Faculty
Ronald Munson, Professor, Chairperson*
Ph.D., Columbia University
Stephanie A. Ross, Professor*
Ph.D., Harvard University
Lawrence H. Davis, Associate Professor*
Ph.D., University of Michigan
Thaddeus Metz, Associate Professor*
Ph.D., Cornell University
Jon McGinnis, Assistant Professor*
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Eric Wiland, Assistant Professor*
Ph.D., University of Chicago
Andrew Black, Affiliate Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts-Amherst
James G. Buickerood, Affiliate Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Rutgers University
Kimberly A. Maricic, Affiliate Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Washington University
Donald W. Mertz, Affiliate Associate Professor
Ph.D., Saint Louis University
David J. Griesedieck, Senior Lecturer
M.A., Princeton University
Peter Fuss, Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Harvard University
Robert M. Gordon, Research Professor
Ph.D., Columbia University
John E. Clifford, Associate Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., University of California - Los Angeles
David A. Conway, Associate Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Princeton University
Henry L. Shapiro, Assistant Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Columbia University
* members of Graduate Faculty
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 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 among 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.
Philosophy 1120: Asian Philosophy, and Philosophy 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.
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Students must complete one of the following programs. At least 30,
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 UM-St. Louis Department of Philosophy.
Option One: The Major in Philosophy
30 hours of course work are required:
1)Philosophy 3360, Formal Logic
2)History of Philosophy
12 hours in history of philosophy, at least 6 hours of which must be
at the 4000 level. Choose from Philosophy 3301-3307, Philosophy 4401-
4422. Philosophy 1110 and 1111 together count as one
three hour history course.
3)Normative Philosophy
One course from the following:
Philosophy 4430: Social and Political Philosophy
Philosophy 4435: Classical Ethical Theories
Philosophy 4438: Rece nt Ethical Theory
Philosophy 3374: Philosophy in Art
Philosophy 4474: Topics in Aesthetics
Philosophy 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:
Philosophy 4440: Theories of Knowledge
Philosophy 4445: Metaphysics
5) Philosophy and Other Disciplines
Choose one course from the Philosophy 4470 – 4490 sequence.
6) Philosophy 4491: Senior Seminar
7) Other than the courses specified above, only courses at the 3000 level or above satisfy the course work requirement for the major. Video courses cannotbe used to satisfy course requirements for this program.
When appropriate, Philosophy 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. 30 hours of course work
in philosophy are required:
1) Logic
Choose one of the following two courses:
Philosophy 3360: Formal Logic
Philosoophy 1160: Logic and Language (Formal Logic
is strongly recommended)
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 Philosophy 3301-3307
and Philosophy 4401-4422. Philosophy 1110 and 1111 together count
as one 1000 level history course.
3) 4000-level Courses
A total of nine hours or more at the 4000 level other than courses
used to satisfy 2) and 4).
Video courses cannot be used to satisfy
course requirements for this program.
4)Philosophy 4491, Senior Seminar
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 Philosophy 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 30 hours required for the major will include the credit earned in Philosophy 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 student’s undergraduate advisor as soon as possible in order to have their transcripts evaluated.
The Minor15 hours of course work in philosophy are required. All course work for the minor except Philosophy 3360 must be taken in residence in the UM-St. Louis Department of Philosophy.
Philosophy 3360: Formal Logic.
A total of 12 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 Philosophy 4491: Senior Seminar.
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
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 36 must be at the upper division level course numbers in the 4000-5999 range. 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 philosophy 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. Philosophy 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 36 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 above for the regular M.A. program. Students are also required to earn a passing grade in comprehensive exams in each of two of these areas. See description below. Up to 12 graduate credit hours may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.A. requirements. Also, students may elect to write a thesis, in which case up to 6 of the 36 hours may be taken in Philosophy 5495Thesis Research.
Students should apply to the Graduate Committee for admission to the Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Philosophy the semester they will complete 60 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 15 credit hours in it with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. After 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 their 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:
Philosophy
3360: Formal Logic
Two courses in the History of Philosophy, each
at the 2000 level or above.
