Fall 2012 Philosophy Department Offerings
Notice: all Junior and Senior philosophy majors must take either PHI 301: Junior
Seminar or PHI 401: Senior Seminar this fall. It is not offered in the spring semester.
Course Offered
Logic and
Language
(180.001)
MWF 11:00
Logic and
Language
(180.002)
MWF 1:00
Intro to
Philosophy
(190.002)
TR 10:50
Professor
Rosental
_____________
Intro to
Philosophy
(190.003)
TR 3:05
_______
Rosental
Intro to Ethics
(195.001)
TR 12:15
Jolley
A study of the principal ethical traditions of Western culture and their application to
contemporary moral issues and social problems. Specific focus will be on Virtue ethics
from Artistotle to MacIntyre.
Political
Philosophy
(230.001)
TR 4:30
Ritchie
Provides an introductory examination of fundamental political issues in Western
intellectual history, such as the contrast of individual rights versus political
authority; freedom and equality; the origin and purpose of political institutions; and
whether the human race demonstrates political progress over time. The course is
executed via historical study of influential philosophical texts.
Philosophy of
Art
(260.001)
TR 10:50
Simson
This course will examine the nature of artistic expression, the role of criticism in the arts,
and the place of the arts in society. The arts that we will discuss include painting,
photography, literature, theater, film, and music. Examples of questions that we will
address are: What does the term “beautiful” mean? Are there other measures of aesthetic
value besides beauty? Is aesthetic value in the eye (or ear) of the beholder? What is the
role of education in the arts? Do we need art critics? What value do the arts have for
society? What is creativity in the arts? What is the relationship between art and
entertainment?
Individualism
and Its Limits
(290.001)
R 6:30-9:30
Royal
In this course we will read some of the key texts in the history of political philosophy. We
will read Aristotle, Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Tocqueville, Kierkegaard, and
either Nietzsche or Heidegger. This is a philosophy and film series, and we will watch
Ground Hog Day, Green Zone, About Schmidt, Pulp Fiction, Avatar, Bon Voyage
(French) and perhaps other movies to see how they illustrate the principles of the
philosophers we are studying. One of the main goals of the class is to teach you how to
think. In this course we will discuss questions like what is individualism, how can one be
an individual in a mass culture, what is happiness, what is the role of government, and why
should someone obey someone else? We also will discuss political philosophy as a field of
study and why it has value in the 21st Century.
Rosental
Findley
Description
A study of the principles used in distinguishing correct from incorrect reasoning,
employing both formal and informal methods. Special emphasis will be placed
upon the application of these principles to everyday language and reasoning.
Topics to be studied include: informal fallacies, definitions, categorical
propositions and syllogisms, elementary truth functional logic, truth and validity,
and induction.
An introduction to reading, writing, and thinking about the important issues and
intellectual figures in the history of Western thought. The Western tradition of
philosophical thought will define the subject matter of the course: Major elements
of the Western tradition are understood in terms of important theories and ideas;
“development of the West” is parsed in terms of the evolution and influence of
those ideas; the influence of ideas from past cultures on later thinkers from
disparate environments is carefully studied; and the influence of past thinkers in
shaping the students’ own self-understanding and perspective will be explored.
Emphasis will be placed on the cultivation of a philosophical attitude and the
development of the arts of conceptual analysis and synthesis.
Junior Seminar
(301.001)
TR 1:40
Thomas
Ancient Greek
Philosophy
(311.001)
MWF 11
Hellenistic and
Early Medieval
Philosophy
(312:001)
MWF 1
Thomas
Jolley
Prerequisite or co-requisite: Philosophy 311
A survey of Hellenistic and Early Medieval Philosophy, which can include the Epicurean,
Stoic, Skeptical, and Neo-Platonist schools of the Hellenistic world, as well as early
Christian thinkers, such as Jesus, Paul, Augustine, Boethius, and Anselm. Other readings
may include texts by Cicero, Seneca, and Epictetus. The course will focus on the ethical
traditions of this time period.
Senior Seminar
(401.001)
TR 1:40
Thomas
2 credit-hours. Prerequisite: PHI 3XX, Senior status, declared major in philosophy.
This course is a workshop in philosophical skill development, including, but not limited to:
essay writing, thesis and argument development, critical thinking, and presentation.
Students will work together, with faculty, and with juniors from the Junior Seminar (see
PHI 301) to complete and present their comprehensive exam in philosophy. Senior
seminar also will involve attending talks by guest lecturers and/or attending off-campus
philosophy-related events.
1 credit-hour. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy, Junior status, declared major in
philosophy
This course is a workshop in philosophical skill development, including, but not limited to:
essay writing, thesis and argument development, critical thinking, and presentation.
Students will work together, with faculty, and with seniors from the Senior Seminar (see
PHI 401) to complete at least one advanced philosophical project by the end of the
semester. Junior seminar also will involve attending talks by guest lecturers and/or
attending off-campus philosophy-related events.
Prerequisite: one course in philosophy.
A survey of ancient Greek philosophy, including the pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle.