Department of Philosophy

Undergraduate Courses

SPRING 2010 UPPER DIVISION

PHH 3400 MODERN PHILOSOPHY
CRN: 10468
TR 1630-1745
Instructor: R. VITZ
The philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries have helped shape philosophy as we now know it, and their work remains both a point of departure and source of provocation for much of contemporary philosophy. This course offers an introduction to the major philosophers of the period and the philosophical problems they addressed. We will study selections from the works of those in the so-called ‘rationalist’ tradition (e.g., Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Malebranche), as well as selections from the writings of those in the so-called ‘empiricist’ tradition (e.g., Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Reid), and we will conclude by examining the work of Immanuel Kant. As we study these works, we will focus on questions in metaphysics and epistemology, such as the nature of the mind and its relation to the body, the scope and limits of knowledge, the existence of God, and the apparent conflict between freedom and determinism. PHH3400 is required of all philosophy majors.
PHH 3820 CHINESE PHILOSOPHY
CRN: 12656
MW 1330-1445
INSTRUCTOR: P. CARELLI
Chinese philosophy has a long tradition stretching back at least 2500 years. This course will seek to give students a strong foundation that will enable them to understand and appreciate that tradition by tracing some of the key historical developments of the major movements in thought and religion. Beginning with the Chinese classics, we will explore the ideas of Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism and Legalism.  Jumping several centuries we will then investigate the impact of Buddhism on Chinese thought paying particular attention to the development of Chan Buddhism, represented by the thought of Bodidharma and Hui Neng.  Finally, we will end by considering the synthesis of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism brought about by the Neo-Confucianists. Readings in primary sources are emphasized.
PHI 3130 G(M) SYMBOLIC LOGIC
CRN: 10492
MW 1050-1205
INSTRUCTOR: A. KLINE
The study of logic is both useful and intellectually rewarding. It allows us to sharpen our ability to reason things through, to see the logical consequences of our beliefs, and to distinguish good reasoning from bad.  In this course we will learn a symbolic notation that allows us to clearly develop and express these abilities with great efficiency and elegance. In addition, where appropriate, we will consider the philosophical implications of logic and logical thinking. This course satisfies a core requirement for the philosophy major; it also satisfies the Gordon Rule mathematics requirement.
 
PHI 3640 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
CRN: 11642
M 1200-1445
INSTRUCTOR: J. ZINSER
The general goal of this course is to identify and evaluate the ethical foundations for human interactions with the environment.  Although we will address particular environmental problems, our main focus will center on the broader philosophical aspects of the environmental movement.  A sampling of the debates we will examine are: whether or not we should extend moral status to non-human entities, such as ecosystems and non-human animals; whether sustainability is possible; whether starving people should take priority over ecological degradation; whether restored natural places are as valuable as untouched natural places; examining the value of wilderness; climate change; and the ethical implications of our food choices.  We will be reading canonical essays in environmental ethics as well as contemporary authors.  After completing this course, students should be able to understand and articulate the arguments behind environmentalism. 
PHI 3641 BUSINESS ETHICS
CRN: 11412
TR 1630-1745
INSTRUCTOR: M. HANEY
Students will probe various moral questions arising within business's concerns with property, risk-benefit relationships, use of information, and competition. Students will be prepared for this endeavor through focused study of several models of ethical decision-making which should impact market institutions, organizational structures, as well as individuals that comprise the essential elements of the world of business.
 
