Advanced Courses
PHIL 300 Science and the Modern World (3)
Develops an understanding of the methods and accomplishments of science and how they
have affected the way people understand themselves, society and the universe. The
approach is both historical, with respect to the re-creation of the prescientific
world view and the developments of science, and analytical with respect to understanding
the goals, methods and limits of contemporary science. No prerequisite, but prior
completion of general education requirements in science is desirable.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration some semesters (contact the instructor
or department chair)
PHIL 302 Values and the Modern World (3)
Examines the philosophical pressures on values wrought by rapid modern cultural and
technological change. Explores the relations between social values and social institutions,
provides a framework for critically and objectively thinking about moral values, and
considers various standards proposed for resolving moral dilemmas.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration some semesters (contact the instructor
or department chair)
PHIL 304 Latin American and LatinX Thought (3)
Cross-listed as MCLL 304. Examines the origins of Latin America, how social-political forces have shaped Latin
American identity, and the borders that separate Anglo America and Latin America.
Engages historically influential Latin American philosophers as well as contemporary
Latinx philosophers.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 305 Analytic Philosophy (3)
Studies the rise of analytic philosophy in the 20th century, emphasizing the themes
unifying philosophers who originated modern philosophical analysis. Includes the nature
of analysis and the relationship between analysis and classical philosophical problems,
such as the nature of reality, the nature of knowledge, the nature of language, the
nature of morality.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 306 Business Ethics (3)
A critical examination of representative moral issues that arise in the context of
business. Focuses on topics such as the nature of professionalism, the social responsibility
of business, regulation, employee rights and obligations, sexual harassment, economic
justice, environmental impact, the limits of property rights, and conflicting international
mores and practices.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards Applied Ethics for Ethics Concentration
PHIL 307 Japanese Film (3).
Focuses on how Japanese culture is expressed via film. Intends to increase the student's
understanding of the rich history of Japan, Japanese mythology and symbolism, and
ways in which these elements differ from what students are accustomed to seeing in
American media.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- LAS Competency in Cultural Literacy
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 310 Classical Philosophy of Law (3)
General education humanities course. What is law? Is it a system of commands, rules or norms? How are these different?
Need law be a system at all? Can it be law if it doesn’t meet a minimum standard of
ethical decency? Is law autonomous, or is it reducible to something else? In this
course, students study the progression of philosophical arguments and issues concerning
the nature, objectivity, normativity, authority, function and implementation of law
through classical texts by founders of the discipline like Austin, Hart, Fuller, Finnis,
Kelsen and Raz. Department permission is required for students who have taken PHIL
311 to enroll in PHIL 310.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competency in Textual Analysis
- Counts towards Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 312/H Contemporary Philosophy of Law (3)
General education humanities course. When should the Supreme Court decline to hear a publicly significant case? On what
grounds could a judge decide a case isn’t clearly covered by any extant law, or is
covered by too many conflicting laws? What do people mean when they say our laws are
systemically racist? Through the course, engage in argument and analysis of endemic
and emerging questions like these in jurisprudence and specific domains of law, with
some guidance from current events. Department permission is required for students
who have taken PHIL 311 to enroll in PHIL 312.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 313 Political Philosophy (3)
An examination of various philosophical issues concerning political systems. Discusses
issues such as the nature of political authority, the rights of individuals, constitutionalism
and civil disobedience.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- LAS Competency in Civic Awareness
- Counts towards Pre-Law Concentration
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration some semesters (contact the instructor
or department chair)
PHIL 315/H Late Modern Philosophy (3)
A study of philosophical thought in the 18th century with selections from philosophers
such as Berkeley, Hume, Reid, Adam Smith, Butler, Hutcheson, Wolff and Kant, and movements
such as empiricism, rationalism, the Scottish common sense school and idealism.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competencies in Textual Analysis and Written Communication
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
- OAT-Z
PHIL 320 Philosophy of Science (3). A study of the methods, goals, and world views of the sciences with attention
to such topics as the structure and evaluation of scientific theories, the nature
of explanation, the dynamics of scientific revolutions and the impact of science on
human society and values.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competency in Scientific Reasoning
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 321 The History and Philosophy of the Physical Sciences in the 20th Century (3)
The 20th century saw radical changes in our theories about the nature of the physical
world. This course uses a brief initial survey of the so-called "classical" physics
of the late 19th century as a springboard for exploring the rise and development of
our current views about space, time, matter, energy, gravitation, cosmology and more.
The emphasis is not on mastery of technical details but rather on understanding important
results in the physical sciences from a humanistic perspective, including their cultural,
philosophical and technological implications.
- LAS Competency in Scientific Reasoning
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 322 Early Modern Philosophy (3)
A study of philosophical thought in the period from the Renaissance through the 17th
century with selections from philosophers such as Pico, Vico, Galileo, Cusanus, Telesio,
Erasmus, More, Hobbes, Bacon, Machiavelli, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Malebranche,
and Locke.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competencies in Textual Analysis and Written Communication
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 325 Formal Logic (3)
Studies systems of formal logic including sentential and predicate logic. Emphasizes
the uses of these systems in the analysis of arguments. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 125.
