College of Arts & Sciences

Philosophy

Chair Daniel Dahlstrom

Associate Chair Aaron Garrett

Director, Undergraduate Advising Walter Hopp

Professors Baxter, Dahlstrom, Floyd, Griswold, Hintikka, Kestenbaum, Kuehn, Lyons, Michalski, Neville, Roochnik, Tauber

Associate Professors A. Bokulich, Brinkmann, Cao, Devlin, Garrett, Speight, Webb

Assistant Professors P. Bokulich, Hopp, Sreedhar, Star

Adjunct Professor Haakonssen

Associated Faculty Kanamori, Schmidt, Stachel, Swanson

Professors Emeriti Allison, Cohen, Delattre, Elevitch, Kohak, Martin, Rouner, Shimony

Adjunct Associate Professor Holmström-Hintikka

The department offers a wide range of courses covering the principal historical periods and major individual thinkers in our philosophical tradition, as well as the basic problem areas and most important movements in contemporary philosophy. The program of study is aimed not only at providing a sense of our intellectual history and an understanding of the perennial problems concerning human existence and its place in the universe, but also at fostering the student’s capacity for critical thinking about the intellectual, moral, social and political, aesthetic, and religious dimensions of experience. A number of specializations are open to concentrators in philosophy, and a number of joint concentrations are available with other departments.

Because the study of philosophy places an unusually strong emphasis on conceptual analysis and logical argumentation, on precise formulation and critical assessment, it can greatly improve thinking and writing skills and promote effective communication. It is thus of special value not only to those pursuing a general education but to preprofessional students as well.

Concentration in Philosophy (1509)

All concentrators have faculty advisors. The requirements consist of nine philosophy courses with a grade of at least C. All students must take CAS PH 300 and 310; PH 160 or 360; PH 350; one out of CAS PH 403 through PH 439; one other 400-level course (a “topics” course is recommended for students planning graduate study in philosophy); two electives at the 200 level or higher; and one other philosophy course.

College of General Studies students and students who have completed the humanities portion of the Core Curriculum receive concentration credit for CAS PH 150 or PH 155. Students who complete the social science portion of the CAS Core Curriculum receive concentration credit for CAS PH 253 or PH 254.

Students desiring specialized work in addition to the requirements of the regular concentration are invited to consider the following four areas: philosophy of law, politics, and society; philosophy and history of science; philosophy and the ancient world; and philosophy of the biomedical sciences. These specialized areas do not appear on the diploma. They do, however, serve as valuable guidelines for further work in addition to the concentration itself. Where alternatives are listed in the four specializations, it is often advisable to take both courses.

Philosophy of Law, Politics, and Society  CAS PH 254, 255, 277 are suggested, as well as at least two courses in political science, sociology, or economics.

Philosophy and History of Science  Students desiring to specialize further in this area are encouraged to take CAS PH 270; CAS PH 277 or 477; two courses in the history of science; and at least two courses in the natural sciences or the social sciences or both.

Philosophy in the Ancient World  CAS PH 300, 403 or 404, 405 or 406, and CAS CL 101 and 264 are suggested.

Philosophy of the Biomedical Sciences  Suggested are CAS PH 251 and 273; CAS PH 277, 270, or 472; directed study on philosophy of medicine, and at least two courses in biology approved by the Department of Biology.

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Minor Concentration in Philosophy (1509)

The minor concentration requires five courses in philosophy, completed with a grade of C or higher: CAS PH 300 and PH 310, one course at the 200 level or higher, one 400-level course, and one other philosophy course.

For further information on minor concentrations please see the Director of Undergraduate Advising.

Joint Concentrations with Other Departments

Students with interdisciplinary interests may choose a joint concentration combining philosophy with another field: see the seven programs below. Joint concentrations coordinate courses from two disciplines in an integrated way combining breadth and depth. They have more courses than a single concentration, but generally fewer than a double concentration (that is, fewer than two single concentrations taken together). All joint concentrators have a faculty advisor in the Department of Philosophy with whom they should consult regularly in planning their program of study. Joint concentrations take the place of single concentrations and appear on diplomas. Thus, it is not necessary to be a joint concentrator in order to be a regular concentrator, or vice versa, and the two cannot be pursued together.

Joint Concentration in Philosophy and Political Science (1522)

At least six courses in philosophy and six in political science, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

In philosophy the following is required: CAS PH 300, 310, 350; any one of CAS PH 253, 254, 255, 453, 454, 455; one course at the 200 level or above; and one other philosophy course.

In political science the following is required: CAS PO 391, 392; one other political theory course; three other courses in political science. Note that no more than one 100-level political science course can count toward the major. Also, it is recommended that the first course in political science be a 100- or 200-level course in one of the following subfields: American politics, public policy, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory.

One of the above courses must be either a senior seminar in political science or a topics course in philosophy.

Joint Concentration in Philosophy and Physics (1530)

At least five courses in philosophy and eight courses in physics, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

Prerequisites: One course in philosophy at the 100 level; CAS PY 251, 252, 353; CAS MA 123, 124.

In philosophy the following is required: CAS PH 300, 310, 270; any one of CAS PH 360, 467, 468; CAS PH 470 or a directed study in philosophy.

In physics the following is required: CAS MA 225; CAS PY 354, 355, 405, 406, 408, 451, 452.

Joint Concentration in Philosophy and Psychology (1540)

At least six courses in philosophy and six in  psychology, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

In philosophy the following is required: CAS PH 300, 310; any two of CAS PH 270, 277, 443, 460, 474, 477; two courses in philosophy above the 100 level.

In psychology the following is required: CAS PS 101; CAS MA 115 and 116, or CAS PS 211; CAS PS 303 or 506; one course in experimental psychology; two courses in psychology above the 100 level.

One of the above courses must be either a senior seminar in psychology or a topics course in philosophy.

Joint Concentration in Philosophy and Religion (1520)

At least six courses in philosophy and six in religion, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

In philosophy the following is required: one course in philosophy at the 100 level; CAS PH 300, 310; any one of CAS PH 245, 246, 408, 446; and two additional courses at the 200 level or above.

In religion the following is required: one 100-level course; one 200-level course; one 300-level course; one 400-level course; and two additional courses at the 300 level or above. All courses must be chosen in consultation with an advisor in the Department of Religion.

One of the above courses in philosophy or religion must be a topics course at the 400 level.

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Joint Concentration in Mathematics and Philosophy (1740)


Prerequisites: CAS PH 100 or 110; CAS MA 123 and 124, or equivalent (MA 127 or MA 129 or advanced placement); CAS MA 225 or MA 230; CAS MA 293.

At least six courses in philosophy and six in mathematics, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

In philosophy the following is required: any three courses above the 100 level; CAS PH 468; any two courses from CAS PH 422, 443, 460, 474.

In mathematics the following is required: CAS MA 242, 531, 532; CAS MA 411/12 or 511/12; CAS MA 294 or 341 or a course numbered 400 or higher.

Joint Concentration in Classics and Philosophy (1547)

At least six courses in philosophy and six courses in classics, with a grade of C or higher, are required.

In philosophy the following is required: any one of CAS PH 100, 110, 140, 150, 155, or 160; CAS PH 300; CAS PH 310; any two courses at the 200 level or above; and any one of CAS PH 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 480.

In classics the following is required: CAS CL 101 or 321; CAS CL 261; and any other four courses in classical civilization (at the 200 level or above) or classical languages. Note: Students who choose to complete the CAS foreign language requirement using a classical language may not count 100-level courses in that language toward the joint concentration in classics and philosophy.

BA/MA in Philosophy (1509)

At the beginning of the junior year, undergraduates may be admitted to a program of study leading to the completion of the requirements for both the BA and the MA degrees at the end of the academic year following the senior year. For regulations see the introductory section of this bulletin. Details of the program are available from Professor Klaus Brinkmann, Department of Philosophy, 745 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.

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Courses

Courses marked with a (†) satisfy divisional studies requirements.

