Philosophy (PHIL)
PHIL 1301. Introduction to Philosophy. 3 Hours. [TCCN: PHIL 1301]
Students examine a variety of philosophical questions and study texts written by historical and/or contemporary philosophers. Philosophical problems discussed may include the meaning of truth, the certainty of knowledge, the existence of the divine, the extent of the human ability to make choices, and the relationship between social and individual values. Course Equivalents: PHIL 2361 .
PHIL 2303. Critical Thinking. 3 Hours. [TCCN: PHIL 2303]
Students examine the fundamentals of deductive and/or inductive reasoning and logic. Coursework aimed at improvement of students' ability to think critically focuses on the identification of common fallacies, and investigates some of the ways information is distorted, e.g., by advertising or news management.
PHIL 2306. Contemporary Moral Issues. 3 Hours. [TCCN: PHIL 2306]
Students analyze major moral issues in contemporary society through the lens of various moral theories and principles. Moral issues may include euthanasia, health care, technology, animals and the environment, freedom and the state, war, crime, or punishment.
PHIL 2352. Introduction to Contemporary Logic. 3 Hours.
Students explore the principles of ordered thought and the terminology and rules of symbolic logic. Further, students examine the logic of statements and the logic of predicates, qualifiers, and identity.
PHIL 3364. Ancient & Medieval Philosophy. 3 Hours.
Students survey philosophical thought from the time of the pre-Socratics to about 1500, which may include the thought of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Hellenistic schools, and medieval philosophy through the late scholastic period. Students also explore the artistic, scientific, ethical, political and general cultural ramifications of the major systems of thought.
PHIL 3365. Modern Philosophy. 3 Hours.
Students survey works of philosophy from the modern era (sixteenth to nineteenth century) by examining the increasing philosophical significance of science and epistemology (e.g., rationalism and empiricism) through Kant. Coursework may include some introduction to late modern philosophers succeeding Kant.
PHIL 3366. Aesthetics. 3 Hours.
Students examine the nature and meaning of art and aesthetic theories concerning representation, form, and expression. Further, students engage in analyses of aesthetic experience and the relation of art to value. This course satisfies 3 semester hours of the fine arts requirement for the BA degree program.
PHIL 3367. Philosophy of Religion. 3 Hours.
Students examine the nature and meaning of religion and religious expression through study of texts from a variety of philosophical and religious traditions. Topics may include faith and reason, the question of the existence and nature of God, and the relation of religion and value.
PHIL 3371. Existentialism and Self-Awareness. 3 Hours.
Students examine the major themes of existentialism and its impact on contemporary society via existential works in a variety of forms, which may include philosophy, literature, psychology, psychoanalysis, and religion. Further, students examine existential concepts, which may include anxiety, fear, guilt, meaninglessness, death, and authentic and inauthentic existence. Taught with PSYC 3371.
PHIL 3372. Philosophy of Science. 3 Hours.
Students survey topics in philosophy of science, which may include the logic of explanations in the physical and social sciences, the relationship between science and society, and metaphysical or sociological critiques of science. Course content includes attention to historically prominent examples from social and natural sciences that demonstrate the applicability of important concepts from the philosophy of science.
PHIL 3373. American Philosophy. 3 Hours.
Students survey key figures and ideas of the American intellectual tradition. Themes may include democracy, freedom, cultural and racial identity, ethical and religious pluralism, and interpretations of nature from various perspectives, including current developing traditions such as African American, Native American, and Feminist movements.
PHIL 4306. Philosophy of Biology. 3 Hours.
Students investigate philosophical questions concerning the development and application of evolutionary theory. Students will also develop an understanding of key concepts, which may include adaptation, speciation, the comparative method, levels of selection, and phylogenetic reconstruction. This course is offered in the Spring semester of even years.
PHIL 4333. Bioethics. 3 Hours.
Students survey bioethics using various ethical theories and moral principles to analyze and critically evaluate moral dilemmas in medicine. Students will investigate and discuss topics that may include the patient-physician relationship, bias in medicine, health care delivery systems, and the ethics of research. To enhance critical thinking skills and decision-making skills, students will develop and defend views on given bioethical issues.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.
