The Courses

PHL 100: Introduction to Philosophy (3 credits)

An introduction to philosophy through a consideration of such topics as the person, human values, freedom, morality, knowledge, death, the meaning of life, God, and the nature and destiny of human existence. Students come to understand that philosophy asks the most fundamental questions about ourselves, the world, and the relationship between the two. The method of philosophical thinking and critical reflection will be stressed.
No prerequisite. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4a of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 140: Topics in Critical Thinking (3 credits)

his course emphasizes the critical thinking skills necessary to particular disciplines, areas of inquiry, and subject matters. The topic studies will vary with the instructor and the semester in which the course is taught: in one semester, critical thinking for law or health care might be stressed; in another semester, the critical evaluation of visual media might be the topic.
No prerequisite. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 150: Introduction to Logic (3 credits)

A basic course in logic concerned with the improvement of reasoning in everyday life, this course stresses elementary argument forms, deductive and inductive reasoning, the analysis and assessment of arguments, the relationship between truth and validity, informal fallacies, and the recognition of good arguments. Although this course may include some elements of formal symbolic logic, the emphasis is on the study of arguments as expressed in a natural language such as English.
No prerequisite. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum, except for students in the College of Engineering and Science.

PHL 201: Ethics (3 credits)

An introductory course in moral theory, focusing on answers to the questions, “what makes an action right or wrong?” and “what makes someone a good person?” Topics covered include: whether right and wrong are matters of individual opinion, cultural opinion, or the commands of God; utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and Aristotle’s theory of the virtues. Additional topics that could be covered include the Natural Law Theory of morality and feminist ethics. This is NOT a course in moral problems such as abortion, animal rights, and the death penalty. Particular moral issues will be discussed only insofar as they illuminate some aspect of a moral theory.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 6a of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 202: Person and Society (3 credits)

An in-depth study of the human person and the relationship of the individual to society. This includes consideration of the person as intelligent and free, the limits of society in making decisions for the individual, as well as the obligations the individual has toward society to maintain or promote the "common good" of the group.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 6a of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 208: Philosophy of Feminism (3 credits)

The course presents some key feminist critiques of the male philosophical canon, and then follows key themes such as the conceptions of gender, the body, sexual orientation, justice and care. Feminist philosophical approaches will be applied to current problems such as racism, environmental destruction, war and violence, and human rights violations. The course surveys feminist challenges in North America, Asia, Islamic societies, Latin America, and Africa.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 209: Existentialism (3 credits)

The existentialist movement hit its stride in the mid-20th century and includes such figures as Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus. Existentialism approaches traditional philosophical problems in a radically novel way and continues to be influential, not only in philosophy, but also in literature, drama, and art. The course explores the central themes in this important philosophical movement through the careful reading and critical discussion of selected texts.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 240: Topics in Philosophy (3 credits)

An examination of a specific topic or issue in philosophy, chosen by the instructor.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100.
Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 250: Symbolic Logic (3 credits)

An introduction to the artificial language of sentential and predicate logic, which is designed to facilitate the symbolic representation of natural language (English) arguments. In addition to learning how to construct formal proofs for valid arguments, students learn the different logical properties that statements and sets of statements may have. The concepts of truth-functionality, validity, consistency, implication, and equivalence will be explored. Students will have a heightened appreciation of the logical functions of language.
No prerequisite. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum, except for students in the College of Engineering and Science.

PHL 301: Social and Political Philosophy (3 credits)

An examination of the issues surrounding the state and the political agents who live in such states. The course may be oriented either historically or topically and may cover: ancient Greek political theory as articulated by Aristotle and Plato, the social contract tradition of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marxism, communitarianism, the nature of political obligation, justice, law, human rights, the nature and value of political liberty and equality, and the nature and value of patriotism.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 302: Philosophy of Religion (3 credits)

A study of the philosophical issues raised by religious practice and religious belief. In addition to arguments for the existence of God, the course will include the following topics: the problem of evil and attempted solutions, the epistemological significance of religious belief, the relationship between religious belief and practice, and the role of religion in contemporary society.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 303: Philosophy of God (3 credits)

