| PHI 205 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| Introduction to selected problems of enduring philosophical importance, including such topics as the nature of morality, knowledge, human freedom, and the existence of God. Content varies with different sections. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 214 | Issues in Business Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| An analysis and evaluation of major issues in business ethics. Topics include the social responsibility of business; social justice and free enterprise; the rights and duties of employers, employees, manufacturers, and consumers; duties to the environment, the world's poor, future generations, and the victims of past injustices; the moral status of the corporation; and the ethics of advertising. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 221 | Contemporary Moral Issues | 3(3-0-0) F, S |
| Philosophical analysis and theory applied to a broad range of contemporary moral issues, including euthanasia, suicide, capital punishment, abortion, war, famine relief, and environmental concerns. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum2 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 250 | Practical Reasoning | 3(3-0-0) |
| Analysis and criticism of both deductive and inductive argument. Deduction validity and soundness in deductive arguments; definition and the clarification of meaning; disproof by counter-example; common fallacies. Inductive arguments: polls and samples; correlations and causal connection. Conceptual and empirical theories and hypotheses. Arguments discussed with a minimum of formalization. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 298 | Special Topics in Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) |
| Selected studies in philosophy that do not appear regularly in the curriculum. Topics will be announced for each semester in which the course is offered. | ||
| PHI 300 | Ancient Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Coreq: PHI 495 for majors only | ||
| Western philosophy of the ancient world, with special emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 301 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) |
| Western philosophy of the 17th and 18th centuries, including such philosophers as Descartes, Hobbes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 302 | 19th Century Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Western philosophy of the 19th century, including such philosophers as Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Marx, and Nietzsche. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 303 | Medieval Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Philosophy of the Middle Ages. Authors to be studied may include Augustine, Anselm, Avicenna, Maimonides, Aquinas, and Scotus. | ||
| PHI 305 | Philosophy of Religion | 3(3-0-0) |
| The existence and nature of God, including such topics as traditional proofs of God, skeptical challenges to religious belief, miracles, the problem of evil, faith and reason, and religious experience. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 309 | Contemporary Political Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One philosophy course | ||
| Current theories about basic concepts in political philosophy, such as liberty, equality, justice, natural rights, and democracy, with special attention to disputes concerning the nature of a just social order. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 310 | Existentialism | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Philosophy of Existentialism, including such thinkers as Kierkagaard, Nietzsche, Doestoevsky, Sartre, Heidegger, and Camus. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 312 | Philosophy of Law | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Fundamental legal issues such as what constitutes a law or legal system. Justifications of legal interference with individual liberty. Philosophical legal issues illustrated by specific legal cases. | ||
| Course Offerings: sum2 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 313 | Ethical Problems in the Law | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: PHI 221, 275, or 375 | ||
| Explores uses of the legal system, including such topics as the death penalty, plea bargaining, legalizing euthanasia, censorship, Good Samaritan laws, the insanity defense, civil disobedience, preferential treatment. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI (STS) 325 | Bio-Medical Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| Interdisciplinary examination and appraisal of emerging ethical and social issues resulting from recent advances in the biological and medical sciences. Abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, compromised infants, aids, reproductive technologies, and health care. Focus on factual details and value questions, fact-value questions, fact-value interplay, and questions of impact assessment and policy formation. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sprg | ||
| PHI 330 | Metaphysics | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One course in philosophy | ||
| Metaphysical problems: distinction between appearance and reality, nature of space and time, free will and determinism, mind and body, nature of identity. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sprg | ||
| PHI 331 | Philosophy of Language | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One course in philosophy | ||
| Introduction to traditional and modern accounts of the relations between language and reality, the nature of truth, problems of intentionality and propositional attitudes. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 332 | Philosophy of Psychology | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One course in philosophy or one course in psychology | ||
| Problems and controversies that overlap the boundary between philosophy and psychology: the mind/body problem, behaviorism vs. cognitivism, the prospects for artificial intelligence, and language and the questions of innate knowledge. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | ||
