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COURSE
OFFERINGS
Fall 2006
100-200 level
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Click on course name to jump to description and times.
Click on 6-digit course registration number for enrollment
data.
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101
Introduction to Philosophy
General
topics in various areas of philosophy showing different sides of
issues; develops critical thought and philosophical method.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 101B |
MWF |
3-3:50
PM |
James
Beebe |
Fillmore
170 |
028477 |
| |
This
course will introduce students to some of the basic questions
and methods of philosophy. We will begin by looking at the birth
of Western philosophy in ancient Greece. We will read three
of Plato's dialogues and will learn about the life of Socrates,
the first great Western philosopher. We will then wrestle with
philosophical questions such as the following: What must one
do to be truly happy? Are there absolute truths? Is truth relative?
Is it ethically permissible to clone human beings? Is euthanasia
morally permissible? How is the mind related to the brain? Is
it anything more than the brain? Can computers think? Do humans
have free will? If so, what is the nature of that freedom? Is
it rational to believe in God? Is the existence of evil incompatible
with the existence of a wholly good God? What distinguishes
science from non-science? |
| 101C |
MWF |
9-9:50
AM |
Kay
Kyung Cho |
Clemens
322 |
484402 |
| |
This
is a study of philosophy with an emphasis on an historical overview
for the beginner. Thus, classical philosophy at its major junctures,
1) Greek (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), 2) Early Modern (Descartes
and his contemporaries), 3) Kant, his followers, and 4) British
Empiricism (Locke, Hume), will occupy at least a third of our
time. This means that we shall treat this history with a view
towards sorting out important, living issues that are of relevance
to our own modern situation. But we shall also discuss some
questions that are not addressed by earlier philosophers. There
will be handouts, especially on Asian philosophy, to supplement
the required textbook: Robert Solomon, Introducing Philosophy,
8th Edition (Oxford University Press). |
| 101D |
TTh |
8-9:30
PM |
Kristl
Laux |
Clemens
119 |
216259 |
| |
This
class will be primarily based on modern day philosophical issues,
although it will include some necessary historical background.
The issues to be covered are metaphysics in general, then ontology
and epistemology separately, ethics, and some political philosophy.
Along with the issues generally associated with an introduction
to philosophy course, it will also briefly cover philosophy
of computer science. The class will be heavily based on critical
thinking skills, including an emphasis on writing, discussion,
group work, and debating, rather than memorization and regurgitation,
although there will be some quizzes. |
107
Ethics
Introduces
value theory, good and bad, justification of obligations to others,
relationship of free choice and determinism, and contemporary moral
problems analyzed by ethical principles.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 107F |
TTh |
3:30-4:50
PM |
Len
Flier |
Talbert
112 |
379119 |
| |
Is
there an objective standard of right and wrong? Is one way of
life objectively better than another? If we answer "no"
to these questions then it seems like we find ourselves in a
horizontal world filled with choices but devoid of values. There
would be no vertical dimension according to which we could criticize
misconduct, or celebrate a life of earnest inquiry and compassionate
sociability over a life of mindless self-indulgence. On the
other hand, if we answer "yes" to these questions,
we run the risk of introducing a moralizing -- and possibly
arbitrary -- absolutism into our judgments of one another. For
if we agree that there is an absolute moral standard, then to
which abstract theory, or to which exalted person, do we grant
the concession of telling us what we ought and ought not do,
and how we ought and ought not live?
Almost everyone agrees that society has to have some standards
of morality, and most people agree that certain moral standards
should hold across all societies. What the Nazis did in the
Holocaust would have to be wrong by any decent measure of morality.
But on what basis can we make such claims, and how far can those
claims be extended? Does morality extend as far as the inside
of a woman's body, as is sometimes claimed with respect to abortion?
Does it extend to the lives of people in far away countries,
i.e., how much are we required to sacrifice in order to alleviate
the suffering of AIDS victims in Africa? And does it extend
to other species, i.e., is there a moral justification for using
animals in medical research? These are difficult questions,
and there are many more of them. Nevertheless, we cannot escape
them. As tempting as it is to throw up our hands and say "Whatever!",
we simply do not have that luxury. In order to live together
in a society, and in order to decide what to do in our own lives,
we have to reach some conclusions about what is good or bad,
right or wrong, better or worse. If we cannot decide what is
right or wrong, then society collapses to anarchy. If we cannot
orient our lives toward what is good, then life ceases to be
deeply meaningful. But what is right? And what is good?
Ethics is the discipline that tries to answer these questions.
