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* Core Area IV Western Civilization and Culture General Education Course
** Core Area IV Non-Western Culture General Education Course
*** Core Area I Mathematics Component General Education Course
**** Core Area III Social Science General Education Course
1013/001 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF,9:30-10:20 Roche
This course is an introduction to the questions and practice of philosophy. After a short introduction to logic, we shall focus on three philosophical areas: ethics (what makes a life good?; what is morally right and wrong?), freedom of the will (is freedom compatible with physical law?; under what circumstances is one free?), and personal identity (in what does one’s identity over time consist?). This course aims to promote in participants a better understanding of these important philosophical subjects; but it is equally intended to encourage students to reflect on their philosophical views and to help them write thoughtfully and critically.
1013/002 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF,10:30-11:20 Roche
This course is an introduction to the questions and practice of philosophy. After a short introduction to logic, we shall focus on three philosophical areas: ethics (what makes a life good?; what is morally right and wrong?), freedom of the will (is freedom compatible with physical law?; under what circumstances is one free?), and personal identity (in what does one’s identity over time consist?). This course aims to promote in participants a better understanding of these important philosophical subjects; but it is equally intended to encourage students to reflect on their philosophical views and to help them write thoughtfully and critically.
1013/003 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 1:30-2:20 Ellis
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to some basic topics in philosophy - metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, etc. In order to achieve this goal, we will examine some specific philosophical questions (e.g., is there a God? how are mind and body connected?). Students must be prepared to participate in class, since their interests and input will guide our inquiry.
Texts: William Lawhead, The Philosophical Journey, 3rd Edition, Mayfield Publishing: Mountain View, CA, 2006
Plato, Five Dialogues, trans. G.M.A. Grube, Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis, 1981
John Perry, A Dialogue on Personal Identity, Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis, 1978
Additional materials will be available through the Bizzell Library reserve system (as necessary).
1013/004 *Introduction to Philosophy TR, 10:30-11:20 Silver
This course offers a broad survey of fundamental philosophical problems, and the answers which have been proposed for them. After a short introduction to logic, we will turn to a number of the central debates in nearly all of the main branches of philosophy: epistemology (the nature and possibility of knowledge of God, the external world, etc.), metaphysics (the nature of mind and the freedom of the will), ethics (what is the good life and which actions are morally right and wrong?), and political philosophy (what is justice? how can our political obligations be justified?). This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the main branches of philosophy, as well as to provide the critical skills needed for further philosophical inquiries.
1013/005 *Introduction to Philosophy TR, 1:30-2:45 Tallman
In this course we will ponder a variety of philosophical questions. We will ask whether we can know anything with certainty- even our own existence. Can we know that God exists, and if he does, what is he like? Why does he allow evil in the world? What is art, and what does it mean for something to be “good” art? Is there such a thing as a soul, and if there is, how is it connected to the body? Does the language we use influence the way we think? Are any of our actions really free? How should we think about death? Text: Bowie, Michaels, and Solomon, editors. Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy, sixth edition. Belmont, CA.: Thomson Wadsworth, 2007, and a course pack.
1013/006 *Introduction to Philosophy - Honors TR, 1:30-2:45 Montminy
This section requires permission of the Honor's Office for enrollment
This course is a thematic introduction to philosophy that focuses on some of the most central issues in the field. The topics we will discuss include skepticism (that is, the view that we don’t know anything about the world), the mind-body problem, free will, the nature of persons, the existence of God, rationality, and the nature of good and evil. By the end of the semester, students will not only be familiar with some of the central philosophical questions, but will have developed and sharpened their analytic and argumentative skills.
Texts: Simon Blackburn’s Think, and a course packet available at King Copy.
1013/900 *Introduction to Philosophy W, 6:30-9:20 Thurmond
This course is an introduction to philosophy as both an academic discipline and an activity. We will study major philosophical works and popular movies with themes that include appearance and reality, good and right, freedom and determinism, existence of God and human nature. This course aims to promote a better understanding of these important philosophical subjects; but it is equally intended to encourage students to reflect on their philosophical views.
1103/001 ****Critical Reasoning MWF, 10:30-11:20 Cook
The purpose of this course is to improve your skills at critical thinking. We will focus on real-world reasoning andwill approach it through the consideration of psychological studies of how people reason badly. The idea is that awareness of ways in which people reason badly, coupled with some practice at avoiding them, can make you a better reasoner. Topics include biases and distortions in perception and memory, fallacies, the effects of context and emotions on thought, and pitfalls in probabilistic reasoning.
Text: Swoyer, The Critical Reasoning Course Manual, available at King Kopy Shop (108 E. Lindsey).
1103/002 ****Critical Reasoning TR, 10:30-11:45 Seachris
This course is designed to improve your ability to think clearly and critically. There is no simple and perfect recipe for sound reasoning. It’s difficult and takes practice. In order to develop and improve your critical thinking skills, we will study the various components involved in proper reasoning. In addition, we will examine factors that mitigate good reasoning. Understanding both poor and good reasoning will help you to avoid the former and implement the latter in the various facets of your life. Our studies will be set in the context of becoming intellectually virtuous people. Topics in this course will include, but are not limited to: the nature of arguments, informal fallacies, perception, probability, and social influences on thinking.
1113/001 ***Introduction to Logic MWF, 12:30-1:20 Jones
Prerequisite: Math 0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
This course is designed to introduce the student to some basic principles of logic. We will cover both informal and modern symbolic logic. By better understanding informal logic and mastering some of the basic skills of symbolic logic, students will better understand good reasoning processes and develop skills in formulating and evaluating arguments.
Text: Patrick Hurley, A Concise Introduction to Logic, 10th ed.
1113/002 ***Introduction to Logic TR, 10:30-11:45 Kelly
Prerequisite: Math 0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
Arguments are the central tools for philosophers. In most courses we are concerned with the content of arguments, but this course focuses on the structure of arguments and what those structures can tell us. The class will begin by examining the nature of arguments—what they are and how they function. We then will study formal deductive logic, including translating English sentences into logical form, testing formal arguments for the validity of their structure and using logical forms in proofs.
1203/001 * Human Destiny MWF, 2:30-3:20 Taylor
During this course we will consider a number of questions regarding human existence and fulfillment. What does it mean to live well? Are we constrained by or creators of our destiny? How am I to approach death and the inevitable hardships of human existence? What do I owe others? We will discuss: Socrates, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Confucius, Chuang-Tzu, and the Bhagavad Gita.
1213/001 *Introduction to Ethics MWF, 9:30-10:20 Purinton
This course is an introductory survey of moral philosophy. There are two required textbooks: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (5th edn.) and Mappes and Zembaty, Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy (7th edn.). The former offers an overview of the major ethical theories. The latter is a collection of readings on ethical problems like abortion and euthanasia. Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be determined by exams and daily quizzes.
1213/002 *Introduction to Ethics TR, 3:00-4:15 Franks
This course provides a general introduction to moral philosophy. We will examine the major historical ethical theories and their contemporary counterparts. This will include evaluating how well each theory answers various questions in applied ethics (e.g., abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, warfare).
Texts: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, (5th Ed), and a photocopied course pack.
1213/900 *Introduction to Ethics M, 6:30-9:20 Southworth
This course is an introductory survey of moral philosophy. We will address questions such as: How ought we to live? Do we have duties to others and/or to ourselves? What are rights, and where do they come from? Why should we be moral? In an effort to answer these questions, we will study the major moral theories that have been embraced throughout history, as well as examine how those theories can be applied to specific moral issues. Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be determined by exams and short papers. Text: TBA
2403/001 Intro to Philosophy of Religion TR, 9:00-10:15 Judisch
This is a survey class in western philosophy of religion. It is topically organized rather than historically based. In it we will examine some perennial philosophical questions that arise in connection with religious belief, including: arguments for and against the existence of God, the nature of God and God’s relationship to the world, human freedom and immortality, and the rationality of religious belief. Course requirements will be announced in class. Required textbook: William Hasker, et al., eds. Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press (2000).
2900/001 Special Topics: Cancelled
Unless otherwise noted, the prerequisite for courses numbered 3000-3900 is six hours of philosophy or junior standing.