In addition to the courses listed below, courses in philosophy offered in Metropolitan College may, under some circumstances, be taken by undergraduates. Certain Graduate School courses are also open to qualified undergraduates with the consent of the instructor.

†CAS PH 100 Introduction to Philosophy

Introduction to the nature of philosophical activity through a careful study of selected great works such as Plato’s Apology, Descartes’ Meditations, Lao Tze’s Tao Te Ching, Pascal’s Pensées, and Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra. P. Bokulich, Doyle. 4 cr, either sem. (HU)

†CAS PH 110 Great Philosophers

A comparative introduction to the life and thought of six preeminent philosophers from classical times in both the Western and Eastern traditions. Doyle, Meyer. 4 cr, either sem. (HU)

†CAS PH 150 Introduction to Ethics

Who ought we to be, what ought we to do, what ought we to strive for? Examination of our obligations to ourselves, to other humans, and to the natural world in light of ethical theory and contemporary problems. Readings from a wide range of texts in philosophical ethics. Dahlstrom, Garrett, Kuehn, Speight, Star. 4 cr, either sem. (HU)

†CAS PH 155 Politics and Philosophy

A study of the theoretical foundations of modern industrial democracy, with special attention paid to the Enlightenment. Readings from Machiavelli, Locke, D’Alembert, Rousseau, Madison, and Tocqueville. Sreedhar. 4 cr, 2nd sem. (HU)

†CAS PH 160 Reasoning and Argumentation

A systematic study of the principles of both deductive and informal reasoning, calculated to enhance students’ actual reasoning skills, with an emphasis on reasoning and argumentation in ordinary discourse. A. Bokulich, Corsentino, Floyd, Ganea, Hintikka, Liebesman, Webb. 4 cr, either sem. (HU)

CAS PH 241 Philosophy of Personality

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 242 Philosophy of Human Nature

Consideration of ways in which questions about human nature have received philosophical formulation through analysis of such concepts as depth, courage, authority, intensity, possibility, transcendence, tradition, adventure, unity, sex, struggle, and peace. Discussion of past and recent work in philosophical anthropology. Meyer. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 244 How Are We To Live? Ethics in Action

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 245 Philosophy and Religion

Introduction to religious thought, exploring the aims of human life, the place of God in the good life, and the role of contemplation and action in the spiritual quest. Readings from Plato, Aristotle, Bible, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Augustine, Maimonides, Ghazzali. Lobel. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 247 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy

An introduction to the Chinese philosophical tradition, including a study of classical Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism, and modern developments. Berthrong. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 248 Existentialism

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Analysis of existentialism as a movement or orientation in contemporary philosophy. Topics include contingency and the grounds for belief and value; depth, superficiality, and the intense life; commitment and open-mindedness; tragedy and the healthy self; boredom, anxiety, and adventure; and existentialism as a philosophy of the possible. Hopp, Kestenbaum. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS PH 249 American Philosophical Tradition

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 250 Environmental Ethics

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 251 Medical Ethics

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Examination of a number of value problems arising within the context of medicine and health care. Particular ethical problems of euthanasia, abortion, human experimentation, reproduction, and allocation of scarce resources; critiques of contemporary medicine as an institution. Fialova. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 253 Social Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 254 Political Philosophy

Prereq: at least sophomore standing or any 100-level philosophy course. Types of political theory, their key concepts and underlying assumptions; paradoxes in the modern idea of freedom; the concept of property; scientific progress and the understanding of the politics. Sreedhar. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 256 Philosophy of Gender and Sexuality

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. An analysis of the notions of gender and sexuality, with readings from Plato, Rousseau, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Sartre, Levinas, Scruton, Bloom. Questions include: are gender and sexuality natural, or are they social constructions? How are they related to love and desire? Sreedhar. 4 cr. 2nd sem.

CAS PH 257 Philosophies of Nature

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 258 Philosophy and Literature

Examines how literature and philosophy tell us and show us how it is, through an analysis of the sorts of demands they place upon reason, experience, and language. Writers include William James, Henry James, Wallace Stevens, and T. S. Eliot. Kestenbaum. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 259 Philosophy of the Arts

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Introduction to aesthetics, considering such questions as: What is a work of art? How does one know whether it is good or bad? Kestenbaum, Speight. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS PH 260 Knowledge and Reality

Prereq: sophomore standing and one philosophy course or consent of instructor. Introduction to important issues in ancient, modern, and contemporary theories of knowledge; examination of related metaphysical questions, including first principles or foundations; necessity vs. contingency; materialism, dualism, idealism; the positivist challenge to metaphysics. TBA. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 265 Minds and Machines

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. An examination of the efforts of artificial intelligence to model the human mind and explain human thought by means of suitably programmed computers. Attention is given to the historical and mathematical origins of such efforts, as well as the main psychological and philosophical assumptions on which they depend. Webb. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 266 Mind, Brain, and Self

Philosophical introduction to cognitive science. A consideration of the historical and intellectual background from which cognitive science has emerged, as well as the philosophical issues concerning the mind, brain, and self that arise from contemporary scientific research. Hopp. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 270 Philosophy of Science

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Main features of the scientific enterprise will be illustrated by examples in the study of physics, biology, and mind: the aims of scientific activities, the nature of scientific understanding and procedures, the structure and interpretation of scientific theories, and the development of science. Cao. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 271 History of Science

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. The origin and development of modern science, including Galileo, Newton, and the new physics; Lavoisier and the birth of modern chemistry; Darwin and evolution; Mendel and genetics; Einstein and relativity; and Watson, Crick, and the double helix. Cao. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 272 Science, Technology, and Values

Prereq: sophomore standing. Examination of some of the important ways in which science, technology, society, and human values are interconnected. Includes case studies of the social and ethical challenges posed by computer, military, and biological technology. A. Bokulich. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 277 Philosophy and Methods in the Human Sciences

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Examination of basic concepts of the social sciences, such as causal and functional explanations, prediction, rationality, reduction, and objectivity. Consideration of philosophical problems of the particular social sciences, such as psychology, economics, archaeology, and history. Ganea. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 300 History of Ancient Philosophy

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Classical Greek philosophy, with a concentration on the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. Brinkmann, Meyer, Roochnik, Rorty. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS PH 310 History of Modern Philosophy

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. An examination of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century philosophy from Descartes to Kant, with emphasis  on the nature and extent of knowledge. Readings include Descartes, Locke, Spinoza, Berkley, Hume, and Kant. Brinkmann, Doyle, Kuehn, Webb. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS PH 350 History of Ethics

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. A critical and comparative examination of the ideas of representative moral philosophers from Plato to Nietzsche. Lockwood, Roochnik, Star. 4 cr, either sem.

CAS PH 360 Symbolic Logic

Prereq: one philosophy course or sophomore standing. Study of methods characteristic of modern deductive logic including use of truth tables, Boolean normal forms, models, and indirect and conditional proofs within the theory of truth-functions and quantifiers. Ganea. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 401, 402 Senior Independent Work

Prereq: senior standing, consent of instructor and department, and approval of Honors Committee. Individual tutorial instruction and directed research at distinction level. 4 cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

CAS PH 403 Plato I

Prereq: two courses in philosophy or consent of instructor. (Knowledge of Greek is helpful but not required. Familiarity with Greek philosophy is helpful.) A close reading of the Symposium. Miller. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 405 Aristotle I

Prereq: CAS PH 300. A careful study of the philosophy of Aristotle conducted primarily through a close reading of several of his major works. Roochnik. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 406 Aristotle II

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 409 Maimonides

Prereq: CAS PH 300. A study of major aspects of the thought of Maimonides. Primary focus on the Guide of the Perplexed, with attention to its modern reception in works by Baruch Spinoza, Hermann Cohen, Leo Strauss, and others. Also offered as CAS RN 420. Zank. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 410 Continental Rationalism

