1. Course ID and Number: PHIL 16
College of the Redwoods
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL
C-ID Descriptor (if applicable):
2. Course Title: Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
3. Check one of the following:
New Course (If the course constitutes a new learning experience for CR students, the course is new).
Required - Justification for Need (Provide a brief description of the background and rationale for the course. This might
include a description of a degree or certificate for which the course is required or the relationship of this course to other
courses in the same or other disciplines. To see examples of such descriptions, consult pages 10-11 of The Course Outline of
Record: A Curriculum Reference Guide.
This course is is a restricted elective for the ADT: Philosophy and fulfills CSU GE Area C2. PHIL 15: Religions of
the World, a different PHIL course at CR, is a comparative study of religions and is not specifically listed as a
course in Transfer Model Curriculum Template for the ADT. PHIL 16, rather than comparing and contrasting
the features of the world's major religions, is an introduction to philosophical thinking about religion and
focuses on the application of the philosophic method to questions at the center of modern religions.
Updated/Revised Course
If curriculum has been offered under a different discipline and/or name, identify the former course:
Should another course be inactivated? No
Yes
Inactivation date:
Title of course to be inactivated:
(If yes, complete a Course Inactivation Form found on the Curriculum Website.)
4. If this is an update/revision of an existing course, provide explanation of and justification for changes to this course.
Be sure to explain the reasons for any changes to class size, unit value, and prerequisites/corequisites.
5. List the faculty with which you consulted in the development and/or revision of this course outline.
Faculty Member Name(s) and Discipline(s): Phil Freneau (PHIL/ECE-DN); David Owren (PHIL-EKA); Elizabeth Leach
(PHIL-KT); Sam Savage (PHIL-EKA); Jeff Sellars (PHIL-EKA).
6. If any of the features listed below have been modified in the new proposal, indicate the “old” (current) information
and “new” (proposed) changes. If a feature is not changing, leave both the “old” and “new” fields blank.
FEATURES
OLD
NEW
Course Title
TOPS/CIPS Code
Catalog Description
(Please include complete text of
old and new catalog descriptions.)
Grading Standard
Select
Select
Total Units
Lecture Units
Lab Units
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Recommended Preparation
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 1 of 9
Maximum Class Size
Repeatability—
Maximum Enrollments
Select
Select
Other
1. DATE: July 31, 2015
2. DIVISION: Arts and Humanities
3. [CB04] COURSE CREDIT STATUS: D Credit-Degree Applicable
4. [CB01] COURSE ID AND NUMBER: PHIL 16
5. [CB02] COURSE TITLE: Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
(Course title appears in Catalog and schedule of classes.)
6. SHORT TITLE: Philosophy of Religion
(Short title appears on student transcripts and is limited to 30 characters, including spaces.)
7. [CB03] LOCAL ID (TOPs code): 1509.00 Taxonomy of Program Codes
8. NATIONAL ID (CIP code): 38.0101 Classification of Instructional Program Codes
9. DISCIPLINE(S): Philosophy Select from Minimum Qualifications for Faculty
Course may fit more than one discipline; identify all that apply:
10. FIRST TERM NEW OR REVISED COURSE MAY BE OFFERED: Summer 2016
11. COURSE UNITS (Note: 1 lecture unit requires 18 hours in-class/36 hours out-of-class; 1 lab unit requires 54 in-class hours)
[CB07]
TOTAL UNITS:
TOTAL HOURS:
[CB06]
3.0
3.0
min. units
max. units
54
54
min. hours
max. hours
Lecture Units:
3.0
Lab Units:
0
Lecture Hours:
54
Lab Hours:
0
11. MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 40
12. WILL THIS COURSE HAVE AN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FEE? No
Yes
Fee: $
If yes, attach a completed Instructional Materials Fee Request Form found on the Curriculum Website.