PHI 3880 PHILOSOPHY OF FILM
CRN: 12657
F 1200-1445
INSTRUCTOR: M. SKEES
The philosophy of film is a rapidly growing subfield of contemporary philosophy of art that has experienced a certain renaissance since the 1980’s.  There are many ways to approach the study of film – from the standpoint of film theory, film studies, the aesthetics of film as an art form, the social impact and relevance of film, etc.  In this course, we will begin with an overview of early film theory and then specifically address the social/cultural impact, importance, and potential of film.  We will focus on the need to understand cinema within the broader formation of cultural modernity.  Early film theories to be addressed include Formalist Theory, Realism, Auteurism, and Structuralism.  The course then moves towards addressing specific social and cultural issues of modernity through the lens of film (e.g. Ideology, Feminism, and Cultural Identity).  We next take up some of the broader questions of poststructuralism and postmodernism in the writing and directing of screenwriters and directors, respectively.
PHI 3930 FREEDOM DIVERSITY EQUALITY
CRN: 12660
MW 1500-1615
INSTRUCTOR: D. CALLCUT
This course examines three values that are associated with, and celebrated as, central ideals of modernity: freedom, diversity, and equality. We will examine the ways in which these values can be drawn upon to critique existing social conventions and institutions. We will consider how the values have been and continue to be combined in moral and political arguments (such as in arguments pertaining to equal freedom for women and men) and how our understanding of the values can be deepened and enriched by contemplating what it means fully to ‘realize’ such values (such as in new civil rights arguments against covering demands). There will be discussion of the promise and the challenges presented by recent technological developments such as the internet (in particular in relation to free speech).We will examine readings that explore tensions between the values that make up the title of the course, and will discuss and debate claims (such as in arguments over affirmative action) that two or more of the values in question are in opposition to one another. There will be considerable time devoted to the topic of the social construction of gender, race, and social identity in general.
PHI 5934 GLOBAL JUSTICE
CRN: 12662
T 1800-2045
Instructor: A. BUCHWALTER
This course examines the phenomenon of globalization from a moral and ethical perspective. Questions include the following: What are universal human rights and how are they compatible with the diversity of cultural practices and traditions worldwide?  What duties do we have to the global environment?  What obligations, if any, do members of affluent countries have to address world hunger and poverty? What are the forms of governance appropriate to a globalized world? Is humanitarian military intervention in the internal affair of another country justifiable?  Should we understand ourselves first and foremost as citizens of the world or as members of bounded communities?  In addressing these questions, we examine assumptions we hold individually and as members both of a particular society and the global community.
PHI 3930 REASON & RELIGION
CRN: 12664
TR 1340-1455
INSTRUCTOR: R. VITZ
There are two preeminent questions in the philosophy of religion. The first is a metaphysical question: is there a God? The second is an epistemological question: assuming there is a God, how do we know God? In this class, we will focus on the second question, analyzing seminal readings in religious epistemology, both historical and contemporary. Our approach to these questions will be distinctive in comparatively studying both Western (Latin) traditions and Eastern (Greek, or Byzantine) traditions.
PHI 3930 BIBLE & MORAL DISCOURSE
CRN: 12665
TR 1215-1330
INSTRUCTOR: T. SIMPSON
This class is an examination of the manner in which the Christian Bible has been and is employed in moral, political, and cultural discourse.  After considering the structure of both testaments of the Bible and the circumstances surrounding their emergence, the course examines historical and contemporary ways in which the Bible has been used in public debates, focusing on such topics as slavery, modern capitalism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, homosexuality, immigration, abortion, and end of life issues.  A central aim of the course is to teach students skills needed to reach the Bible and Biblical passages with regard to matters of current and historical moral controversy.  The course also seeks to assess what value the Bible may hold in clarifying contemporary moral controversies and in contributing to contemporary public discourse.
PHI 3930 FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
CRN: 12667
R 1800-2045 
INSTRUCTOR: T. MAHAFFEY
Autonomy, literally translated, means self-government or self-rule. Within the philosophy of mind, we are interested in autonomy as a relationship between an individual and her mental states – in particular those mental states that serve as the springs of her actions. Each of us wants to be free to make her own decisions for her own reasons, but some feminists have argued that given the pervasiveness of social influence, at least some of which is oppressive, autonomy is impossible. In this course, we will examine feminist attempts to reconceptualize the self in light of the pervasive influence of socialization, evaluate feminist criticisms of autonomy, and explore theories of autonomy that address the challenges of socialization, in general, and oppressive socialization, in particular.
PHI 4500 METAPHYSICS
CRN: 12669
TR 1630-1745
Instructor: M. HANEY
Physicists study the nature of the physical world, but they do not (and cannot) answer fundamental philosophical questions such as:  What is truth?  Do numbers exist?  What is the nature of necessity?  Am I the same person today that I was a year ago?   Do I have free will?   To explore these questions, and others like them, we must turn to metaphysics. Metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of reality.  In this course we will consider questions like these, and critically evaluate the kinds of answers that philosophers have given in response.
PHI 4935 SEM: DEATH & DYING
CRN: 12670
M 1200-1445
INSTRUCTOR: A. SWOTA
According to many, death is one of the greatest evils that confronts human beings. But what exactly is death and why do we fear it? In this course, we take an interdisciplinary approach to death and dying in order to understand some of the ethical, medical, and legal issues surrounding death and dying. Topics to be covered include whether life is always preferable to death, deciding how much control we should have over our own deaths, how much control (if any) advance directives should have in directing end-of-life treatment plans, how much cost should play a role in deciding whether expensive treatments which provide little benefit are offered to patients, the moral obligation of doctors to disclose information to their patients, different criteria for determining death, and whether one is allowed to bring about or assist in the death of another. The main objectives of the course are to introduce students to some of the central issues in the philosophy of death and dying, to encourage open communication about death and dying, and to foster appreciation of the experiences and needs of the dying, and to help students recognize some of the many vexing ethical issues that arise in health care at the end-of-life.