B2
LETTER OF INTENT
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Department of Philosophy
BACCALAUREATE DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY
For Implementation: Fall 2009
Approved by College Council of John Jay College [PENDING]
Dr. Jane Bowers, Provost
Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
I. Purpose and Goals of the Program
a) Purposes
The mission statement of John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City
University of New York describes John Jay as a liberal arts college that “strives to endow
students with the skills of critical thinking and effective communication” and “the
perspective and moral judgment that result from liberal studies.” Thus, though John Jay
College is renowned for its programs in criminal justice, forensic science, forensic
psychology and fire science, it also is committed to offering a liberal arts education.
This commitment has been redoubled now that the College has initiated its own
historic transformation into a senior college. As the College phases out its Associate
degree programs, emphasizes building its resources as a four-year institution, and begins
to offer new majors and Baccalaureate degrees in the humanities, Philosophy will offer a
home to diverse young scholars looking for training in a discipline that readies them for
success in a variety of career paths and fields of advanced study.
The proposed major in Philosophy will enrich the College in multiple ways: by
building on existing curricular requirements in philosophy, helping establish John Jay
College as a center of liberal arts education and scholarship, and providing interested
students with the knowledge—and reasoning and research skills—necessary to fulfill the
College’s goal of endowing students with “the capacity for personal and social growth
and creative problem solving that results from the ability to acquire and evaluate
information” and “the awareness of the diverse cultural, historical, economic and political
forces that shape our society.”1
1
John Jay College Mission Statement, http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/833.php
2
Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
The proposed major embraces subject matter common to all Philosophy majors
while also asserting its own distinctive John Jay identity, reflecting the interests of the
majority of our students in law, public service, and justice-related professions. It provides
students with a grounding in the basic structure of the main tradition of modern Western
philosophical thought as well as familiarity with important critiques of that structure both
from within that dominant tradition and from non-Western sources. It highlights the
ethical questions and justice issues in these traditions, issues which are crucial to
contemporary legal, political, and public policy debates.
b) Educational Goals and Career Objectives
Philosophy involves a critical examination of our most fundamental beliefs about
truth and reality, right and wrong. As a field of study informing issues of normative
thinking across the disciplines, philosophy complements the study of law, science, and
criminal justice, while advancing its own disciplinary objectives encompassing a robust
dedication to observing, analyzing, interpreting, and articulating what human beings
believe, value, do, and are. The proposed Philosophy Major for John Jay College of
Criminal Justice will impart to students an understanding of central philosophical
principles, concepts, problems, texts and figures, and provide a course of study which
introduces progressive intellectual challenges and consolidates students’ skills and
experience at each new level. The major will develop students’ aptitude for philosophy
and engender a sense of belonging to a community of inquiry; it will also prepare
students for possible postgraduate study in philosophy, as well as in fields such as law,
public service, and public interest.
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Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
Philosophy is a text- and idea-based discipline, but its origin and aims are
intimately tied to how we live together as human beings. Thus, philosophical training
advances human communication and, through it, a sensitivity to the diverse factors
affecting attitudes and beliefs about justice and judgment. The study of philosophy also
sharpens the ability to evaluate and construct arguments, analyze and comprehend
complex texts, identify the structure and intellectual sources of systems of beliefs, follow
out the consequences of policy proposals, and present difficult ideas clearly – all essential
intellectual skills for many professions today. Since “educating for justice” in the
broadest sense, and in our diverse world, is at the core of John Jay College’s mission, a
philosophy major is an essential addition to the College’s programs.
The main objectives of the Philosophy Major are, in summary form:

To provide students a comprehensive grounding in logic and critical thinking,
which are core skills in the discipline of philosophy.

To introduce students to the history of philosophy, the basic structure of the
modern Western paradigm, and critiques – internal and external – of that
paradigm.

To engage students in sustained reflection on fundamental ethical and justice
issues.

To impart to students the fundamental questions, concepts, and theories of
metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, three core areas of philosophical inquiry.

To prepare students for postsecondary programs such as philosophy and law, and
for challenging careers in the professions, public interest, and public service.
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Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
c) National Trends in Philosophy Pedagogy
Philosophy is no longer considered a luxury major that doesn’t prepare students
for the working world. A recent article in The New York Times, about the growing
popularity of philosophy as a major for undergraduates, states:
Once scoffed at as a luxury major, philosophy is being embraced at Rutgers and
other universities by a new generation of college students who are drawing
modern-day lessons from the age-old discipline as they try to make sense of their
world, from the morality of the war in Iraq to the latest political scandal. The
economic downturn has done little, if anything, to dampen this enthusiasm among
students, who say that what they learn in class can translate into practical skills
and careers.2
The same article gives numbers to the trend: Rutgers' philosophy department graduated
100 last year, up from 50 in 2002, and this against the backdrop of a decrease in overall
enrollment on their main campus by 4 percent. At CUNY, according to The New York
Times, enrollment has risen 18 percent over the past six years: it has 322 philosophy
majors—a 51 percent increase since 2002. This trend isn’t limited to universities in and
surrounding New York City, though there has been a tremendous growth in recent years
in the prestige and the power of philosophy at local institutions such as NYU and
Rutgers. A decade ago, there were 765 undergraduate philosophy programs in U.S.
colleges and universities; today the number is at 817—soon to be at least 818, we hope—
and some schools with well-established programs, such as Texas A&M, Notre Dame and
“In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined,” The New York Times,
Winnie Hu, April 6, 2008.