3033/001 * Philosophy & Literature TR, 3:00-4:15 Olberding
This course operates on the assumption that there are elements of human experience that merit careful philosophical consideration yet resist easy capture in the abstract reasoning that is the principal instrument of philosophical work. One such element is human mortality. Death is both a potent object of philosophical reflection and difficult to address adequately using only the tools of philosophy. Narrative representation of mortality and the anxieties it engenders offers a mechanism for joining the abstract reflection of philosophy to the consideration of death as it manifests in the particular circumstances of individual persons. In this course we will read several works of shorter fiction that aim, both directly and indirectly, to represent the mortal condition. We will treat these works philosophically, asking what insight they offer into concerns about mortality.
3273/001 *Ethics & Business MWF, 1:30-2:20 Ellis
This course looks at more than how businesses can “play nice.” We will start with the ethical presuppositions of business behavior in a capitalist system. After examining issues such as the moral importance of economic efficiency and the legitimacy of the profit motive, we will draw some lessons about the general rights and responsibilities of businesses. We will then consider some specific topics in light of those lessons: government intervention in markets, labor relations, environmental concerns, etc.
Texts: Daniel Hausman & Michael McPherson, Economic Analysis, Moral Philosophy and Public Policy, Cambridge UP, 2006. Additional readings will be on reserve.
3303/001 **East Asian Philosophy T, 6:30-9:20 Olberding
This course is a selective introduction to some of the most important philosophies of East Asia. The philosophical systems of East Asia are rich and diverse. Rather than addressing all of the philosophical systems from all of the regions of East Asia, we will focus on significant philosophers, particularly from China, whose influence was especially pronounced throughout the region. We will attend in particular to Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, neo-Confucianism, and a variety of Buddhist schools of philosophy.
3313/001 *History of Ancient Philosophy (meets with /3813/001) TR, 12:30-1:20 Purinton
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203, 1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
In this course we will study the history of ancient philosophy from its beginnings through the Hellenistic era, with readings from the pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, and Epicurus, and from Cynics, Stoics, and Skeptics, among others. Grading will be based on three tests, and paper on Socrates, and short quizzes given at the start of each class. Text(s): Plato, Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Plato, The Republic (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Aristophanes, Clouds (Meineck, trans.); Plato, Gorgias (Zeyl, trans.); Aristotle, Introductory Readings (Irwin and Fine, trans.); Epicurus, The Epicurus Reader: Selected Writings and Testimonia (Inwood and Gerson, trans.).
3333/001 *History of Modern Philosophy (meets with 3833/001) MWF, 2:30-3:20 Roche
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
In this course we will consider the major philosophical figures of the early modern period, with a focus on their metaphysics and epistemology. These thinkers grappled with the philosophical implications of the rise of modern science and the decline of Aristotelianism and formulated many of the philosophical problems that are with us to this day. Readings will include those of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Topics covered are wide-ranging; they include the mind-body problem, the existence of God, the nature of thought, the nature of space and time, personal identity, idealism, and the principle of sufficient reason.
3423/001 *Ancient & Medieval Religious Philosophy TR, 12:00-1:15 Zagzebski
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
This course will cover religious philosophy in the West from the time of the ancient Greeks until the later Middle Ages. During this period Western philosophy had its birth and Christianity emerged as a religion with roots in both the Hebrew Bible and Greek philosophy. Islam had its birth also during this period. Two interconnected themes will be examined throughout the course: (1) the use of philosophical argument to defend religious belief, and (2) the relationship between faith and reason. Course readings will be selections from primary texts, including writings by Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Epicurus, Plotinus, Augustine, Anselm, Maimonides, Avicenna, Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham. Topics will include the existence of God, life after death, the origin of the universe, the problem of evil, and free will.
Text: Zagzebski, Philosophy of Religion: An Historical Introduction, plus course packets.
3503/001 * Self & Identity TR, 12:00-1:15 Judisch
Prerequisite: 1013 or permission of instructor
This course is an introduction to several important philosophical questions about the self. What are we? If there is something called “the self,” what is it? What makes me the same person I was some time ago, and what will make me the same person in the future? What role, if any, do my relations will others have in making up my self? What is self-knowledge, and how can I get it? Course requirements will be announced in class.
3533/001 * Language, Communication & Knowledge MWF, 1:30-2:20 Elugardo
This course is, in large part, a philosophical investigation of the (alleged) semantic-pragmatic distinction. We will also focus on other subsidiary topics, such as context-sensitivity, reference, speech-acts, implicature, presupposition, and metaphor. Course requirements and textbooks will be determined at a future date.
3623/001 * Physics & Cosmology TR, 1:30-2:45 Hawthorne
In this course we investigate foundational issues in Physics and Cosmology. We will focus on issues involving the nature of space and time, the nature of matter and energy, and the origin and fate of the universe as a whole. In particular we will consider what relativity theory tells us about the nature of space and time. We will investigate various views regarding what quantum theory implies about the fundamental nature of physical reality. And we will look at what modern cosmology has to say about how the universe came to be and whether it will come to an end.
3733/001 * Religion in Political Theory MWF, 11:30-12:20 Trachtenberg
This course will survey the views on the role of religion in political life held by some of the most important political theorists in the modern western tradition. Our main goal is to understand how some fundamental positions on the the state, civil society, and individuals have helped shape each theorist’s position on the proper relation between government and religion. In so doing we shall consider the historical context in which each author wrote, in order to understand his polemical purpose. We will also consider the interplay between theorists, taking note of how the authors we read responded to each other's views. Thus, in this course you will gain experience at interpreting and evaluating philosophical arguments and comparing philosophical positions.
An additional goal of the course is to consider how theoretical positions on the role of religion in political life are reflected in political institutions. We shall take as our primary example the First Amendment to the U.S. constitution, which guarantees religious freedom. We shall consider the theory underlying the "Establishment" and "Free Exercise" Clauses by paying particular attention to views on the role of religion held by Jefferson, Madison, and other influential figures from their time.
Finally, as opportunities arise over the semester, we will consider whether the theories we examine help us understand current controversies regarding religion and politics.
Books: All readings will be on the internet; information on how to purchase paper copies will be provided on the course website.
3811/001 Philosophy Writing Workshop R, 10:30-11:45 Elugardo
Prerequisite: co-requisite with 3813, 3833 or 3853
This one credit hour philosophy course will focus intensively on how to write a high-quality philosophy paper. Only Philosophy and Ethics & Religion majors who are concurrently enrolled in one of two target courses (PHIL 3813, History of Ancient Philosophy for Majors or PHIL 3833, History of Modern Philosophy for Majors) will be eligible to enroll in the writing workshop. Those who do will receive additional instruction in philosophical writing that will apply directly to their assigned writing in the target course. All Students will need special permission to enroll. This course will provide one-on-one attention to students@ writing, small peer-based evaluations, strategies for critical reading in philosophy, practice in effectively structuring philosophy arguments, and instruction in drafting, revision, and editing philosophy papers. The course will be letter graded.
3813/001 History of Ancient Philosophy for Majors (meets with 3313/001) MWF, 12:30-1:20 Purinton
See 3313/001. Additional writing assignments will be required for those students enrolled in 3813 rather than 3313.
In this course we will study the history of ancient philosophy from its beginnings through the Hellenistic era, with readings from the pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, and Epicurus, and from Cynics, Stoics, and Skeptics, among others. Grading will be based on three tests, and paper on Socrates, and short quizzes given at the start of each class. Text(s): Plato, Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Plato, The Republic (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Aristophanes, Clouds (Meineck, trans.); Plato, Gorgias (Zeyl, trans.); Aristotle, Introductory Readings (Irwin and Fine, trans.); Epicurus, The Epicurus Reader: Selected Writings and Testimonia (Inwood and Gerson, trans.).
3833/001 History of Modern Philosophy for Majors (meets with 3333/001) MWF, 2:30-3:20 Roche
Prerequisite: Philosophy/E&R majors only. Permission required.
Target course for PHIL 3811/001 (Philosophy Writing Workshop)
In this course we will consider the major philosophical figures of the early modern period, with a focus on their metaphysics and epistemology. These thinkers grappled with the philosophical implications of the rise of modern science and the decline of Aristotelianism and formulated many of the philosophical problems that are with us to this day. Readings will include those of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Topics covered are wide-ranging; they include the mind-body problem, the existence of God, the nature of thought, the nature of space and time, personal identity, idealism, and the principle of sufficient reason.
4293/001 Ethical Theory (/5293) W, 3:00-6:00 Sankowski
This course aims primarily to foster critical thinking, dialogue, and intelligent choice and action about ethics. The course encourages the student to examine one's own moral ideas (and those of some others) with an appreciation of their history and the contemporary cultural contexts in which they have figured and now do figure. The course includes older, classical and more contemporary authors. The ethical concepts the course emphasizes are individual freedom, responsibility, and ideas about the best politics and ethics education (in light of one’s conceptions of freedom and responsibility). Authors and works examined will include some subset of the following: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (selections); Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (selections); J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism (selections) OR Mill, On Liberty (selections); J.-P. Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions (selection, possibly consisting of the essay, “Existentialism”); C. Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity (selections); P. Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization, Second Edition (selections). Adjustments in the readings may be necessary depending on prior courses taken by students in the class. There will be a midterm and a final, both primarily essay-focused exams. There will be a paper required of all students in the class; this will be ten pages minimum for undergraduates and fifteen pages minimum for graduate students. The class will proceed by lectures constantly supplemented by Socratic question and discussion to the extent possible given class size. Texts: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics; Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Mill, Utilitarianism/On Liberty; Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity; Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization (2nd edition). Possibly some supplementary readings if available through legally acceptable copying and if price is within legally acceptable limits.
4523/900 Epistemology (/5523) R, 3:00-6:00 Silver
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with determining the nature, structure, and extent of human knowledge. This course will serve as a survey of the most serious problems faced by both classical and contemporary epistemologists. With respect to knowledge, there are two fundamental questions that we will attempt to answer: What is knowledge? How much can we know? Contemporary debates over the nature (internalism/externalism) and structure (coherentism/ foundationalism) of epistemic justification will be examined along with the debate over the connection between epistemic and ethical normativity (the ethics of belief).
4893/900 Senior Capstone TR, 12:00-1:15 Riggs
The capstone will be treated as a kind of Senior Thesis course. The primary goal will be to help each student write a substantive research paper on a topic of her choosing. The second half of the course will be spent with students presenting their ongoing work to the class, culminating in class presentations of preliminary complete drafts of their papers. The first half of the course will be spent on the presentation and discussion of research that students will do on the various broad areas of philosophy. This will both help round out the students’ philosophical knowledge as well as helping them narrow down the topic of their research paper for the course. There will be no required texts for the course. All required readings will be provided either online or on library reserve.
Unless otherwise noted, the prerequisite for courses in philosophy numbered 5000 and above is twelve hours of philosophy. Other specific prerequisites are so indicated.
5143/001 Symbolic Logic II T, 3:00-6:00 Hawthorne
The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the scope and limits of formal logic and computation. We will begin with an introduction to basic set theory. We employ set theory to characterize the semantics of predicate logic with identity. We then use this characterization to investigate the fundamental properties of the logic: (1) the soundness and completeness of certain syntactic methods for determining whether arguments are valid; (2) the undecidability of whether collections of sentences are logically consistent; (3) the Skolem-Lowenheim Theorems, which show there are important limitations on the expressive power of the logic. And we’ll study the two “Godel Incompleteness Theorems”, which show the inability of any logic to compute all the truths about the natural numbers that are expressible in arithmetic, and show that any consistent theory strong enough to represent the natural numbers cannot “prove its own consistency”.
5293/001 Ethical Theory (/4293/001) TR, 3:00-4:15 Sankowski
This course aims primarily to foster critical thinking, dialogue, and intelligent choice and action about ethics. The course encourages the student to examine one's own moral ideas (and those of some others) with an appreciation of their history and the contemporary cultural contexts in which they have figured and now do figure. The course includes older, classical and more contemporary authors. The ethical concepts the course emphasizes are individual freedom, responsibility, and ideas about the best politics and ethics education (in light of one’s conceptions of freedom and responsibility). Authors and works examined will include some subset of the following: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (selections); Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (selections); J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism (selections) OR Mill, On Liberty (selections); J.-P. Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions (selection, possibly consisting of the essay, “Existentialism”); C. Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity (selections); P. Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization, Second Edition (selections). Adjustments in the readings may be necessary depending on prior courses taken by students in the class. There will be a midterm and a final, both primarily essay-focused exams. There will be a paper required of all students in the class; this will be ten pages minimum for undergraduates and fifteen pages minimum for graduate students. The class will proceed by lectures constantly supplemented by Socratic question and discussion to the extent possible given class size. Texts: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics; Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Mill, Utilitarianism/On Liberty; Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity; Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization (2nd edition). Possibly some supplementary readings if available through legally acceptable copying and if price is within legally acceptable limits.
5313/001 Aristotle T, 7:00-10:00 Benson
The aim of this course is to introduce advanced undergraduates and graduate students to Aristotle's philosophical works. The enormity and diversity of Aristotle's works make it impossible - even in a survey course - to survey them all. Accordingly, we will focus our attention on the following works: Topics, Categories, Posterior Analytics, Physics, Metaphysics, De Anima, and Nicomachean Ethics. (Even so, in many of these cases we will only read part of the work.) These works represent early Aristotle as well as later Aristotle. They also represent Aristotle's methodology, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of nature, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and ethics.
The course will not presuppose any previous exposure to Aristotle or ancient philosophy in general. Although, students who have been exposed to either will find the course somewhat easier. The requirements for the course are yet to be determined. Text: McKeon (ed.), The Basic Works of Aristotle.
5523/900 Epistemology (/4523/900) TR, 4:30-5:45 Silver
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with determining the nature, structure, and extent of human knowledge. This course will serve as a survey of the most serious problems faced by both classical and contemporary epistemologists. With respect to knowledge, there are two fundamental questions that we will attempt to answer: What is knowledge? How much can we know? Contemporary debates over the nature (internalism/externalism) and structure (coherentism/ foundationalism) of epistemic justification will be examined along with the debate over the connection between epistemic and ethical normativity (the ethics of belief).
6393/001 Seminar- History of Philosophy M, 3:00-6:00 Cook
This seminar will investigate selected problems in interpreting modern philosophers, in particular in interpreting the Cartesians (understanding this to cover Descartes as well as his followers). I have not yet determined exactly what we will cover, but one area we will investigate will be actualism and possibilism in modern philosophy. As preparation for investigating this area, we will read some contemporary work on actualism by such people as Christopher Menzel and Karen Bennett to get clear on what it means to say that someone is an actualist. We will then work though some modern philosophers: Descartes, Arnauld, Leibniz, Desgabets (of course), Spinoza, and perhaps some minor figures such as P.S. Régis, Christoph Wittich, and Louis de La Ville. (We might also do a little medieval stuff.) Other possible areas of investigation are which Cartesians are representationalists, which Cartesians assume or argue that there are only two kinds of substances, and how the various Cartesians understand the union of mind and body.
6543/900 Seminar- Philosophy of Mind R, 7:00-10:00 Montminy
The topic of this seminar is content externalism, that is, the view that one’s mental content depends in part on one’s physical and social environment. We will examine the main arguments for and against this view. We will also explore the related issues of mental causation and self-knowledge. Other externalist views will be discussed, namely the so-called “extended mind”, that is, the view according to which objects in one’s environment are part of one’s mind, and externalist conceptions of epistemic justification.
6793/900 Seminar- Social & Political Philosophy W, 7:00-10:00 Trachtenberg
This course aims to provide a philosophical context for current debates about the relation between church and state. We will take two approaches to the issue.
On the one hand, we will survey a range of positions that can be found in the western tradition of social and political philosophy, roughly from Aquinas to Mill. We will examine what leading authors have said about the relation between government and religion specifically, and we will try to interpret their views more generally, in light of their broad ideas about the proper relations between state, civil society, and the individual. We will also consider the interplay between theorists, taking note of how the authors we read responded to each other's views.
On the other hand, we will consider the how theoretical positions on the role of religion in political life are reflected in political institutions. We shall take as our primary example the implementation of a broadly liberal political theory by the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom. We shall consider the theory underlying the "Establishment" and "Free Exercise" Clauses by analyzing arguments on role of religion presented by Jefferson and Madison.
Readings for the course will consist of selections from primary sources (Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Rousseau, Jefferson, Madison, Constant, Mill, and Marx), as well as relevant secondary essays.
Written work for the course will consist of weekly reading reports (500 words) about secondary treatments of the primary authors, and a research paper in APA conference paper format (3,000 word limit) on a topic to be determined in consultation with the instructor.
1013/001 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 8:30-9:20 Taylor
This course will serve as an introduction to a wide-range of philosophical issues and thinkers. During the semester
we will note important commonalities and differences in the various approaches to the central human questions from the
meaning of life, to what we can know, to how we ought to act in the world. We will examine Chinese, Indian, Ancient,
Medieval, Modern, Existentialist, and Pragmatist thinkers.
1013/002 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 9:30-10:20 Tallman
In this course we will ponder a variety of philosophical questions. We will ask whether we can know anything with certainty – even our own existence. Can we know that God exists, and if he does, what is he like? Why does he allow evil in
the world? What is art, and what does it mean for something to be “good” art? Is there such a thing as a soul, and if there is,
how is it connected to the body? Does the language we use influence the way we think? Are any of our actions really free?
How should we think about death? Text: Bowie, Michaels, and Solomon, Twenty Questions: An Introduction to
Philosophy, sixth edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2007.
1013/003 *Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 10:30-11:20 Ellis
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to some basic topics in philosophy - metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, etc. In order to achieve this goal, we will examine some specific philosophical questions (e.g., is there a God? how are mind and body connected?). Students must be prepared to participate in class, since their interests and input will guide our inquiry.
Texts: William Lawhead, The Philosophical Journey, latest Edition, Mayfield Publishing: Mountain View, CA, 200? Plato, Five Dialogues, trans. G.M.A. Grube, Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis, 1981, John Perry, A Dialogue on Personal Identity, Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis, 1978 Additional materials will be available through the Bizzell Library reserve system (as necessary).
1013/004 *Introduction to Philosophy (HONORS) MWF, 10:30-11:20 Trachtenberg
This section requires permission of the Honor's Office for enrollment
In this course students will spend the semester engaged in a close reading of Plato’s Republic. The Republic is an excellent introduction to Philosophy not simply because of its profound influence, but also because it weaves together metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and political ideas into a comprehensive point of view. Studying it therefore allows us to engage our intellectual heritage, but also to become acquainted with some of the main areas of Philosophy, and how they are interrelated. The written work for the course will consist of a series of bi-weekly paraphrases of sections of the text; students will present their work to the class, and will also be responsible for commenting on each other’s reports. The final exam will ask students to interpret the Republic as a whole. Textbook: Plato, Republic, tr. Desmond Lee, Penguin ed. ISBN: 0-14-044048
1013/005 *Introduction to Philosophy TR, 9:00-10:15 Silver
This course offers a broad survey of fundamental philosophical problems, and the answers which have been proposed for them. After a short introduction to logic, we will turn to a number of the central debates in nearly all of the main branches of philosophy: epistemology (the nature and possibility of knowledge of God, the external world, etc.), metaphysics (the nature of mind and the freedom of the will), ethics (what is the good life and which actions are morally right and wrong?), and political philosophy (what is justice? how can our political obligations be justified?). This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the main branches of philosophy, as well as to provide the critical skills needed for further philosophical inquiries.
1013/006 *Introduction to Philosophy TR, 10:30-11:45 Silver
This course offers a broad survey of fundamental philosophical problems, and the answers which have been proposed for them. After a short introduction to logic, we will turn to a number of the central debates in nearly all of the main branches of philosophy: epistemology (the nature and possibility of knowledge of God, the external world, etc.), metaphysics (the nature of mind and the freedom of the will), ethics (what is the good life and which actions are morally right and wrong?), and political philosophy (what is justice? how can our political obligations be justified?). This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the main branches of philosophy, as well as to provide the critical skills needed for further philosophical inquiries.
1013/900 *Introduction to Philosophy W, 6:30-9:20 Thurmond
This course is an introduction to philosophy as both an academic discipline and an activity. We will study major
philosophical works and popular movies with themes that include appearance and reality, good and right, freedom and
determinism, existence of God and human nature.
1103/001 ***Critical Reasoning MWF, 10:30-11:20 Seachris
An informal survey of evaluative principles of reasoning. The Application of these principles is emphasized, and common errors and fallacies in everyday, ethical, legal, and scientific reasoning are discussed. This course is not a course in formal symbolic logic or mathematical logic.
1103/900 ***Critical Reasoning TR, 4:30-5:45 Franks
An informal survey of evaluative principles of reasoning. The Application of these principles is emphasized, and common errors and fallacies in everyday, ethical, legal, and scientific reasoning are discussed. This course is not a course in formal symbolic logic or mathematical logic.
1113/001 *** Introduction to Logic MWF, 8:30-9:20 Jones
Prerequisite: Math 0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
Logic, for our purpose, is the study of methods of evaluating arguments. We will focus on developing skills that allow us to distinguish good arguments from bad ones. These skills include the recognition, reformation, construction, and evaluation of arguments. Developing these skills will serve the practical function of enabling us to better evaluate arguments on many topics and from many sources. As if this were not enough, many of you will also find that the study of logic is intrinsically interesting, as well.
1113/002 ***Introduction to Logic TR, 12:00-1:15 Johnson
Prerequisite: Math 0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test
This course will introduce you to the central concepts of Logic. Our primary focus will be Deductive Logic and the logical concepts related to it: truth, tautology, contradiction, contingent sentence, valid deductive argument, logically consistent set of sentences, logically equivalent pair of sentences. You will learn techniques for evaluating the logical properties of sentences and arguments. We will first study the logic of compound sentences, sentential logic. Next, we will investigate the logic that attends the internal structure of sentences, predicate logic. Then we will briefly study Inductive Logic, the logic through which evidence may support a hypothesis or theory. The course will conclude with an investigation of the role of logic in a philosophical theory of the nature of human knowledge.
1113/900 ***Introduction to Logic M, 6:30-9:20 Southworth
Prerequisite: Math 0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
An introduction to modern logic and its applications. Emphasis is placed on deductive logic, but may also include some treatment of inductive logic. The topics to be covered in the class will include: various common fallacies, truth, tautology,
contradiction, contingent sentences, valid deductive arguments, logically consistent sets of sentences and logically equivalent
pairs of sentences. No books will need to be purchased for this class.
1203/001 *Human Destiny TR, 1:30-2:45 Olberding
What does it mean to live well? To be happy? To be satisfied with one's life? This course will consider these questions from a variety of philosophical frameworks, paying particular attention to practical philosophical strategies for achieving well-being and managing common human struggles. Topics will include: emotion, desire, friendship, death, and loss. Texts: Lucretius, On the Nature of Things (Smith, trans.); Chuang Tzu, The Inner Chapters (Graham, trans.); Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates (Grube, trans.); Confucius, The Analects of Confucius (Ames, trans.); Mascaro (trans.), The Bhagavad Gita.
1213/001 *Introduction to Ethics MWF, 9:30-10:20 Purinton
This course is an introductory survey of moral philosophy. There are two required textbooks: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (5th edn.) and Mappes and Zembaty, Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy (7th edn.). The former offers an overview of the major ethical theories. The latter is a collection of readings on ethical problems like abortion and euthanasia. Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be determined by exams and daily quizzes.
1213/002 *Introduction to Ethics MWF, 10:30-12:20 Purinton
This course is an introductory survey of moral philosophy. There are two required textbooks: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (5th edn.) and Mappes and Zembaty, Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy (7th edn.). The former offers an overview of the major ethical theories. The latter is a collection of readings on ethical problems like abortion and euthanasia. Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be determined by exams and daily quizzes.
1213/003 *Introduction to Ethics TR, 9:00-10:15 Irvin
How should we live? What is the nature of a just society? Can the diverse moral values of different cultures be reconciled? What is the ultimate foundation of morality? This course introduces you to the tools you need to think critically about such questions and surveys some of the answers philosophers have offered. It also applies philosophical theories to specific moral issues such as poverty and famine, the environment, business transactions, euthanasia, and animal rights.Texts: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (current edition), and a photocopied course pack.
1213/900 *Introduction to Ethics T, 6:30-9:20 Hunter
Basic issues in moral philosophy examined through a consideration of selected philosophers, including a sampling of normative theories as well as an introduction to issues of metaethics.
3023/900 *Aesthetics & the Philosophy of Art TR, 4:30-5:45 Irvin
In this course, we’ll consider a variety of questions about art: What is art’s purpose? What makes one artwork better than
another? How do we decide which is better, and do some people’s judgments carry more authority than others’? Do artworks
have an overriding value for society? What’s the right way to interpret an artwork? We will look at some particular art forms,
including photography, fashion and popular music. To keep the texture of real art in mind, we will look at images, listen to music,
etc. We will consider aesthetics (traditionally, the study of beauty) in relation to our understanding of nature and of everyday
experience. Text: photocopied course pack including a mixture of historical and contemporary works by philosophers and art
theorists.
3253/001 *History of Ethics (meets with 3853/001) MWF, 1:00-2:20 Silver
Prerequisite: 1213 + one of the following (1013, 1103, 1113, 1203, 2023, 2403, 2900)
This course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of normative ethics by way of an inquiry into the history of moral theory. The course will cover material from the classical, medieval, and modern periods, as well as from contemporary philosophers. Authors examined will include: Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Sextus Empiricus, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, and Gilbert Harman.
3273/001 *Ethics in Business MWF, 12:30-1:20 Ellis
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy or junior standing.
This course looks at more that how businesses can “play nice.” We will start with the ethical presuppositions of business behavior in the capitalist system. After examining issues such as the moral importance of economic efficiency and the legitimacy of the profit motive, we will draw some lessons about the general rights and responsibilities of businesses. We will then consider some specific topics in light of those lessons: government intervention in markets, labor relations, environmental concerns, etc.
3293/001 *Environmental Ethics TR, 3:00-4:15 Irvin
In this course, we will consider that answers that philosophers have offered to a variety of ethical questions about nature:
What are our duties with respect to non-human animals and the natural environment? Are all of our duties in these areas derived
From our duties to other human beings (including members of future generations), or can we have duties to nature for its own sake? Do we have duties primarily to individual organisms, or to entire species or ecosystems? Do we have duties only to living
things, or also to non-living things? Should non-human animals be included in our moral community? What kind of human life is
desirable, given the answers to these other questions? Text: Schmidtz and Willott, Environmental Ethics: What Really Matters,
What Really Works, possibly accompanied by a photocopied course pack.
3313/001 *History of Ancient Phil (meets with 3813/001) TR, 10:30-11:45 Benson
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203, 1213, 2023, 2403)
“Target course” for PHIL 3900/001 (Philosophy Writing Workshop)
After a brief survey of the philosophical views of the Pre-Socratic philosophers, the bulk of the course will fall into three major sections: (1) the philosophy of Socrates, during which we will study Plato's Apology, Crito, Euthyphro, and Meno, (2) the philosophy of Plato, during which we will study Plato's Meno, Phaedo, and Republic, and (3) the philosophy of Aristotle, during which we will study parts of Aristotle's Categories, Physics, De Anima and Nicomachean Ethics. Time permitting we will conclude the course with a brief survey of the four Post Aristotelian schools: Epicureanism, Stoicism, Skepticism, and NeoPlatonism. We will consider issues in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Our primary concern will be to interpret these philosophical texts, but also to some extent to evaluate them. Text: Cohen, Curd, and Reeve (eds.), Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Aristotle (3rd edn.).
3333/001 *History of Modern Phil (meets with 3833/001) MWF, 2:30-3:30 Roche
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
In this course we will consider the major philosophical figures of the early modern period, with a focus on their metaphysics and epistemology. These thinkers grappled with the philosophical implications of the rise of modern science and the decline of Aristotelianism and formulated many of the philosophical problems that are with us to this day. Readings will include those of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Topics covered are wide-ranging; they include the mind-body problem, the existence of God, the nature of thought, the nature of space and time, personal identity, idealism, and the principle of sufficient reason.
3393/001 *20th Century Anglo-American Phil TR, 12:00-1:15 Montminy
Prerequisite: Six hours of philosophy or junior standing.
In this course, we will explore some of the main topics of interest in Anglo-American philosophy, concentraiting on its four “core” areas, namely metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language and philosophy of mind. We will examine the views of influential philosophers on questions such as: What is the world made up of? What is the nature of time? What is knowledge, and do we have any? What is the relationship between thought and language, and which comes first? How is the mind related to the body? Can computers think? Text: photocopied course pack including a mixture of historical and contemporary works.
3443/001 *Modern Philosophy of Religion MWF, 2:30-3:20 Judisch
This course focuses on work on religious topics produced by philosophers from the beginnings of the modern era
(circa 1600) through the early twentieth century. Much of this work concerns the rationality of religious belief- including such
questions as whether and how religious belief is or must be ‘based upon’ reason – but we will also look closely at metaphysical
topics at the intersection of philosophy and theology. Philosophers to be studied include Descartes, Malabranche, Leibniz, Locke,
Hume, Kierkegaard, Pascal, James, Wittgenstein and others. Texts: Pojman, Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology (4th Edn.)
Supplementary Anthology available at King Copy.
3503/001 Self & Identity MWF, 1:30-2:20 Elugardo
Prerequisite: 1013 or permission of instructor
This course is an introduction to several important philosophical questions about the self. What are we? If there is something called “the self,” what is it? What makes me the same person I was some time ago, and what will make me the same person in the future? What role, if any, do my relations will others have in making up my self? What is self-knowledge, and how can I get it? Course requirements and textbooks will be announced in class.
3533/001 *Language, Communication and Knowledge MWF, 2:30-3:20 Elugardo
This course is, in large part, a philosophical investigation of the (alleged) semantic-pragmatic distinction. We will also focus on other subsidiary topics, such as context-sensitivity, reference, speech-acts, implicature, presupposition, and metaphor. Course requirements and textbooks will be determined at a future date.
3633/ 001 *The Nature of Science TR, 3:00-4:15 Riggs
Prerequisite: Six hours of Philosophy or junior standing.
Issues related to the nature and scope of science. Topics may include distinguishing science from pseudo-science; the
nature of science theories; the history of scientific progress; and the theory-ladeness of observation. Also, brief
comparisons of different special sciences may be made in order to investigate what they have in common and what is special
to each.
3713/001 History of Soc & Political Philosophy MWF, 12:30-1:20 Trachtenberg
Prerequisite for non-majors, eight hours of social science
This course will survey several of the major figures in the Western tradition of philosophical reflection on society. Authors to be read include: Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Mill. Lectures and small-group discussions on these authors will explore a number of important interrelated Themes, including legitimacy, obligation, sovereignty, human nature, natural law and natural right, property rights, and religion. The course will explore the broad contrast between two conceptions of
the role of government: ancient “perfectionism” (the idea that government should improve its citizens as human beings) and modern liberalism (the idea that government should protect its citizens’ freedom to live as they please).
Course work will consist of in-class writing exercises, a term paper, and a final exam.
Text: Classics of Moral and Political Theory, ed. Michael Morgan, Hackett, ISBN: 0-87220-577-0. Readings will also be available on the internet through the course website.
3811/001 Philosophy Writing Workshop F, 9:30-10:15 Elugardo
Prerequisite: co-requisite with 3813, 3833 or 3853
Intensive instruction on how to write papers in philosophy. Students will use the workshop to help them write the term paper for a designated target class, in which they must be concurrently enrolled.
3813/001 *History of Ancient Phil for Majors (meets with 3313/001) TR, 10:30-11:45 Benson
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203, 1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
After a brief survey of the philosophical views of the Pre-Socratic philosophers, the bulk of the course will fall into three major sections: (1) the philosophy of Socrates, during which we will study Plato's Apology, Crito, Euthyphro, and Meno, (2) the philosophy of Plato, during which we will study Plato's Meno, Phaedo, and Republic, and (3) the philosophy of Aristotle, during which we will study parts of Aristotle's Categories, Physics, De Anima and Nicomachean Ethics. Time permitting we will conclude the course with a brief survey of the four Post Aristotelian schools: Epicureanism, Stoicism, Skepticism, and NeoPlatonism. We will consider issues in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Our primary concern will be to interpret these philosophical texts, but also to some extent to evaluate them. Text: Cohen, Curd, and Reeve (eds.), Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Aristotle (3rd edn.).
3833/001 *History of Modern Phil for Majors (meets with 3333/001) MWF, 2:30-3:20 Roche
Prerequisite: 1013 + one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
In this course we will consider the major philosophical figures of the early modern period, with a focus on their metaphysics and epistemology. These thinkers grappled with the philosophical implications of the rise of modern science and the decline of Aristotelianism and formulated many of the philosophical problems that are with us to this day. Readings will include those of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Topics covered are wide-ranging; they include the mind-body problem, the existence of God, the nature of thought, the nature of space and time, personal identity, idealism, and the principle of sufficient reason.
