PHILOSOPHY (PHL–Arts and Science)

402/502 19th Century Philosophy (4)

Detailed study of advances in philosophy attempted by major philosophers of the 19th century. Emphasis on solutions they offered to problems of early modern thought and to foundations laid for important developments in 20th century thinking. Course may follow philosophical systems of leading philosophers (e.g., Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx) or it may proceed topically (e.g., dialectics, alienation in Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard). Offered alternate years. Prerequisite: PHL 302.

410/510 Special Topics (1-4)

Seminar treatment of selected topics or philosophers. New topics at student initiative. Offered infrequently.

411/511 Advanced Ethical Theories (4)

Critical discussion of recent works in ethics. Prerequisite: PHL 131.

430/530 Seminar in Ancient or Medieval Philosophy (4)

Intensive study of a major topic (e.g., universals, knowledge and perception, the human soul, God, morality, language and reality) or work of a major philosopher (e.g., Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas) of ancient or medieval period. Repeatable with different content up to three times.

440/540 Seminar in Modern Philosophy (4)

Intensive study of philosophy of one major philosopher of early modern period, e.g., Spinoza, Descartes, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, or a topical study in the philosophy of the period. Repeatable with different content up to three times.

450/550 Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4)

Examination of one or more 20th century philosophers such as Russell, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Quine, or a study of contemporary treatments of selected philosophical issues such as self, consciousness, knowledge, reality. Repeatable with different content up to three times.

460/470 Seminar in Marxism (4)

Intensive study in Marxist philosophy. Deals with multifaceted shape of consciousness of a single philosopher (such as Marx), or survey thematically issues (such as a value or knowledge or the nature of human beings) dealt with by many Marxists, or be problem oriented using the Marxist shape of consciousness to illuminate the issue. Repeatable with different content up to three times. Offered alternate years.

470/570 Advanced Aesthetics (4)

Selected topics in advanced study of philosophy of art. Topics may include film aesthetics, philosophy of tragedy, metaphysics of the novel, aesthetic formalism. Repeatable with different content up to three times. Prior completion of PHL 241 recommended. Offered infrequently.

471/571 Philosophy of Science (4)

Philosophical foundations of science both natural and social. Such issues as the role of observation, laws, theories, and paradigms in science; ethical implications of science; objectivity of science are investigated. Offered infrequently.

475/575 Justice in Health Care (4)

This seminar considers what is required of a health care system in the U.S. by considerations of justice. Such questions as the following are taken up: Do people have a right to a basic level of health care? What financing and delivery system is most fair? Should doctors (or legislators?) ration scarce medical resources, especially to the elderly, the poor, or persons with AIDS? Prerequisite: PHL 131 and either 312 or 375 or permission of instructor.

493/593 Phenomenological Method (4)

Theoretical study of method in phenomenology as exemplified in the works of the major figures of the movement.

494/594 Philosophy of Mind (4)

Selected topics or authors, historical or contemporary. Topics include such problems as personal identity and individuation, the self, mind/body problems, the will, thought and cognition, perception, philosophy and psychology. Prior completion of PHL 221 is recommended. Offered infrequently.

495/595 Metaphysics (4)

Selected topics or authors in metaphysics, historical or contemporary. Topics include such problems as universals and particulars, causality, space and time, freedom and determinism, God, existence. Prerequisite: PHL 221 is recommended. Offered alternate years.

496/596 Epistemology (4)

Analysis of such concepts as knowledge, belief, certainty, evidence, truth, perception. Prior completion of PHL 221 recommended. Offered alternate years.

600 Independent Reading Philosophy (1 to 6)

Intensive study of a group of problems in a limited field or of particular philosophers or of particular schools of philosophy.

610 Research Seminar (3-4)

Each student will take one paper written for a philosophy course and develop it into a length and quality suitable for publication in a scholarly journal. Members of the seminar will read each of these papers and suitable parts of its bibliography in order to critique the paper and assist its progress toward publication.

631 Advanced Political Philosophy (4)

Intensive inquiry into values, principles, essence, and varieties of government; exploration of relation between justice and law; nature of freedom, power, rights, responsibilities, coercion, and revolution; contract, parliamentarianism, and their alternatives. Offered infrequently.

673 Symbolic Logic (4)

Study of propositional calculus and monadic and polyadic quantification, with some focus on propositional calculus as an axiomatic system. Offered infrequently.