GRADING STANDARD
Letter Grade Only
Pass/No Pass Only
[CB12] Is this course a repeatable lab course? No
Grade-Pass/No Pass Option
Yes
Is this course to be offered as part of the Honors Program? No
If yes, how many total enrollments? Select
Yes
If yes, explain how honors sections of the course are different from standard sections.
Honors sections will require additional assignment(s) and contact with the instructor outside of class. Additional
assignments may include but are not limited to 1. a study of one additional full-length work or of a substantial group
of related readings and one additional piece of writing; 2. development of a web-based course resource; 3. class
presentations of research.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION - The catalog description should clearly describe for students the scope of the course, its level, and
what kinds of student goals the course is designed to fulfill. The catalog description should begin with a sentence fragment.
An introduction to the major philosophical issues related to religion and to the arguments offered in response to
these issues by historical and contemporary philosophers. Using philosophical methods of inquiry, students will
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 2 of 9
study issues such as the arguments for and against theism, the relationship between God and language, the problem
of evil, the cognitive components of religious experience, the relationship between God and morality, and the
distinctions between faith and reason. Emphasis is on the explication of traditional and contemporary primary
philosophical works, including historical philosophers such as Boethius, Anselm, Aquinas, Leibniz, Hume, Calvin,
Luther, Erasmus, Kierkegaard, and Kant and contemporary philosophers such as William Lane Craig, Richard
Swineburne, Alvin Plantinga, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens.
Special Notes or Advisories (e.g. Field Trips Required, Prior Admission to Special Program Required, etc.):
PREREQUISITE COURSE(S)
No
Yes
Rationale for Prerequisite:
Course(s):
Describe representative skills without which the student would be highly unlikely to succeed.
COREQUISITE COURSE(S)
No
Yes
Rationale for Corequisite:
Course(s):
RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
No
Yes
Course(s): ENGL 150 or ENGL 102
Rationale for Recommended Preparation:
Students must be able to read and comprehend complex philosophical texts, apply methods of philosophical inquiry
and analysis, and write thesis-driven, analytical essays
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES –This section answers the question “what will students be able to do as a result of taking this
course?” State some of the outcomes in terms of specific, measurable student actions (e.g. discuss, identify, describe, analyze,
construct, compare, compose, display, report, select, etc.). For a more complete list of outcome verbs please see Public
Folders>Curriculum>Help Folder>SLO Language Chart. Each outcome should be numbered.
1. Apply the key concepts and methods of philosophical inquiry in response to the philosophical problems pertaining
to religion.
2. Evaluate the arguments offered by philosophers in response to the philosophical problems pertaining to religion.
3. Develop and defend one's own philosophic positions in response to philosophical questions pertaining to religion.
COURSE OBJECTIVES - This section describes the objectives the course addresses through the course content. Objectives can
include specific disciplinary questions or goals that are central to the course subject matter and are meant to address what
the various intents of the course are. Each objective should be numbered.
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION – Clear methods by which instructor will facilitate acquisition of objectives. Include here
descriptions, NOT lists. Course outline must clearly articulate how these methods of instruction are related to, and help
student work towards, achieving the objectives and student learning outcomes. Instructional methodologies will be
consistent with, but will not be limited to, the following types orexamples.
The instructor will provide lectures on major philosophical texts and the main philosophical problems pertaining to
religion to in order to illustrate the philosophical approach to religion. The instructor will facilitate classroom
discussion of primary philosophical texts in order to help students learn to develop logically defensible
interpretations of the meanings of and problems in these texts. Students will deliver presentations that critically
analyze and critique a primary philosophical text or philosophical theory or concept in order to analyze the logical
structure and consistency of an argument. Outside of class, students will produce reading responses that allow them
to practice summarizing and critiquing philosophical writing in order to analyze the logical structure and consistency
of an argument. Outside of class, students will develop a formal essay that offers and defends a research-informed
claim about a primary philosophical text or texts in order to practice critical evaluation of texts and philosophical
argumentation.