3853/001 *History of Ethics (meets with 3253/001) MWF, 1:00-2:20 Silver
Prerequisite: 1213 + one of the following (1013, 1103, 1113, 1203, 2023, 2403, 2900)
This course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of normative ethics by way of an inquiry into the history of moral theory. The course will cover material from the classical, medieval, and modern periods, as well as from contemporary philosophers. Authors examined will include: Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Sextus Empiricus, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, and Gilbert Harman.
4133/001 Symbolic Logic I TR, 1:30-2:45 Riggs
This course is an introduction to the techniques and results of modern symbolic logic. We will focus on the syntax and the semantics of first-order logic, with an emphasis on constructing proofs in the logical system and an even heavier emphasis on working with its semantics. The course will prepare interested students for the more detailed study of logic the following spring in Symbolic Logic II, but many students who don't plan to pursue logic beyond this course will find the current material useful. The latest information about this course will be posted at the course homepage: http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/R/Wayne.D.Riggs-1/courses/logic/index.html.
4473/900 Philosophy of Religion (meets with 5473) W, 7:00-10:00 Judisch
This course focuses on work on religious topics produced by philosophers from the beginnings of the modern era (circa 1600) through the early twentieth century. Much of this work concerns the rationality of religious belief – including such questions as whether and how religious belief is or must be ‘based upon’ reason – but we will also look closely at metaphysical topics at the intersection of philosophy and theology. Philosophers to be studied include Descartes, Malabranche, Leibniz, Locke, Hume, Kierkegaard, Pascal, James, Wittgenstein and others.
Required Texts: Pojman, Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology (4th edition).Supplementary Anthology available at King Copy.
4513/001 Metaphysics (meets with 5513) R,3:00-6:00 Montminy
The first part of this course is a survey of some of the most important topics in metaphysics: existence, universals, modality, causation, time and the realism/anti-realism debate. The second part of the course is a more in-depth examination of three issues, namely personal identity, free will and the mind-body problem. Text: photocopied course pack
4613/001 Philosophy of Science (meets with 5613) R, 7:00-10:00 Hawthorne
Topics: 1. Overview, Inference, Logic 2. Observation 3. Laws and Theories 4. Models and Idealizations
5. Explanation 6. Prediction, Testing, and Confirmation 7. Measurement and Experimentation 8. Conceptual Change and Scientific Revolutions 9. Realism and its Alternatives (if time permits) 10. Odds & Ends
Texts: John Losee, A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, 4th/ed., Oxford, 2001.• Carl Hempel,
Philosophy of Natural Science, Prentice-Hall, 1966.• T. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press (Trd); 3rd/edition, 1996.• Ian Hacking, Representing and Intervening: Introductory Topics in the Philosophy of Natural
Science, Cambridge University Press, 1983.• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy—SEP; we will make heavy use of this (and of other sites on the internet) http://plato.stanford.edu.
Useful Background• I. Bernard Cohen, The Birth of a New Physics. W.W. Norton & Company; Revised and Updated edition (September 1991) ISBN: 0393300455 • Michael Matthews, ed., The
Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy: Selected Readings, Hackett, 1989
5333/900 Rationalism M, 4:00-7:00 Roche
This course is a survey of the philosophical thought of René Descartes (1596-1650), Nicolas Malebranche (1638-1715), Benedictus (or Baruch) Spinoza (1632-1677), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), generally regarded as the primary continental rationalists. We will focus on their epistemology and metaphysics. Topics covered will include the new mechanistic outlook of the early modern period, the notion of substance, the mind-body problem, proofs for the existence of God, the theory of ideas, occasionalism, necessitarianism and contingency, freedom, and the nature of space and time.
5473/900 Philosophy of Religion (meets with 4473) W, 7:00-10:00 Judisch
This is a survey course covering the state of the art in contemporary (analytic) philosophy of
religion. The readings will be selected from very recent contributions to the discipline and slightly older but still respectably
contemporary contributions (from the 1970s, for example). We will discuss the many problems of creaturely freedom and divine freedom within the framework of traditional theistic metaphysics. We will also discuss the nature of God’s relation to the created order (in particular, how God sustains and governs the world via divine providence) and what this implies about the workings of the world. In addition to these metaphysical topics we will examine a range of traditional topics: the problem of evil, the
possibility of immortality and resurrection, the relation between religion and morality, the rationality of religious belief and the implications of religious experience.
Texts: T. Morris, Divine and Human Action: Essays in the Metaphysics of Theism. Supplementary Anthology available at King Kopy.
5513/001 Metaphysics (meets with 4513) R,3:00-6:00 Montminy
The first part of this course is a survey of some of the most important topics in metaphysics: existence, universals, modality, causation, time and the realism/anti-realism debate. The second part of the course is a more in-depth examination of three issues, namely personal identity, free will and the mind-body problem. Text: photocopied course pack.
5613/001 Philosophy of Science (meets with 4613) R, 7:00-10:00 Hawthorne
Topics: 1. Overview, Inference, Logic 2. Observation 3. Laws and Theories 4. Models and Idealizations
5. Explanation 6. Prediction, Testing, and Confirmation 7. Measurement and Experimentation 8. Conceptual Change and Scientific Revolutions 9. Realism and its Alternatives (if time permits) 10. Odds & Ends
Texts: John Losee, A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, 4th/ed., Oxford, 2001.• Carl Hempel,
Philosophy of Natural Science, Prentice-Hall, 1966.• T. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago
Press (Trd); 3rd/edition, 1996.• Ian Hacking, Representing and Intervening: Introductory Topics in the Philosophy of Natural
Science, Cambridge University Press, 1983.• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy—SEP; we will make heavy use of this (and of
other sites on the internet) http://plato.stanford.edu.Useful Background• I. Bernard Cohen, The Birth of a New Physics. W.W.
Norton & Company; Revised and Updated edition (September 1991) ISBN: 0393300455 • Michael Matthews, ed., The
Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy: Selected Readings, Hackett, 1989
5900/900 Philosophy as a Profession M, 8:00-10:00 Benson
6173/001 Seminar- Philosophy of Logic T, 3:00-6:00 Hawthorne
Is there such a thing as an inductive logic, a logic by which evidence can provide empirical support for hypotheses?
Ever since Hume first raised the problem of induction, many philosophers have doubted the possibility of such a logic. If they are
right, then in what sense are our best scientific theories any better supported epistemically than so-called pseudo-sciences like
astrology? In this course we will investigate the nature of inductive logic. In particular we will study one of the better attempts at working out such a logic, the probabilistic logic called Bayesian confirmation theory. We will learn how this logic works and the extent to which it can be justified as a method for acquiring knowledge.
6393/900 Seminar- Chinese Philosophy T, 7:00-10:00 Olberding
This course is devoted to an examination of the foundational Confucian text, the Lunyu or Analects. While the
authorship of this text is unclear, the Analects provides what most scholars judge to be the clearest account of the thought of Confucius. Written as a series of observations, conversations, and accounts of Confucius’ activities the text is at once laconic and highly suggestive. In this course we will pursue two related governing themes: 1) the text’s ethical vision as it appears in Confucius' claims and responses to interlocutors and 2) the figure of Confucius as the sagely protagonist in a narrative about self-cultivation. Our strategy for pursuing these themes will mirror that evidenced in the text in that we will patchwork together the broader themes through a consideration of specific values and commitments averred in the text. We will take up discrete topics forcareful analysis and interpretation with the aim of threading these into a more comprehensive account of Confucian virtue and sageliness.
6523/001 Seminar- Epistemology W, 3:00-6:00 Riggs
This course will be an in-depth consideration of readings in some specific topic within contemporary epistemology. The
precise topic has yet to be determined. Possibilities include contextualism, testimonial knowledge, and credit theories of knowledge. Interested parties should feel free to contact Professor Riggs at wriggs@ou.edu. The requirements for the course will include in-class presentations and a term paper.