| PHI 333 | Theory of Knowledge | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One course in philosophy | ||
| Analysis of such central concepts as knowledge, belief, and truth, and the investigation of the principles by which claims to knowledge may be justified. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | ||
| PHI 340 | Philosophy of Science | 3(3-0-0) F, S, Sum |
| Nature of science highlighted by differences between science and pseudoscience, relationships between science and religion, and roles of purpose-directed (teleological explanation) and causal explanation in physical life and social sciences. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 375 | Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| Examination of traditional questions of philosophical ethics: What are the principles of moral conduct? What sort of life is worthy of a human being? Includes both classic and contemporary literature. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 376 | History of Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| Preq: One course in philosophy or permission of instructor. | ||
| Coreq: PHI 494 is required for majors. | ||
| Topics in the history of ethics. Philosophers to be studied may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Butler, Hume, Kant, Sidgwick and Nietzsche. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 401 | Kant's Critique of Pure Reason | 3(3-0-0) S, (ALTYRODD) |
| Preq: 6 credits in PHI | ||
| A text-based critical study of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason Focusing on such topics as perception, judgment, knowledge, space, time, substance, causation and reality. Cannot earn credit for both PHI 401 and PHI 501. | ||
| PHI 415 | Life Science Ethics | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: One course in PHI program | ||
| Recent work in normative evaluation of human actions affecting living things. Advanced readings in moral theory, comparative value assessment, and public policy. Credit will not be given for both PHI 415 and PHI 515 | ||
| PHI 420 | Global Justice | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: One course in Philosophy | ||
| Coreq: PHI 494 | ||
| The applications of the ideas of justice and right beyond and across the borders of individual nation states, attending to the facts of globalization and their consequences for political and economic justice and human rights. Topics: skepticism about global justice; transnational distributive justice, pollution, and poverty; national sovereignty, self-determination, and intervention; the ethics of war; international human rights; and global democracy. No one can receive credit for both PHI 420 and PHI 520. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 422 | Philosophical Issues in Environmental Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Preq: One course in PHI program | ||
| Ethical questions about the environment; in particular, what obligations we have to the environment. Topics: animal rights, obligations to species and ecosystems, intrinsic vs. extrinsic value, and policy implications of moral judgments. Credit maynot be received for both PHI 422 and PHI 522. No one who has received credit for PHI 322 can receive credit for either PHI 422 or PHI 522. | ||
| WolfWare Info | ||
| PHI (PSY) 425 | Introduction to Cognitive Science | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: One upper-level course in either PHI, PSY, CSC or Linguistics | ||
| Philosophical foundations and empirical fundamentals of cognitive science, an interdisciplinary approach to human cognition. Topics include: the computational model of mind, mental representation, cognitive architecture, the acquisition and use of language. Credit cannot be given for both PHI/PSY 425 and PHI/PSY 525 | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 440 | The Scientific Method | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: One upper-level course in philosophy | ||
| Detailed examination of core issues in the philosophy of science: the confirmation of scientific theories, falsification, projectibility, the nature of scientific explanation, laws of nature, and causation. Credit cannot be given for both PHI 440 and PHI 540 | ||
| PHI 445 | Philosophy of Biology | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: One 300 or 400-level course in philosophy or biology | ||
| Central issues in the philosophy of biology such as units of selection, philosophy of ecology, species, fitness, adaptationism, reductionism, development and innateness, evolutionary progress, and viability of applications of evolutionary theory to culture and "human nature". Pre/Corequisite for following course: Corequisite for PHI 496; Credit cannot be given for both PHI 445 and PHI 545 | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 450 | Software and the Ethics of Ownership | 3(3-0-0) S, Alt yrs(odd) |
| The rightness or wrongness of treating computer programs as private property, for the purposes of marketing and regulating/excluding use. Brief look at law of patent and copyright. Offered on-line only; on-campus attendance required for final exam.Credit cannot be given for both PHI 450 and PHI 550 | ||
| PHI 475 | Ethical Theory | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: PHI 375 (Ethics), or PHI 376 (History of Ethics) or permission of instructor. | ||
| An introduction to some central themes and issues in ethical theory. Topics in normative and meta-ethics such as consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, constructivism, realism, relativism, subjectivism, and expressivism. Readings primarily from contemporary literature. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 494 | Writing in Ethics | 1(1-2-0) |
| Preq: PHI 250, LOG 201 or 335 and one other course in philosophy | ||
| Coreq: One of PHI 221, 275, 298, 306, 309, 311, 313, 375, 422 or 498 | ||
| A substantial paper in ethics, assigned by the instructor of the corequisite. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | ||
| PHI 495 | Writing in History of Philosophy | 1(1-2-0) F,S |
| Preq: PHI 250, LOG 201 or 335 and one other course in philosophy | ||
| Coreq: One of PHI 298, 300, 301, 302 or 498 | ||
