Department of Philosophy Home Page
Faculty
Stephanie Ross, Professor, Chairperson
Ph.D., Harvard University
Ronald Munson, Professor
Ph.D., Columbia University
Berit Brogaard, Associate Professor
Ph.D., SUNY-Buffalo
Lawrence Davis, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Michigan
Jon McGinnis, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Eric Wiland, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Chicago
Anna Alexandrova, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of California-San Diego
John Brunero, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Columbia University
Robert Northcott, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., The London School of Economics and Political Science
Gualtiero Piccinini, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
Andrew Black, Teaching Professor
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts-Amherst
David Griesedieck, Teaching Professor
M.A. Princeton University
Donald Mertz, Teaching Professor
Ph.D., Saint Louis University
Waldemar Rohloff, Assistant Teaching Professor
Ph.D., University of California-Irvine
Irem Kurtsal Steen, Assistant Teaching Professor
Ph.D., Syracuse University
John E. Clifford, Associate Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., University of California-Los Angeles
Peter Fuss, Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Harvard University
Robert M. Gordon, Research Professor
Ph.D., Columbia University
Henry L. Shapiro, Assistant Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Columbia University
Philosophy continues to keep alive the tradition begun by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle of critically examining one’s most cherished assumptions. Moreover, it deals with questions that are common to several areas of inquiry, such as art, ethics, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and the various professions. The study of philosophy also encourages logical precision, a heightened awareness of assumptions used in any discussion, and an attitude of both open-mindedness and responsible criticism toward new and unusual ideas. These skills are particularly useful for students planning careers in law, business, computer science, writing, or other fields requiring such disciplines of mind. For these reasons many students have found it useful to combine a major in another field with a major in philosophy. To accommodate such students, the department has a special program for double majors.
The philosophy faculty has an unusually wide range of research interests. Faculty members have written books and articles addressing not only the classical and traditional concerns of philosophy, but also contemporary controversies in the fields of law, psychology, sociology, political theory, biology, medical ethics, theology, logic, and philosophy of history as well. For their research in some of these areas, members have been awarded a number of national research grants, including fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
In keeping with this emphasis on diversity, the department is represented by scholars trained in widely different approaches to philosophy, such as the analytic tradition, Continental idealism and existentialism, Marxist dialectic, and Asian modes of thought.
General Information
Degrees and Areas of Concentration
The department offers two options leading to the B.A. degree in philosophy. The first is for students intending to enter graduate school in philosophy; the second is for students seeking a general liberal arts education as their ultimate academic objective or preparing for professional degrees such as law. Each option offers a balance of training in the techniques of logical analysis, study of philosophical classics, and examination of selected problems in philosophy. The department also offers a minor in philosophy for students wishing to pursue a particular interest in philosophy in an organized way.
Undergraduate Studies
General Education Requirements
Majors must meet the university and college general education requirements. PHIL 1120: Asian Philosophy and PHIL 1125: Islamic Philosophy satisfy the college cultural diversity requirement. Majors may not count philosophy courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis toward the degree requirements.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Acquire basic knowledge of traditional philosophical issues in the western tradition.
- Develop critical thinking skills based on knowledge of the standards governing logical reasoning.
- Acquire familiarity with philosophical issues that arise in some other disciplines (e.g. biology, art, education, etc.).
- Acquire a basic understanding of ethical and social-political principles and their role in resolving ethical disputes and in evaluating social practices and institutions.
- Become acquainted with current philosophical debates in the areas of epistemology, metaphysics, and value theory and with the arguments and proposals made to resolve them.
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Students must complete one of the following programs. At least 36, but not more than 45, hours are required for a major. A minimum of 18 hours including all courses for the major at or above the 3000 level must be taken in residence in the UMSL Department of Philosophy.
Option One: The Major in Philosophy
36 hours of course work are required:
1) PHIL 3360: Formal Logic
2) History of Philosophy
Twelve hours in history of philosophy, at least 6 hours of which must be at the 4000 level. Choose from PHIL 3301-3307 and PHIL 4401- 4422.
