. It provides the appropriate theoretical background. It applies these readings and this background to the investigation and resolution of several environmental policy questions

PHL 327  Aesthetics and the Arts: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. Philosophical examination of the nature and function of the arts and the aesthetic experience

PHL 328  Philosophy and Film: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or permission of instructor. Philosophic study of the moving image. Examines topics such as ontology of the image, theory of cinematic narrative, problem of realism versus illusion in film, its aesthetic, moral, and cultural value; and what constitutes appropriate interpretative activity in judging film

PHL 330  Philosophy of Emotion: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PHL 101IH or PHL 110IH or PHL 212RH or PHL 270D. Examines emotion, affect, and related states for their importance to human life in general and philosophy in particular. May also explore some of the relations between emotion and art. Prerequisite: at least one prior course in Philosophy

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Choose, develop, defend theories concepts concerning the philosophy of emotion in a formal, written mini-research essay.
  2. Accurately explain course readings orally during in-class discussions.
  3. Demonstrate student mastery of thesis defense, argumentation using reasons evidence, clarity in writing /or speaking.
  4. Use and apply the relevant philosophical concepts correctly, as measured on the research essay, class presentations, in-class discussions.

PHL 340  American Pragmatism: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PHL 101IH or PHL 110IH. (Sp) This course offers a historical survey of the American philosophical tradition known as pragmatism. Students will learn how this tradition developed in the 19th and 20th centuries in response to problems facing American life

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the history and central concepts and themes of pragmatism.
  2. Develop an understanding of the tradition of pragmatism within the history of philosophy.
  3. Compare and contrast different developments of pragmatism from its early founding to its contemporary uptake.
  4. Strengthen verbal and written forms of expression through group discussion, reading and interpretation of texts, presentations, and philosophical essays.

PHL 345  Philosophy of Science: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. An examination of the concepts of explanation, confirmation, and theory and their application to classic works in the history of the natural and social sciences

PHL 350RH  State, Community & Individual: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: One course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. The philosophical study of the state and society. Topics include the nature and limits of political legitimacy and the nature of just economic systems

PHL 351  Philosophy and Feminism: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

Philosophical analysis of concepts and assumptions central to feminist theories. Topics may include the nature of gender and oppression, masculinity, the relationship between sexism and other forms of oppression, the ideal society, and feminist challenges to traditional philosophical theories.

PHL 353  Philosophy and Technology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. An examination of certain concepts used to describe and explain technology and their application to questions concerning the limitations of a technological way of life

PHL 354  Philosophy of Race: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. Examines the development of the concept of race in philosophy since the 17th century. Traces the effects race has had on concepts such as the person, self-respect, rationality, knowledge, state of nature, science, social justice, and ordinary life

PHL 361RH  Hist of Philo:Ancient/Medieval: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. Great systems of philosophic thought and their originators during ancient and medieval times

PHL 362  History of Philosophy: Modern: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

Great systems of philosophic thought, Descartes to Kant.

PHL 365  Phil of Mind and Consciousness: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. In this course we will examine different philosophical theories regarding the workings of the mind and the nature of consciousness. Are you the same thing as your mind? What is thought? Is conscious experience explainable by the physical sciences?

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Choose, develop and defend notions of the mind/consciousness in formal written papers. Students are expected to accurately
  2. Explain course readings and presentations on the final exam and in papers, and orally for in-class presentations.
  3. The successful final paper and in-class presentations will demonstrate student mastery of thesis defense, and clarity in writing and speaking.
  4. Use philosophical concepts correctly, as measured on the final exam, papers and in-class presentations.

PHL 370  Philosophy of Religion: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. Analysis of concepts of revealed truth, God, and immortality; the nature of religious emotion and experience, and of religious language; relation of faith to reason; traditional proofs of God's existence; the problem of evil; religious diversity; spirituality

PHL 383  Reason and Revolution: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. An examination of the scope and limits of reason and their role in revolution as exemplified by leading nineteenth century philosophers

PHL 385  Existentialism and After: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Previous course in Philosophy or consent of instructor. Existentialism and related developments such as phenomenology and post modernism

PHL 490R  Undergraduate Research: 1-6 Credits (1 Other)

(F, Sp, Su) Directed undergraduate research which may culminate in a research paper, journal article, or undergraduate thesis. Course will address responsible conduct of research. May be repeated.
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PHL 491  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PHL 492  Independent Study: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Consent of instructor and approval of department head. (F, Sp, Su) Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

PHL 494  Seminar: 3 Credits (3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing. (F, Sp) Senior capstone course. Each semester is given over to the detailed study of a major figure or problem in philosophy. Since the figures and problems studied vary from semester to semester, the course may be repeated for credit. Two semesters of PHL 400 are required for all philosophy majors
Repeatable up to 9 credits.

PHL 498  Internship: 1-12 Credits (2-12 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, consent of instructor, and approval of department head. (F, Sp, Su) An individualized assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization to provide guided experience in the field
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PHL 591  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)

(1-4 Lec; 4 cr max) On demand Prerequisite: Course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number.
Repeatable up to 4 credits.

PHL 592  Independent Study: 1-3 Credits (1-3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, approval of department head, and Division of Education. (F, Sp, Su) Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

PHL 594  Seminar: 3 Credits (3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing or seniors by petition. Course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Topics offered at the graduate level which are not covered in regular courses. Students participate in preparing and presenting discussion material
Repeatable up to 9 credits.