Philosophy - Bachelor of Arts
Overview
Philosophy is one of the most abstract and yet practical and concrete disciplines of the Arts. The study of philosophy, especially ethics, can relate directly to business, medicine, public policy, education, and law. Similarly, theoretical philosophy can complement and elaborate on concepts dealt with in psychology, sociology, religious studies, and political science.
Philosophy teaches analytical thinking, logical presentation, and competence with abstract concepts. More importantly, philosophy encourages you to consider more deeply and critically your own world-views and belief systems. It provides the opportunity to reflect, in a systematic and organized fashion, on basic issues that bear on our individual lives.
Contact Information
Department of Humanities
Room 7-352, City Centre Campus
10700 - 104 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2
T:780-497-5608
Faculty of Arts and Science, Program Services (Advising)
Room 6-211, City Centre Campus
T: 780-497-4505
E: artsandscience@macewan.ca
The Bachelor of Arts
Faculty of Arts and Science
MacEwan.ca/BA
MacEwan University’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) is designed to provide a liberal arts education that allows students to explore a variety of academic disciplines and acquire a broad knowledge base that will prepare them for employment or future post-secondary studies. The degree is intended to provide students with breadth, depth, and diversity in the areas of humanities, sciences, social sciences, analytical studies, and fine arts as well as courses focused on language and literature. BA students study subjects in major and/or minor disciplines, and they are required to be familiar with the academic and faculty regulations and procedures as published herein.
General Program Information
The BA program requires students to complete 120 credits of non-duplicative coursework. The degree emphasizes both breadth and depth and has been designed for exceptional flexibility and customization. Students can complete a major and a minor, a double major, or a major and two minors.
Arts Disciplines
| Discipline | Major | Minor | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| Classics | - | ⦿ | - |
| Creative Writing | - | ⦿ | - |
| Economics | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| English | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| French | - | ⦿ | - |
| Gender Studies | - | ⦿ | - |
| History | ⦿ | ⦿ | - |
| Philosophy | ⦿ | ⦿ | - |
| Political Science | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| Psychology | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| Sociology | ⦿ | ⦿ | ⦿ |
| Spanish | - | ⦿ | - |
Science Minors
| Discipline | Minor |
|---|---|
| Biological Sciences | ⦿ |
| Chemistry | ⦿ |
| Computer Science | ⦿ |
| Earth and Planetary Sciences | ⦿ |
| Mathematics | ⦿ |
| Physics | ⦿ |
| Planetary Physics | ⦿ |
| Statistics | ⦿ |
Out of Faculty Minors
| Discipline | Minor |
|---|---|
| Accounting Minor for Arts and Science | ⦿ |
| Arts and Cultural Management | ⦿ |
| Business Law | ⦿ |
| Business Studies | ⦿ |
| Digital Experience Design | ⦿ |
| Finance Minor for Arts and Science | ⦿ |
| Human Resources Minor for Arts and Science | ⦿ |
| Marketing Minor for Arts and Science | ⦿ |
Preparing for Professional Studies
Students intending to enter professional programs at other universities, such as law and education, can take their pre-professional studies in the Faculty of Arts and Science at MacEwan University. For example, there is a selection of courses that may be taken to facilitate the transition to an after-degree education program or, if the student prefers, transfer to a Bachelor of Education program after completion of as many as 60 credits of coursework. Students are advised to consult the admissions requirements for the universities and programs of their choice, and to select their MacEwan University courses accordingly. Completion of pre-professional courses at MacEwan University does not guarantee admission to the subsequent professional program. Each professional program requires a separate application and entry is competitive, not automatic.
