Philosophy Courses
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In this course, students will practice the skills involved in "critical thinking" - the process by which they develop and support their beliefs and evaluate the strength of arguments. Students will develop their mastery of various strategies for making and evaluating arguments and will develop expertise in recognizing and avoiding common barriers to critical thinking - including bias, groupthink, and ideology.
Hours:
3
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This course is intended to introduce the beginning student to the major theories and perpetual questions within Western philosophy. Such questions include but are not limited to: What is real? What does it mean to say something is true? What is the difference between knowledge and opinion? Is there a God? How do we know what is morally right and wrong? At the same time, the student will be introduced to the language and method of philosophical inquiry and argumentation.
Hours:
3
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This course is intended to introduce the beginning student to the major theories and perpetual questions within Western philosophy. Such questions include but are not limited to: What is real? What does it mean to say something is true? What is the difference between knowledge and opinion? Is there a God? How do we know what is morally right and wrong? At the same time, the student will be introduced to the language and method of philosophical inquiry and argumentation.
Hours:
3
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A first study of the major themes dealing with political theory and the construction of "government." A critical examination of the major views of and approaches to political behavior from the time of Plato through philosophers such as Karl Marx. Included is the examination of the political theory of Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacque Rousseau, and Karl Marx among others. Course is cross-listed with POLS 2315.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010
Hours:
3
Cross-listed
POLS 2315
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This course introduces the student to the major, traditional ethical theories, their foundational arguments, strengths, weaknesses, and meaning for life as lived. The course explores both the major Western and Non-western ethical theories.
Hours:
3
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This course is designed to introduce the beginning student to the major Western and Non-western ethical theories through the examination of original texts. The course is also designed to introduce the beginning student to the methods of philosophical investigation, analysis, and evaluation.
Hours:
3
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This course is intended to familiarize the student with the basic concepts of both formal and informal logic through the study of arguments, both inductive and deductive, rhetoric, truth-tables, and venn diagrams and various forms of formal proofs.
Hours:
3
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This course provides an examination of the major philosophers of the Ancient Greek and Roman world, with special emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course examines the historical development of philosophical theories in the Western tradition from the Enlightenment through the Modern period.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course will introduce the student to the rich and intellectually diverse tradition of Chinese philosophy. To orient our inquiry we shall trace the origin and development of thought about the nature of the Dao in various Chinese thinkers and throughout the major schools of Chinese thought from the Later Zhou dynasty period until the late Ming dynasty. We shall cover the philosophies of Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, Chinese Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course explores the origins and development of phenomenology and existentialism in early 20th century German and French philosophy up to the present. Major figures discussed include, in phenomenology: Husserl, Heidegger, and Levinas and, in existentialism: Sartre, Camus, and DeBeauvoir.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course explores the ethical theories and concepts which may serve as a foundation for decision-making by those in positions of leadership. The course examines the role and value of a moral compass for those involved in both servant-based and position-based leadership.
Hours:
3
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A philosophical investigation into the ultimate nature of reality. Topics covered include the nature of properties, time, possibility, and substance.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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A philosophical investigation into the nature of language, meaning, reference, and the relationship between language and world.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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A philosophical investigation into the nature and sources of knowledge, justification, and rationality.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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A philosophical investigation into the relationship between mind and body, the problems of consciousness, and related issues covering artificial intelligence, personal identity, and free will.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course leads students on an intellectual journey to examine the idea of peace, within different Eastern and Western historical and cultural contexts to reveal its complexities and ways that conditions of peace can unsettle political and social relationships. This course may be taken as a minor or major requirement in History, Philosophy, or English or for the Environmental Studies or European Union Certificate, and if so must follow prerequisite or corequisite requirements for 3000 level courses. It also may be taken as an elective by non-majors, with no prerequisite requirement.
Hours:
3
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This course is designed to present students with the foundational and central issues of environmental ethics. The course examines a variety of approaches including, but not necessarily limited to individualistic approaches, holistic approaches, deep ecology, ecofeminism and political ecology.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course provides the student the opportunity to examine and explore, philosophically, the core concepts and questions connected with religious belief and practice.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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A study of the syntax and semantics of modern propositional logic and first order quantification theory. This course will also survey some of the meta-mathematical results, including Godel's completeness and incompleteness theorems.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course explores the major philosophical theories concerning the formation and purpose of government and society. Theories covered include those of Plato, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Nozick and Rawls.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3
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This course will provide students the opportunity to explore a particular philosophical topic in depth. The subject of the course will vary depending on the instructor and student interest. Possible subjects are, but are not limited to, medical ethics, philosophy of science, Existentialism or Kant. Course is repeatable for a maximum of nine credit hours.
Prerequisite/Corequisite:
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2200
Hours:
3