3) Normative Philosophy
One course from the following:
PHIL 4430: Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 4435: Classical Ethical Theories
PHIL 4438: Recent Ethical Theory
PHIL 4474: Topics in Aesthetics
PHIL 4474 cannot be used to satisfy both the normative requirement and requirement 5), the "other disciplines" requirement.
4) Core Requirement
One course from the following:
PHIL 4440: Theories of Knowledge
PHIL 4445: Metaphysics
5) Philosophy and Other Disciplines
Choose one course from the PHIL 4470 - 4490 sequence.
6) PHIL 4491: Senior Seminar
7) Other than the courses specified above, not more than SIX credits at the 1000 level may be used to satisfy the remaining nine hours of coursework requirements for the major. Video courses cannot be used to satisfy course requirements for this program.
When appropriate, PHIL 4451: Special Topics in Philosophy may be used to satisfy the requirement of number 3), 4), or 5).
Students in this program should take Greek, Latin, French, or German to satisfy the foreign language requirement.
Option Two: The Double Major
The Double Major is intended for students who plan to complete a major in another discipline as well as in philosophy. Thirty hours of course work in philosophy are required:
1) Logic
PHIL 3360: Formal Logic
2) History of Philosophy
Six hours in history of philosophy, at least three hours of which must be at the 4000 level. Choose from the sequences PHIL 3301-3307 and PHIL 4401-4422.
3) Core Requirement
One course from the following:
PHIL 4440: Theories of Knowledge
PHIL 4445: Metaphysics
4) 4000-level Courses
A total of nine hours or more at the 4000 level other than courses used to satisfy 2), 3) and 5). Video courses cannot be used to satisfy course requirements for this program.
5) PHIL 4491: Senior Seminar
6) Electives
Other than the courses above, courses at any level may be used to satisfy the remaining six hours of course requirements for the double major.
Departmental Honors
Majors with a 3.2 or higher grade point average in all courses may, with the department’s consent, earn departmental honors by completing at least six hours, but not more than nine, of PHIL 4450: Special Readings in Philosophy, submitting an acceptable thesis before the end of the senior year, and passing an oral examination.
In such cases, the thirty hours required for the major will include the credit earned in PHIL 4450: Special Readings, for the senior thesis.
Related Area Requirements
Majors are urged to acquire a familiarity with some other field above the introductory level.
Transfer students planning to major in philosophy should consult the Department’s undergraduate advisor as soon as possible in order to have their transcripts evaluated and plan a program of study.
The Minor15 hours of course work in philosophy are required:
1) PHIL 3360: Formal Logic
2) A total of twelve hours at or above the 3000 level, at least six of which must be at the 4000 level. Video courses cannot be used to satisfy course requirements for this program.
Minors are strongly encouraged, though not required, to take PHIL 4491: Senior Seminar.
All course work for the minor except PHIL 3360 must be taken in residence in the UMSL Department of Philosophy.
A GPA of 2.0 or better is required in courses presented for the minor. Prospective minors are encouraged to consult with members of the department for advice in planning an appropriate sequence of courses.
Graduate Studies
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Acquire advanced knowledge of traditional philosophical issues in the western tradition.
- Develop critical thinking skills based on knowledge of the standards governing logical reasoning.
- Acquire familiarity with philosophical issues that arise in some other disciplines (e.g. biology, art, education, etc.).
- Acquire a basic understanding of ethical principles and their role in resolving ethical disputes.
- Acquire the knowledge and skills required to write a paper identifying a philosophical issue and presenting arguments supporting a thesis for resolving it.
Master of Arts in Philosophy
To earn a M.A. in philosophy, students must complete at least 30 hours of graduate-level course work. In addition, students must write a thesis, for which they must take three to six credit hours of Thesis Research. Entering students must demonstrate a competence in logic, either by having passed the relevant course prior to admission or by taking PHIL 5561: Graduate Formal Logic here at UMSL. Students should take PHIL 5400: Proseminar in Philosophy in the first year of residency. At least two thirds of the course work must be completed in residence at UMSL. In addition, the courses taken are subject to two distribution requirements:
1) At least half of the courses must be at the 5000 level.