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UMass Amherst have doubled the number of philosophy majors from what it was in the
1990s.3
David E. Schrader, executive director of the American Philosophical Association,
a professional organization with 11,000 members, argues that philosophy makes good
sense as a major in a time when people change jobs frequently: “It’s a major that helps
them become quick learners and gives them strong skills in writing, analysis and critical
thinking.”4 CUNY’s chancellor Matthew Goldstein, who majored in mathematics and
statistics, remarked: “If I were to start again as an undergraduate, I would major in
philosophy. I think that subject is really at the core of just about everything we do. If you
study humanities or political systems or sciences in general, philosophy is really the
mother ship from which all of these disciplines grow.”5
Law schools have traditionally looked favorably on philosophy majors; there is
also solid statistical evidence that students who major in philosophy consistently score
higher than those in nearly every other major on standardized exams such as the LSAT
and the GRE. A study conducted by the National Institute of Education and reported in
the Chronicle of Higher Education found that Philosophy Majors received higher scores
on the LSAT than students in all other humanities areas, higher scores than all social and
natural science majors except economics and mathematics, and higher scores than all
applied majors.6 About the GRE The Wall Street Journal states: “Philosophy majors who
took the Graduate Record Examination between 1990 and 1993 finished first among all
fields in verbal skills, the American Philosophical Association notes. ‘This research
3
The New York Times, April 6, 2008.
The New York Times, April 6, 2008.
5
The New York Times, April 6, 2008.
6
The study compared the scores of 550,000 college students who took the LSAT, GMAT, and the verbal
and quantitative portions of the GRE with data collected over the previous eighteen years.
4
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Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
confirms that training in critical and creative inquiry—philosophical training—is
valuable not only for personal development but also for academic and career success,’
says Eric Hoffman, executive director of the Association.”7 On the American Bar
Association’s website, on a page titled “Preparing for Law School,” this is the advice
given to prospective law students:
There are important skills and values, and significant bodies of knowledge that
you can acquire prior to law school and that will provide a sound foundation for a
legal education. These include analytic and problem-solving skills, critical
reading abilities, writing skills, oral communication and listening abilities, general
research skills, task organization and management skills, and the values of serving
faithfully the interests of others while also promoting justice.8
The proposed Philosophy Major is built around developing and perfecting the very skills
that both the ABA and common sense tell us prepare students for future studies and
future success in various professions.
Those are all good reasons for philosophy’s growth, but we shouldn’t overlook
another factor that usually appears in any article on the trend: the students. They really
enjoy the focus on “big questions” and alternative points of view, and the intellectual
rewards associated with forming your own argumentative agenda, researching it, and then
arguing it well—students experience philosophy as a discipline that isn’t only about
retaining information long enough to do well on a test. Of course, no discipline is solely
about fact retention. However, many students, upon discovering philosophy, are excited
by its focus on method, reflection, and investigation in addition to the facts of any case.
7
8
See The Wall Street Journal, 10/26/95, “The Value of Philosophy”
See http://www.abanet.org/legaled/prelaw/prep.html
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Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
In a recent article in The Guardian on teaching philosophy in primary school, Dr. Carrie
Winstanley points out that "in knowledge-based subjects, discussion is dominated by the
children with the most facts at their fingertips,” whereas “because philosophical questions
cannot be settled by factual evidence, discussion doesn't get derailed by missing
knowledge or closed down by the introduction of new information.”9 Philosophy, of
necessity, opens up a community of inquiry and challenges all participants to make the
best case and consider the ideas and values of others.
d) Faculty Expertise and Commitment
The proposed new major will be designed, taught and administered by a dedicated
team of faculty who are invigorated by philosophical ideas and committed to teaching
and mentoring budding philosophers. We have eleven (soon to be thirteen) full-time
tenured or tenure-track faculty with a variety of areas of philosophic specialization and
expertise, and we are fully able to run the major with our current faculty members. Our
permanent tenured or tenure-track faculty include Enrique Chavez-Arvizo, John Pittman,
Timothy Stroup, Mary Ann McClure, Amie Macdonald, Jacoby Carter, Kyoo Lee, Tanya
Rodriguez, Jill Stauffer, Hernando Estevez, and Sarah Scott. Our full-time faculty is
notable for the breadth of the research interests it encompasses and the commitment to
undergraduate teaching of its members. All members have participated actively in the
proposed major’s development, and there is great excitement amongst the faculty about
this new endeavor. We have come to consensus-based unanimous decisions in support of
the proposed major, and all full-time faculty are currently involved in planning new
courses or updating old courses to suit our current goals. We have also agreed that all
“Schools of thought: teach children philosophy, experts urge,” The Guardian, Anthea Lipsett, July 2,
2008.
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Approved by UCASC, April 24, prepared for College Council, May 11, 2009
full-time faculty members will teach at every level of the major, from the 100 to the 400
level.
II. Need and Justification
a) Relationship to the Mission of the College
The proposed Philosophy Major will dramatically contribute to meeting the needs
of the College’s students by making available to them a much wider range of courses that
sharpen and stimulate critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. The Philosophy major
will vitally enrich the College’s standing as a place where basic justice issues are studied,
discussed, and creatively explored in relation both to their legal and public policy
implications and their broader cultural significance. The significant part of the College’s
undergraduate student body intent on careers in law will appreciate philosophy’s
reputation as crucial preparation for their postgraduate careers. Students in criminal
justice or other public service careers will have access to a wider array of courses
engaging in critical ethical reflection on the ends and the state of practices in their fields.
We also offer a number of courses in applied/professional ethics.