Degree Requirements
Breadth Requirements
All Bachelor of Arts degrees require Breadth Requirements. Courses can satisfy both the breadth requirements and requirements for the major(s), minor(s), Honours, or options.
| Breadth Element | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Literacy | ENGL 102 and 3 credits in university English (not including ENGL 111, ENGL 108, or ENGL 211), and 6 credits in a single language other than English or 6 credits in world literature (COMP 102 and COMP 103) | 12 |
| Humanities | CLAS, HIST, HUMN, or PHIL | 6 |
| Sciences | ASTR, BICM, BIOL, BOTN, CHEM, CMPT, EASC, GENE, PHYS, PSYC, SCIE, or ZOOL | 6 |
| Social Sciences | ANTH, ECON, POLS, PSYC, or SOCI | 6 |
| Analytical Studies | LING 101, MATH, PHIL 125, or STAT | 3 |
| Fine Arts | AGAD, ARTE, CRWR, DESN, DRMA, MUSC, THAR, THPR, CLAS 252, CLAS 352, CLAS 353, or CLAS 356 | 3 |
Bachelor of Arts Degree
| Program Element | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Major | The Arts major will range from 42 to 60 credits with a minimum 36 credits taken at the senior-level. | 42-60 |
| Secondary Major or Minor(s) | Students have the option of completing a second Arts major, or one or two minors. Minor courses must be completed at the senior-level. | 18-60 |
| Options | Students can complete up to 15 credits in out-of-faculty options, with no more than 3 credits in physical activity (PACT) courses. | Up to 60 |
| Total Degree Credits Including Breadth | 120 |
Bachelor of Arts Honours
| Program Element | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Honour Requirements | Honours requirements are determined by each discipline. | 63 |
| Option Courses, Non-Compulsory Honours Courses, and/or a Minor | Students have the option of completing a minor from outside of the Honours discipline. Some disciplines may require a minor. | 57 |
| Total Degree Credits | 120 |
The minimum passing grade for a course at MacEwan University is a D unless otherwise noted next to the appropriate course in the program of study. In the Faculty of Arts and Science, students typically require a minimum grade of C- to use a course as a prerequisite. Please check course descriptions for more information.
Philosophy Requirements
Philosophy Major
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Philosophy program requires students to complete 120 credits of non-duplicative coursework. In addition to the Philosophy Major, students will complete one of the following:
- one minor,
- two minors, or
- a secondary Arts major
Students are required to complete option courses as well as the major(s) and minor(s). All BA degrees require Breadth Requirements. Courses can satisfy both the breadth requirements and requirements for the major(s), minor(s), or options.
The Philosophy Major is 42 to 60 non-duplicative philosophy credits with a minimum 36 credits at the senior-level. Students must complete a minimum of six credits in each of 300- and 400-level PHIL. This may include PHIL 401.
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy Major
| Course ID | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Specific Major Requirements | ||
| Choose 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| History of Philosophy | ||
| Buddhist Philosophy | ||
| Philosophies of China and Japan | ||
| Ancient Western Philosophy | ||
| Descartes to Kant | ||
| Continental Philosophy: Heidegger to Foucault | ||
| Existentialism | ||
| Choose 3 credits from each of the five areas below: | 15 | |
| Metaphysics or Epistemology | ||
| Metaphysics | ||
| Epistemology | ||
| Ethics or Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Methodology | ||
| Philosophical Writing and Analysis | ||
| Symbolic Logic | ||
| Symbolic Logic II | ||
| Risk, Choice and Rationality | ||
| Senior Seminar | ||
| Senior Seminar | ||
| 400-level Philosophy | ||
PHIL 400-level course 1 | ||
| General Major Requirements | ||
| Choose 21 to 39 credits from junior- and senior-level PHIL | 21-39 | |
| Secondary Major or Minor(s) | ||
| Students have the option of completing a second Arts major, or one or two minors. Minor courses must be completed at the senior-level. | 18-60 | |
| Options | ||
| Students can complete up to 15 credits in out-of-faculty options, with no more than 3 credits in physical activity (PACT) courses. | 0-60 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
| 1 | PHIL 498 does not satisfy this requirement. |
Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy Minor requires 18 senior-level PHIL credits with a minimum of three credits in each of 200-, 300-, and 400-level PHIL.
| Course ID | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Minor Requirements | ||
| Choose 18 credits from senior-level PHIL | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Degree Regulations
Students are strongly encouraged to seek advice from the academic advisors about academic planning for completing degree requirements at MacEwan University.