2) Two courses (6 credit hours) must be chosen from each of the following four subject areas:
- Value Theory
- History of Philosophy
- Logic/Philosophy of Science
- Epistemology/Metaphysics
2+3 B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy
The Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Philosophy provides an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to fulfill integrated requirements of undergraduate and master’s degree programs in three years from the beginning of their junior year. When all the requirements of the B.A./M.A. program have been completed, students will be awarded both the B.A. and M.A. degrees. With a carefully designed program, a student can earn both degrees within as few as ten semesters.
The Combined Program requires a minimum of 138 credit hours, of which at least 30 must be at the upper division level course numbers in the 4000-5999 range (excluding 5495 and 5595). In qualifying for the B.A., students must meet all university and college requirements, including all the requirements of the regular undergraduate major in philosophy described above. Students will normally take PHIL 3360: Formal Logic and two courses in the 3301-3307: History of Philosophy sequence in their junior years, along with electives. Any courses still needed to satisfy college foreign language and expository writing requirements would also be taken during this year. PHIL 4491: Senior Seminar and more specialized courses are taken in the senior year. In the fifth year, students take advanced electives and such required courses as are needed to fulfill remaining university, Graduate School, and departmental requirements for the M.A. This includes satisfactory completion of 30 graduate credit hours, at least 18 of which must be in courses numbered above 5000 and among which must be at least three in each of the four subject areas listed for the regular M.A. program, and one of which must be PHIL 5400: Proseminar in Philosophy. Up to 12 graduate credit hours may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.A. requirements. In addition to the above coursework, students must also write a thesis, in which case at least three hours must be taken in PHIL 5495 and/or 5595. Students should apply to the Graduate Committee for admission to the Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Philosophy the semester they will complete sixty undergraduate credit hours or as soon thereafter as possible. It is also recommended that students complete the foreign language requirement and the junior-level writing requirement before applying. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and three letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration.
Students should apply to the Graduate Committee for admission to the Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Philosophy the semester they will complete sixty undergraduate credit hours or as soon thereafter as possible. It is also recommended that students complete the foreign language requirement and the junior-level writing requirement before applying. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and three letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration.
Students will be admitted to the Combined Program under provisional status until they have completed fifteen credit hours in it with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. After the completion of the provisional period, and with the recommendation of the Graduate Committee, students can be granted full admission into the program. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher throughout the Combined Program. Students who officially withdraw from the Combined Program who have successfully completed all the requirements for the B.A. degrees will be awarded the B.A. degree.
Philosophy Requirements for Students in the 2+3 Program
A. To be taken in the junior year:
Choose four courses (12 credit hours) from the following:
1) PHIL 3360: Formal Logic
2) Two courses in the History of Philosophy, each at the 2000 level or above.
3) One additional Philosophy course, at the 2000 level or above.
B. To be taken in the senior year:
Choose six courses (18 credit hours) from the following:
PHIL 4491: Senior Seminar
Either
PHIL 4445: Metaphysics or
PHIL 4440: Theories of Knowledge.
Two History courses, each at the upper division
One course from the PHIL 4470-PHIL 4487 sequence
Choose one of the following:
PHIL 4430: Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 4435: Classical Ethical Theory
PHIL 4438: Recent Ethical Theory
C. To be taken in the final year of the program:
Six courses (18 credit hours)
1) At least five of these courses must be at or above the 5000 level.
2) Courses must be selected so that the student has taken at least one and preferably two courses from each of the four subject areas in the course of completing the 2 + 3 program:
• Value Theory
• History of Philosophy
• Logic/Philosophy of Science
• Epistemology/Metaphysics
3) PHIL 5400: Proseminar in Philosophy
Cooperative arrangement with Saint Louis University.
The strengths of the UMSL Philosophy Department are complemented by those of the Saint Louis University Philosophy Department, which has strengths in the history of philosophy as well as in philosophy of religion. To enhance students' opportunities for instruction and expertise, the two departments have worked out a cooperative arrangement that permits graduate philosophy students on each campus to take up to four courses at the partner institution. In any given semester, UMSL graduate students must take at least half of their courses at their home institution. Students admitted to the M.A. program on a probationary basis must take all their courses at UMSL during their first semester.
Course Descriptions
Prerequisites may be waived by consent of the department.
PHIL 1120, 1125 fulfill the Cultural Diversity requirement [CD]. Courses marked [CV] or [H] fulfill the valuing and humanities requirements, respectively.