| A substantial paper in history of philosophy, assigned by the instructor of the corequisite. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | ||
| PHI 496 | Writing in Contemporary Philosophy | 1(1-2-0) |
| Preq: PHI 250, LOG 201 or 335 and one other course in philosphy | ||
| Coreq: One of PHI 298, 305, 306, 330, 331, 332, 333, 340, 425, 440, 498 | ||
| A substantial paper in contemporary philosophy, assigned by the instructor of the corequisite. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | ||
| PHI 497 | Writing in Logic, Representation and Reasoning | F, S |
| Preq: LOG 201 or 335, and one other philosophy course, not PHI 250 | ||
| Coreq: One of LOG 335, 435/535, PHI 298, 330, 331, 332, 333, 340, 425/525, 440/540, 445/545 | ||
| A substantial paper in logic, representation and reasoning, assigned by the instructor of the corequisite. enrollment subject to departmental approval; may be repeated for credit | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | ||
| PHI 498 | Special Topics in Philosophy | 1-6 |
| Preq: Six credits in PHI program | ||
| Detailed investigation of selected topics in philosophy. Topics determined by faculty members in consultation with head of the department. Course may be used for individualized study. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall sum1 sum2 sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 501 | Kant's Critique of Pure Reason | 3(3-0-0) S, (ALTYRODD) |
| Preq: Graduate Standing | ||
| A text-based critical study of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason focusing on topics such as perception, judgment, knowledge, space, time, substance, causation, and reality. Credit not allowed for both PHI 401 and PHI 501. | ||
| PHI 515 | Life Science Ethics | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Recent work in normative evaluation of human actions affecting living things. Advanced readings in moral theory, comparative value assessment, and public policy. Credit will not be given for both PHI 415 and PHI 515 | ||
| PHI 520 | Global Justice | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| The applications of the ideas of justice and right beyond and across the borders of individual nation states, attending to the facts of globalization and their consequences for political and economic justice and human rights. Topics: skepticism about global justice; transnational distributive justice, pollution, and poverty; national sovereignty, self-determination, and intervention; the ethics of war; international human rights; and global democracy. No one may receive credit for bot PHI 420 and PHI 520. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 522 | Philosophical Issues in Environmental Ethics | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Ethical questions about the environment; in particular, what obligations we have to the environment. Topics: animal rights, obligations to species and ecosystems, intrinsic vs. extrinsic value, and policy implications of moral judgments. Credit maynot be received for both PHI 422 and PHI 522. No one who has received credit for PHI 322 can receive credit for either PHI 422 or PHI 522. | ||
| WolfWare Info | ||
| PHI (PSY) 525 | Introduction To Cognitive Science | 3(3-0-0) F |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Philosophical foundations and empirical fundamentals of cognitive science, an interdisciplinary approach to human cognition. The computational model of mind, mental representation, cognitive architecture, the acquisition and use of language. Credit for both PHI(PSY) 425 and PHI(PSY) 525 is not allowed | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | WolfWare Info | |
| PHI 540 | The Scientific Method | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Detailed examination of core issues in philosophy of science: confirmation of scientific theories, falsification, projectibility, nature of scientific explanation, laws of nature, and causation. Credit cannot be given for both PHI 440 and PHI 540 | ||
| PHI 545 | Philosophy of Biology | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate Standing | ||
| Central issues in the philosophy of biology such as units of selection, philsophy of ecology, species, fitness, adaptationism, reductionism, development and innateness, evolutionary progress, and viability of applications of evolutionary theory to culture and "human nature". Students cannot get credit for both PHI 445 and PHI 545. | ||
| Course Offerings: sprg | ||
| PHI 550 | Software and the Ethics of Ownership | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| The rightness or wrongness of treating computer programs as private property, for the purposes of marketing and regulating/excluding use. Brief look at law of patent and copyright. Credit cannot be given for both PHI 450 and PHI 550 | ||
| PHI 575 | Ethical Theory | 3(3-0-0) S |
| Preq: Graduate Standing. | ||
| An introduction to some central themes and issues in ethical theory. Topics in normative and meta-ethics such as consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, constructivism, realism, relativism, subjectivism, and expressivism. Readings primarily from contemporary literature. Students may not receive credit for both PHI 475 and PHI 575. | ||
| PHI 598 | Special Topics in Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) F,S |
| WolfWare Info | ||
| PHI 635 | Advanced Independent Study In Philosophy | 1-6 F,S |
| Independent study of advanced topic in philosophy under supervision of a faculty member. | ||
| PHI 798 | Advanced Topics In Philosophy | 3(3-0-0) |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Detailed investigation of selected advanced topics in philosophy. Topics determined by faculty members in consultation with head of department. | ||
| PHI 816 | Introduction to Research Ethics | 1(1-0-0) F,S |
| Preq: Graduate standing | ||
| Institutional rules guiding the responsible conduct of research (RCR) and their philosophical justification. Rudiments of moral reasoning and their application to RCR. Topics: plagiarism, falsification and fabrication of data, and ethics versus custom, law, science, and religion. | ||
| Course Offerings: fall | WolfWare Info | |