Academic Residency - Credit Requirements
In addition to the academic residency requirements of the University, Bachelor of Arts students also must complete at MacEwan University:
- A minimum of 24 credits at the senior-level in the major discipline, with 12 of those senior credits completed at the 300- or 400-level. All 400-level requirements are to be completed at MacEwan University.
- If applicable, a minimum of nine credits at the senior-level in a minor, with at least three of those credits at the 300- or 400- level.
Breadth Requirements
Courses taken to fulfil major, minor, or option requirements can also be used to satisfy breadth requirements.
Declaration of a Major and a Minor
Students are advised to declare a primary major and a minor, or a primary major and secondary major, or a primary major and two minors by the time they have completed 45 credits. Majors are selected from Arts disciplines and consist of 42 to 60 junior- and senior-level credits. With the exception of those students in an Honours program, a maximum of 60 credits may be completed from any one discipline for credit towards the degree. A major and minor cannot be in the same discipline and students may not declare more than one out-of-faculty minor. Students can re-declare their major(s) and/or minor(s) if required.
For students completing multiple majors or minors, the Faculty cannot guarantee a schedule of classes that will permit the student to complete their degree in eight consecutive fall and winter semesters. Furthermore, depending on the courses in which a student enrols, meeting the requirements of a double major may require the completion of more than 120 credits for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a program advisor in the Program Services Office in the Faculty of Arts and Science and a discipline advisor in their major and minor disciplines prior to declaration.
Graduation Grade Point Average
As part of the Graduation Grade Point Average regulation above, Bachelor of Arts students must obtain an overall GGPA of 2.0 or higher, with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on all courses credited toward the major(s) and a minimum GPA of 2.0 on all courses credited toward the minor(s).
Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements are governed by the date on which students declare their major(s) and minor(s). Students who declare their major(s) and minor(s) up to and including February 15 are bound by the requirements of the current academic year. Those students who declare after February 15 are bound by the programs of study and degree requirements of the upcoming academic year as published in the MacEwan University Academic Calendar.
Junior- and Senior-Level Courses
Courses numbered from 100 to 199 are considered junior-level and courses numbered from 200 to 499 are considered senior-level.
Major or Minor 300- and 400-Level Requirements
The 300- and 400-level requirements in the major or minor cannot consist solely of project, field placement, and/or individual study courses.
Maximum Independent Courses
The maximum number of credits for independent work (project, field placement, and/or individual study courses), excluding the Honours Thesis, is 15 credits. Specific disciplines may have further restrictions.
Maximum Junior-Level Courses
A maximum of 48 credits at the 100-level are permitted in completion of the BA degree. Additional courses at the 100-level will be declared extra to the 120 credits required to complete the BA degree and will not be counted toward fulfilment of graduation requirements.
Minimum Arts Courses
Students are required to complete successfully a minimum of 72 credits from Arts courses.
Minimum Passing Grade
A minimum grade of D is required for all Arts degree courses unless otherwise noted next to the appropriate course in the program of study.
Minimum Transfer Grade for Credit
A minimum grade of D is required on any transfer credit granted for the program. Arts and Science courses require a minimum grade of C- when the course is used as a prerequisite. Transfer credit decisions made by the university are final and cannot be appealed.
Out-of-Faculty Options Requirements
Degree options may include a maximum of 15 credits from courses offered by a Faculty or School other than Arts and Science except for those students completing an out-of-faculty minor or those who have met the minor requirements with a diploma. These students must complete their degree options from courses offered within the Faculty of Arts and Science. Fine arts courses taken to fulfil breadth requirements do not count towards the allocation of out-of-faculty credit.