PHIL 1090 Telecourse: Philosophy and Other Disciplines (3) [V, H]
Video course offering. General introduction to philosophy examines its connections to works of art and related areas. Course does not satisfy any requirements for philosophy major or minor.
PHIL 1091 Telecourse: Significant Figures in Philosophy [V, H]
Video course introduces philosophy through a survey of the ideas of some of the important figures in the history of the discipline. Course cannot be used to satisfy any requirements for philosophy major or minor.
PHIL 1110 Western Philosophy I: Antiquity to the Renaissance (3) [V, H]
Lectures and discussions tracing the development of Western philosophy from its beginnings among the pre-Socratics through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Philosophical ideas will be examined in the cultural and historical context: the Greek city-state, the rise of Christianity, etc.
PHIL 1111 Western Philosophy II: Descartes to the Present (3) [V, H]
Lectures and discussions on the development of Western philosophy from Descartes (1596-1650) to the present. Philosophical ideas will be examined with an eye to their historical and cultural setting: the rise of modern science, the industrial revolution, the rise of capitalism, etc.
PHIL 1120 Asian Philosophy (3) [CD, V, H]
Critical study of selected philosophical classics of India and China.
PHIL 1125 Islamic Philosophy (3) [CD, V, H]
Introduction to Arabic philosophy in the Islamic classical period (roughly from mid-9th through 12th centuries). Considers philosophical and theological background and examines the thought of such notable Islamic philosophers as al-Kindi, Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd. Topics include proofs for the existence of God, whether the world is eternal or had a beginning, the nature of the soul and whether it is immortal, and distinction between essence and existence.
PHIL 1130 Approaches to Ethics (3) [V, H]
A study and discussion of representative topics in moral philosophy such as moral skepticism, moral objectivity, theories of obligation and value, evaluation of social institutions, and the relation between morality and science. Traditional and contemporary writers will be considered.
PHIL 1150 Major Questions in Philosophy (3) [V,H]
A study and discussion of representative topics in philosophy such as free will and determinism, concepts of mind and body, the basis of value judgments, knowledge and belief, and the possibility of constructing a world view.
PHIL 1160 Logic and Language (3) [V, H]
An introduction to the language and logical structure of arguments, the principles of sound reasoning, and application of these principles in a variety of contexts.
PHIL 1175 Arts and Ideas (3) [H]
ST ART 1175, ENGL 1175, HIST 1175, M H L T 1175, TH DAN 1175. An Interdisciplinary course tied to the semester’s offerings at the Blanche Touhill Performing Arts Center as well as other events on campus featuring the visual arts, literature, music, and film. Each semester the course will provide background on the arts in general and will critically examine particular performances and offerings. Special themes for each semester will be selected once the Touhill schedule is in place. Students will be expected to attend 6-8 performances or exhibitions. Can be repeated once for credit.
PHIL 1185 Philosophy of Religion (3) [V, H]
A philosophical investigation of such problems as the nature of religious faith and experience, the relation of faith and reason, alternative concepts of deity, and the problem of evil.
PHIL 2250 Philosophy and Current Issues (3)
A careful examination of such current social controversies as women's liberation, the ethics of abortion, public accountability of holders of high offices, and the subtler forms of racism and other prejudices. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken, or be concurrently enrolled in, at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 2252 Philosophical Foundations of Criminal Justice (3) [V, H]
Same as CRIMIN 2252. Addresses fundamental conceptual and ethical issues that arise in the context of the legal system. Questions may include: How does punishment differ from pre-trial detention? How, if at all, can it be justified? Is the death penalty ever justified? When is it morally permissible for juries to acquit defendants who are legally guilty? Is plea bargaining unjust? Why might people be morally obligated to obey the laws? Are Laws restricting civil liberty (e.g., laws against abortion, homosexuality, or drug use) permissible?
PHIL 2253 Philosophy and Feminism (3) [V, H]
Same as WGST 2253. A critical examination of what various philosophers have said about issues of concern to women. Sample topics include oppression, racism, women's nature, femininity, marriage, motherhood, sexuality, pornography, the ethics of care.