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 411 British Empiricism

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. A critical study of major texts of British Empiricists, with emphasis on Locke and Hume. Garrett. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 412 Philosophy of the Enlightenment

A critical examination of that family of philosophical and political movements that called itself “the Enlightenment.” Students analyze key texts by Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Smith, Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot, Jefferson, Madison, Kant, and Hegel. Kuehn. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 413 Kant

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. An in-depth reading of several of Kant’s works. Kuehn. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 415 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 416 Hegel

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 417 Hegel's Phenomenology

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 418 Marx and Marxism

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 419 Nietzsche

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. Reading and discussion of some of Nietzsche’s major works and their influence on twentieth-century thought. Discussions go back to Hegel and forward to Heidegger. Michalski. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 420 Contemporary Philosophy

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. A survey of the main developments in recent philosophy in both the analytical and continental traditions, emphasizing the interrelations of the two. Philosophers covered include Frege, Moore, Russell, and Wittgenstein, as well as Brentano, Husserl, Heidegger, and Sartre. Hintikka. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 421 Frege, Moore, and Russell

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 422 Analytic Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 424 Wittgenstein

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. An intensive (line by line) study of Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. Hintikka. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 426 Phenomenology

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and two other philosophy courses, or consent of instructor. Rigorous examination of foundations of philosophical phenomenology in Husserl and Heidegger. Hopp. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 427 Heidegger and Existential Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 430 American Philosophy

The American fascination with religion; Idealism versus Pragmatism in close readings of major texts from three or four among the folowing: Edwards, Emerson, James, Dewey, Royce, Hocking, Reinhold Niebuhr, Tillich. Kestenbaum. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 436 Gender, Race, and Science

Prereq: sophomore standing. Examines issues in feminist philosophy, philosophy of race, and philosophy of science. Is “race” a genuine scientific category or a social construct? How have views about gender and race changed? Why are there still so few women and minority scientists? A. Bokulich. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 440 Metaphysics

A study of the themes of Being, God, Space, Time, and Eternity as they should be treated for a contemporary philosophy. Tauber. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 441 Philosophical Idealism

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 443 Philosophy of Mind

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 446 Philosophy of Religion

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 450 Types of Ethical Theory

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 451 Contemporary Ethical Theory

Prereq: CAS PH 350 or consent of instructor. An examination of twentieth-century English and American moral theories including those of Moore, Foot, Williams, MacIntyre, and Rawls. Star. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 452 Ethics of Health Care

Medicine and health care offer a unique opportunity to explore the nature of humanity and the world and to ask fundamental questions concerning the nature of birth, life, and death, and what it is to be a person. Readings from both classical and contemporary writings in ethics, medicine, law, and public health policy. Fialova. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 453 Theories of Political Society

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 455 Legal Philosophy

Prereq: CAS PH 350. Study of the seminal notion of “natural law” and its developments from Grotius and Pufendorf through Hegel. Discussion of the connection between natural law and natural rights, as well as views about duty and virtue. Centrality of these concepts to legal as well as moral and political philosophy. Lyons. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 456 Topics in Philosophy and Religion

Topic for Fall 2009: TBA. Speight. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 457 Action, Interpretation, and Narrative

Prereq: senior standing or consent of instructor. What is the relationship between understanding behavior and understanding texts? What is the role of narrative in interpretation? Using philosophical reflections on narrative from Plato to MacIntyre, the course studies philosophy and tragedy as two perhaps antithetical traditions of interpretation. Olson. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 458 Crime and Punishment: Philosophical Perspectives

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 459 Political and Legal Philosophy

Prereq: consent of instructor. Examination of the individual’s responsibilities under law, specifically of the idea that there is a general moral obligation to obey the law, including unjust law, and the contrasting idea of civil disobedience—the possibility of morally justified resistance to law. Baxter. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 460 Epistemology

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and CAS PH 360. An examination of some of the central questions concerning the nature, scope, sources, and structure of knowledge. Hopp. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 461 Mathematical Logic