The College has clearly committed itself to developing its liberal arts base by
hiring new faculty teaching in the humanities; approving a number of new humanities
programs and majors, including a new major in English with a track in Law and
Literature and the new major in Global History; the approval of new lines for Philosophy
and other humanities disciplines in recent years; and new minor programs in Puerto
Rican/Latin American Studies and Gender Studies. The “Critical Choices” decision to
phase out its two-year programs helped put in motion the development of these new
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liberal arts majors, as it gave a green light to John Jay College’s transition to a senior
college with humanities majors, augmenting its well-established mission as a criminal
justice college.
At present philosophy has a place in General Education at John Jay—PHI 231:
Knowing, Being and Doing: Philosophical Method and Its Applications is a college-wide
requirement. That course often inspires students to take further philosophy courses. We
currently offer a philosophy minor which is well subscribed, and many existing
philosophy courses are an integral part of the Justice Studies major. Justice Studies is a
humanities major at John Jay, and a very popular one with students. All of this indicates
interest in the humanities and in particular in philosophy amongst John Jay students. A
more precise statement of enrollment numbers is included in Part III.
Finally, a major in philosophy is essential to any liberal arts college, and one mark
of a mature four-year college or university is to have a philosophy major. Many of
CUNY’s senior colleges have programs and thriving majors already in place. Hunter
College averages about 75 majors and 150 minors and graduates 8-20 majors per year;
Queens College averages 55 majors and graduates around 15 majors per year; Brooklyn
College currently has around 200 majors and graduates about 45 per year.
b) Relationship to College Planning Process
John Jay College is in the process of becoming a senior college, phasing out its
Associate degrees and developing new majors within the liberal arts. The “Liberal Arts
Report” authored during the “Critical Choices” process states that “the standard
definition of ‘liberal arts’ is an educational program designed to foster analytic skills,
critical thinking, problem solving and communication. It is a course of study in which the
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student learns to think, marshal evidence, and weigh the merits of differing points of
view. A liberal arts education cultivates intellectual dexterity rather than specialized
occupational or professional skills.” That definition could also encapsulate the goals of
our proposed major in philosophy. Thus, the proposed major, in addition to helping
identify the College as an institution with a serious liberal arts program, will help
advance the purposes defined in the College report.
c) Relationship to Existing Programs within CUNY
Developing a philosophy major at John Jay will not so much put us in competition
with other CUNY philosophy departments or other departments at John Jay as: 1) offer a
home to students interested in philosophy, justice, or public service who want to give
themselves the challenging humanistic education offered by the philosophical tradition;
2) rearticulate the College’s commitment to all forms of research into the history as well
as contemporary expressions of recurring questions of justice, many of which have been
with us since the dawn of philosophical thinking; and 3) signal our objective of
contributing to the overall success of the CUNY enterprise as it strengthens its resources
and its commitment to its students in these vital areas of study.
III. Student Interest and Enrollment
There is every reason to believe that philosophy will be a popular major at John
Jay College. As stated, thirty percent of John Jay’s undergraduates indicate law as a
career goal. In addition, many Philosophy faculty currently teach in Justice Studies, and
many of our Philosophy courses have law- and justice-based themes. Philosophy also has
a well-subscribed minor already in place. Our courses, whether they are requirements or
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electives, are routinely enrolled at the maximum number of students permitted, and
demand often exceeds enrollment limitations. Our experimental courses—courses offered
without being listed in the College Bulletin—also generate impressive numbers. In
addition, the interest generated among students by other recent humanities and related
majors such as English and Global History point to a base of student attention to and
support for humanities-based baccalaureate degrees.
The existing Philosophy minor has generated steadily growing interest. In 2004-5,
four students filled out Declarations of Interest and three declared minors; in 2005-6,
seven students declared interest; in 2006-7, 24 students declared interest and 13 students
officially declared minors; in 2007-8, we had 22 declarations of interest and 32 students
officially declared philosophy minors; and so far in 2008-9 we’ve had 14 students declare
interest and eight students officially declare a minor. (These numbers shouldn’t be taken
as fully representative of student interest in a Philosophy major, because students often
have declared minors only at the last minute.)
Projected enrollment 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
25
45
75
100
125
Full-Time
5
15
25
25
25
Part-Time
30
60
100
125
150
TOTAL
Our estimate for enrollment of students in the major predicts that we will have 25
FTE (Full Time Equivalent) majors in AY 2010-11, 45 FTE majors in AY 2011-12, 75
FTE majors in AY 2012-13, 100 FTE majors in AY 2013-14, and 125 FTE majors by
2014-15. These numbers are presented in the table above; in Section VI, a table with
these enrollment numbers, as well as costs and revenue details, is presented.
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IV. Curriculum
a) The Proposed Major
The proposed major’s curriculum, a 36-credit course of study, combines a focus
on ethical and justice issues with a thorough, reflective account of the modern paradigm
in philosophy, while giving students the chance to pursue their own interests in taking a
variety of advanced electives. That curricular design is intended to help students build up
skills and knowledge over time rather than studying a number of disparate but ultimately
unrelated topics. The proposed major has course requirements amounting to 18 credits: in
addition to PHI 105: Critical Thinking and Informal Logic and PHI 2XX: Ethical Theory,
all students will take PHI 3XX: Philosophical Modernity, PHI 310: Ethics and Law, one
from a list of ‘Critique’ courses, and one of three PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar in Philosophy
capstone courses. Students will interact with each other in the major’s required courses—
which span all levels of study—as well as in the electives they will share, where they will
also meet students from outside the major. That will contribute to forming a diverse
community of inquiry, as well as a camaraderie built around the formation of ideas.