1013/001 *Introduction to Philosophy
MWF, 8:30-9:20 Oakes
The goal of this course is
to introduce the student to some basic topics in philosophy. We will start with
a very brief section on general logical arguments and then move into arguments
for and against the existence of God. We will consider arguments for personal
identity, skepticism, and many other facets of philosophy. Students will have some
input concerning the direction of the course. Students must be prepared to
attend and participate in class, since their interests and input will guide our
inquiry. Texts: Lawhead, The Philosophical Journey (2nd edn.); Plato, Five
Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (2nd edn.)
1013/002
*Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 11:30-12:20 Trachtenberg
Philosophy, like other
disciplines in the Humanities, explores some of life's most fundamental
questions. What is distinctive about Philosophy is its effort to address these
questions through the human capacity to reason: philosophical answers are based
on reasoned arguments, which analyze and seek to justify beliefs. Thus,
Philosophy is a kind of self-examination, in which you discover what you think,
and then reflect on whether your opinions are really worth holding. This is the
essence of the life of reason: to look critically at your own ideas.
During the term you will
examine your views on several core philosophical topics: the existence of God,
the possibility of knowing about the world, what makes actions moral, and the
justifications for governmental authority. Along the way you will:
Work for the course will
include brief in-class and homework exercises, 3 in-class exams, and a final.
Required text: Solomon, The Big Questions: A Short Introduction to
Philosophy (7th ed) Recommended text: Scott-Kakures, et al., History
of Philosophy (Harper Collins College Outline)
1013/003
*Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 11:30-12:20 Trachtenberg
Description: The goal of this course is to
introduce the student to some basic topics in philosophy - metaphysics,
epistemology, ethics, etc. In order to achieve this goal, we will examine some
specific philosophical questions (e.g., is there a God? how are mind and body
connected?). Students must be prepared to participate in class, since their
interests and input will guide our inquiry.
Texts: William Lawhead, The
Philosophical Journey, latest Edition, Mayfield Publishing: Mountain View,
CA, 200?; Plato, Five Dialogues, trans. G.M.A. Grube, Hackett
Publishing: Indianapolis, 1981; John Perry, A Dialogue on Personal Identity,
Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis, 1978. Additional materials will be available
through the Bizzell Library reserve system (as necessary).
1013/004
*Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 3:30-4:20 Hodge
Basic problems of
philosophy exploring through a consideration of selected philosophers. Text: TBA
1013/005 *
Introduction to Philosophy TR, 10:30-11:45 New/Visitor
Basic problems of
philosophy exploring through a consideration of selected philosophers. Text: TBA
1013/006
*Introduction to Philosophy TR, 10:30-11:45 Badhwar
This section
requires permission of the Honor's Office for enrollment
This course is an introduction
to philosophy through a study of seminal texts of enduring importance. We human
beings are intensely interested in ourselves, and many academic disciplines,
such as psychology and biology, sociology, history, or economics, are
investigate different aspects of human nature. Philosophers raise more general
and fundamental questions about human nature, questions on which these
disciplines are silent. For example, psychology asks: "How do we acquire
knowledge?" assuming that we know what it is and that it is possible.
Philosophy, like a naive child, asks: "What is knowledge? Is it
possible?"
Among the topics we will
discuss in this course are the nature of knowledge, the nature of human
freedom, the mind-body relationship, evolution and our relation to animals, the
foundation of morality, gender and nature, and the nature of friendship.
Through an exploration of these questions, the course will introduce you to the
major branches of philosophy - metaphysics, ethics, and epistemology - and the
work of some major philosophers (and scientists) who have changed our
conception of ourselves and the world we live in. The course will also help you
develop the analytic and argumentative skills needed for a philosophical
examination of issues - not just the issues that arise in this and other
philosophy classes you take, but also the issues that arise in everyday life.
Logic is also a major branch of philosophy, but we will use it rather than
study it.
The three objectives of
this course, then, are: (1) familiarity with the major branches of philosophy;
(2) familiarity with the work of some major philosophers; and (3) development
of the analytic and argumentative skills needed for a philosophical examination
of important issues. Texts: Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates (3rd edn.; Grube, trans.); Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols or, How to
Philosophize with a Hammer; The Anti-Christ (Hollingdale, trans.); Mill, The
Subjection of Women (Okin, ed.); Freud, Civilization and Its
Discontents (Strachey, trans.); Introduction to Philosophy (Honors),
Primus text (McGraw-Hill).
1013/004
*Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 3:30-4:20 New/Visitor
Basic problems of
philosophy exploring through a consideration of selected philosophers. Text: TBA
1013/004
*Introduction to Philosophy MWF, 3:30-4:20 GA
Basic problems of
philosophy exploring through a consideration of selected philosophers. Text: TBA
1103/001
****Critical Reasoning MWF, 10:30-11:20 Cook
The purpose of this course
is to improve your skills at critical thinking. We will focus on real-world
reasoning and will approach it through the consideration of psychological
students of how people reason badly. The idea is that awareness of ways in
which people reason badly, coupled with some practice at avoiding them, can
make you a better reasoner. Topics include biases and distortions in perception
and memory, fallacies, the effects of context and emotions on thought, and
pitfalls in probabilistic reasoning. Text: Swoyer, The Critical Reasoning Course
Manual, available at King Kopy Shop (108 E. Lindsey).
1103/002
****Critical Reasoning TR, 12:00-1:15 Swoyer
This course focuses on
real-world reasoning. Topics include the nature and evaluation of evidence,
biases and distortions in perception and memory; the assessment of risks (like
that from terrorism), the role of emotions in thought; social aspects of
reasoning; superstition and pseudoscience, and prejudice. There will be three
examinations (including the final), and about one homework assignment, quiz, or
project each week. The text is The Critical Reasoning Course Manual.
It will be available at King Kopy Shop and on the world wide web. You can see
the exact list of topics we will cover and get a look at the course manual by
visiting the course homepage:
http://www.ou.edu/ouphil/faculty/chris/critreas.html.
1113/001
***Introduction to Logic MWF, 10:30-11:20 R. Johnson
Prerequisite: Math
0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
For our purposes, logic may
be characterized as the general study of arguments, with emphasis on the
principles and methods that enable us to distinguish good arguments from bad
ones. The study of logic comprises the recognition, re-casting, construction,
and evaluation of arguments. In this course we will approach logic both as a
practical means of improving our ability to assess arguments from a variety of
sources and as a discipline with an intrinsic interest of its own.
There will be three or four
examinations (probably four) and several brief quizzes. The exams and quizzes
will consist mainly of problems similar to those in the text. Hurley, A
Concise Introduction to Logic (8th edn.).
1113/002
***Introduction to Logic TR, 1:30-2:45 Hawthorne
Prerequisite: Math
0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
. This course will
introduce you to the central concepts of Logic. Our primary focus will
be Deductive Logic and the logical concepts related to it: truth,
tautology, contradiction, contingent sentence, valid deductive argument,
logically consistent set of sentences, logically equivalent pair of sentences.
You will learn techniques for evaluating the logical properties of sentences
and arguments. We will first study the logic of compound sentences, sentential
logic. Next, we will investigate the logic that attends the internal
structure of sentences, predicate logic. Then we will briefly study Inductive
Logic, the logic through which evidence may support a hypothesis or
theory. The course will conclude with an investigation of the role of logic in
a philosophical theory of the nature of human knowledge. Text: Russell, The
Problems of Philosophy.
1113/900
***Introduction to Logic TR, 6:30-9:20 Gutel
Prerequisite: Math
0123 or satisfactory score on Math Placement Test.
An argument is a set of
sentences in which one sentence, the conclusion, is supposed to be supported by
the rest, the premises. Some arguments fail, because their premises do not
support the conclusion. Some arguments are good, because the premises guarantee
the conclusion. Deductive logic is concerned with discovering which arguments
are good and which ones fail. One way to do this, and the method we will focus
on in this class, is by translating English arguments into a simple logical
language and constructing proofs in our logical language. Text: TBA
1203/001 *Human
Destiny TR, 9:00-11:15 Olberding
This course will pursue the
subject of "human destiny" as a pragmatically oriented concern about
the kinds of life human beings are best equipped to achieve and enjoy. We will
examine conceptions of the good life as they specifically pertain to apparently
intractable and inescapable features of human experience, such as desire and
frustration, suffering and loss, and, above all, death. Texts: The Analects
of Confucius, tran. Roger Ames and Henry Rosemont, Ballantine Books, 1998.
