Philosophy and Religious Studies Courses

Philosophy and Religious Studies

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Course and Description

HUMT 1218: Honors Quest for Meaning and Values I (3 credits)

Open to those in the Undergraduate Research Honors Programs only.

A rigorous course in the humanities that aims at deepening skills of critical reading and writing and at cultivating a broad cultural literacy. (fall)

HUMT 2310: Arts and Ideas I (3 credits)

An examination of the arts and ideas of ancient and medieval cultures. (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

HUMT 2320: Arts and Ideas II (3 credits)

An examination of the arts and ideas of modern cultures. HUMT 2310 is not a prerequisite for this course. (spring)

HUMT4930: Independent Studies in Humanities (3 credits) (fall, spring)

Provides study for students who wish to pursue topics not covered elsewhere in the curriculum. Students work independently under the supervision of a faculty member. This course may be repeated for credit with department approval.

HUMT4950: Interdisciplinary Humanities Seminar (3 credits) (Spring, even years)

Prerequisites: HUMT 2310 or HUMT 2320 and one course at the 3000-level in any humanities field (Art History, Literature, History, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Theatre, or another field with the permission of the adviser for the minor.)

Explores selected topics from an interdisciplinary perspective involving themes and/or methods of inquiry from at least two humanities fields.

*Repeatable up to 9 credit hours*

PHIL1030: Introduction to Philosophy (3 credits) (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

An introduction to some central philosophical problems concerning free will, the self, science, and reality.

PHIL 2020: Introduction to Ethics (3 credits) (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

An introduction to some central philosophical problems concerning morality, freedom, and political authority.

PHIL2030: Practical Reasoning (3 credits) (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

An introductory study of formal and informal reasoning in practical contexts (editorials, speeches, advertising, etc.) Also includes a study of syllogistic reasoning, the scientific method, definition, and clear writing.

PHIL 2040: Philosophy as Conversation (3 credits) (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

An introduction to philosophy as self-examination. Focus on discussion of the beliefs and values of the students in the class.

PHIL 2640: Science and the Modern World (3 credits) (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

A philosophical examination of central ideas of modern science and technology.

PHIL 3010: History of Ancient Philosophy (3 credits)(fall)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

The development of Western philosophy in the Greek world from the pre-Socratic philosophers to Plotinus. Major emphasis on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

PHIL 3030: History of Modern Philosophy (3 credits) (spring)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level or permission of the instructor.

An examination of European philosophical thought from approximately 1600 to 1850. Figures to be studied include Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, and Kant.

PHIL 3050: Symbolic Logic (3 credits)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to modern logic. This course explores the formal nature of language and reasoning. Propositional logic, predicate logic, and related topics.

PHIL 3060: Philosophy of Science (3 credit hours) (Fall, Odd years)

Prerequisites: One (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

An examination of central issues in philosophy of science. Topics may include logical positivism, Popper, Kuhn, scientific realism, explanation, confirmation. Previous coursework in philosophy strongly recommended.

PHIL 3063: Philosophy Colloquium (1-3 credits)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level or permission of the instructor.

Each semester some important issue, movement, or person of philosophical concern will be studied.

*May be repeated for up to nine (9) credits.*

PHIL 3070: Metaphysics and Epistemology (3 credit hours) (Fall, Even years)

Prerequisites: One (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

An examination of central issues in analytic metaphysics and epistemology. Topics may include philosophy of space and time, free will, identity, causation, justification, skepticism, foundationalism, coherentism, sources of knowledge. Previous coursework in philosophy strongly recommended.

PHIL 3110: Philosophies of Feminism (3 credits) (fall, even years)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level or permission of the instructor.

Examination of the major forms of feminist theory and also the role, functions and limitations of theory in addressing gender-related issues.

PHIL 3120: Existentialism (3 credits) (fall, odd years)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 - 2000 level or permission of the instructor.

Studies in 19th and 20th century existentialism with special emphasis upon its literary expression. Philosophers and writers include Kierkegaard, Ibsen, Dostoevsky, Buber, Marcel, Camus, and Sartre.

PHIL 3130: Bioethics (3 credits)

Prerequisites: One philosophy course at the 1000- or 2000-level, or permission of instructor.