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 327 Bioethics (3)
Examines ethical issues related to health care such as truth-telling to patients,
confidentiality, euthanasia, abortion, prenatal obligations and distribution of health
care.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards Applied Ethics requirement for Ethics Concentration
- Counts towards Certificate in Health Humanities
- Recommended for pre-Med and Health Professionals
PHIL 331 Ancient Greek Philosophy (3)
Examines the development of Greek philosophy in its major phases, including an exploration
of the Milesian and Eleatic traditions, Pythagoras, the Atomists, the Pluralists,
the Sophists, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 335 Theory of Knowledge (3)
A critical examination of the nature of knowledge, the scope of our ways and means
of knowing, and rationality of belief. Topics may include: the concept of knowledge,
a priori and empirical knowledge, self-knowledge and knowledge of other minds, skepticism,
the values of knowledge, disagreement, testimony, and lies. Includes selections from
both historical and recent writings.
- LAS Competencies in Textual Analysis and Written Communication
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 336 Metaphysics (3)
An exploration of some basic topics in the theory of reality. Includes such notions
as space, time, substance, causality, particulars, universals, appearance, essence,
being, persons and free will.
- Counts towards Analytic Reasoning Concentration
PHIL 338 Philosophy of Feminism (3)
General education humanities course. Cross-listed as WOMS 338. Explores philosophical issues raised by the feminist movement emphasizing conceptual
and ethical questions.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Counts towards Social and Political Philosophy requirement for Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 341 Contemporary Ethics (3)
A study of contemporary developments in ethics. Highlights landmark works from the
20th century to the present. May explore contemporary approaches to an important ethical
issue or investigate recent defenses of such ethical theories as Kantian deontology,
consequentialism, virtue ethics, contractualism, care ethics and feminist ethics.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 100, 125, or 144.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards Ethics Concentration and Ethics requirement for Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 342 History of Ethics (3)
Examines the development of ethics from its ancient Greek origins to the present,
or focuses on the ethics of an important historical period such as the modern period.
Highlights the substantive and methodological shifts, as well as the historical, social
and philosophical pressures that make such shifts explicable. Engages such historically
influential philosophers as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Hume, Kant, Mill and
Nietzsche. Prerequisite(s): PHIL 100, 125, or 144.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards Ethics Concentration and Ethics requirement for Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 345 Philosophy of Sex and Love (3)
Examines the ethical, metaphysical, and conceptual dimensions of sex and love. Includes
the nature of sex, sexual perversion, homosexuality, pornography, sadomasochism, the
nature and varieties of love, the features of love, and the relationship between love
and sex. Uses selections from writings of both historical and recent authors.
PHIL 346 Philosophy of Religion (3)
General education humanities course. Examines some basic religious problems such as the nature and grounds of religious
belief, religious language, the existence and nature of God, human immortality, and
the problem of evil.
PHIL 350 Ancient Chinese Philosophy (3)
A survey of Chinese philosophy during the pre-Han period, roughly 500-200 B.C.E. Includes
major figures Confucius, Mencius, Mo-Tzu, Hsun-Tzu, Chuang-Tzu, Lao-Tzu and Han-Fei-Tzu.
Includes the major positions of Confucianism, Mohism, Legalism, Taoism and Dialecticalism.
- Counts towards Asian Studies Certificate
- Counts towards World Philosophy Conctration
- Counts towards Ethics Concentration
PHIL 352 Contemporary Chinese Philosophy (3)
General education humanities course. Surveys Chinese philosophy from the late 19th century to the present day. Covers
major figures such as Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Mao Zedong
and Deng Xiaoping. Also covers major schools of thought such as the New Culture Movement,
Nationalism, Communism, Socialism, Maoism and the post-Mao Economic Reform Movement.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 100 or 144.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards Asian Studies Certificate
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 354 Ethics and Computers (3)
Ethics with application to the ethical issues which may arise from the use of computers,
including the moral responsibility of computer professionals for the effect their
work has on persons and society; the moral obligations of a computer professional
to clients, employer and society; the conceptual and ethical issues surrounding the
control and ownership of software; and the justifiability of regulation of the design,
use and marketing of computer technology. Prerequisite(s): junior standing or departmental consent.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Satisfies School of Engineering ethics requirement
- Counts towards Applied Ethics requirement for Ethics Concentration
- Open Alt Textbook - Zero Cost
PHIL 355 Minds and Machines (3)
People have constructed machines designed to imitate living creatures in some way
long before there were electronic computers. When is a machine’s behavior appropriately
called "intelligent?" Must it be capable of using a language? Must a machine be capable
of learning in order to be regarded as intelligent? Must it be able to communicate
with humans? What criteria are appropriate for judging that an animal's behavior is
intelligent; should the same criteria be used for machine intelligence? What lessons
about machine intelligence should be taken from debates over recent studies of intelligence
in animals with nervous systems very different from humans (e.g., corvids, cephalopods)?
