Undergraduate Catalog Philosophy
PHI 224 Love (V) This course examines the main attitudes toward love that have developed in the Western literary, psychological, and philosophical traditions, beginning with the ancient Greeks and finishing with contemporary views. Emphasis is placed on the close connection between accounts of love and accounts of value. Offered spring. 3 credits
PHI 225 Philosophy of Sport (V) A philosophical investigation of the Western tradition of sport and athletics and their significance for human experience. Topics include the role of sport in character development and human fulfillment, the value and limits of competition, and the current professionalization of sport. Offered fall. 3 credits
PHI/LIS 280 Global Ethics This course is open to all students. The course examines global economic disparities and disparities of power, and looks at alternative approaches to economic development. It uses the lens of global health and neglected tropical diseases to explore issues of poverty, the status of women, and global citizenship. Students are required to engage in promoting global justice through an in-depth investigation of a particular health problem as it affects Africa south of the Sahara and through commitment to an aid agency of their choice. No familiarity with basic ethical theories is presumed. Offered spring. 3 credits
PHI 301 Philosophical Issues and the Law (H) Students are introduced to basic concepts of law including the relationship between law and morality, the nature of legal reasoning and the ethical problems of professional practice. Special emphasis is placed on contemporary issues before the courts such as affirmative action, right to privacy, free speech and the death penalty. Recommended for pre-law students. Offered fall, alternate years. 3 credits
H–PHI 302 Honors Philosophy: The Idea of Beauty/The Philosophy of Art (A) The seminar explores the human response to aesthetic values. Art forms such as painting, drama and music are analyzed in light of the philosophical contributions of Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and others. Offered spring, alternate years. 3 credits
PHI 303 Logic This course is an introduction to traditional Aristotelian logic and symbolic logic. Emphasis is on the nature of deductive reasoning and formal systems of deduction. Course is recommended for LSAT preparation. Course is required of all philosophy majors. Offered spring. 3 credits
PHI 304 History and Philosophy of Science This course addresses contemporary issues in the philosophy of science through examination of examples from the history of science. Issues include what it means for a theory to be
scientific, the nature of discovery, what constitutes a scientific theory, how theories are confirmed, and the problems of inductive reasoning. Contemporary issues in science are used to illustrate scientific practice. Prerequisite: Two courses in philosophy or permission of the instructor. Offered spring, alternate years. 3 credits
H-PHI 305 Honors Philosophy: Existentialism (I) This course offers an examination of philosophies of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche as well as an exposition of major phenomenologists as Husserl, Heidegger and Sartre. Course is supplemented with readings from contemporary literature. Prerequisite: Two courses in philosophy or permission of the instructor. Offered alternate years. 3 credits
H–PHI 306 Honors Philosophy: Myths, Symbols and Images (H) The course examines a variety of cultural mythologies such as Native American, Latin American, Nordic, Greek, and African to determine the meaning and significance of these myths as they reveal human experiences. The use of myths, symbols and images are analyzed within the context of the cultural history and as expressions of profound relationships that humankind bear with each other and their surroundings. Offered fall, alternate years. 3 credits
PHI/COM 307 Ethics and Communication (V) Ethical theories are applied to actual cases in the media industry. All aspects of the media are considered: broadcast and print media, advertising and public relations, as well as entertainment. Students analyze the loyalties of case participants to understand the underlying moral values and ethical principles. Offered fall, alternate years. 3 credits
H-PHI/HIS 309 Honors Philosophy/History: Baseball and the American Tradition (H) Within the context of the game of baseball, this course will examine significant historical/cultural aspects of American life. The history of the game itself sets the stage for analyzing class stratification of rich and poor; race and gender relations; the “level playing fields” of baseball as a business; the inspiring influence the game has had on literature and the arts and the psychology of the human drama of triumph and tragedy played out on and off the field. 3 credits
H–PHI 310 Honors Philosophy: American Philosophy (H) This course analyzes the philosophical writings of American thinkers from colonial times to the twentieth century. Two fundamental questions will be addressed throughout the course: What are the philosophical theories that support the development of America? Is there a uniquely American philosophy that is independent of European thinkers? Offered spring, alternate years. 3 credits
PHI 312 Philosophy on Film (A)
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