Progression of Studies
Students are responsible for ensuring they meet the prerequisite and/or co-requisite requirements as noted on all courses that may fulfil Bachelor of Arts or Arts Honours program requirements.
Honours Regulations
Overall Requirements
The Honours program of study consists of 63 to 84 credits as determined by the discipline. Students in the Honours program may choose to complete a minor outside of the Honours discipline. Some disciplines may require a minor.
Course Load
Students accepted into an Honours program must complete 24-credits in each twelve consecutive months they are in the program. Exceptions to this rule may occur with the approval of the Honours discipline advisor.
Grade Point Average Requirement
Students accepted and enrolled in the Arts Honours program must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. As well, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3 across a set of courses designated by each discipline for each twelve consecutive months following acceptance into the Honours program. Failure to do so will result in the student’s program status reverting to a BA with a major in the previous honours discipline.
Graduation Grade Point Average
In order to graduate, students must obtain an overall GGPA of 3.0 or higher, with a minimum GPA of 3.3 across a set of courses designated by each discipline.
Additional Degree Regulations - Subsequent Baccalaureate
In addition to meeting the degree regulations listed above, students who already hold a baccalaureate degree must satisfy policies pertaining to subsequent baccalaureate credentials.
Philosophy Courses
PHIL 100
Introduction to Philosophy: The Examined Life
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to philosophy through a study of canonical texts pertaining to the topic of the examined life. Course content may include the nature and scope of knowledge, the existence of the self and the concept of the person, the reality of the world that we live in, the good life and the life worth living, or theories of right action. With a particular emphasis on close and careful reading of classic and influential philosophical writings, all students study Plato’s Apology as well as at least one other significant philosophical work in its entirety.
PHIL 103
Asian Philosophies
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to and survey of Eastern and Asian Philosophies. The course investigates philosophical traditions, including important schools and figures, from the histories of India, China and Japan. This includes a consideration of the Hindu or Brahmanical philosophies of the Vedas and Upanishads, Jainism, Buddhism (including Indian, Chinese and Japanese developments), Confucianism, and Taoism. Topics include the nature of reality, the nature of suffering and desire, the nature of a good life and good government, enlightenment, moral virtues, sageliness, view of Nature, and Eastern conceptions of the self.
PHIL 125
Analytical Reasoning
3 Credits
In this course, students use elementary methods and principles for analyzing reasoning as it occurs in everyday contexts. Topics may include informal fallacies, introduction to scientific method, elementary statistical reasoning, elementary sentential logic, as well as the study of argument in contemporary debates about issues of social concern. Note:This Arts course can also be used to satisfy the general science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
PHIL 200
Metaphysics
3 Credits
Metaphysics is the area of philosophy that raises and responds to fundamental questions concerning the nature and structure of reality. In this course, students develop an understanding of metaphysical questions and their significance, as well as critically examine the ways philosophers address these questions and the metaphysical issues associated with them. Topics of study may include appearance and reality, the mind-body problem, metaphysical idealism and realism, freedom and determinism, personal identity, time and space, and universals and particulars.
PHIL 201
Buddhist Philosophy
3 Credits
This course carries out a sustained investigation of Buddhist philosophy. This investigation considers the historical development of Buddhist philosophical thought, beginning with its origin, development, and expansion in India, through its movement into China and then into Japan. The course considers, with the aim of coming to a philosophical understanding, issues such as Buddhist conceptions of suffering, enlightenment, reality, rationality, self, mind, consciousness, meditation and the ethics of compassion. Comparisons with key philosophers and developments in the history of Western philosophy are also discussed. Particular attention is given to philosophies in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.