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
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COURSE CONTENT–This section describes what the course is “about”-i.e. what it covers and what knowledge students will
acquire.
Concepts: What terms and ideas will students need to understand and be conversant with as they demonstrate course
outcomes? Each concept should be numbered.
1. Religion.
2. Divinity.
3. Belief.
4. Knowledge.
5. Reason.
6. Faith.
7. The problem of evil.
8. Theodicy.
9. Justification.
10. Freewill.
11. Determinism.
12. Atheism.
13. Agnosticism.
14. Theism.
15. Monotheism.
16. Epistemology.
17. Metaphysics.
18. Ontology.
19. Morality.
20. Doubt.
21. Certainty.
22. Perception.
23. Fundamentalism.
24. Modernism.
25. Logical necessity.
26. A priori.
27. A posteriori.
28. Omnipotence.
29. Omnibenevolence.
30. Omniscience.
31. The ontological argument.
32. The cosmological argument.
33. The argument from design.
34. The argument from perfection.
35. The Pragmatic argument.
36. Pascal's Wager.
37. Mysticism.
38. Intuition.
39. Miracle.
40. Evidence.
Issues: What primary tensions or problems inherent in the subject matter of the course will students engage? Each
issue should be numbered.
1. Faith vs. reason.
2. Distinguishing between philosophic and non-philosophic questions and answers.
3. The desire for certainty and the limitations of language, logic, and sensory perception.
4. The value of pursuing answers to enduring philosophic questions that resist definitive resolution.
5. Sufficient justification for accepting a claim.
Themes: What motifs, if any, are threaded throughout the course? Each theme should be numbered.
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
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1. The primacy of logic and reason in philosophy and the philosophic method.
2. Literalist, liberal, and humanist approaches to religious texts and philosophical problems pertaining to religion.
3. The methods of philosophic inquiry.
4. Authority.
5. Knowledge.
6. Clarity and precision of thought.
7. Meaning.
8. The philosophical commitment.
9. Truth.
10. Doubt.
11. Coherence.
12. Consistency.
13. Logic.
14. Certainty.
Skills: What abilities must students have in order to demonstrate course outcomes? (E.g. write clearly, use a scientific
calculator, read college-level texts, create a field notebook, safely use power tools, etc). Each skill should be numbered.
1. Distinguish between various argumentative strategies.
2. Distinguish between philosophical and non-philosophical questions.
3. Identify the main questions within the philosophy of religion.
4. Identify key terms and concepts in the philosophy of religion.
5. Listen actively to questions and comments posed by classmates and the instructor.
6. Pose questions about primary philosophic texts.
7. Read and annotate complex texts closely and critically.
8. Recall factual and theoretical information to respond to quiz questions and writing prompts.
9. Articulate interpretations of primary philosophic texts.
10. Evaluate philosophical arguments for logical consistency and coherence.
REPRESENTATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES –This section provides examples of things students may do to engage the course
content (e.g., listening to lectures, participating in discussions and/or group activities, attending a field trip). These activities
should relate directly to the Course Learning Outcomes. Each activity should be numbered.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Listening to lectures about particular philosophers and philosophies.
Participating in class discussions by posing and responding to questions about assigned readings.
Writing an evaluation of a particular philosopher's attempt to address a philosophical problem.
Generating and defending orally or in writing an interpretation of a primary philosophical text.
ASSESSMENT TASKS –This section describes assessments instructors may use to allow students opportunities to provide
evidence of achieving the Course Learning Outcomes. Each assessment should be numbered.
Representative Assessment Tasks (These are examples of assessments instructors could use.):
1. Participation in class discussions.
2. Mulitple-choice, short-answer, and essay examinations.
3. Essays that explain how different philosophers and/or philosophies offer different responses to the same
philosophical problem.