A study of classical and contemporary contributions to the philosophical investigation of the existence and nature of God. The chief arguments for the existence of God and the critiques of these arguments will be carefully analyzed and evaluated. The chief arguments offered in support of atheism and agnosticism will also be carefully studied and appraised. Arguments affirming the divine attributes, omniscience, omnipotence, immutability, and infinite goodness, will be studied as well as atheistic or agnostic critiques based on human free agency and on the problem of evil. Consideration will be given to the question of the legitimacy of belief in God without proof of God's existence. Finally some attention will be given to reasonable responses to several recent books which seek to move the wider reading public from faith in God to atheism.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 304: Aquinas and Recent Scholarship (3 credits)

The past several decades have witnessed an amazing growth of interest in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. While there has been a continuity of scholarship from within the tradition of Thomism, much of the recent scholarly work has been outside traditional Catholic thought. This course has two goals: first, by means of primary sources, to investigate some of the chief contributions of Aquinas to the study of major questions in metaphysics and epistemology; second, to become acquainted with some of the major contemporary reexaminations of Aquinas’ philosophical writings.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 305: Aesthetics (3 credits)

An examination of theories regarding the valuable/beautiful in our perceptual experience of both nature and works of fine art: the nature of the aesthetic, the different aesthetics which are characteristic of different cultures, societies, and individuals; the nature of art; the importance of anything’s being classified as art; the functions of the arts in society; the nature of artistic creation; the non-artist’s understandings of, response to, and evaluation of works of art.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 5c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 306: Ancient Philosophy (3 credits)

A study of the beginning and subsequent development of the discipline of philosophy in the Greek world from the early sixth century B.C. to the third century A.D. The main interest is on the cosmological or metaphysical doctrines of the philosophers being studied. In the early period, emphasis is given to such thinkers as Thales, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Democritus, and Protagoras. The following period, which is the major focus of the course, concentrates on the work of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Next, some consideration will be given to the rise of Hellenistic philosophy with the writings of Epicurus and Zeno of Citium. The course will conclude with some attention to Plotinus and the development of neo-Platonism.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100.
Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 307: Medieval Philosophy (3 credits)

An examination of the various syntheses of Greek philosophy and religious faith between the fourth and fourteenth centuries. Neo-Platonism and the philosophical thought of Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius, Eriugena, and Anselm. Aristotle’s philosophy and the philosophical thought of Christian thinkers such as Boethius, Abelard, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham; Jewish thinkers such as Maimonides; and Islamic thinkers such as Avicenna, Al-Ghazali, and Averroes. Emphasis is given to questions of logic and metaphysics.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 308: Early Modern Philosophy (3 credits)

An examination of the period in philosophy from the publication of Descartes’ Meditations in 1641, to the publication of the second edition of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason in 1787. Philosophers in this period were examining the epistemological implications of the "new science" as formulated by such figures as Galileo, Newton, and Kepler. The work of this period paved the way for the Western analytic tradition in the 20th century, and continues to influence philosophers today.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 312: Contemporary Moral Issues (3 credits)

This course requires a rigorous consideration of contemporary moral problems from a philosophical perspective. Some of the topics covered include: abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, capital punishment, drug legalization, same-sex marriage, and affirmative action. The best philosophical literature on these topics is complex and theoretical; thus, this is not an appropriate first or second course in philosophy. Pre-requisites: PHL 100 and PHL 201. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 320: Contemporary Ethical Theory (3 credits)

A more philosophically advanced, sophisticated, and in-depth treatment of moral theory and specific ethical questions. Possible topics include: contemporary utilitarianism, contemporary Kantian ethics, virtue theory, the social contract theory of morality, recent feminist critiques of traditional moral theory, the nature of moral or practical reasons and their relation to motivation, the justification of morality, and moral psychology. Students are strongly encouraged to take PHL201 prior to PHL 320.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 6a of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 341: Philosophy of the Human Person (3 credits)