PHIL 202
Philosophies of China and Japan
3 Credits
Students study the philosophies of China and Japan, focusing on Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese and Japanese Buddhism. This involves, primarily, a consideration of historical movements, figures and schools, although some contemporary figures may also be included. The discussion of Confucianism centers on Confucian Social and Moral Philosophy and issues such as the nature of a good life and good government, sageliness, and Confucian moral virtues. The discussion of Taoism centers on Taoist Metaphysics and issues such as the nature and meaning of the Tao, the principle of wu-wei or no action, and the Taoist understanding of a life lived in accordance with Nature. The discussion of Chinese and Japanese Buddhism focuses on Ch'an or Zen Buddhism (these are, respectively, Chinese and Japanese analogues), but Hua Yen or Kegon Buddhism, and Tien Tai or Nichiren Buddhism may be considered. Issues here center on the Buddhist Philosophy of Mind, and include the nature of enlightenment, self, and rationality.
PHIL 203
Philosophy of Religion
3 Credits
This course surveys important themes in the philosophy of religion – such as the nature of religious belief, religious truth, religious experience, and religious life – through a close reading of significant texts from key figures in the history of philosophy of religion. Specific issues may include conceptions of God, suffering, sin, faith and reason, religious uses of language, and mystical experience. Students can only receive credit for one of PHIL 203 and PHIL 357.
PHIL 204
Philosophical Writing and Analysis
3 Credits
This writing-focused seminar introduces students to the forms and methods of philosophy through the close reading and study of a selection of philosophical works. Particular emphasis is put on the analysis and composition of philosophical ideas, and students are expected to participate in discussion and writing activities as well as submit a final writing portfolio in place of a final exam. Course readings deal with a variety of styles in philosophical writing, which may include treatise, essay, dialogue, aphorism, confession, correspondence, literature, or film.
Prerequisite: A minimum grade of C- in any 3-credit PHIL or HUMN course.
PHIL 205
Philosophy of Mind
3 Credits
This course examines basic questions concerning the nature of mind, theories that try to explain the relation of mind and brain, and the issues that these theories raise. The topics of discussion may include Cartesian Dualism, materialism, behaviourism, identity theory, functionalism, qualia, intentionality, artificial intelligence, self and consciousness.
PHIL 210
Symbolic Logic
3 Credits
This course is an introduction to modern symbolic logic, including the basic concepts of justification, argument, deduction, validity and soundness; translation of ordinary language into symbolic form; using sentential and predicate designators, carrying out truth functional analyses for validity and invalidity, testing sets for consistency, using rules of inference and equivalence to prove validity of arguments, and using methods of conditional and indirect proof in sentential and quantified forms. Note: Credit can only be obtained in one of PHIL 210 or PHIL 120. Note:This Arts course can also be used to satisfy the general science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
PHIL 215
Epistemology
3 Credits
Students study central topics in the theory of knowledge such as truth and rationality, skepticism and the limits of knowledge, self-knowledge and personal identity, relativism and the objectivity of knowledge, and the role of perception, memory and reason as sources of knowledge.
PHIL 220
Symbolic Logic II
3 Credits
This course is an intensive study of predicate logic with identity. Topics include translation of ordinary language into symbolic form, semantics, tree tests for consistency and validity, derivations in natural deduction systems, mathematical induction, and soundness and completeness. Topics may also include theories of definite descriptions, elementary modal logic and formal axiomatic systems. Note: This Arts course can also be used to satisfy the general science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in PHIL 210 or equivalent.
PHIL 230
Ancient Western Philosophy
3 Credits
This course provides a survey of ancient philosophy from the Presocratics to the Neoplatonists. Particular emphasis is placed on the works of Plato and Aristotle.
PHIL 235
Medieval Philosophy
3 Credits
This course provides a survey of Medieval philosophy from the 4th to the 14th Century C.E. Special attention will be paid to issues that were of philosophical interest to Christian, Jewish, and Muslim medieval philosophers, such as St. Augustine, Moses Maimonides, Ibn Sina, Al-Ghazali, and St. Thomas Aquinas.