4. Essays that present and defend interpretations of primary philosophical texts.
Required Assessments for All Sections (These are assessments that are required of all instructors of all sections at all
campuses/sites. Not all courses will have required assessments. Do not list here assessments that are listed as representative
assessments above.):
1. At least one formal, research-informed, out-of-class essay that requires students to offer and defend a claim
about a primary philosophical text.
EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE TEXTS OR OTHER READINGS –This section lists example texts, not required texts.
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 5 of 9
Author, Title, and Date Fields are required
Author Luis Pojman and Michael Rea Title The Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology 6th ed Date 2011
Author David Stuart Title Exploring the Philosophy of Religion 7th ed Date 2010
Author GWF Hegel Title Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion: The Lectures of 1827 Date 2006
Author David Hume Title Dialogues and Natural History of Religion Date 2009
Other Appropriate Readings:
W. James, "Pragmatism", 1981,
T. Alter and R. Howell. The God Dialogues: A Philosophical Journey, 2010
I. Kant, "Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone,"1960
E. Stump. Philosophy of Religion: the Big Questions. , 2008
J. Collins, "The Emergence of Modern Philosophy of Religion,"1967
S. Kierkegaard, "Fear and Trembling," 2003
COURSE TYPES
1. Is the course part of a Chancellor’s Office approved CR Associate Degree?
No
Yes
If yes, specify all program codes that apply. (Codes can be found in Outlook/Public Folders/All Public Folders/
Curriculum/Degree and Certificate Programs/choose appropriate catalog year):
Required course for degree(s)
Restricted elective for degree (s) ADT - Philosophy
Restricted electives are courses specifically listed (i.e. by name and number) as optional courses from which
students may choose to complete a specific number of units required for an approved degree.
2. Is the course part of a Chancellor’s Office approved CR Certificate of Achievement?
No
Yes
If yes, specify all program codes that apply. (Codes can be found in Outlook/Public Folders/All Public Folders/
Curriculum/Degree and Certificate Programs/choose appropriate catalog year):
Required course for certificate(s)
Restricted elective for certificate(s)
Restricted electives are courses specifically listed (i.e. by name and number) as optional courses from which
students may choose to complete a specific number of units required for an approved certificate.
3. [CB24] Is the course Stand Alone?
No
Yes (If “No” is checked for BOTH #1 & #2 above, the course is stand alone.)
4. [CB08] Basic Skills: NBS Not Basic Skills
5. [CB10] Work Experience: NWE Not Coop Work Experience
6. [CB22] Noncredit Category: Credit course, not applicable
7. Course eligible Career Technical Education funding (applies to vocational and tech-prep courses only): No
8. [CB23] Course developed using a Chancellor’s Office Economic Development Grant: No
Yes
Yes
9. [CB11] Purpose: Y Credit Course Course Classification Status
10. Accounting Method: W Weekly Census
11. [CB13] Disability Status: N Not a Special Class
12. [CB09] Course SAM Priority Code: E Not Occupational Definitions of SAM Priority Codes
COURSE TRANSFERABILITY
1. [CB05] Current Transferability Status: C Not Transferable
2. [CB21] Course Prior to Transfer Level: Y Not Applicable Definitions of Course Prior to Transfer Levels
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 6 of 9
CURRENT TRANSFERABILITY STATUS (Check at least one box below):
This course is currently transferable to:
Neither CSU nor UC
CSU as general elective credit
CSU as a specific course equivalent (see below)
If the course transfers as a specific course equivalent give course number(s)/ title(s) of one or more currently-active,
equivalent lower division courses from CSU.
1. Course
, Campus
2. Course
, Campus
UC as general elective credit
UC as specific course equivalent
If the course transfers as a specific course equivalent give course number(s)/ title(s) of one or more currently-active,
equivalent lower division courses from UC.