The major begins by introducing students to the fundamentals of sound reasoning
and critical questioning in PHI 105: Critical Thinking and Informal Logic. A second
introductory course, PHI 2XX: Ethical Theory introduces students to the main ethical
theories of the philosophical tradition. PHI 231, a Gen Ed requirement, also introduces
students to key aspects of the history of philosophy and its methods. These three courses
are intended to be taken during the freshman and sophomore years. Potential transfercredit courses will be worked out in our Articulation Agreement with BMCC.
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With that sound basis in logic, critical thinking, and ethics, majors will then be
exposed to the major subfields of philosophy at the 300-level, where they will use skills
learned at the 100- and 200-levels for projects of increasing difficulty and depth.
At the heart of the proposed major we have devised a course called PHI 3XX:
Philosophical Modernity. It will introduce students to the modern Western philosophical
paradigm represented in European “Enlightenment” thinking from Descartes to Kant. The
course will thus provide both a springboard for students’ further studies of contemporary
philosophical theories and a context for understanding the ethical challenges confronting
the paradigm. We are all inheritors of the Enlightenment faith in progress, individual
rights, human autonomy, and the work of science; PHI 3XX: Philosophical Modernity
uncovers the presuppositions about right and good of contemporary thought and how they
are justified philosophically. These ideas play an important role in almost any field
students will elect to study at John Jay or in their later studies. This course in intended for
the junior year, and will require ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 105 and PHI 231 as
prerequisites.
That course will be complemented by a requirement that all students choose one
from a list of “Critique” courses —such as Asian Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy,
Existentialism, or Africana Philosophy (a full list is included in the schematic curriculum
below)—focusing on a philosophical tradition that subjects “philosophical modernity” to
critique and ethical-political contextualization. It may seem strange to build critique into
a major, but critique is central to philosophy. And it is no secret that the Western
philosophical tradition has often come under fire for its exclusiveness, its exclusionary
practices. Accordingly, the philosophy major at John Jay will give students a broad
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understanding of the critical debates about the historical achievements and limitations of
Western philosophy. It is essential in a globalized world that students be familiar both
with the Western tradition of philosophy and with alternative methods and differing
approaches to its questions. This requirement is intended for the junior year. (Students are
encouraged to take more than one of these historically contextualized courses, which are
also listed as possible electives in the History of Philosophy part of the major.)
The third 300-level course requirement is PHI 310: Ethics and Law, which
familiarizes students with the philosophy of law, and connects law to ethics, showing the
divergence and overlap between law and ethics. PHI 310 is an existing course cross-listed
with LAW; accordingly its prerequisite will remain standard (ENG 102 or ENG 201, and
PHI 231).
The 400-level capstone course requirement gives students a choice from among
three courses, each centered in one of the basic subfields of the discipline: Ethics and
Value Theory, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and History of Philosophy. These courses
will be offered on a rotating basis, depending on student needs. Each of these courses will
give students an opportunity to build on the skills developed at each level of the
curriculum by pursuing in-depth a specific question in one subfield of philosophy. Each
of these capstone seminar courses has PHI 3XX: Philosophical Modernity as a
prerequisite. After satisfying the capstone requirement, students may elect to take others
of these courses should their senior-year schedules allow it.
Though the major has no course devoted explicitly to research methods, the
proposed major curriculum is designed to build students’ research and writing
capabilities through a series of scaffolded courses: as mentioned, PHI 105: Critical
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Thinking and Informal Logic and PHI 231: Knowing, Doing, and Being: The
Philosophical Method and Its Applications introduce students to the basic methods and
forms of reasoning in philosophy, as preparation for more advanced study. 300-level
courses will have a research or advanced questioning component, requiring the student to
use library resources and hone argumentative and writing skills.
The proposed major is solidly grounded in exploring questions of ethics and
justice: three of the six core courses focus on ethical theories, justice issues, or critique.
This focus reflects the interest of students who come to John Jay. The curriculum also
includes a variety of other course offerings on philosophical problems related to justice,
law, and ethics, including several courses in applied ethics.
In addition to the course requirements discussed above, the proposed major
includes six electives. Of those six, three are up to students to decide (in consultation
with a faculty advisor), and the remaining three are ‘distributed’: they must be chosen
(one each) from courses listed in the History of Philosophy, Ethics & Value Theory, and
Metaphysics & Epistemology. The intent of the structure of the proposed major overall is
to insure that students will be acquainted with the major schools of philosophy as well as
the major events and thinkers of the history of philosophy, well-versed in one or two
more focused areas of philosophy, guided to important areas of focus by requirements,
and encouraged to pursue their interests with electives. This combination of guidance and
freedom is essential to student development: faculty have a duty to guide students
through the process of learning about philosophy; but they equally have a duty to instill
in students the intellectual maturity and curiosity to seek out specific areas of study
within the larger discipline. All tenured, tenure-track, and full-time philosophy professors
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will participate in student advising, helping students come up with a selection of electives
that will give them both breadth and depth in their studies.
Upon completion of the proposed major, students will have studied the essentials
of Western philosophy; been exposed to other major world philosophies and critiques of
dominant positions in the Western philosophical tradition; concentrated in greater detail
on specialized fields of philosophy; focused in-depth on a number of different
philosophical themes, fields, or time-periods; undertaken research projects and presented
their findings in philosophical argument; and participated in a capstone course for senior
Philosophy majors. In what follows we offer a schema of the structure of the major.
Course descriptions are found in Appendix A.
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PHILOSOPHY MAJOR
36 CREDITS
PART ONE: REQUIRED CORE COURSES
All students must take:
18 credits
1.
