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Course Descriptions

Below is a list of current courses offered, together with course descriptions specific to the instructors teaching the course.

For a list of course offerings generated by the university registrar, listing rooms, times, CRNs, and generic course descriptions, please visit the Course Explorer.

For a list of all courses offered by the Philosophy Department, with information about how regularly they are offered, please visit the Course Catalog.

Block Reference

Currently Offered Courses - Spring 2025

PHIL 100 - Intro to Philosophy-ACP

Consideration of some main problems of philosophy concerning, for example, knowledge, God, mind and body, and human freedom. Course is identical to PHIL 101 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both PHIL 100 and PHIL 101. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.

PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy

Consideration of some main problems of philosophy concerning, for example, knowledge, God, mind and body, and human freedom. Credit is not given for both PHIL 101 and PHIL 100.

PHIL 102 - Logic and Reasoning

Practical study of logical reasoning; techniques for analyzing and criticizing arguments, with emphasis on assessing the logical coherence of what we read and write.

PHIL 103 - Logic and Reasoning QR II

Practical study of logical reasoning; techniques for analyzing and criticizing arguments, with emphasis on assessing the logical coherence of what we read and write. Credit is not given for both PHIL 103 and PHIL 102.

PHIL 104 - Intro to Ethics-ACP

Some basic questions of ethics, discussed in the light of influential ethical theories and with reference to specific moral problems, such as: What makes an action morally right? Are moral standards absolute or relative? What is relation between personal morality and social morality, and between social morality and law? Course is identical to PHIL 105 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both PHIL 104 and either PHIL 105 or PHIL 106. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I general education requirement.

PHIL 105 - Introduction to Ethics

Some basic questions of ethics, discussed in the light of influential ethical theories and with reference to specific moral problems, such as: what makes an action morally right? are moral standards absolute or relative? what is the relation between personal morality and social morality, and between social morality and law? Credit is not given for both PHIL 105 and either PHIL 104 or PHIL 106.

PHIL 107 - Intro to Political Philosophy

Introduction to core ideas in political and legal philosophy, for example, rights, equality, political obligations, legitimacy of states, nationalism, and oppression.

PHIL 109 - Religion & Society in West II

Same as ANTH 109 and REL 109. See REL 109.

PHIL 110 - World Religions

Same as REL 110. See REL 110.

PHIL 199 - Undergraduate Open Seminar

Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated.

PHIL 202 - Symbolic Logic

Introduction to the techniques of formal logic, dealing primarily with truth-functional logic and quantification theory.

PHIL 203 - Ancient Philosophy

Introduction to ancient philosophy, concentrating on Plato and Aristotle, dealing with such topics as metaphysics, ethics, and the theory of knowledge. Same as CLCV 203.

PHIL 206 - Early Modern Philosophy

The history of philosophy from Descartes to Kant, concentrating on such topics as metaphysics, ethics, and the theory of knowledge.

PHIL 219 - Philosophy of Class, Gender, and Race

Introduction to philosophical discussion of class, gender, and race. Conversations will span class consciousness, contemporary unionizing, concepts of gender, orientation, defining race, and experiences of racial ambiguity. The course integrates reflections on intersectionality throughout to explore the congruence and dissimilarity of discourses on class, gender, and race.

PHIL 231 - Religion and Philosophy

Same as REL 231. See REL 231.

PHIL 307 - Elmnts Semantics & Pragmatics

Same as LING 307. See LING 307.

PHIL 316 - Ethics and Engineering

Same as ECE 316. See ECE 316.

PHIL 380 - Current Controversies

Philosophical examination of positions taken on some issue of current concern, for example, human sexuality, death and dying, feminism, race, intelligence, war, sociobiology, and environmental ethics. See Class Schedule for current topics. May be repeated with approval.

PHIL 390 - Individual Study

Readings in selected philosophical topics. Course may be taken by honors students in partial fulfillment of department honors requirements. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours in separate terms. Prerequisite: Open to juniors and seniors with a grade-point average of 3.0 only by prior arrangement with a member of the faculty and with consent of the department director of undergraduate studies or the chair.

PHIL 410 - Classical Ancient Philosophers

Intensive study of one ancient philosopher or the intensive study of a major philosophical problem through the consideration of a number of ancient philosophers; chief emphasis on Plato and/or Aristotle. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with approval, if topics vary. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy, preferably PHIL 203.

PHIL 411 - Nineteenth Century Philosophy

Examination of the thought of such major figures as Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

PHIL 412 - Classical Modern Philosophers

Intensive study of one classical modern philosopher or the intensive study of major philosophical problem through the consideration of a number of classical modern philosophers, e.g., Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Hume, Kant, and Hegel. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. May be repeated with approval, if topics vary. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy, preferably PHIL 206.

PHIL 419 - Space, Time, and Matter-ACP

Same as PHYS 419. See PHYS 419.

PHIL 420 - Space, Time, and Matter

Same as PHYS 420. See PHYS 420.

PHIL 421 - Ethical Theories

Systematic study of selected classics in moral philosophy by such philosophers as Aristotle, Hume, Mill, Kant, and Nietzsche. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

PHIL 424 - Philosophy of Religion

Considers central issues in the philosophy of religion, e.g., the justification of religious belief, the nature of God, religious experience, etc. Same as REL 424. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

PHIL 426 - Metaphysics

Investigation of various metaphysical issues concerning, for example, existence, particulars and universals, causation, laws of nature, time, personal identity, material objects, and modality. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

PHIL 440 - Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Discussion of ethical, societal, and political issues related to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Topics include responsible uses of AI, the effect of AI on automation and the future of human work, ethical questions about AI (such as whether AI has moral standing, should be given rights, or should have moral or legal duties), and implications of AI for truth, trust, democracy, surveillance, privacy, safety and security, and the future of humanity. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Either one philosophy course or at least Junior standing.

PHIL 442 - The AI Revolution

We are in the midst of what many have called an “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolution.” This revolution is comparable in scope and impact to other major transformations in human history, such as the industrial revolution. The purpose of this course is to help students understand how and why recent developments in AI have begun to challenge traditional ways of thinking, while presenting novel and pressing ethical, social, interpretive, conceptual, technological, and existential questions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: At least one philosophy course.

PHIL 443 - Phenomenology

Study of the development of phenomenology from Husserl to the present. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

PHIL 454 - Advanced Symbolic Logic

Completeness, compactness, and Lowenheim-Skolem theorems for first-order logic; incompleteness and undecidability of formal systems; and additional material on proof theory, model theory, or axiomatic set theory as time permits. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: PHIL 202 or consent of instructor.

PHIL 460 - Philosophy of Statistics

Introduction to philosophical issues related to statistics. Topics include the interpretation of probability, the difference between description and inference, the notion of evidential support, the relationship between statistics and inductive logic, the use and abuse of mathematical models, the nature of randomness and chance, the role of values in statistical modeling and decision, and the ethical practice of statistics. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: At least one course in philosophy, and at least one course in statistics. Restricted to Junior, Senior or Graduate standing.

PHIL 492 - Thesis

Special training in philosophical investigation. Course may be taken by students pursuing graduation with distinction in partial fulfillment of those requirements. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated to a maximum of 4 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: Open to seniors with a grade-point average of 3.5 in all philosophy courses only by prior arrangement with a member of the faculty and with consent of the department director of undergraduate studies or the chair.

PHIL 499 - Capstone Seminar

Capstone course required for all philosophy majors. Students will explore in depth a specific topic either in the history of philosophy or in contemporary practical or theoretical philosophy and will write a substantial original essay appropriate for a senior thesis. Topics will differ by section and semester. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: PHIL 202, PHIL 203, PHIL 206, PHIL 222, PHIL 223. Restricted to Philosophy and CS + Philosophy majors with Senior Standing. Philosophy majors (and CS + Philosophy majors matriculated before Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 203, and PHIL 206. CS + Philosophy majors (matriculated after Fall 2020) are required to have PHIL 202 (or equivalent), PHIL 222, and PHIL 223.

PHIL 501 - Seminar on the History of Philosophy

Study of selected major philosophers, movements, problems, or topics in the history of philosophy. 2 or 4 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit. For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.

PHIL 512 - Seminar Social Philosophy

Seminar designed to study special problems in social philosophy. See Schedule for current topics. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Letter grading applies when offered for 4 hours of credit. For Stage 3 Philosophy PhD students this course is approved for S/U grading when offered for 2 hours of credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor for non-philosophy graduate students.

PHIL 551 - Pragmatics

Same as LING 551. See LING 551.

PHIL 583 - Individual Topics

Individual study and oral and written reports on topics not covered in other courses. Topics and plan of study must be approved by the candidate's adviser and by the staff member who directs the work. May be repeated. (Summer session, 2 to 8 hours).

PHIL 590 - Directed Research

Restricted to students satisfying requirements for the master's degree by writing a substantial essay. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated. Normally taken for 8 hours credit but may be taken for 12 hours credit with consent of department chair.