College of Arts and Sciences

Philosophy Minor

Minor in Philosophy: 18 s.h.

Complete a minimum of six courses (18 s.h.) in Philosophy, three of which (9 s.h.) must be 300- or 400-level courses.

PHILOSOPHY (PHIL)

100 Introduction to Philosophy. (3) (General Education/Humanities)  An introduction to some of the fundamental problems and major theories in philosophy. Topics may include the existence of God, knowledge and skepticism, the nature of mind, free will and determinism, and the nature of ethical reasoning.
IAI: H4 900.

120 Contemporary Moral Problems. (3) (General Education/Humanities)  An introduction to ethics, with an emphasis on applied ethics and moral reasoning. Different moral theories will be used to explore topics such as sexuality, reproductive issues, animal rights, environmental ethics, racial and gender discrimination, euthanasia, and capital punishment.
IAI: H4 904.

140 Logic and Reasoning. (3) (General Education/Humanities)  An introduction to logic and reasoning with emphasis on practical applications including scientific reasoning. The course examines methods for evaluating the structures of inductive and deductive arguments and how language is used in argumentation.
IAI: H4 906.

205 Philosophy, Law and Society. (3)  An introductory course considering some fundamental philosophical problems concerned with law and society including power and authority, anarchy and freedom, law and justice, crime and punishment.
IAI: H4 907.

220 Feminism and Ethics. (3) (Cross-listed with WS 220) (Multicultural)  A multicultural and comparative investigation of feminist issues in ethics and women’s contributions to moral theory.  Not open to students with credit in WS 220.

300 History of Ancient Philosophy. (3)  A study of the origin of Western philosophy and the development of philosophical ideas in Ancient Greece, beginning with the earliest Pre-Socratic philosophers and including Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  BGS online writing course. Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

310 History of Modern Philosophy. (3)  An examination of the central metaphysical and epistemological doctrines of such seventeenth and eighteenth century philosophers as Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Topics may include knowledge, skepticism, innate ideas, substance, God, causality, mind, and perception.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

312 Philosophical Writing. (1)  Instruction and experience in writing a paper which explains and critically evaluates a philosophical text or argument.  Writing Instruction in the Disciplines (WID)  course. Prerequisites: ENG 280 and consent of department chairperson. Corequisite: any 300- or 400-level Philosophy course.

325 Existentialism. (3)  An examination of the ideas of freedom, self/other, the value of authenticity, death, and the meaning of existence in the works of major existentialist philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, De Beauvoir, and Camus.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

330 Moral Philosophy. (3)  A study of classical and contemporary ethical ideas and theories such as moral relativism, egoism, Kantian ethics, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics.  BGS online writing course. Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

335 Epistemology. (3)  A critical study of selected topics in epistemology, such as the analysis of knowledge, skepticism, a priori knowledge, and the nature and structure of justification.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

345 Metaphysics. (3)  A critical study of selected topics in metaphysics, such as the nature of properties, possible worlds, personal identity, free will, the mind, time, and the possibility of metaphysical knowledge.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

400 Social and Political Philosophy. (3)  An investigation of some of the philosophical problems arising from political society, such as authority and obligation, freedom and rights, justice and equality, coercion and punishment.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

405 Philosophy of Religion. (3)  A critical examination of the philosophical issues arising from religious beliefs, utilizing historical and contemporary writings. Topics may include the existence of God, evil, faith, religious pluralism, and the relation between religious beliefs and ethics.  Not open to students with credit in REL 405. Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

415 Philosophy of Science. (3)  An examination of philosophical problems arising from the natural sciences such as the nature of scientific explanation and the justification of scientific theories.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

420 Philosophy of Law. (3)  An examination of philosophical problems raised by law including the nature and aims of law, the relation of law and morality, the rationale of legal responsibility and punishment, and legal obligation and the rule of law.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

425 Philosophy of Mind. (3)  A critical study of selected topics in the philosophy of mind, such as consciousness, intentionality, dualism, the varieties of materialism, functionalism, and artificial intelligence.  Prerequisite: one 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or consent of instructor.

440 Legal Reasoning. (3)  An investigation into judicial decision making and legal reasoning focusing on case precedent, logical coherence, and the role of interpretation in the reasoning process.  Prerequisite: any 100- or 200-level Philosophy course or permission of instructor.

499 Directed Readings. (1–3, repeatable with no maximum)  Individual study of particular philosophical texts or problems.  Prerequisites: two courses in Philosophy and consent of the instructor. By arrangement.