PHIL 240
Descartes to Kant
3 Credits
This course provides an examination of the history of modern philosophy through a close reading of some of the major rationalist, empiricist, and transcendental idealist contributors of the period such as Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant.
PHIL 247
Continental Philosophy: Heidegger to Foucault
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to twentieth century continental European philosophy through a close reading of some of the century's major philosophical contributors such as Husserl, Heidegger, Levinas, Derrida, Foucault and Badiou. Specific topics may include: phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, post-structuralism, and materialist dialectics.
PHIL 248
American Philosophies
3 Credits
This course examines the historical development of American philosophy from the 19th century to the present, with a particular emphasis on the transcendentalist (Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau) and pragmatist (William James, John Dewey, Charles Peirce, Jane Addams, Alain Locke) traditions of the United States. African American, Latin American, Caribbean and Indigenous philosophers may also be examined (figures such as W.E.B. DuBois, Vine Deloria, Jr., and Enrique Dussel) as contributors and respondents to these philosophical movements.
PHIL 250
Ethics
3 Credits
This course involves an examination of fundamental questions and theoretical answers in the philosophical discipline of ethics. Through a detailed study of important and influential texts in the philosophy of ethics, students develop the ability to understand and critically assess various philosophical systems of thought concerning moral judgements and ethical obligations.
PHIL 265
Philosophy of Science
3 Credits
This course introduces central issues in contemporary philosophy of science. Topics may include theory evaluation, paradigm shifts and theory change, laws of nature, causation and explanation, the rationality of science and its social and historical setting.
PHIL 270
Social and Political Philosophy
3 Credits
This course provides an introduction to social and political philosophy. The course poses the following questions: what is the nature of politics; what is the state; what is civil society; what (if any) are citizens' political obligations and rights? Readings are drawn from canonic philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Spinoza, Rousseau, Hegel and Marx.
PHIL 280
Aesthetics
3 Credits
Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that studies art, beauty and taste. This course introduces aesthetics through the study of theories of art, aesthetic experience, aesthetic judgement and the role of art in society. Students read classical and contemporary writings in aesthetics and apply them to concrete examples of various media, including visual art, music and literature.
PHIL 291
Existentialism
3 Credits
This course is an introduction to existential philosophy. Through close reading of texts, students study some of the main themes of existential philosophy, such as anxiety, authenticity, bad faith, absurdity, the meaning of human life, and the self as finite and situated self-making. Particular attention is paid to the existential conception of philosophy as a truthful explication of concrete experience rather than the theoretical pursuit of abstract truth. Readings are drawn from the works of major figures in 19th and 20th century existential philosophy, such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus and Marcel.
PHIL 301
Comparative Philosophy
3 Credits
In this topic based course, students study one or more non-Western, particularly Asian, philosophical tradition in comparison with approaches taken in the Western philosophical tradition. Issues for comparison between non-Western and Western philosophies may include methods and aims; the relation between religion and philosophy; views on the nature of reality, truth, the self, morality, justice, suffering, desire, and/or reason.
PHIL 303
Studies in Philosophy and Religion
3 Credits
This topics based course focusses on the intersections of philosophy and religion. Topics may concern the religious philosophies expressed in key works of specific figures (e.g., Plato, Kierkegaard, Joseph Pieper, Simone Weil); a study of philosophical religious literature (e.g., Book of Job, Upanishads); or the philosophical investigation of specific religious themes (e.g., the human in relation to the divine, the relation of reason and faith, conceptions of the soul). The specific topic is chosen by the Instructor. Note: Students may take this course up to three times, provided that the topic is different.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL.