PHIL 2254 Business Ethics (3) [V, H]
A critical survey from the perspective of moral theory of businesses and business practices. Topics vary but usually include some of the following: whether the sole moral obligation of businesses is to make money; whether certain standard business practices, e.g., the creation of wants through advertising, are moral; whether businesses ought to be compelled, e.g., to protect the environment or participate in affirmative action programs.
PHIL 2255 Environmental Ethics (3)
Examines such issues as the value of wilderness, our duties to animals and the natural world, pollution and development, environmental justice.
PHIL 2256 Bioethics (3) [V, H]
Same as GERON 2256. An examination of ethical issues in health care practice and clinical research and in public policies affecting health care. Topics include abortion, euthanasia, health care, experimentation, informed consent, and the right to health care.
PHIL 2258 Medicine, Values, and Society (3) [V, H]
Social, conceptual, and policy issues connected with medicine form the focus of the course. Topics may include: role played by race and gender in design of research and distribution of care; whether diseases are socially constructed categories reflecting the values of society; development of social policies that offer universal access to health care; the legitimacy of using Psychotropic drugs to enhance life, rather than treat disease. The course differs from Bioethics by emphasizing policy issues and their conceptual basis. Content of this course may vary.
PHIL 2259 Engineering Ethics (3)
An examination of ethical issues in engineering using professional engineering codes as a starting point. The course will have a problem solving orientation, focusing on the analysis of particular cases. Actual high-profile cases such as the Challenger disaster will be considered, as well as hypothetical cases illustrating the more commonly encountered moral problems in engineering (such as accepting gifts from vendors). Topics include the engineer/manager relationship, engineers and the environment, honest in engineering, and risk, safety, and liability.
PHIL 2274 Philosophy and Literature (3)
Critical reading and discussion of selected literary works in terms of the philosophical problems they present.
PHIL 2280 Minds, Brains, and Machines (3) [V, H]
Introduction to basic philosophical issues in cognitive science. General topics include minds as computers; computers as minds, or the possibility of artificial intelligence that is truly intelligent; relationship between mental function and brain function. Some areas of current research, such as reasoning, vision, and emotion.
PHIL 2281 Darwinism and the Philosophy of Biology (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Examines Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and its philosophical consequences. Besides the theory itself, topics may include (but are not limited to): how we can test evolution and what the evidence is for it; the design argument; adaptationism; evolutionary psychology; evolution and morality; the fact-value distinction; nature versus nurture; differences between humans and other animals; evolution and human history; genetic engineering and possible futures.
PHIL 3301 Ancient Philosophy (3)
Freshmen admitted by consent of department. The principal philosophical doctrines of the ancient world, with special emphasis on the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 3302 Medieval Philosophy (3)
A critical study of the important philosophies of the period from Augustine to the Renaissance. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 3303 Early Modern Philosophy (3)
Principal figures in the development of rationalism, empiricism and skepticism in early modern Europe, from Descartes through Hume. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 3304 Kant and Nineteenth-Century Philosophy (3)
A study of Kant and such major nineteenth-century figures as Hegel and Nietzsche, Mill, and Peirce. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 3305 Twentieth-Century Philosophy (3)
Representative topics in contemporary philosophy, with readings selected from pragmatism, logical positivism, linguistic analysis, and existentialism. Although there is no formal prerequisite, it is recommended that students have taken at least one other philosophy course.
PHIL 3307 American Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. A study of selected American philosophers.
PHIL 3360 Formal Logic (3)
An introductory study of logical truth and deductive inference, with emphasis on the development and mastery of a formal system.
PHIL 3369 The Marxist Heritage (3)
Same as POL SCI 3690. Study of Marx and leading Marxists. Designed to evaluate their influence on recent political, economic, and social thought and institutions.
PHIL 3374 Philosophy of Art (3)
Same as ART HS 3374. A study of issues concerning the definition of art, meaning and truth in the arts, aesthetic experience, and criticism.
Prerequisites: Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. An introduction to philosophical issues pertaining to the mind. Topics may include how the mind relates to the body, how the mind represents the world, how the mind works, consciousness, and free well.