1. Course
, Campus
2. Course
, Campus
PROPOSED CSU TRANSFERABILITY (Check at least one of the boxes below):
No Proposal
Remove as General Education
Propose as General Elective Credit
Propose as a Specific Course Equivalent (see below)
If specific course equivalent credit is proposed, give course number(s)/ title(s) of one or more currently-active, equivalent
lower division courses from CSU.
1. Course PHIL 109: Philosophy of Religion, Campus San Jose State Univ. 2. Course PHIL 105: Introduction to Philosophy
and Religion, Campus San Francisco State University
PROPOSED UC TRANSFERABILITY (Check one of the boxes below):
No Proposal
Remove as General Education
Propose as General Elective Credit OR Specific Course Equivalent (fill in information below)
If “General Elective Credit OR Specific Course Equivalent” box above is checked, give course number(s)/ title(s) of one or more
currently-active, equivalent lower division courses from UC.
1. Course PHIL 11: Instroduction to the Philosophy of Religion, Campus UC Berkeley
2. Course PHIL 107:
Philosophy of Religion, Campus UC Merced
CURRENTLY APPROVED GENERAL EDUCATION (Check at least one box below):
Not currently approved
CR
CR GE Category(-ies): Select GE Category, Secondary GE Category (if applicable)
CSU
CSU GE Category:
IGETC
IGETC Category:
PROPOSED CR GENERAL EDUCATION (Check at least one box below):
No Proposal
Remove as General Education
Review to maintain CR GE Status
New GE Proposal
____ _Approved as CR GE by Curriculum Committee: _______ _
____ _ Not Approved
(DATE)
____ _ Approved to remove CR GE status
CR GE Outcomes
GE learning outcomes in Effective Communication, Critical Thinking, and Global Awareness must be addressed in all
general education courses.
o Effective Communications: Explain how the proposed GE course fulfills at least one of the CR GE outcomes in this
category.
PHIL 16 focuses on primary philosophic texts that offer complex arguments that address perenial philosophical
Curriculum Proposal: Revised 04.25.14; 09.09.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 7 of 9
problems related to religion. To succeed, students will need to be able to communicate effectively both
verbally in class and in writing outside of class their understanding of the issues and their analysis of the
arguments offered by philosophers. This requires students in PHIL 16 to practice effective communication on
daily basis in order to succeed in the course. PHIL 16 students will need to do all of the following: 1)
communicate complex aesthetic, cultural and intellectual ideas, 2) generate, compose, revise and communicate
ideas clearly, orally and in writing, 3) read with comprehension, and 4) listen with comprehension.
Furthermore, the required research-informed essay about a primary philosophic text ensures students will
practice and develop their writing and research abilities, and thus fulfill another component of effective
communication when they 5) conduct research using appropriate methods and tools.
o Critical Thinking: Explain how the proposed GE course fulfills at least one of the CR GE outcomes in this category.
As a study of the philosophical inquiries and arguments presented during the last 1500 years, PHIL 16 fulfills
virtually all of the GE outcomes in critical thinking. Specifically, students in PHIL 16 interpret a variety of visual,
oral, and written arguments and analyze these arguments using formal methods of philosophic analysis.
Particular attention is paid in PHIL 16 to the application of logic to philosophical problems and to the
traditional and contemporary methods of analysis used by philosophers to explore philosophical problems
related to religion. Successful students in PHIL 16 will be able to do the following: 1) evaluate ideas presented
in writing, media, speech or artistic representations; 2) Evaluate sources of information; 3) Analyze/interpret
creative expressions, resources, data; 4) Make value judgments and ethical decisions; 5) Use problem-solving
skills effectively.
o Global Awareness: Explain how the proposed GE course fulfills at least one of the CR GE outcomes in this category.