PHIL 4334. Environmental Ethics. 3 Hours.
Students examine philosophical theories about the principles and values that govern humanity's moral relationship to nature and the animal world. Topics covered may include theories of animal rights, the intrinsic value of nature, the ethics of global climate change, the moral implications of mass extinctions, and our moral responsibility to future generations.
PHIL 4336. Philosophy of Law. 3 Hours.
Students consider the philosophical nature of law, legal reasoning, and legal rights within a discussion of justice and equality under the law. Applying these theories to practice, students engage in a series of case studies examining major Supreme Court opinions. Students learn to answer these questions via reflection and argumentation that integrates and extends major jurisprudential theories.
PHIL 4361. Philosophy of Psychology and Mind. 3 Hours.
Students examine a range of contemporary theories of mind and the primary objections they face. Topics may include mind/brain identity theory and reductionism, the nature and function of consciousness, the nature of rationality and its relation to consciousness, the possibility of machine intelligence, and the nature of mental representation.
PHIL 4363. Ethical Theories. 3 Hours.
Students examine classical views about the foundation of ethics, which may include divine command, cultural relativism, subjectivism, egoism, utilitarianism, Kantianism, and virtue ethics. Students will also devote significant attention to a variety of contemporary approaches to understanding ethics.
PHIL 4371. Death and Dying. 3 Hours.
Students examine philosophical reflections on death and dying in a variety of forms, which may include literature, philosophy, psychology, theology, medicine, and other contemporary sources. Topics may include the nature of grief, sorrow, anxiety, fear, and suicide as related to death, and the social implications of death for the individual, family, friends, and community.
PHIL 4372. Theories of Knowledge and Reality. 3 Hours.
Students examine issues concerning the basic categories of reality, which may include individuals and universals, time and change, and mind and body. Further, students explore issues in the theory of knowledge, which may include the distinction between knowledge and belief, the criteria of knowledge, and the justification of knowledge claims.
Prerequisite: 6 hours of philosophy and sophomore standing.
PHIL 4373. Philosophy in Film and Literature. 3 Hours.
Students establish and develop fluency in techniques for interpreting philosophy and film with reference to works of literature and/or poetry that inform and enrich them. Films and course texts are carefully paired to bring them into dialogue and deepen understanding of the interrelation of art and theory.
Prerequisite: 3 hours of philosophy and at least sophomore standing.
PHIL 4374. Philosophy of Crime & Justice. 3 Hours.
Students examine foundations of the American criminal justice system, considering questions such as: is there a moral justification of punishment;what basic principles guide law enforcement in practice; how did these principles come to be in place; and how do they connect to the moral and political ideals on which the country was founded? Students critically engage with philosophical, legal, sociological, and historical resources.
PHIL 4375. Feminist Philosophies. 3 Hours.
Students examine competing feminist theories that take a distinctively philosophical approach to social hierarchies and the systems that ground, promote, or conceal them. Questions explored may include how feminist philosophers distinguish between sex and gender; what role sexuality plays in both personal and social identities; how sex, gender, and sexuality intersect with race and class; how feminist theories help us to make sense of pop culture; and how best to affirm the differences in women’s lived experiences both locally and globally.
PHIL 4377. Philosophy of Race. 3 Hours.
Students examine a variety of philosophical topics through the prism of historical and contemporary philosophical perspectives on race. Additionally, students assess how historical shifts in racial concepts may have shaped subsequent philosophical reflection. Topics may include the nature of personal and social identities, phenomenologies of embodiment, the structure and characteristics of human consciousness, and the meaning of forms of moral and political responsibility.
PHIL 4380. Seminar in Philosophy. 3 Hours.
Students engage in an in-depth study, conducted on a seminar basis, of a particular topic or area in philosophy not covered fully in the other course offerings. As the topics vary, the course may be repeated for credit.
PHIL 4385. Readings in Philosophy. 3 Hours.
Students develop a program of study in conjunction with an instructor. Departmental approval required.
Prerequisite: Admission to the course requires permission of the instructor.