PHIL 3380 Philosophy of Science (3)
An examination of science: what makes science special? Topics may include (but are not limited to): empiricism and scientific method; confirmation and the problem of induction; paradigms and revolutions; explanation, causation and laws; realism versus instrumentalism; critiques of science such as those of feminism or postmodernism; and reductionism – ultimately is it all just physics?
PHIL 4401 Plato (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, a course in Ancient Philosophy recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A study of selected Platonic dialogues.
PHIL 4402 Aristotle (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, a course in Ancient Philosophy, recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A selective study of Aristotle's major works.
PHIL 4405 The Rationalists (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, a course in Ancient Philosophy recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An examination of the philosophies of such major figures as Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz.
PHIL 4407 Kant (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, PHIL 3304 or equivalent recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A systematic study of the Critique of Pure Reason.
PHIL 4408 Hegel (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, PHIL 3304 or equivalent recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A critical study of the writings and influence of Hegel.
PHIL 4410 Significant Figures in Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: Nine hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Examination of the work of an important twentieth-century philosopher or philosophical movement. The philosopher or movement to be studied will be announced prior to registration. This is a variable content course that may be taken again for credit with approval of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4420 Topics in Non-Western Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: PHIL 1120, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An extensive exploration of issues in some particular non-Western traditions (Islamic, Indian, or Chinese). This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4421 The Analytic Tradition I: Origins to Logical Positivism (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. PHIL 3305 and PHIL 3360 strongly recommended. Course studies in depth the development of analytic philosophy through about 1950. Topics include key philosophical writings in this tradition beginning with Frege, Moore, and Russell and concluding with basic texts in logical positivism, with emphasis on Carnap, Schlick, Neurath and Hempel.
PHIL 4430 Social and Political Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An analysis of some fundamental concepts and assumptions involved in the theory and practice of social and political organization.
PHIL 4435 Classical Ethical Theories
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Significant contributions to moral philosophy from Plato and Aristotle to Bentham and Mill.
PHIL 4438 Recent Ethical Theory (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing or consent of instructor. A study of major contributions to twentieth-century ethics, including works by such writers as Moore, Dewey, Ross, Stevenson, Hare, and Rawls.
PHIL 4439 Topics in Ethical Theory (3)
Prerequisite: PHIL 4435, 4438, nine hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Formulation and evaluation of major theories in normative ethics, metaethics, and axiology. Topics include egoism, moral realism, act and rule utilitarianism, and varieties of naturalism and non-naturalism in ethics. This is a variable content course and can be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4440 Theories of Knowledge (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An examination of concepts and problems involved in the characterization of knowledge. Specific topics will vary, but will usually include knowledge, belief, skepticism, evidence, certainty, perception, truth, and necessity.
PHIL 4445 Metaphysics (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An examination of selected metaphysical topics such as substance, universals, causality, necessity, space and time, free will, being, and identity.
PHIL 4450 Special Readings in Philosophy (1-3)
Prerequisite: Special consent required. Independent study through readings, reports, and conferences. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4451 Special Topics in Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A critical study of classical and/or contemporary contributions to a selected topic in philosophy. The topic to be considered will be announced prior to registration. This is a variable content course and can be taken again for credit with the consent of the instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4457 Media Ethics (3)
Same as MEDIA ST 4357. Prerequisite: nine hours of philosophy or nine hours of communication or consent of instructor. This course is concerned with some of the issues that arise from the intersection of ethics and modern media communications. Attention is given to some of the more specific concerns of media ethics, such as truth, honesty, fairness, objectivity and bias; personal privacy and the public interest; advertising; conflicts of interest; censorship and offensive or dangerous content (pornography, violence). Particular attention will be given to problems posed by the development of personal computer communications through bulletin boards, on-line services, and the Internet.
PHIL 4458 Ethics and the Computer
Prerequisites: 6 hours of course work above the level of MATH 1030 in Math/Computer Science or at least 6 hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. Examination of ethical issues concerning the use of computers generally and software engineering in particular. Aims at developing awareness of these issues and skills for ethical decision making regarding them through careful, analytical methods. Typical issues include privacy, intellectual property, computer fraud, and others.
PHIL 4460 Advanced Formal Logic (3)
Prerequisite: PHIL 3360, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Rigorous study of major developments in contemporary logic. Emphasis is given to theoretical problems and some attention is devoted to philosophical issues arising from logic.