2.
3.
4.
PHI 105: Critical Thinking and Informal Logic
PHI 2XX: Ethical Theory
PHI 3XX: Philosophical Modernity*
PHI/LAW 310: Ethics and Law
5. “CRITIQUE” REQUIREMENT
All students are required to take one from the following list of courses:
3XX: Eastern Philosophy
3XX: Latin American Philosophy
3XX: Africana Philosophy**
3XX: Existentialism*
3XX: Feminist Philosophy*
All of these courses take up themes developed in 3XX: Philosophical Modernity from the
standpoint of critique.
6. CAPSTONE COURSE
All students must take one of the following:
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: Ethics and Value Theory
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: Metaphysics and Epistemology
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: History of Philosophy.
The capstone course will bring senior Philosophy majors together around a specific set of
questions or problems in one subfield of philosophy, asking them to bring to bear the
knowledge and skills they’ve mastered earlier in their studies, to reflect their
accomplishment working their way through the levels of the program. These courses will
be offered on a rotating basis.
(NB: PHI 231: Knowing, Doing, and Being: The Philosophical Method and Its Applications is a Gen Ed
requirement)
PART TWO: ETHICS & VALUE THEORY
3 credits
All students select one:
PHI 201: Philosophy of Art
PHI 203: Political Philosophy
PHI 224: Death, Dying and Society: A Life Crises Management Issue (same
course as Anthropology 224, Psychology 224, and Sociology 224)
PHI 301: Theories on Gender and Sexuality (same course as GEN 301)
PHI 302: Philosophical Issues of Rights
PHI 340: Utopian Thought
PHI 315: Philosophy of Rule of Law: Theory and Practice
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PHI 321: Police Ethics (same course as CRJ 321)
PHI 322: Judicial and Correctional Ethics (same course as CRJ 322)
Courses in Development:
PHI 3XX: War and Terrorism*
PHI 3XX: Philosophy of Film*
PART THREE: HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
All students select one:
PHI 202: American Philosophy
PHI 326: Topics in the History of Modern Thought
Courses in Development:
PHI 3XX: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHI 3XX: 19th Century Philosophy*
PHI 3XX: 20th Century Philosophy
PHI 3XX: Existentialism
PHI 3XX: Feminist Philosophy
PHI 3XX: Africana Philosophy**
PHI 3XX: Eastern Philosophy*
PHI 3XX: Latin American Philosophy*
3 credits
PART FOUR: METAPHYSICS AND EPISTEMOLOGY
All students select one:
PHI 104: Philosophy of Human Nature
PHI 204: Logic
PHI 205: Philosophy of Religion
PHI 304: Philosophy of Mind
Courses in Development:
PHI 3XX: Metaphysics
PHI 3XX: Philosophy of Science
PHI 3XX: Epistemology*
3 credits
PART FIVE: ELECTIVES
9 credits
Students select three additional philosophy courses (9 credits) in consultation with an
adviser. These courses must be at the 300-level or higher.
N.B.: No course may fill two requirements in the major.
** Course pending approval by the College Curriculum Committee.
* Course Proposal currently nearing completion in the Department Curriculum
Committee.
Total credits:
36 credits
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b) Articulation Agreement.
In addition to designing our major, we’ve begun working on an articulation
agreement with the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s Liberal Arts AA
program. We’re confident we’ll facilitate a relationship with BMCC and welcome a
number of transfer students yearly. We would be open to considering articulation
agreements with other units of CUNY as well.
V. Faculty
Our full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty include Jacoby Carter, Enrique
Chavez-Arvizo, Hernando Estevez, Kyoo Lee, Mary Ann McClure, Amie Macdonald,
John Pittman, Tanya Rodriguez, Sarah Scott, Jill Stauffer and Timothy Stroup, all of
whom are currently involved in teaching courses that will count towards the proposed
major in Philosophy. Because the major builds on current courses and an existing minor,
offering the major will not require a shift in faculty commitments or take faculty away
from their current teaching. In the last few years Philosophy has hired six new tenuretrack philosophers, all of whom contribute to the vibrancy of the department. We are
currently engaged in two additional faculty searches. We are thus confident that the
current and new full-time faculty are sufficient to the challenge of mounting the major.
The department is committed to providing academic advisement to all philosophy
majors. Advisement will ideally begin as soon as students declare as philosophy majors.
Six of our faculty members are committed to teaching at least part-time in other
programs such as Justice Studies, Gender Studies and the Interdisciplinary Studies
Program. As one of the three participating departments in Justice Studies, Philosophy
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must help staff HJS courses each academic year. Currently the commitment adds up to
six or seven courses per year, as in AY 08-09 there are 19 HJS sections to be staffed by
the three departments. All of these staffing demands are achievable at current staffing
levels.
VI. Cost Assessment
a) Library
While the College has plentiful library offerings in political philosophy, philosophy of
law, ethics and other justice-related fields of philosophy, as well as some general
philosophy resources, the new Philosophy major will require some investment in primary
and secondary sources in fields such as Epistemology, Latin American Philosophy,
Feminist Philosophy, as well as greater depth in sources from the philosophical tradition
in general. While many (but not all) secondary sources are available online, this is not
true of a great number of primary sources. John Jay’s Chief Librarian Larry Sullivan
estimates that an investment of $50,000—$10,000 per year for five years—will be
required to enhance the collection, to fill gaps as they appear, and to update it with new
publications. These numbers are included in the cost assessment table that appears in the
next section.
b) Cost Assessment Table
This cost assessment assumes a projected enrollment of 150 students in the B.A. in
Philosophy by the academic year 2014-15. It also assumes that in the early years of the
major that a small portion of those students who currently minor in Philosophy will
become majors. The cost assessment projects increasing efficiency in filling Philosophy
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courses, with some empty seats in some courses early in the major. The assessment also
projects that the Philosophy Major will attract a small group of new students to John Jay
that otherwise would not come to the college.
