Philosophy (PHLSPHY)

PHLSPHY 1130 Introduction to Philosophy 3 Credits

An introduction to basic philosophical questions through a consideration of different types of philosophy as developed by some of history's most influential thinkers and as related to various aspects of human life.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Typically Offered: Fall/Spring

PHLSPHY 2050 Philosophy of Love, Sex and Friendship 3 Credits

A philosophical examination of personal relationships and interactions such as family, friendship, sex, and romance, with an eye toward their relevance to the individual life and the pursuit of happiness, as well as society as a whole and the manner in which it is and ought to be structured around such relationships.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Typically Offered: DEMAND

PHLSPHY 2100 Thinking Critically 3 Credits

An introduction to critical thinking, with an emphasis on its importance to human life (e.g., education, employment, morality, politics, religion). The primary focus of the class is the practical application of critical thinking by way of competence in key reasoning methods, typically including the construction and analysis of informal arguments, the identification of fallacies, basic inductive logic, statistical reasoning, etc.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Typically Offered: DEMAND

PHLSPHY 2530 Ethics 3 Credits

The major types of theories of right and wrong that underlie moral evaluations.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Typically Offered: Fall

PHLSPHY 2550 Business Ethics 3 Credits

This course explores ethical questions in business from the perspectives of employers, employees, and consumers, according to the methods of philosophy and grounded in philosophical ethical theories. Students will be introduced to the basics of Kantian ethics, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics and will then apply these theories to various issues in business ethics.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: sophomore standing or instructor consent.
Typically Offered: Spring

PHLSPHY 2630 Logic 3 Credits

An introductory study of the structure of reasoning and argumentation with practical applications in the socio-political sphere, science and philosophy.
Components: Class
Typically Offered: Spring

PHLSPHY 2930 Major Traditions in Eastern Religions 3 Credits

An introductory study of Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto and Zen, with outlines of their histories, developments of their doctrines and consideration of their contribution to the religious thought of the world.
Components: Class
GE: Global Studies, Humanities
Typically Offered: Fall-EVEN

PHLSPHY 2940 Special Topics in Philosophy 3 Credits

A critical examination of a major theme, movement, period, philosopher, or philosophical issue. This course is designed for students from any field or major, and does not presuppose an advanced stage of the study of philosophy.
Components: Class
Typically Offered: Occasional

PHLSPHY 3030 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3 Credits

Representative thinkers and the development of different traditions in Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics to the Renaissance.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent by instructor.
Typically Offered: Fall

PHLSPHY 3040 Modern Philosophy 3 Credits

The principal thinkers and movements of Western philosophy from the Renaissance into the 20th century.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent by instructor
Typically Offered: Spring

PHLSPHY 3140 Philosophy of Sport 3 Credits

An examination of philosophical questions raised by sports and games, with particular emphasis on the ethical issues that arise in professional and amateur sports.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Fall-ODD

PHLSPHY 3230 Philosophy of Religion 3 Credits

An examination of major interpretations of what religion is and the significance for it in concepts regarding faith and reason, God, the invisible world, evil, and the nature and destiny of persons.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: three credits in philosophy or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Spring-ODD

PHLSPHY 3440 Environmental Ethics 3 Credits

A philosophical examination of both traditional and recent concepts and values which structure human attitudes towards the natural environment, set in a global context, sensitive to cultural analysis and several national perspectives. Theories may include anthropocentrism, biocentrism, ecocentrism, Leopold's land ethic, deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism. Topics, studied via an international lens, may include the ethics of using land for large-scale agricultural purposes, concentrated animal-feeding operations (CAFOs), fishing, ocean acidification, deforestation, species depletion, ozone depletion, fracking, and climate change.
Components: Class
GE: Global Studies, Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent by instructor
Typically Offered: DEMAND

PHLSPHY 3480 Biomedical Ethics 3 Credits

Study of ethical issues pertaining to medicine and related biological sciences. Issues covered usually include abortion, euthanasia, truth telling, confidentiality, experimentation on human subjects, behavior modification, genetic engineering, criteria of death, organ transplants, professional relationships, and professional duties.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent by instructor
Typically Offered: DEMAND

PHLSPHY 3530 Philosophy of Gender and Sexuality 3 Credits

A philosophical examination of questions about gender and sexuality, such as: How do philosophers explain gender and sexuality? How do gender and sexuality influence one's reality, knowledge, experience autonomy, choices, and prospects for achieving a good, just, and meaningful life? How do new fields in philosophy (e.g. feminist epistemology, feminist ethics, etc.) open up new possibilities for gender and sexuality?
Components: Class
Cross Offering: WOMGENDR 3530
GE: Gender Studies, Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: three credits in philosophy or WOMGENDR 1130 or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Occasional

PHLSPHY 3540 Science, Technology, and Ethics 3 Credits

This course explores the epistemological, ontological, and ethical questions raised by science and technology. Among the topics addressed are: various views of science and the different metaphysical views which are behind them, various views of nature and human nature, and the different kinds of ethics that result from these competing epistemologies and ontologies.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Fall/Spring

PHLSPHY 3630 Philosophy of Law 3 Credits

A critical study of major concepts of law with particular emphasis on how the various notions of law are governed by fundamental views concerning the nature of reality and the individual person.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: three credits in philosophy, CRIMLJUS 1130 or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Fall-EVEN

PHLSPHY 3840 Existentialism 3 Credits

Examination of the various types of Existentialism and the major philosophical Existentialists, such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Jaspers, and Marcel.
Components: Class
GE: Humanities
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Three credits in philosophy or consent of the instructor
Typically Offered: Occasional

PHLSPHY 4430 Seminar in Philosophy 3 Credits

A critical examination of a major theme, movement, period or philosopher in the history of philosophy. This is a seminar designed for students who are majors or minors and who are at an advanced stage of the undergraduate study of philosophy.
Components: Seminar
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: six credits in philosophy or consent of instructor
Typically Offered: Occasional

PHLSPHY 4720 Individual Research in Philosophy 1-3 Credits

Advanced work by the individual students.
Components: Independent Study
Prereqs/Coreqs: P: must be a philosophy major or minor
Typically Offered: Fall