A study of the nature of the human person based on writings of such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Hume, Kierkegaard, Weil, Stein, and Wojtyla. The focus of the course is on the human as a being who, from the beginning of his/her life, is oriented to self-possession in consciousness and freedom, and who moves toward the perfection of human existence only by seeking wisdom and by loving response to others. The chief questions include these: Are human beings spiritual as well as material? Do human beings have the power to make genuinely free choices? What is a person? What is the self? Does the human self survive bodily death? Does human fulfillment entail a living relation to God? What is the point of human life? Special emphasis is given to the intrinsic dignity of the human as a being who is open to ultimate questions of being, meaning, purpose, order, and value and who can choose to live for the sake of the true and the good.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 356: Peace and Social Justice (3 credits)

An exploration of the philosophical insights of key peace and justice activists such as Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as insights by academic philosophers who address peace and justice issues. The course will discuss concepts such as justice, human dignity, freedom, equality, and the common good. Applied topics covered include the moral challenges of inequalities in our society (poverty, racism, sexism etc), problems of violence and war, and the quest for peace.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 6b of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 365: African Philosophy and Culture (3 credits)

Investigates African philosophy as the communal world views of African peoples (ethnophilosophy), as the views of traditional Africans regarded as wise (sage philosophy), as the though of key African political leaders (liberation philosophy), and as the work of contemporary professional African philosophers who see African philosophy as "counter-colonial practice" seeking to examine, question, and contest identities imposed by the West.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 5d of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 406: Metaphysics (3 credits)

Metaphysics is that branch of philosophy which investigates the nature of reality in general. It studies being precisely as being. For some philosophers, this means that metaphysics seeks to understand the fundamental explanatory principles of being as well as the most general categories of being and the relations that hold among them. Other philosophers see metaphysics as concerned with the characterization of the fundamental conceptual scheme by which we understand the universe. In either case, metaphysics considers such topics as the nature of universals and of concrete particulars; necessity and possibility; the nature of time; change and an individual's persistence through change; causality; abstract entities such as properties, kinds, relations, propositions and states of affairs; and finite and infinite being. This course considers the contributions of both classical and contemporary philosophers to the investigation of such topics.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 407: Epistemology (3 credits)

An investigation of the nature, sources, and limits of human knowledge. Topics may include: the traditional philosophical conception of knowledge as justified true belief, the nature and objectivity of truth, skepticism about the external world, and the role and limits of science as a means of obtaining knowledge. In addition to considering classical and contemporary Western philosophical views on these topics, the course may also include criticism of the Western tradition itself.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 415: Advanced Topics in Philosophy (3 credits)

The content of the course will vary with the instructor and the semester in which it is offered, but in all cases it will involve a more sophisticated and in-depth treatment of a major figure in philosophy, and/or a major theme or issue.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 424: Philosophy of Law (3 credits)

This course introduces the student to one of the central questions in analytic jurisprudence: what is law? How is law distinct from and/or related to morality? What makes a set of rules or commands a legal system instead of some other kind of system? The three main answers to this question have been the natural law theory, legal positivism, and the ‘third theory’ of law proposed by Ronald Dworkin. The course will also focus on the related question in legal philosophy regarding the objectivity and distinctiveness of legal reasoning; in this context, we will consider the American Legal Realists, the Critical Legal Studies movement, and feminist jurisprudence. The material for this course is highly abstract and theoretical. Pre-requisites: PHL 100 and PHL 201.
Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 440: Contemporary Philosophy (3 credits)

An investigation of some of the major 20th century developments within Continental and Anglo-American philosophy, with special attention paid to questions or issues within epistemology and metaphysics/ontology. Particular movements studied include phenomenology, existentialism, postmodernism, and deconstruction within the Continental tradition, and pragmatism, naturalism, process philosophy, and analytic philosophy within the Anglo-American tradition.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum.

PHL 495: Directed Readings (1-3 credits)

Independent and directed readings may be arranged whenever there is no regular course being offered that covers the student's special interests.
Pre-requisite: PHL 100. Note: This course fulfills Objective 4c of the University Core Curriculum, providing it is taken for three credits.