The cost of faculty to teach added sections is based on a direct salary of $64,323
with a 35% indirect for fringe benefits. The cost per section is based on a blend of 70% of
the new-faculty cost per section and 30% of the adjunct cost per section based on the
CUNY goal. The adjunct cost is based on 45 hours at $66.55 per hour, along with a 10%
overhead. Costs are escalated at 3% per year.
Tuition and fees are based on current fees and no escalation is included in the
analysis.
The cost assessment demonstrates that, by the fourth year, revenues exceed costs.
INCREMENTAL REVENUE
2010-11
Projected enrollment
25
Full-Time
5
Part-Time
30
TOTAL
Existing Minors who adopt
major (% of total)
Non-minors who adopt major (%
of total)
Existing minors who adopt
major
Non-minors who adopt major
Incremental registrations by
existing minors (1.5 per)
Incremental registrations by nonminors (3 per)
Total new registrations
Incremental tuition revenue
($510 per registration)
Portion of enrollees incremental
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
45
15
60
75
25
100
100
25
125
125
25
150
50%
30%
20%
0%
0%
50%
70%
80%
100%
100%
15
18
20
0
0
15
22.5
42
27
80
30
125
0
150
0
45
126
240
375
450
67.5
$34,425
153
$78,030
270
$137,70
0
375
$191,25
0
450
$229,500
0%
2%
5%
8%
8%
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2014-15
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to JJ
Number of enrollees incremental
to JJ
Incremental fee revenue ($155
per)
0
1.2
5
16
16
0
$186
$775
$2,480
$2,480
$34,425
$78,216
$137,70
0
$193,73
0
$231,980
67.5
9
153
12
270
16
375
18
450
20
270
360
480
540
600
-202.5
-207
-210
0
0
$89,064
$122,31
5
$158,33
6
$178,12
8
$197,920
Incremental admin staff
0
0
0
0
0
Incremental facilities cost
0
0
0
0
0
Library costs (per year)
$10,000
$10,000
$10,000
$10,000
$10,000
Total incremental costs
$99,064
$132,31
5
$168,33
6
$188,12
8
$207,920
INCREMENTAL
MARGIN/LOSS
-$64,639
-$54,099 -$30,636
$15,602
$34,060
Total incremental revenue
COST REQUIREMENTS
Total new registrations
Incremental course sections to
be offered
Incremental capacity added (avg
30 seats per)
Existing excess capacity filled
by new registrations
Incremental faculty costs
$9,896 + 3%p.a. (per section)
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APPENDIX A
Existing Courses for the Major_____________________________________________
100-level
PHI 104: Philosophy of Human Nature
3 hours, 3 credits.
In answer to the question, "Is there a human nature?" this course examines the
issues of mind-matter dualism, the concept of person, free will vs. determinism, human
evolution and postmortem existence.
PHI 105: Critical Thinking and Informal Logic
3 hours, 3 credits
This course is a basic introduction to critical reasoning, with a focus on helping
students’ develop and apply skills in critical and analytic reading and writing. Topics
covered include recognizing arguments, identifying premises and conclusions, clarity and
relevance in argumentative language, distinguishing types of arguments, validity and
soundness in constructing and evaluating arguments, fallacies and elements of legal
reasoning.
200-level
PHI 201: Philosophy of Art
3 hours, 3 credits
Theories of beauty, creativity and expression, emotion and art; art and society; aesthetics
and ethics. Readings include Aristotle, Plotinus, Lessing, Kant, Hegel, and Nietzsche.
Prerequisites: ENG 101, and sophomore standing or above or permission of the section
instructor
PHI 202: American Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course is a look at the history of philosophy as it has been practice in the
United States. The course will pay close attention to the uniquely American philosophical
movement known as pragmatism, but the course may also study some intellectual
precursors to pragmatism such as transcendentalism, and intellectual figures such as
Thoreau, and Emerson. Moreover, the course may involve the study of philosophical
works and figures that are often left out of the history of American philosophy, such as
David Walker, Martin R. Delaney, Ida B. Wells, Frederick Douglas, and W.E.B. DuBois.
The course may also include some contemporary texts or issues in American philosophy.
Prerequisite: ENG 101
PHI 203: Political Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
Survey of philosophical presuppositions about human nature that are inherent in
political theories from Plato to Marx and concepts of sovereignty, freedom, authority and
law.
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Prerequisites: ENG 101, and sophomore standing or above or permission of the section
instructor
PHI 204: Logic
3 hours, 3 credits
An exposition of formal and informal methods of evaluating reasoning in
arguments and texts. We will examine systems or models of deductive reasoning,
problems of translation from natural to formal languages, reasoning and rhetoric in
complex arguments and the foundations of the logic of investigation.
Prerequisite: ENG 101
PHI 205: Philosophy of Religion
3 hours, 3 credits
Examination of religion from the philosophical viewpoint; existence of God in
Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas; rejoinder from Kant and his successors; the status of debate in
philosophy today.
Prerequisites: ENG 101
PHI 224: Death, Dying and Society: A Life Crises Management Issue (Same course as
ANT 224, PSY 224 and SOC 224)
3 hours, 3 credits
Death and dying will be viewed from the perspectives of a variety of academic
disciplines and applied fields. The course will deal with the dying process; the different
cultural practices and beliefs related to this process; its impact on the individual and his
or her family, particularly in the areas of grief, mourning and restructuring of the family;
and it will examine the ways different occupational groups are routinely involved with
death and dying and the methods they evolve to manage it for others and cope with it
themselves. The course will also explore different types of death, death at different
periods in the life cycle, euthanasia, abortion and ethical or religious existential issues
related to death and dying. The course will be multidisciplinary.
Prerequisites: ENG 101 and an introductory course in sociology, anthropology,
philosophy, or psychology
PHI 231: Knowing, Being and Doing: Philosophical Method and Its Applications
3 hours, 3 credits
An introduction to four major philosophical questions: What can I know for
certain? Does God exist? How should I act toward others? What is justice? This analysis
of the foundations of knowledge, religious belief, ethical theory and social justice
includes readings from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Kant, Mill and contemporary
philosophers.
Prerequisite: ENG 101
300-level
PHI 302: Philosophical Issues of Rights
3 hours, 3 credits
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This course will explore a number of philosophical issues regarding the nature,
content and scope of rights. Fundamental issues include: what is meant by the notion of a
right, how rights are justified and what sorts of rights we have (negative and/or positive).
Other issues will be explored, including whether all humans have rights, whether the
scope of rights encompasses animals and ecosystems in addition to humans, and whether
rights exist for groups as well as individuals.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231
PHI 304: Philosophy of the Mind
3 hours, 3 credits
This course presents discussion and critical assessment of some major
philosophical questions concerning the mind: What is the mind? How much can we know
about the self? Can we completely understand the mind in physico-chemical terms? What
are the moral, political and ethical implications of our understanding of the mind? The
course will survey the most important approaches to these questions, including dualism,
behaviorism, identity theory, functionalism, eliminativism and others.
Prerequisite: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the section instructor
PHI 310: Ethics and Law (same course as LAW 310)
3 hours, 3 credits
This course undertakes a sustained inquiry into the relationship between morality
and law, their organic interrelationship in the natural law tradition and their separation in
positivism. Topics include applied ethics, contemporary debates in the issues of human
and civil rights, the enforcement of sexual morality, the death penalty, civil disobedience
and the ethics of law enforcement.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the section
instructor
PHI 315: Philosophy of the Rule of Law
3 hours, 3 credits
This course investigates various philosophies of the rule of law contributing to the
liberal democratic tradition, focusing on controversies and debates over what, exactly, the
rule of law is and what it is supposed to do. Positivism, natural law theory, the social
function of law, legal realism, rule skepticism, and the normative and aspirational aspects
of the rule of law will all be considered. Once we have read through the history and
philosophy of the rule of law, the course will focus on real world problems and debates
about the rule of law in domestic and international settings, to ask how we might
reimagine the rule of law in the face of contemporary challenges.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201 and PHI 231.
PHI 321: Police Ethics (Same course as CRJ 321)
3 hours, 3 credits
An identification and analysis of the diverse ethical issues encountered in the
police service. Traditional ethical theories will be examined and will be applied to such
topics as discretion, deadly physical force, misconduct, authority and responsibility,
affirmative action, civil disobedience, undercover operations and privacy.
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Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the section
instructor
PHI 322: Judicial and Correctional Ethics (Same course as CRJ 322)
3 hours, 3 credits
A treatment of some of the central issues of judicial and correctional ethics.
Traditional ethical theories will be applied to such topics as plea-bargaining, bail and
preventive detention, wiretapping, enforcement of sexual morality, sentencing,
punishment, prisoners’ rights and parole.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the section
instructor
PHI 326: Topics in the History of Modern Thought
3 hours, 3 credits
This course will explore in depth one of the basic philosophic movements or
conceptual themes that characterize modernity such as individualism, natural rights,
freedom/liberty, utilitarianism, the Enlightenment, secularization and existentialism. The
course will analyze the metaphysical as well as the political presuppositions of the
selected theme in relation to its historical context. (The course instructor will choose the
semester’s theme.)