This introductory course will take us on a historical sweep
through some of the most famous (and infamous) writings in ethical
theory. We will explore ancient theories of moral virtue, religiously
inspired divine command theories, Enlightenment theories based
on pure reason, theories based on utility (the greatest good
for the greatest number), existentialist theories, contemporary
contractualist theories, and finally the resurgence of virtue
theories. We will then attempt to apply some of these theories
to contemporary moral problems. We will conclude with a debate
over whether any single theory can serve as our moral guide
(and if so, which one) or whether there is simply a plurality
of incommensurable moral goods, of which no single theory can
give a complete account.
We may fall somewhat short of solving all of the world's problems
in a single semester, but I hope we will find some theoretical
approaches that make sense to you; possibly discover some perspectives
you haven't considered before; and acquire a shared repertoire
of theory that we can use in discussing moral problems with
one another. Expect controversy, expect excitement, and expect
a lot of reading. But, as Socrates said, the unexamined life
is not worth living, so be there or be square. |
| 107P |
MWF |
10-10:50
AM |
Russell
Pryba |
Cooke
127A |
387891 |
| |
Ethics
is the branch of philosophy that attempts to answer questions
regarding the way we ought to live. Should I always act in my
own self-interest without regards to others? Are there universal
moral principles which I must follow? What do we mean when we
say that something is moral or immoral? In this course we will
examine a variety of ways that these questions and others like
them have been answered. The course will be divided into two
sections. First we will examine positions and issues prevalent
in the history of philosophy (egoism, relativism, deontology,
utilitarianism and virtue ethics) and their relations to other
branches of philosophy. Then we will turn to a discussion of
contemporary moral issues (abortion, euthanasia, globalization)
from the viewpoint of the first part of the course.
Evaluations will be based on short quizzes, 2 short papers,
a group presentation, a final exam, attendance and participation
in class discussions. |
| 107W |
MWF |
9-9:50
AM |
Alisa
Wandzilak |
Park
141 |
475218 |
| |
Everyday
talk contains judgments about what is right and wrong. Ethics
is the branch of philosophy concerned with these moral judgments.
There have been various philosophical theories developed in
order to explain the moral judgments that we make, but traditionally
there have been three major schools of thought within this discipline:
virtue ethics, deontology, and utilitarianism. We will examine
primary texts in each of these schools in order to facilitate
understanding of these theories and their consequences. The
issues of relativism and egoism in ethics will also be considered.
Contemporary ethical dilemmas will be discussed, and the various
ethical theories will be applied to these current debates. |
108
Knowledge & Reality
Introduces
epistemology, metaphysics, knowledge as a reflection of the real
world's properties and its relation to different viewpoints, the
world as material objects, the mind and matter, and the role of
scientific and technical knowledge in today’s world.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 108D |
MWF |
10-10:50
AM |
Patricia
Diaz-Herrara |
Fronczak
454 |
307759 |
| |
This
course examines some of the puzzles surrounding the concepts
of 'knowledge' and 'reality'. For instance, are we justified
to say that our representations correspond to something real?
What if we were constantly deceived by a wicked being? We will
also explore some approaches to the question of the ultimate
structure of reality, e.g., monism versus dualism, materialism
versus idealism. We will briefly consider the issue of the relationship
between science and reality, e.g., are scientific theories to
be believed literally, or are they only useful fictions good
at predicting?
We will use a textbook (tba), handouts and some other readings.
There will be quizzes, short assignments and a final paper.
Prerequisites: Phi 101 or Phi 115 would be good, but they are
not absolutely necessary. |
| 108R |
TTh |
8-9:20
PM |
Ernesto
Rosen |
Clemens
4 |
258760 |
| |
If
Malcom X seriously said to himself, "I am White" would
this be true, false or neither? Are races and ethnic groups
real, theoretical constructions, social constructions or fictional
entities? Is there a real difference between Lilliputans and
Latinos? In part of this course we will consider the reality
of race and ethnicity and see whether we can know these entities.
Races and ethnicities are not the only things that might be
in our universe. Are there minds? What is the mind? Are minds,
souls, persons, physical objects and God real? When we reflect
on experience, just what in the most basic sense is there? The
thrust of the course will be concerned with addressing this
general metaphysical question.
Along a parallel track we will address the epistemological question:
how can we know what is real, what is true? Are our beliefs
justified? What can we know? In Azande, culture, people feed
a chicken poison and ask questions such as whether they have
been hexed. If the chicken dies from the poison, the tribesman
carrying out this procedure will say, "Now come back to
life if the person has been hexed." If the chicken resurrects,
a witch is believed to have hexed the person. If the chicken
remains dead the person supposedly has not been hexed. These
procedures for acquiring beliefs may seem unreasonable to us.
If we show these people that their procedure is unreliable,
they probably would make secondary elaborations or explain away
evidence to the contrary by relying on certain metaphysical
beliefs held in that culture; beliefs about the reality of witches,
a black substance found in the bladder, and other entities.