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:
4491: Senior
Seminar
Either
Philosophy 4445: Metaphysics or
Philosophy 4440: Theories of Knowledge.
Two History courses, each at the upper division
One course from the sequence 4470-4490
Choose one of the following:
Philosophy 4430: Social and Political Philosophy
Philosophy 4435: Classical Ethical Theory
Philosophy 4438: Recent Ethical Theory
C. To be taken in the final year of the program:
Six courses (18 credit hours)
At least 5 of these courses must be at or above the 5000 level.
Courses must be selected so that the student has taken at least one
from each of the four subject areas in the course of completing the 2
+ 3 program:
History of Philosophy
Value Theory
Logic/Philosophy of Science
Epistemology/Metaphysics
D. Graduate Exit Requirements
Each student must pass a comprehensive exam in two of the four subject
areas listed in C above.
Master of Arts in Philosophy
To earn a M.A. in philosophy,
students must complete at least 36 hours of graduate-level work and pass
two comprehensive exams. Entering students must demonstrate a competence
in logic, either by having passed the relevant course(s) prior to admission
or by passing a departmental exam. Students may elect to write a thesis,
in which case up to 6 of the 36 hours may be devoted to research and
writing. Two-thirds (24 credit hours) of the degree program, including
the thesis for students taking that option, must be completed in residence
at UM-St. Louis. In addition, the courses taken are subject to two distribution
requirements:
- At least half of the courses must be at the 5000 level.
- At least one course (3 credit hours) must be chosen from each of
the following four subject areas:
- epistemology/metaphysics;
- history of philosophy;
- value theory (including aesthetics courses only with departmental approval); and logic/philosophy of science.
The strengths of the UM-St. Louis 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, UM-St. Louis 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 UM-St. Louis during their first semester.
Course Descriptions
Prerequisites may be waived by consent of the department.
Students who have earned 24 or more semester hours of credit at any accredited post-secondary institutions(s) before the start of the fall 2002 semester must meet the general education requirements stipulated in the UM-St Louis 2001-2002 Bulletin. The following courses fulfill the Humanities breadth of study requirements as described in that Bulletin: 1090, 1091, 1110, 1111, 1120, 1125, 1130, 1150, 1160, 1185, 2250, 2255, 3301, 3302, 3303, 3304, 3305, 3307, 1120, 1125, 2250, 2252, 2255, 2253, 2254, 2255, 2256, 2258, 2274, 2275, 2280, 2281, 3301, 3303, 3304, 3305, 3307, 3369, 3379, 3380, 3383, 3385, 4401, 4402, 4405, 4406, 4407, 4408, 4409, 4420, 4421, 4422, 4430, 4435, 4438, 4439, 4440, 4445, 4450, 4451, 4452, 4453, 4457, 4458, 4460, 4465, 4469, 4470, 4474, 4476, 4478, 4479, 4482, 4483, 4484, 4485, 4487, 4490, 4491.
Phil 1120, 1125 fulfill the Cultural Diversity requirement [CD]. Courses marked [CV] or [H] fulfill the valuing and humanities requirements, respectively.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1120 Asian Philosophy (3) [CD,V,H]
Critical study of selected philosophical classics of India and China.
1125 Islamic Philosophy (3) [CD,V,H]
Introduction to Arabic philosophy in the Islamic classical
period (roughly from mid-9 th through 12 th 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.
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.
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.
11 60 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.
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.
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
2252 Philosophical Foundations of Criminal Justice (3) [V,H]
(Same as CCJ 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?
2253 Philosophy and Feminism (3) [V,H]
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.
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.
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.
2256 Bioethics (3) [V,H]
Same as Gerontology 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.
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.
2274 Philosophy and Literature (3)
Critical reading and discussion of selected literary works in terms
of the philosophical problems they present.
2275 Philosophy and Film (3)
Study of selected films with emphasis on philosophical problems they
address. Attention will be paid to film as an artistic medium and the
capacities that distinguish it from other visual, and narrative, arts.