PHIL 305
Studies in the Self
3 Credits
In this course, students study the nature of the Self, drawing on one or more philosophical perspectives. The topic(s) of any particular section may vary. Possible topics include personal identity, the reality of the self, the soul, subjectivity, knowledge of self and others, and freedom and the will. Each section of this course requires that students produce a research essay that incorporates scholarly sources other than the course readings. This course may be taken up to three times, provided the course topic is different.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 325
Risk, Choice and Rationality
3 Credits
This course is a study of the formal theory of rationality, including probability, induction, and elementary decision theory. Rational theories regarding an agent’s choice, both individually and in a group, under ignorance or under risk, and when acting competitively or cooperatively, are examined in detail. Note:This Arts course can also be used to satisfy the general science credit requirement of the Bachelor of Science.
PHIL 330
Plato
3 Credits
With a view to both theoretical and moral issues, this course engages in a focused study of Plato and his philosophy. Students will engage in close readings of some of Plato's writings and will evaluate secondary literature on Plato. Some consideration may also be given to Academic Platonism and neo-Platonism.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 331
Philosophy of Love
3 Credits
This course engages in a philosophical investigation of love. Through a study of classic works of philosophy, students examine the experience of love, the meaning of love, the value of love, and philosophy's relationship to love. Special attention will be paid to Plato's theory of love as it is expressed in the Symposium.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 333
Philosophy of Sex and Sexuality
3 Credits
This course offers a philosophical analysis of human sexuality. On top of providing an overview of human sexuality as it has been treated in classic works of philosophy, it also looks at the treatment of sexuality in contemporary philosophy. Topics may include gender and oppression, the legitimacy of consent, the politics of sexual relations/interactions, sexuality and embodiment, the morality of seduction, genealogy and sexuality, and the character of heteronormativity and ‘perversion'.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 341
Continental Rationalism
3 Credits
This course examines the philosophies of such early modern philosophers as Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza, and Leibniz. Through a close study of the rigorously systematic metaphysics, epistemology, and natural philosophy of these thinkers, this course traces the significant and renowned movement in the history of philosophy known as “Rationalism”.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 342
British Empiricism
3 Credits
This course examines the philosophies of such early modern philosophers as Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. For their emphasis on sense experience and sensory perception in their respective philosophical systems of thought, these British philosophers are known as members of the prominent and important movement in the history of philosophy referred to as “Empiricism”.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 355
Philosophy of the Environment
3 Credits
This course introduces central issues in the philosophy of the environment. Topics include the meaning of Nature, foundational ethical theories as applied to the environment, animal rights, anthropocentrism, biocentrism, ecocentrism, conservationism, sustainability, deep ecology and social ecology, and the aesthetics of natural environments.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits in 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 360
Death and Dying
3 Credits
This course offers a philosophical examination of the nature and significance of death. This includes detailed analysis and critical discussion of such topics as: what death is, emotional attitudes toward death, the badness of death, the value of life, immortality, personal identity, and suicide.
PHIL 365
Philosophy of Space and Time
3 Credits
This course examines the philosophical issues, historical and contemporary, involved in specifying the nature of space and time and how we can know such nature. Topics may include the concept of space in antiquity, the historical debates on the nature of space in the Early Modern period, the so-called Newtonian, Einsteinian and quantum mechanical revolutions, the shape of space-time, and the direction, and alleged paradoxes, of time.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 370
Studies in Political Philosophy
3 Credits
In this course, students study a topic in political philosophy. The topic for any particular section varies. Possible topics include: liberalism and its critics, the philosophy of power, the nature of law, theories of justice, Plato’s Statesman, and Aristotle’s Politics. Each section of this course requires that students produce a research essay that incorporates scholarly sources other than the course readings.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits in 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 381
Philosophy as Literature
3 Credits
In this course, students study works of philosophy as pieces of literature. Serving as a practical introduction to an hermeneutical approach to philosophy and to philosophical scholarship, students consider how literary features, which might otherwise appear to be extraneous to philosophical content, affect the philosophical meaning of texts. Each section of this course requires that students produce a research essay that incorporates scholarly sources other than the course readings.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 383
Philosophy of Film
3 Credits
This course offers a philosophical examination of film. The examination proceeds by viewing particular films and reading philosophical texts devoted to the medium. Topics may include critical analysis of genre, the aesthetics of the moving image, the nature of film narrative or representation, the relation between film and ideology, or a study philosophical themes through film.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 3 credits of 200-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 386
Philosophy and Health Care
3 Credits
This course is an introduction to central issues in bioethics with a specific emphasis on practice of health care. Though students may briefly examine classical moral theories and principles, the bulk of the course examines contemporary discussions and issues in bioethics. The emphasis of the course is on ethical reasoning and moral deliberation involving issues in health care. Topics may include patient autonomy and confidentiality, advanced directives, allocation of medical resources, health care advocacy, integrity, and issues pertaining to disability and end-of-life care. Students may also be introduced to major ethical theories and moral principles. Readings may include case studies, legal cases, scholarly articles and classical sources.