Prerequisite: Six hours of Philosophy and junior standing, POL SCI 6401 (or the equivalent) or consent of instructor. Same as POL SCI 4060. A study of rational decision making, including games against nature, zero-sum games and social choices. Topics will include the following: expected utility maximization, the Prisoner's Dilemma, Nash equilibria, and Arrow's theorem on the impossibility of a social welfare function. Parts of the course are technical in nature; a prior course in mathematics e.g., finite mathematics, calculus, statistics or an economics course with a mathematical component, symbolic logic, or some other course with comparable mathematical content is strongly recommended.
PHIL 4469 Topics in Political Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: Nine hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Critical examination of philosophical theories of democracy, individual autonomy, political community, social justice, and other selected issues in political philosophy.
PHIL 4470 Topics in Philosophy of Language (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Intensive examination of selected problems encountered in developing philosophical accounts of truth, reference, propositional attitudes, and related concepts. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4474 Topics in Aesthetics (3)
Prerequisite: PHIL 3374, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Selected topics, such as vision and representation, musical aesthetics, and recent theorists. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4478 Topics in Philosophy of Mind (3)
Prerequisite: PHIL 3378 or six hours of other philosophy courses graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An examination of selected topics at the interface of philosophical and psychological research. This is a variable content course and can be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4479 Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3)
Prerequisite: PHIL 3378 or PHIL 4478 or nine hours of other philosophy courses or consent of instructor. An exploration of the philosophical foundations and implications of cognitive science, a cooperative effort of philosophers, cognitive Psychologists, brain scientists, computer scientists, and others to understand the relationship between the mind and the brain.
PHIL 4482 Philosophy of Social Science (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. An intensive examination of selected topics such as the nature theory, and the postmodernism debate e.g., Habermas of explanation in social science versus natural science, interpretation, Foucault, Clifford. This course may be repeated for credit on approval by the department.
PHIL 4483 Topics in History and Philosophy of Science (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy (PHIL 3380, strongly recommended), graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Examines in depth a particular topic or topics from either the history or philosophy of science. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with the consent of the instructor and department chair.
PHIL 4484 Topics in History and Philosophy of Medicine (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. Focuses on the rise of philosophical issues associated with scientific medicine, including the emergence of physiology; identification of infectious and genetic diseases; development of effective drugs; rise of diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. Topics may include: disease concepts, the classification of diseases, logic of clinical diagnosis, medical explanation, and clinical decision-making. Topics may also include development of special medical areas such as immunology, cancer treatments, or organ transplantation. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and the department chair.
PHIL 4485 Topics in Philosophy of Religion (3)
Prerequisite: nine hours of philosophy, or consent of instructor. An intensive study of problems arising out of traditional and contemporary philosophical theology. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with the consent of the instructor and the department chair.
PHIL 4487 Topics in Philosophy of Law (3)
Same as CRIMIN 4487. Prerequisite: CRIMIN 1100 and 3 hours of philosophy, graduate standing or consent of instructor. An intensive study of recent philosophical debate about such issues as the authority of law, legal equality and justice, legal responsibility, self-determination and privacy, and legal punishment. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of the instructor and the department chair.
PHIL 4491 Senior Seminar (3)
Prerequisites: Senior standing; at least 12 hours of philosophy at the 1000 level or above; or consent of instructor. Intensive study of a central philosophical problem. The course emphasizes the fundamentals of philosophical writing and scholarship. Students will write a major paper to be evaluated by two members of the Philosophy Department and the course instructor.
PHIL 5400 Proseminar in Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Required of all entering graduate students in the fall semester of the first full year of residency. Topics vary. Other graduate students may take this course with the permission of the instructor and the director of graduate studies in Philosophy. Students will be expected to write papers, give presentations, and join in class discussion.