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.
2281 The Darwinian Heritage (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy preferably including Phil 3380,
Philosophy of Science, as 3 of these, graduate standing, or consent of
instructor. Examines contributions to science made by Darwin's Origin and Descent,
reception of Darwinism by scientists, and its continuing influence in
biological, bio-behavioral, and social sciences. Also considers public
reactions to Darwinism, including ways in which Darwin's views, and contemporary
research in evolutionary theory and genetics, have been regarded as challenging
long-held beliefs about "meaning and purpose" of human life.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
3307 American Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. A study
of selected American philosophers.
3360 Formal Logic (3)
An introductory study of logical truth and deductive inference, with
emphasis on the development and mastery of a formal system.
3369 The Marxist Heritage (3)
Same as Political Science 3690 and Interdisciplinary 3690. Study
of Marx and leading Marxists. Designed to evaluate their influence on
recent political, economic, and social thought and institutions.
3372 Philosophical Issues in Education (3)
A critical study and discussion of selected topics in education, including
the distinctive features of education as an activity and achievement,
concepts of teaching and learning, relations between education and values,
and the functions of a university.
3374 Philosophy of Art (3)
Same as Art 3374. A study of issues concerning the definition of art,
meaning and truth in the arts, aesthetic experience, and criticism.
3380 Philosophy of Science (3)
An examination of logical and methodological problems related to the
sciences, including the structure of scientific explanations, laws and
theories; methods of concept formation; and confirmation and the problem
of induction.
3383 The History of Science in Philosophical Perspective (3)
Course explores philosophical underpinnings of science, including assumptions
about the nature of reality and about scientific methods, the role of
logic and mathematics in science, and revolutions in science. These issues
will be studied by exploring concrete examples of science, and tracing
developments and changes in understandings of science. Content will vary,
but the particular periods of science studied will typically include
two or three of the following: ancient science, medieval science, early
modern science, 19 th century science, and/or 20 th century science.
3385 Issues in Philosophy of Religion (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 1185 or Philosophy 1150 or consent of instructor.
A careful examination of a selected topic in philosophy of religion or
of philosophical issues arising in a selected religion. The topic or
religion to be considered 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.
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.
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.
4405 The Rationalists (3)
Prerequisite: 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.
4406 The British Empiricists (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, a course in Early Modern Philosophy
recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. An examination
of the philosophies of such major figures as Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.
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.
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.
4409 Phenomenology and Existentialism (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, Phil 3305(105) or equivalent
recommended, graduate standing, or consent of instructor. A study of
some major representatives of these schools from Kierkegaard to the present.
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.
4420 Topics in Non-Western Philosophy (3)
Prerequisites: Philosophy 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.
4421 The Analytic Tradition I: Origins to Logical Positivism
(3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent
of instructor. Philosophy 3305 and Philosophy 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.
4422 The Analytic Tradition II: Post-Positivism to Present
(3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent
of instructor. Phil 3305 and Phil 3360 strongly recommended. Study of
reactions and responses to basic analytic techniques and positivist doctrines
beginning with Wittgenstein, Quine, and Sellars. Implications of these
critiques for style and substance of analytic philosophy are studied,
including such contemporary developments as reassessment of positivism,
revival of naturalism, and "death" of philosophy.
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.
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.
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.
4439 Topics in Ethical Theory (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 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.
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.
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.
4450 Special Readings in Philosophy (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.
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.
4452 Feminism and Science (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent
of instructor. This course will explore major themes and issues in feminist
science scholarship, a body of research that focuses on the relationship
between science and gender. Feminist research in the philosophy and history
of science, and in the biological sciences, are emphasized. Issues include:
the nature of objectivity, evidence, and truth; the factors that contribute
to the acceptance or rejection of research hypotheses and theories; the
nature and consequences of science's cognitive authority; and the relationship
between science and values.