Is it possible to argue with an Azande and show them that their
beliefs are unreasonable and false and that ours are reasonable
and true? In this course we will grapple with these questions
about knowledge and reality and think through the plausibility
of the answers put forth by philosophers. |
110
Philosophy of Human Nature
Introduces
philosophical views of being human and consequences of these for
thought, action, and emotion.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 110 |
MWF |
10-10:50
AM |
Timothy
Connolly |
O'Brian
112 |
166689 |
| |
"Humanus
sum, nihil humanum a me alienum puto," wrote the Roman
dramatist Terence in the 2nd century B.C. "I am human,
and I consider nothing human foreign to me."
This saying raises many more questions than it answers. For
what precisely is meant by 'human'? Don't we apply the term
equally to Mother Teresa and Adolf Eichmann? How is it possible
that I, as a human, somehow share the capacity to do whatever
either of them did?
Such questions would seem to raise doubts about the existence
of anything one might call 'human nature'. Is there such a thing?
Or is this just a convenient phrase we use to indicate how humans
at a certain time and place generally tend to behave? Is it
the case that human nature is neither inherently good nor inherently
evil, but rather infinitely malleable? Or has the latter view
been rendered obsolete by the latest discoveries in genetics,
sociobiology and evolutionary psychology? In this course, we
will examine and discuss the most insightful and influential
answers from the last three millennia to these questions and
others concerning human nature. The readings will include such
diverse figures as Mencius, Hobbes, Heidegger and Edward O.
Wilson.
Course requirements include attendance, quizzes, three short
but rigorously formulated essays, and a final. |
115
Critical Thinking
Techniques
of problem solving, decision making, and evaluating pros and cons
of an issue; organizing data; forming strategies and giving reasons;
perceptual, cultural, emotional, intellectual, and expressive blocks
to thinking; simple inductive reasoning and statistical fallacies.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 115U |
MWF |
8-8:50
AM |
Leigh
Duffy |
Clemens
17 |
070924 |
| |
This
course will teach you how to identify and evaluate arguments
and to communicate them clearly and convincingly. We will develop
problem solving and decision making skills, important no matter
what your major or career goals (but especially important for
those considering a major in philosophy or law school) and equally
important in your non-academic life. In this class, we will
discuss arguments, proofs, validity, basic laws of logic, and
common fallacies.
Grades will be determined by homework, quizzes, and a final
exam. |
117
Professional Ethics
Introduces
ethical issues encountered in such professions as medicine, engineering,
public service, the media, business, social work, accounting, law,
and manufacturing with an environmental impact, as well as the central
concepts of professionalism.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 117 |
TTh |
12:30-1:50
PM |
William
Baumer |
Cooke
127A |
140963 |
| |
This
course introduces central ethical issues and problems of various
professions, e.g., business, engineering, government, health
care, law and the sciences. The course uses case studies and
essays presenting and discussing these issues. Course sessions
combine lectures and discussion. Course requirements include
three exams and a research essay. The goals of the course are
to provide basic knowledge of approaches to ethics and to common
ethical issues in professional activities, and the ability to
analyze and address these issues. |
212
Philosophy of Religion
Introduces
issues and questions in religion, including existence of a deity,
religion and science, and functions of religion in personal life.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 212 |
MWF |
12-12:50
PM |
Paul
Symington |
Fillmore
322 |
184001 |
| |
In
t his course, we will engage in philosophical analyses of various
aspects of religious belief. Specifically, we will examine the
relationship between faith and reason (the compatibility or
incompatibility between religion and science); religious pluralism;
miracles; the nature of religious experience; the problem of
religious language and interpretation (including how it is possible
to talk about or understand the nature of God and whether God
has certain properties such as omniscience, omnipotence, goodness,
immutability, etc.); personal immortality; and the proofs for
and against the existence of God. Consideration of students'
interests will be made in determining exactly what is covered
in the course.
Course evaluation will consist of two 4-5 page papers on a topic
that we have discussed in class, a mid-term and final exam,
participation in class, and short (1/2 to 1 page) reading analyses.
The texts that we will be using in this course are 1) Peterson,
Hasker, Reichenbach & Basinger, Reason and Religious
Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 3rd
edition, 2003; 2) Peterson, Hasker, Reichenbach & Basinger,
Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, 2nd edition,
2000. |
215
Introduction to Deductive Logic
Definition,
formal and informal errors of reasoning, and principles of deductive
reasoning; the Aristotelian tradition.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 215D |
MWF |
9-9:50
AM |
Randall
Dipert |
O'Brian
112 |
417354 |
| |
This
is an intermediate level course in logic. Although it has no
prerequisites, it focuses on only one type of logic or reasoning,
deductive logic, and is not so completely directed at everyday
applications as is Phi 115: Critical Thinking. This course will
contain some theory of logic (although we will also see some
practical applications), and would be a suitable course for
someone who might consider advancing to Phi 315: Symbolic Logic.