PHIL 398
Independent Study
3 Credits
This course permits an intermediate-level student to work with an instructor to explore a specific topic in depth through research or directed reading in primary and secondary sources. The student plans, executes and reports the results of their independent research or study project under the direction of a faculty supervisor. To be granted enrollment in the course, the student must have made prior arrangements with a faculty member willing to supervise his or her project. This course can be taken twice for credit.
PHIL 401
Senior Seminar
3 Credits
In this seminar course, students study the nature, methods, and aims of philosophy, make seminar presentations, and write a major research essay. This course is open only to Philosophy majors. Note: Students are advised to enrol in this course in the final winter term of their studies.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of 30 credits of senior PHIL courses.
PHIL 402
Topics in the History of Philosophy
3 Credits
This seminar course deals with a major figure, issue, or specific period in the history of philosophy. There is a major essay requirement and, in addition to regular seminar participation, students make presentations. The topic of any given section of this course is selected by the instructor. This course may be taken up to three times, provided the course topic is different.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 9 credits of 200- or 300-level PHIL, with at least 3 of those credits at the 300-level.
PHIL 403
Topics in Moral Philosophy
3 Credits
In this seminar course, students study a topic in moral philosophy broadly construed. The specific topic of each section focuses on a significant philosopher, theme, or problem in ethical theory, applied ethics, meta-ethics, political philosophy, or social philosophy. There is a major essay requirement and, in addition to regular seminar participation, students make presentations. The topic in any given semester is selected by the instructor. This course may be taken up to three times, provided the course topic is different.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 9 credits of 200- or 300-level PHIL, with a least 3 of those credits at the 300-level.
PHIL 404
Topics in Asian Philosophy
3 Credits
Students study a topic in depth within Asian Philosophy. The specific topic focuses on a significant philosopher or philosophers, text, school, theme or issue within one or more of the traditions of Asian Philosophy, including Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Taoism. There is a major essay requirement and, in addition to regular seminar participation, students make presentations. The topic in any given year is selected by the instructor. This course may be taken up to three times, provided the course topic is different.
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 9 credits of 200- or 300-level PHIL, with a least 3 of those credits at the 300-level.
PHIL 405
Topics in Contemporary Philosophy
3 Credits
Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in 9 credits of 200- or 300-level PHIL, with a least 3 of those credits at the 300-level.
PHIL 444
Kant
3 Credits
In this seminar course, students examine Kant's theoretical philosophy, pay close attention to interpretations of Kant's transcendental idealism of the early critical period, make seminar presentations, and write at least one major essay on a specific topic of their choice.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in 6 credits in 200- or 300-level PHIL courses.
PHIL 498
Advanced Independent Study
3 Credits
This course permits a senior-level student to work with an instructor to explore a specific topic in depth through research or directed reading in primary and secondary sources. The student plans, executes and reports the results of their independent research or study project under the direction of a faculty supervisor. To be granted enrollment in the course, the student must have made prior arrangements with a faculty member willing to supervise his or her project. This course can be taken twice for credit.