4453 Feminist Ethical Theory (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 2253, six hours of philosophy, or consent
of instructor. Examines two classic 18th century statements of sympathy-based
moral theory in the works of Adam Smith and David Hume. The course, then
looks at a number of contemporary works that attempt to delineate a decisively
feminist ethical theory, e.g., the work of Carol Gilligan, Nel Nodding,
and Virginia Held. The course explores as well differences among female,
feminist, and lesbian ethical standpoints.
4457 Media Ethics (3)
Prerequisite: nine hours of philosophy or nine hours of communication
or consent of instructor. (Same as Communication 3357). 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.
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.
4460 Advanced Formal Logic (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 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.
4465 Theory of Decisions and Games (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of Philosophy and junior standing, PolSci 6401
(or the equivalent) or consent of instructor. Same as PolSci 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 Dilemna, 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.
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.
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.
4474 Topics in Aesthetics (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 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.
4476 Philosophy of History (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, graduate standing, or consent
of instructor. Discussion and analysis of some philosophical problems
raised by historical inquiry, such as subjectivity, relativism, the role
of value judgments, and the nature of historical explanations.
4478Topics in Philosophy of Mind (3)
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy, 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.
4479 Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 4478, nine hours of philosophy, 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.
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 of explanation
in social science versus natural science, interpretation theory, and
the postmodernism debate e.g., Habermas, Foucault, Clifford. This course
may be repeated for credit on approval by the department.
4483 Topics in History and Philosophy of Science (3)
Prerequisites: Six hours of philosophy, Phil 3380(280); Philosophy
of Science strongly recommended, graduate standing, or three hours of
history, or consent of the instructor. Course begins by exploring research
methods and interpretative approaches in the history of science and problems
and schools of thought in the philosophy of science. It then turns to
recent developments in which links have deepened between the two disciplines
through shared research tools, assumptions, and projects. This is a variable
content course and may be taken again for credit with consent of instructor
and the department chair.
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.
4485 Topics in Philosophy of Religion (3)
Prerequisite: Philosophy 3385, 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.
4487 Topics in Philosophy of Law (3)
Same as CCJ 4487. Prerequisite: CCJ 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.
4490 Philosophical Issues in Other Disciplines (3)
Prerequisite: Nine hours in philosophy, graduate standing, or consent
of instructor. An examination of selected philosophical issues in a discipline
other than philosophy. One or more such disciplines as history, political
science, psychology, sociology, biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics
will be chosen, and philosophical issues selected and announced prior
to registration, usually in consultation with the other department concerned.
This course is normally taught as a seminar and attempts to serve advanced
students in other departments with or without previous background in
philosophy. This is a variable content course and may be taken again
for credit with the consent of the instructor and the department chair.
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.
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.
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.
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.
5515 Ethics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (3)
Same as Criminology and Criminal Justice 5515(315).Prerequisite: CCJ
1110, 1120, 1130, 2110, 2220, Philosophy 2253, 2254, 2256, 4430, 4435,
4438, or consent of instructor. Examination of major ethical issues encountered
in criminology and criminal justice research and practice.
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.
5531 The Nature of Punishment (3)
Same as CCJ 5531. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. The historical development
of punishment philosophies and techniques. Topics include the emergence
of the modern prison, the joining of medical and legal treatment, and
rationales for alternative forms of punishment.
5533 Philosophy of Law (3)
Same as CCJ 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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
5555 Ethical and Legal Issues in Criminal Justice (3)
Same as Criminology and Criminal Justice 5555(455). 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
5582 Seminar in Philosophy of Social Science (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing of consent of instructor. Intensive
examination of selected topics, e,g., nature of explanation in social
science, postmodernism debate (e.g., Habermas, Foucault, Clifford), 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.
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.
5595 Thesis Research (1-6)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated
to a total of six credit hours.
6421 Philosophy of Education (3)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as
Educational Foundations 6421(421). Critical examination of selected issues
in education from the perspective of Western philosophy. Topics may include
the distinctive features of education as an activity and achievement,
concepts of teaching and learning, relations between education and values,
and the role of public educational institutions.