An examination of philosophical issues surrounding medicine and biotechnology, including ethical issues arising in relationships between health care providers and patients, end-of-life issues, reproductive rights, biotechnology, and social justice issues in the delivery of health care.

PHIL 3140: Environmental Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 1020 or one (1) PHIL course at the 1000-2000-level, or permission of instructor.

Examines the philosophical issuesethical, metaphysical and epistemologicalinvolved in contemporary discussions of environmental issues. Widely differing approaches will be considered in order to better understand the conflicting interests and values involved in environmental decision-making.

PHIL 3150: Philosophy of Law (3 credits)

Prerequisites: One (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

An exploration of major themes in the Philosophy of Law: the nature of law, judicial reasoning, the moral limits of criminal and tort law, liberty, equality, and justice.

PHIL 3170: Philosophy of Mind (3 credits)

Prerequisites: Two (2) PHIL courses at the 1000 or 2000 level, or permission of the instructor. A critical survey of the leading theories of mind and their variants, focusing on contemporary issues in the mind-body relation, consciousness, thought and other mental processes, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and free will.

PHIL 3180: Philosophy of Language (3 credits)

Prerequisites: One (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

An examination of the concept of linguistic meaning, including topics such as the semantics of proper names and definite descriptions, the distinction between sense and reference, the relation between meaning and truth, the difference between the sense and force of utterances, speech acts, and performatives.

PHIL 3210: Chinese Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 1020 or one (1) PHIL or RELI course at the 1000-2000-level, or permission of instructor.

Examines “classical” Chinese traditions of thought, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and later engagements in China with Buddhist and European traditions of thought under conditions of European colonialism. This course emphasizes the religious context and character of philosophical traditions in China.

PHIL 3230: Indian and Buddhist Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: RELI 2210 or one (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

Examines Vedic foundations and primary philosophical schools and texts in India, as well as the emergence of Buddhist and Jain philosophical schools and traditions in India and South Asia. This course emphasizes the religious contexts of philosophical traditions originating in India.

PHIL 4017: Ethical Theory (3 credits) (fall)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

History of ethics from ancient Greece to the present Special emphasis on the theories of Aristotle, Kant, and Mill.

PHIL 4018: Honors Thesis (3 credits) (fall, spring)

Open only to students accepted in Undergraduate Research Honors Programs.

A capstone experience serving as the culmination of an honors curriculum.

PHIL 4047: Philosophy of Religion (3 credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL or RELI course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

An examination of classical and contemporary discussions of philosophical issues about religion, including the nature of God, of human beings, and of religious truth, and contemporary discussions of religion and atheism.

PHIL 4067: Philosophy in Literature (3 credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level; or permission of the instructor. An examination of philosophical issues as they appear in the world's literature, including poetry, fiction, and essays.

PHIL 4077: Contemporary Continental Philosophy (3 credits) (spring, even years)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) of the following: PHIL 3010 or PHIL 3030, or permission of the instructor.

A survey of the developments in European philosophy from the late 19th century to the present. Topics may include phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, post-structuralism, critical theory, and philosophies of difference.

PHIL 4087: Topics in Analytic Philosophy (3 credits) (spring, odd years)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

A survey of the developments in analytic philosophy from the late 19th century to the present. Topics may include logical atomism, logical positivism, ordinary language philosophy, naturalism, conceptual analysis, analytic epistemology, analytic metaphysics, and meta-ethics.

PHIL 4107: Classical Political Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level; or permission of the instructor.

An examination of the classical tradition in political thought with emphasis on reading the works of Plato and Aristotle, as well as those of later representatives of this tradition.

PHIL 4127: Modern Political Philosophy (3 credits) (spring)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level; or permission of the instructor.

An examination of modern political thought with emphasis on the Social Contact theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau and the Utilitarianism of Bentham, Mill, and others.

PHIL 4137: Marxism (3 credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level; or permission of the instructor.

A study of the basic ideas of Marx and his contemporary interpreters in Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Third World.

PHIL 4147: Health Justice (3 credits)

Prerequisites: One lower-division philosophy course.

Examines distributive justice issues within the context of health care delivery, including implications of major philosophical theories of distributive justice. Primary topics focus on ethical issues in the distribution of health care.

PHIL 4157: Philosophy of Art (3 credits)

Prerequisites: Either two courses in either philosophy or art history, or permission of the instructor.