Students consider these and other, related questions. Course takes a historical and
interdisciplinary approach, drawing on works in philosophy, literature, science and
history of science. Cross-listed as HNRS 305J.
PHIL 360 Ethical Theory (3)
Studies selected topics in ethics. Investigates issues such as the meaning and justification
of moral judgments, the nature of morality, the relations between normative categories
and the concept of justice, and the problem of revolution in moral schemes. Prerequisite(s):
one course in philosophy.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competencies in Textual Analysis and Written Communication
- Counts towards Ethics Concentration
- Counts towards ethics requirement for Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 361 Metaethics (3)
Studies selected topics in metaethics. Investigates, for example, ethical realism,
moral relativism, expressivism, moral knowledge, moral motivation and moral value.
Readings may include work from figures such as G.E. Moore, A.J. Ayer, R.M. Hare, J.L.
Mackie, Gilbert Harman, Philippa Foot, Bernard Williams and Christine Korsgaard. Prerequisite(s):
PHIL 100, 125, or 144.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- LAS Competency in Textual Analysis
- Counts towards Ethics Concentration
- Counts towards ethics requirement for Pre-Law Concentration
PHIL 365 Survey of Asian Philosophy (3)
Surveys philosophical systems of Asia, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and
Hinduism. Key points of similarity and contrast among these systems and between these
systems and those dominant in Western societies, regarding the nature of the self
and reality, and the sources of moral, political and social value are considered.
- GEN ED Bucket 6
- Counts towards Asian Studies Certificate
- Counts towards World Philosophy Concentration
PHIL 385 Engineering Ethics (3)
Examines representative ethical issues that arise in engineering. Topics include:
professional responsibility and integrity, whistle-blowing, conflict of interest,
ethical issues in engineering consulting and research, engineering and environmental
issues, and engineering in a global context. Course includes diversity content. Counts towards required ethics course for engineering majors. Prerequisite(s): junior
or senior standing.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Satisfies School of Engineering ethics requirement
- Counts towards Applied Ethics requirement for Ethics Concentration
PHIL 386 Biomedical Engineering Ethics (3)
Biomedical engineering is changing extremely rapidly, with the incorporation of new
technologies from material science, computer software, nano engineering and robotics,
among others. Each of these emerging areas presents new questions in ethics, raising
new questions concerning human subjects protections, autonomy, acceptable risks and
more. The regulatory framework for evaluation and approval of these technologies is
largely grounded in our current understanding of these ethical issues, thus it too
is evolving. This course examines these areas and the questions they pose, and develops
an ethical framework for evaluation of these issues. Cases illustrating the ethical
issues are integrated into the course material. Recommend junior standing.
- GEN ED Buckets 6 and 7
- Satisfies School of Engineering ethics requirement
- Counts towards Applied Ethics requirement for Ethics Concentration
- Counts towards Certificate in Health Humanities
- Open Alt Textbook - Zero Cost
PHIL 398 Philosophy at Work (3)
Students reflect on how the skills they've gained through their philosophy major can
be applied in their current prospective workplaces, service learning activities, student
governance and other applied learning opportunities. The course examines common business
practices and techniques and critiques their philosophical underpinnings. Practices
examined are topical and current; speakers are invited from business (recruiters,
hiring managers, business leaders) to talk about needs, success and the value in philosophy
proficiencies. Students apply philosophical reflection, rigor and examination to hiring
and work-related activities, such as resume writing, online profiles, interviewing,
presentation and communication, and collaboration.
- GEN ED Bucket 7
- Satisfies applied learning requirement in philosophy
PHIL 410 Philosophy of Medicine (3)
Focuses on the metaphysics and epistemology of medicine. What medicine is and how
people understand it have broad implications well beyond the practice of medicine
by licensed professionals. In this course, students delve into these issues by investigating
concepts of disease and disability, theories of medicine, the evidence based medicine
pyramid vs expert consensus and clinical judgment, medical paradigms like P4 (predictive,
personalized, preventive, participatory), current practice and prospects for AI in
medicine, and more. Course includes historical, multicultural and social justice considerations.
- GEN ED Bucket 7
- LAS Competencie in Scientific Reasoning and Cultural Literacy
- Counts towards Certificate in Health Humanities
PHIL 421 Philosophy of Mind (3)
Critically examines recent developments in the philosophy of mind. Possible topics
include the nature of consciousness, mental representation, the mind-body problem,
mental causation, psychological explanation, and the computational theory of mind.
PHIL 450 Truth and Reality (3)
A survey of philosophical theories of truth, including the correspondence, pragmatic,
and deflationary theories. Topics to be covered include skepticism, realism and anti-realism,
and social constructionism. Readings may include from figures such as James, Peirce,
Dewey, Wittgenstein, Russell, Tarski, Quine, Davidson, Austin, Strawson, Field, Hacking,
and Horwich.