It is especially suitable as an entry level course for those
who have a serious interest, or are majoring in, philosophy,
mathematics or computer science. In addition, the course is
likely to have both appeal and considerable usefulness to anyone
who is interested in law, psychology, and generally in understanding
how to separate bad reasoning and thinking from good. It would
serve as an excellent preparatory course for those who might
someday take the GRE's (for graduate school) or LSAT (for law
school), since it includes methods of solving puzzles and problems
of exactly the sort that appear on these exams.
Logic, very generally speaking, is the theory of correct reasoning.
It is the theory of the ideal or best ways to reason: to move
from some thoughts to other thoughts that are based on them.
Deductive logic concerns itself with those forms of reasoning
in which, if some beliefs (premises) are certain, necessary
or can be known, then other beliefs reasoned from them (conclusions)
are also certain, necessary, or can be known.
In Phi 215, we will thoroughly examination the basic concepts
of deductive logic, especially the concepts of argument and
validity. We will also examine some of the techniques that have
been advanced for assessing the quality of arguments such as
Aristotle's theory of the syllogism, which is still remarkably
insightful, and various techniques that use diagrams. At the
end of the course, we will understand very well how we can determine
when an argument using so-called categorical statements ("All
A's are B's," No A's are B's," "Some A's are
B's," etc.) is valid, and how we can demonstrate this.
We will also look briefly at some of the valid and invalid forms
in propositional logic. We will stop just short of the most
advanced aspects of deductive logic, namely predicate logic
and the mixing of quantifiers and relations.
At the end of the course, we will discuss an overview of the
impact of logic, and its extraordinary conclusions: the notion
of an "algorithm" that is so useful in computer science,
as well as a brief glance at some interesting and peculiar results
in advanced mathematical logic.
Required Text: Stephen Barker, The Elements of Logic. |
| 215W |
MWF |
10-10:50
PM |
Neil
Williams |
Park
141 |
372532 |
| |
This
course is an introduction to deductive techniques used in appraising
arguments. The primary focus of the course is to learn how to
formalize and evaluate arguments of ordinary language. This
will involve translations of ordinary expressions into symbolic
form and truth table analysis of arguments. As part of our look
at the logical machinery, we will consider such notions as truth,
validity, and soundness, as well as the structure and form of
the arguments themselves. Formal and informal fallacies will
be discussed. A portion of the course will be dedicated to the
assessment of categorical statements and categorical syllogisms,
including the use of Venn diagrams. |
| 215Z |
MWF |
12-12:50
PM |
Elizabeth
Zeron |
Park
440 |
033532 |
| |
This
course is an introduction to the principles of logic: definition,
formal and informal errors of reasoning, principles of deductive
reasoning, the Aristotelian tradition. Students will learn to
recognize arguments and to understand their basic elements.
Students will also learn to evaluate the validity and soundness
of arguments. |
221
Philosophy of Science
Explores
the philosophy and methodology of science, scientific experimentation,
the problem of induction, nature of scientific explanation, basis
of probability, and fundamental characteristics of scientific theories.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 221 |
TTh |
11-12:20
PM |
John
Kearns |
Park
141 |
179753 |
| |
In
this course, we will consider different philosophical views
or theories about the nature of science. These views are intended
to understand and explain the methods for obtaining and supporting
scientific knowledge, to understand the evidence on which
scientific knowledge is based, and to understand the relation
between the evidence and the knowledge that it supports. The
views we consider will include at least those of David Hume
and Thomas Kuhn; the remaining positions to be considered
have not yet been determined.
Each
student will give a report in class about one of the reading
assignments. There will be several short writing assignments,
midterm and final exams, and a term paper.
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238
Philososphy of Law
Studies
conscientious violators, preferential treatment of minorities and
women, and plea bargaining in light of ethical theories and legal
cases; considers case studies related to questions of different
theories of law and the nature of legal reasoning.
| Section |
Day |
Time |
Instructor |
Room |
Reg
# |
| 238 |
MWF |
12-12:50
AM |
Kenneth
Ehrenberg |
Baldy 200G |
244786 |
| |
This
course is an introduction to a very broad area of philosophical
interest. It will cover the relation between law and morality,
the nature of legal legitimacy and authority, the nature and
justification of criminal punishment. We will canvass several
theoretical movements for legal interpretation such as law and
economics, and critical legal studies. Some prior familiarity
with or study of philosophy or philosophical texts is highly
recommended. |
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last updated
August 28, 2006
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