ISBN: 0-345-43407-2; Lucretius, On the Nature of Things, trans. Martin Ferguson
Smith, Hackett Publishing, 1969. ISBN: 0-87220-587-8; The Trial and Death
of Socrates, trans. G.M.A. Grube, Hackett Publishing, Chuang Tzu: The
Inner Chapters, tran. A.C. Graham, Hackett Publishing ISBN: 0-87220-581-9;
Joel Kupperman, Six Myths About the Good Life
1213/001
*Introduction to Ethics MWF, 8:30-9:20 Dysart
This course is an
introductory survey of moral philosophy. We will address questions such as: How
ought we to live? Do we have duties to others and/or to ourselves? What are
rights, and where do they come from? Why should we be moral? In an effort to
answer these questions, we will study the major moral theories that have been
embraced throughout history, as well as examine how those theories can be
applied to specific moral issues. Classes will be a mixture of lecture and
discussion. Grades will be determined by exams and daily response papers.
Texts: Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th edn.)
and a photocopied course pack/
1213/002
*Introduction to Ethics MWF, 9:30-10:20 Purinton
This course is an
introductory survey of moral philosophy. There are two required textbooks:
Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th edn.) and
Mappes and Zembaty, Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy (6th edn.). The former offers an overview of the major ethical theories. The latter
is a collection of readings on ethical problems like abortion and euthanasia.
Classes will be a mixture of lecture and discussion. Grades will be determined
by exams and daily quizzes.
1213/003
*Introduction to Ethics TR,4:30-5:15 Irvin
Perhaps more than any other
university course you will take, PHIL 1213 is relevant to life outside the
classroom. We will address a variety of questions related to morality and the
nature of a good life: How should we live? What is the nature of a just
society? Can the diverse moral values held by members of different cultures be
reconciled? What is the ultimate foundation of morality? This course will
introduce you to the tools you need to think critically about such questions,
and will survey some of the answers philosophers have offered.
We will also examine how
philosophical theories can be applied to a number of specific moral issues.
Should our idea of moral community be extended to include animals? What are our
duties toward victims of poverty and famine? Is euthanasia or abortion morally
justifiable? Are there special moral considerations in the case of business
transactions? By the end of this course, you should have refined your thinking
about these issues and developed the skills to evaluate arguments for various
moral positions. Text: James Rachels' The Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th ed.) And a photocopied course pack.
1213/900
*Introduction to Ethics M, 6:30-9:20 Rhodes
"How ought we to
live? Socrates saw
this as the most important question one could ask, and in this course we will
treat it the same way. As such, we will use classical and contemporary sources
to study ethics not only in an academic, historical sense, but also in terms of
how we can ourselves make more moral choices and become better people. Text:
Ruggiero (ed.), Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues (6th edn.); Solomon and Martin, Morality and the Good Life, An Introduction to
Ethics Through Classical Sopurces (4th edn.); Plato, Five
Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (2nd edn.;
Grube, trans.).
Unless otherwise
noted, the prerequisite for courses in philosophy numbered 3000-3999 is six
hours of philosophy or junior standing.
3113/001 Reason,
Judgement, and Decision-Making MWF, 1:30-2:20 Ellis
This course is concerned
with several facets of good decision-making. We begin by considering what makes
a good decision. We will then look at various inputs to
decision-making (beliefs, values, understandings, etc.), common impediments to
good decision-making (with an eye toward developing decision skills), and the
relation between decision-making and morality. In order to examine these
topics, we will be drawing on suggestions from both philosophers and social
scientists.
TEXT: David Welch, Decisions, Decisions:
the Art of Effective Decision-Making, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2002.
Additional reading will be on reserve.
3253/001 *History
of Ethics (meets with 3853/001) MWF, 3:00-4:15 Sankowski
Prerequisite: 1213
+ one of the following (1013, 1103, 1113, 1203, 2023, 2403, 2900)
This course aims to
familiarize students with some aspects of the history of moral ideas, and also,
and primarily, to encourage critical thinking and dialogue about one's own
moral ideas with an appreciation of their history and the cultural contexts in
which they have figured. The course includes older, classical and more
contemporary authors. Authors and works examined will include some subset of
the following: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (selections); Kant, Groundwork
of the Metaphysics of Morals (selections); J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism (selections) OR Mill, On Liberty (selections); J.-P. Sartre, Existentialism
and Human Emotions (selection, consisting of essay,
"Existentialism"); C. Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity (selections); P. Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization, Second
Edition (selections). Assuming adequate grading help, there will be
two to six primarily essay-focused exams. On each of these exams, 25% of the
grade will concern short (one-sentence to a-few-sentences) answers to a number
of definition-type or factual questions about the texts, and 75% of the grade
will be for an essay or essays requiring familiarity with the texts and related
ethical issues, capacity to evaluate course material critically, and a capacity
to state one's own moral views and justify them with reasoning and/or evidence.
Assuming adequate grading help, there will also be, for students enrolled in
3253, one writing exercise equivalent in length to a short paper, minimum, five
pages. Only for those students who are philosophy (or ethics and religion)
majors and who are also enrolled in the one-credit-hour writing workshop (in a
way linked with this class), there will be a longer paper, minimum, ten pages
rather than the five page paper from other students, and possibly one additional
short reading only for such students. The class will proceed by lectures
constantly supplemented by Socratic question and discussion to the extent
possible given class size. Texts: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics; Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Mill, Utilitarianism/On
Liberty; Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, Taylor, The
Ethics of Authenticity; Singer, One World-The Ethics of Globalization (2nd edn).
3313/001 *History
of Ancient Philosophy MWF, 11:30-12:20 Purinton
Prerequisite: 1013
+ one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203, 1213, 2023, 2403)
"Target
course" for PHIL 3900/001 (Philosophy Writing Workshop)
In this course we will
study the history of ancient philosophy from its beginnings through the
Hellenistic era, with readings from the pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, and
Epicurus, and from Cynics, Stoics, and Skeptics, among others. Grading will be
based on three tests, and paper on Socrates, and short quizzes given at the
start of each class. Text(s): Plato, Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology,
Crito, Meno, Phaedo (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Plato, The
Republic (2nd edn.; Grube, trans.); Aristophanes, Clouds (Meineck, trans.); Plato, Gorgias (Zeyl, trans.); Aristotle, Introductory
Readings (Irwin and Fine, trans.); Epicurus, The Epicurus Reader:
Selected Writings and Testimonia (Inwood and Gerson, trans.).
3333/001 *History
of Modern Philosophy (meets with 3833/001) MWF, 12:30-1:20 Cook
Prerequisite: 1013
+ one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
Modern Philosophy is
usually understood as covering Western philosophy from 1500 to 1800. Obviously,
in a survey course one must limit the material in some way. We will pass over
the minor philosophers and will concentrate on the seven most important
philosophers of this period: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley,
Hume, and Kant. Further, we will ignore their views in ethics and political
philosophy and will concentrate instead on their metaphysical and
epistemological views (that is, their views on what can be known and how it can
be known). Text: Ariew and Watkins (eds.), Modern Philosophy: Anthology of
Primary Sources.
3353/001 *American
Philosophy TR, 3:00-4:15 Riggs
Prerequisite: 1013
+ one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
In this course we will
study most of the important movements and a number of important figures in
American philosophy from Jonathan Edwards through the pragmatists (C.S. Peirce,
William James, and John Dewey). We will concentrate mainly on the writings of
the philosophers covered, with brief looks at the philosophical, scientific,
religious, and political background of these writings.
3423/001
*Ancient and Medieval Religious Philosophy TR, 1:30-2:45 Zagzebski
Prerequisite: 1013
+ one of the following (1103, 1113, 1203,1213, 2023, 2403, 2900)
This course will cover
religious philosophy in the West from the time of the ancient Greeks until the
later Middle Ages. During this period Western philosophy had its birth and
Christianity emerged as a religion with roots in both the Hebrew Bible and
Greek philosophy. Islam had its birth also during this period. Two
interconnected themes will be examined throughout the course: (1) the use of
philosophical argument to defend religious belief, and (2) the relationship
between faith and reason. Course readings will be selections from primary
texts, including writings by Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Epicurus, Plotinus,
Augustine, Anselm, Maimonides, Avicenna, Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham. Topics
will include the existence of God, life after death, the origin of the
universe, the problem of evil, and free will. Text: None.
3503/001 Self & Identity MWF,
12:30-1:20 Elugardo
Prerequisite: 1013
or permission of instructor
This co