The focus of PHIL 16 is the study of primary philosophical texts within their unique cultural and historical
circumstances. Students analyze arguments about the relationships among language, God, and logic, and they
evaluate the ways individual perspective and cultural and historical contexts influence these arguments. PHIL
16 students are required to locate unexamined assumptions (both their own and others) and to consider
intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural values embedded in arguments. To succeed in this course students will
need to be able to 1) analyze issues from multiple perspectives, 2) express an awareness of cultures in a
diverse global community, 3) explain the relationships between humanity and the natural environment, and 4)
analyze issues within their historical context.
GE Criteria for Breadth and Generality
GE courses should be broad and general in scope. Typically such courses are introductory-- not advanced or
specialized—and the content encompasses a broad spectrum of knowledge within a given field of study.
Explain how the proposed GE course fulfills GE criteria for breadth and generality.
PHIL 16 is an introductory survey of a broad range of philosophical ideas related to religion that developed during
the last 1500 years Students read, discuss, and write about texts that explore issues in ethics, epistemology,
metaphysics, ontology, aesthetics, history, science, religion, and political philosophy. Because religion has been a
powerful driver of virtually every aspect of Western history, PHIL 16 includes readings that touch on virtually every
aspect of human experience, and students in the course study the richly diverse ways these issues have been
addressed.
CR GE Area Designation
Course Learning Outcomes and Course Content should provide evidence of appropriate GE Area Designation.
Additional rationale for GE Area Designation (optional):
Area A:
Area B:
Area C:
Area D:
Natural Science
Social Science
Humanities
Language and Rationality
D1: Writing
D2: Oral Communications
D3: Analytical Thinking
Area E: Multicultural Understanding*
*To be considered part of CR GE Area E, all courses must meet the following two conditions: 1. The course must
Curriculum Committee Approved: 04.25.14; 09.01.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 8 of 9
also be (or be proposed) in one other CR GE area AND 2. The course must be articulated with HSU as meeting
their lower-division Diversity and Common Ground GE requirement.
PROPOSED CSU GENERAL EDUCATION BREADTH (CSU GE) (Check at least one box below):
NO PROPOSAL
A. Communications and Critical Thinking
A1 – Oral Communication
A2 – Written Communication
A3 – Critical Thinking
B. Science and Math
B1 – Physical Science
B2 – Life Science
B3 – Laboratory Activity
B4 – Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning
C. Arts, Literature, Philosophy, and Foreign Language
C1 – Arts (Art, Dance, Music, Theater)
C2 – Humanities (Literature, Philosophy, Foreign
Language)
D. Social, Political, and Economic Institutions
D0 – Sociology and Criminology
D1 – Anthropology and Archeology
D2 – Economics
D3 – Ethnic Studies
D5 – Geography
D6 – History
E. Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development
D7 – Interdisciplinary Social or Behavioral Science
E1 – Lifelong Understanding
D8 – Political Science, Government and Legal Institutions
E2 – Self-Development
D9 – Psychology
Rationale for inclusion in this General Education category: Same as above
Proposed Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) (Check at least one box below):
NO PROPOSAL
1A – English Composition
1B – Critical Thinking-English Composition
1C – Oral Communication (CSU requirement only)
2A – Math
3A – Arts
3B – Humanities
4A – Anthropology and Archaeology
4B – Economics
4E – Geography
4F – History
4G – Interdisciplinary, Social & Behavioral Sciences
4H – Political Science, Government & Legal Institutions
4I – Psychology
4J – Sociology & Criminology
5A – Physical Science
5B – Biological Science
6A – Languages Other Than English
Rationale for inclusion in this General Education category: Same as Above
Submitted By: John Johnston
Tel. Ext.: 4375
Dean/Director: Erin Wall
Date: July 31, 2015
Review Date: 10/28/15
For Dean/Director only: Does this course change require a substantial or nonsubstantial change to a degree? Yes
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Yes
Date: 11/13/16
Academic Senate Approval Date: 11/20/16
of Trustees Approval Date: 1/12/16
Curriculum Committee Approved: 04.25.14; 09.01.14
Academic Senate Approved: 05.02.14
Page 9 of 9
No
Board