Prereq: CAS MA 293 or consent of instructor. The syntax and semantics of sentential and quantificational logic, culminating in the Gödel Completeness Theorem. The Gödel Incompleteness Theorem and its ramifications for computability and philosophy. Also offered as CAS MA 531. TBA. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 462 Foundations of Mathematics

Prereq: CAS PH 461 or consent of instructor. Axiomatic set theory as a foundation for, and field of, mathematics: Axiom of Choice, the Continuum Hypothesis, and consistency results. TBA. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 463 Philosophy of Language

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and CAS PH 360 and one other course in philosophy, or consent of instructor. Critical survey of the main issues in the philosophy of language and the foundations of linguistics, including the ideas of logical form and the universality of languages as well as the basic ideas of generative grammar, possible-worlds semantics, Wittgenstein, and speech-act theories. Liebesman. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 465 Philosophy of Cognitive Science

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 468 Philosophical Problems of Logic and Mathematics

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and CAS PH 360 and one other philosophy course; or consent of instructor. Selected traditional metaphysical and epistemological problems in the light of modern logic and various studies in the foundations of mathematics, including the nature of the axiomatic method, completeness in logic and mathematics, and the nature of mathematical truth. Hintikka. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 470 Philosophy of Physics

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and CAS PH 360. Philosophical problems concerning the interpretation of physical discoveries. Elementary particles, the anomalies of quantum mechanics, some modern problems of space and time, and the problem of wholes and parts. Cao. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 471 Ecology in Philosophy and Literature

Prereq: junior standing. An investigation of ecological thinking, examining philosophical and literary accounts of the natural world. What is “nature”? How do humans differ from animals? How has technology affected our relation to nature? What are our ethical responsibilities toward the earth’s inhabitants? Brinkmann. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 472 Philosophy of Biology

Prereq: CAS PH 310 and CAS PH 360, and one other philosophy course, or consent of instructor. Conceptual problems in biology; unity or pluralism of science; hierarchy theory; biological explanation; evolutionary theory, teleology and casuality, statistical explanation; the species problem; mind and the brain; and language in animals and humans. P. Bokulich. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 474 Inductive Logic and Scientific Methodology

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 480 Topics in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 481 Topics in the Philosophy of Law

Prereq: CAS PH 455 or consent of instructor. A critical study of theories about legal interpretation with an emphasis on the philosophical underpinnings and implications of each theory. Topic for Spring 2010: Philosophical and Policy Perspectives on Tort Law. Lyons. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 482 Topics in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 483 Topics in the Philosophy of Religion

Prereq: junior standing and any one philosophy course from CAS PH 440–447, or consent of instructor. Focus on a specific topic in the philosophy of religion. Possible topics include a particular thinker (e.g., Kierkegaard), historical period (e.g., the Enlightenment), or problem (e.g., the existence of God or evil). Topic for Fall 2009: TBA. Michalski. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 484 Topics in Speculative Philosophy

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 485 Topics in Philosophy of Value

Not offered 2009/2010

CAS PH 486 Topics in Knowledge, Language, and Logic

Prereq: any one philosophy course from CAS PH 460–468, or consent of instructor. Topic for Fall 2009: Conceptual History. Critical examination of the history of a number of central philosophical concepts, including being and its varieties, existence, identity, logic, world, creation, form, function, law of nature, chance, induction, intuition and the so-called principle of plenitude. Ganea. 4 cr, 1st sem.

CAS PH 487 Topics in the Philosophy of Science

Prereq: any one course from CAS PH 470-477, or consent of instructor. Topic for Spring 2010: TBA. A. Bokulich. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 488 Topics in Aesthetics

Prereq: sophomore standing. Consideration of selected topics in aesthetics, with particular attention to the relationship between aesthetic experience and analytical accounts of the experience; topics include expression, perception, qualities, the good, the ideal, and the sublime. Speight. 4 cr, 2nd sem.

CAS PH 491, 492 Directed Study

Prereq: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor and department, and approval of CAS Room 105. Individual or small group tutorial instruction and directed research on selected topics. Variable cr, 1st & 2nd sem.

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