A discussion of philosophical issues that arise in our attempts to understand the creation, appreciation, and criticism of the various literary, plastic, and performing arts.

*Cross-listed with ARTH 4157 Philosophy of Art.*

PHIL 4167: Aesthetic Theory and Criticism (3 credits)

A discussion of contemporary aesthetic theories as they relate to the practices of art criticism and art history, with an emphasis on contemporary continental and analytic developments in art theory and historiography.

PHIL 4177: Global Justice (3 credits)

Prerequisites: One lower-level philosophy course.

Examines issues regarding the scope of justice and the idea of global justice. Implications of specific cases and issues transcending national borders are addressed in light of primary theories of justice. Topics may include the just distribution of food and water resources, the status and plight of refugees and migrants, access to education and health care, and exposure to environmental degradation and the effects of climate change.

PHIL 4900: Independent Studies in Philosophy (1-3 credits) (fall, spring)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

PHIL 4917: Philosophy of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (3 Credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

Presents topics of philosophical and theoretical interest generated by the biological and biomedical sciences. Includes consideration of the broader social and cultural implications of biological and biomedical theory.

PHIL 4950: Senior Seminar (1-3 credits) (fall)

Prerequisites: Senior status or permission of the instructor.

This course focuses on philosophical research and methods and is intended as a capstone course for majors. Students will learn to develop and apply research skills through pursuit of a supervised research project.

PHIL 4957: Special Topics in Philosophy (1-6 credits)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) PHIL course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

Offers special topics not covered in other courses. May be repeated for credit with departmental approval if the topics are significantly different from courses in curriculum.

RELI 2210: Introduction to the Study of World Religions (3 credits)

A comparative and historical introduction to the world's ways of being religious. (fall, spring, sometimes summer)

RELI 3210: Chinese Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: ENGL 1020 or one (1) PHIL or RELI course at the 1000-2000-level, or permission of instructor.

RELI 3230: Indian and Buddhist Philosophy (3 credits)

Prerequisites: RELI 2210 or one (1) PHIL course at the 1000 - 2000 level, or permission of the instructor.

RELI 3240: Hebrew Scriptures (3 credits) (fall, odd years)

Prerequisites: RELI 2210, or permission of the instructor.

A historical and literary survey of the Hebrew Bible.

RELI 3250: Greek Scriptures (3 credits) (spring, even years)

Prerequisites: RELI 2210, or permission of the instructor.

A historical and literary survey of the Greek/ Christian Scriptures.

RELI 3263: Religion Colloquium (1-3 credits)

Prerequisites: RELI 2210 or permission of the instructor.

Some issue, movement, or person of importance to the study of religion will be selected for the topic.

*Course may be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) credit hours.*

RELI 3912: Ancient Israel and Modern Scholarship (3 credits)

Provides a survey and explanation of the approximately last two hundred years of research into the history of Ancient Israel.

RELI 3913: The History of Buddhism (3 credits)

Surveys the background, origins, and development of Buddhism, from antiquity to modern times, including general religious and cultural background, the historical Buddha, the development of Buddhist schools, and the various Northern and Southern Transmissions by Buddhist teachers, and the ongoing evolution of Buddhist thought and philosophy, as it encountered various national, cultures, and ethnic groups.

RELI 3914: The Historical Jesus and the Early Church (3 credits)

Deals with the scholarly question of the “historical Jesus,” as versus the “Jesus of faith,” and the idea of “Jesus” in the early Christian Church. In the process, we will look at the development of New Testament scholarship, the development of scholarly and historical approaches to New Testament studies, and the gradual evolution of the man Jesus of Nazareth to Jesus Christ, “the Son of God,” with the attendant consequences of that change.

RELI 4440: Sociology of Religion (3 credits)

Prerequisites: SOCI 1020 or RELI 2210 or ANTH 1240 or equivalent.

Critically examines sociological theory and research used to study religion and its place in societies.

RELI 4920: Independent Studies in Religion (1-3 credits) (fall, spring)

Prerequisites: At least one (1) RELI course at the 3000 level or permission of the instructor.

RELI 4957: Special Topics in Religious Studies (3 credits)

Presents an advanced and interdisciplinary study of an issue, movement, or person of importance to the study of religion, or of a cultural tradition or practice in historical context. Repeatable for credit.

*Repeatable for Credit*