PHIL 5410 Seminar in Significant Figures in Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate Standing. In-depth study of work of a single philosopher. The philosopher selected will be announced prior to registration. This is a variable-content course any may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5478 Seminar in Philosophy of Mind (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Topics may include functionalism and physicalism; representation and nature of propositional attitudes such as belief, desire, and various emotions; folk psychology and knowledge of other minds; introspection and knowledge of one's own mind; conscious and unconscious mental states and processes. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5495 Thesis Research (3)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated once for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5521 Seminar in Analytic Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Intensive study of selected topics, texts, or individuals in historical or contemporary analytic philosophy. Topics may include, but are not limited to, Frege semantics, Russell’s theory of definite descriptions, logical positivism, Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language, Quine on the analytic/synthetic distinction, Kripe possible-world semantics, theories of propositions, the analysis of knowledge, contextualism in epistemology and language, relativistic semantics, epistemic two-dimensionalism, conceivability vs. possibility, three-dimensionalism vs. four-dimensionalism, presentism vs. eternalism, and applications of core concepts in other areas of philosophy. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5530 Seminar in Social and Political Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. An intensive study of contemporary philosophical debate about such issues such as civil liberty, economic justice, political decision-making, and state authority. Variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5533 Philosophy of Law (3)
Same as CRIMIN 5533. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Examination of origins of law and the basis for legal obligation. Specific consideration of the justification of punishment, morality and law, and legal reasoning.
PHIL 5538 Seminar in Ethical Theory (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Answers questions from normative ethics or metaethics, which may include the following: What do all morally wrong actions have in common? What does the word "wrong" mean? How, if at all, can we verify moral judgements? Are any moral judgements valid for all societies? Do we always have good reason to be moral?
PHIL 5540 Seminar in Epistemology (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Close study of selected topics, texts, or individuals in epistemology. Topics may include (but are not limited to) theories of justification, naturalism in epistemology, and conceptions of knowledge. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5545 Seminar in Metaphysics (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Intensive study of a selected topic or problem area in metaphysics, e.g., mind-body identity, nature of the self, or conception of time. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
Intensive study of selected topics, texts, or individuals in modality. Topics may include (but are not limited to): Kripke semantics, Lewis’ genuine modal realism about possible worlds, linguistic ersatzism, epistemic two-dimensionalism, conceivability vs. possibility, theories of epistemic modals, theories of propositional attitude reports, theories of knowability, provability, and computability, modal paradoxes, and applications of core concepts in other areas of philosophy. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5551 Special Readings in Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing, written consent of instructor. Independent study through readings, reports, and conferences. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5555 Ethical and Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
Same as CRIMIN 5555. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Examination of the moral and legal aspects of the policies and practices of criminal justice agencies and agents. Issues may include treatment of offenders, the role of technology, and research and professional ethics.
PHIL 5560 Seminar in Logic (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Focused study of topics in logic and/or its history. Representative topics include Aristotelian logic, modal logic, Gödel incompleteness theorems, relevance logic, paraconsistent logic, free logic. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5561 Graduate Formal Logic (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing; permission of the department. A rigorous introduction to formal logic that includes sentential calculus, predicate logic, and completeness proofs. May be taken for graduate credit only with permission of the graduate advisor and chair.
PHIL 5570 Seminar in Philosophy of Language (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Close study of selected topics, texts, or individuals in the philosophy of language. Topics may include (but are not limited to): theories of indexicals and demonstratives, theories of proper names and descriptions, sense and reference, compositionality, natural language semantics, syntax pragmatics, applications of core concepts in other areas of philosophy. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5579 Seminar in Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing. General topics include role of computation in cognitive science, merits of symbolic computation and connectionism, aims and methods of artificial intelligence, and relationship between cognitive science and our everyday understanding of people. Specific topics may include perception, reasoning, consciousness, language, emotion, and will. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5580 Seminar in Philosophy of Science (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Focus on recent issues and controversies. Topics may include theories and observation, models of explanation, confirmation, realism and antirealism, empiricism and naturalism, "social construction" and feminist views of science. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5582 Seminar in Philosophy of Social Science (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Intensive examination of selected topics, such as the nature of explanation in social science, rationality, value-freedom and objectivity, or relation of social to natural sciences. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5590 Philosophical Issues in Other Disciplines (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Examination of selected philosophical issues in disciplines other than philosophy. One or more such disciplines as history, political science, psychology, sociology, biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics will be chosen. The discipline(s) and issues selected will be announced prior to registration. This is a variable content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 5595 Thesis Research (1-6)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated to a total of six credit hours.