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 340: Utopian Thought
3 hours, 3 credits
Representations of ideal societies have played an important part in discussions of
justice since Plato’s Republic, This course will focus on some of the classical utopian
(and dystopian) texts as well as on representative contemporary literary efforts in the
utopian tradition. We will also examine some of the philosophical, literary and
historiographical analyses of utopian thought and of the social phenomena associated
with it.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
400-level
PHI 423: Selected Topics in Justice (same course as GOV 423)
3 hours, 3 credits
This is an advanced senior-level seminar focusing on a set of specific topics or
issues to be chosen by the instructor offering this section of the course — concerning the
philosophical concept of justice. Topics can be either theoretical or applied, and may
include but are not limited to any of the following: an advanced survey of contemporary
philosophical theories of justice; the textual analysis of one philosophic classic on justice,
e.g., John Rawls’ Theory of Justice; the philosophy of punishment and retribution;
distributive and compensatory justice; the impact of race, gender, and class on the
contemporary philosophical analysis of justice.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, PHI 231, and one 300-level philosophy or political
theory course, or permission of the section instructor
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Courses under development for the Major:
200-level
PHI 2XX: Ethical Theory
3 hours, 3 credits
A detailed and critical analysis of major ethical theories with an emphasis on the
analysis of their argumentative structure. Topics include: virtue ethics, deontology and
utilitarianism, and an introduction to metaethics. Intended for majors but open to nonmajors.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
300-level
PHI 3XX: Philosophical Modernity
3 hours, 3 credits
A survey of the basic philosophical problems, presuppositions and methods of
inquiry as they were formulated by European philosophers during the Enlightenment
period. Problems include the relation of knowledge and faith, freedom and nature, selfinterest and duty, natural law and toleration, and sentiment and reason. Readings include
texts by thinkers from Descartes to Kant.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 105 and PHI 231 or permission of the
instructor
PHI 3XX: Theories on Gender and Sexuality (same course as GEN 3XX)**
3 hours, 3 credits
This course offers insight into various philosophical and theoretical perspectives
informing Gender Studies scholarship, both traditional and contemporary. It introduces
the fundamental ontological, sociological, psychological, philosophical, economic,
literary, and historical theories that continue to shape the discipline.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: War and Terrorism*
3 hours, 3 credits
This course will be an exploration of the philosophical issues that arise with regard
to war and terrorism. The course will begin with a consideration of various aspects of just
war theory both historically and through contemporary appropriations of the theory. The
course will also focus on the ethics of warfare from outside the just war tradition. In
addition to the justice and morality of warfare this course will consider the justice and
morality of terrorism. Terrorism will first be considered in terms of just war theory, and
subsequently from various other philosophical positions that address the justice and
morality of this phenomenon. The course will examine an important intersection between
just war theory and terrorism; namely, the possibility of fighting a just war against
terrorism.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
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PHI 3XX: Philosophy of Film*
3 hours, 3 credits
In this course, we engage in philosophical examination of film as a branch of
aesthetics. Topics include film as art, the role of film theory, cinematic narrative and
unreliable narration, emotional engagement with film, film and social criticism, and film
as philosophy. Film screenings take place throughout the semester in order to provide
context for our discussions.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Feminist Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
An introduction to feminist philosophies through a study and critique of
traditional and feminist views about women, their lives, society and knowledge, with
particular attention to theories of women's oppression. Specific topics include discussion
of gender roles in the family and in the workplace, the politics of feminine appearance,
and the relationship between feminism and multiculturalism.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Africana Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course introduces students to the rich and diverse field of Africana philosophy,
which is essentially philosophy of, about, and for the African diaspora. The first half of
the course covers African philosophy, while the second half covers the philosophy of
Africans in the Americas. Several themes are emphasized in this course, among them:
(1) the tension between tradition and modernity, (2) the philosophical "nature" of racism
and white supremacy, and (3) the relevance of philosophy to Africana liberation
movements.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
In the ancient world, philosophy began to distinguish itself from religious speculation
when it developed three key characteristics: logical consistency, argumentation, and
criticism of prior positions. This course will look at the birth of these modes of thought in
classical authors like Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus and the Stoics, and then see how their
ideas shaped, and were altered by, the medieval world. In surveying over a thousand
years of philosophy, readings will be drawn from Muslim thinkers such as Ibn Rushd and
Ibn Sinai, and seminal Christian authors such as Augustine, Aquinas, Scotus and
Ockham.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: 19th Century Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course considers philosophical problems and figures from the 19th Century.
The focus of this course is historical and as such attention is paid to the development of
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philosophical problems from 1800-1900; the novel treatment in that period of problems
that originate earlier in the history of philosophy; the influence of figures and problems
that originated or were transformed during that period on subsequent philosophical
developments; and the emergence of particular philosophical traditions or schools.
Possible figures considered in the course include: Hegel, Schopenhauer, Fichte, Shelling,
Mill, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Marx, Husserl, Pierce, James, etc. Possible philosophical
traditions or schools include: German Idealism, Utilitarianism, Existentialism, Marxism,
Phenomenology, and Pragmatism.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: 20th Century Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course considers philosophical problems and figures from the 20th Century.
The focus of this course is historical and as such attention is paid to the development of
philosophical problems from 1900-2000; the novel treatment in that period of older
problems that originate earlier in the history of philosophy; as well as, the influence of
figures and problems that originated or were transformed during that period on
subsequent philosophical developments and the emergence of particular philosophical
traditions or schools. Possible figures considered in the course include: Whitehead,
Russell, Moore, Frege, Wittgenstein, Quine, Dewey, James, Pierce, Husserl, Heidegger,
Sartre, Arendt, Beauvoir, Levinas, Derrida, etc. Possible philosophical traditions or
schools include: Analytic Philosophy, Continental Philosophy, Pragmatism,
Existentialism, and Phenomenology.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Existentialism
3 hours, 3 credits
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that places overwhelming emphasis
on personal responsibility and analyzes the place of human beings in an inhuman
universe. The course will explore how themes such as anxiety, alienation, freedom, and
self-deceit are used to illuminate what it is to be a person and to question the ways in
which we shape and justify our identities. In that existentialism is both a philosophical
and a literary movement, the course will look at such philosophers as Kierkegaard,
Nietzsche, Sartre and de Beauvoir and such writers such as Dostoevsky, Kafka, Camus
and Beckett.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Eastern Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course introduces some of the key philosophical and religious ideas and
traditions of South and East Asia such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and
Confucianism. The primary readings will be selected from some of the ancient texts, and
the focus is on understanding how the Eastern intellectual tradition answers and develops
the usual, "big" philosophical questions on spirituality, selfhood, language, mortality,
morality, environment, community, cosmos, etc.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
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PHI 3XX: Latin American Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This course will present an overview of representative problems of Latin American
philosophy and their proposed solutions from a historical context. The course aims to
explore the unique response to perennial western philosophical problems by looking at
well established Latin American philosophical traditions in themes like: cultural identity,
colonialism, Latin American Marxism, liberation theology and the philosophy of
liberation. The course will also present the social, political and cultural history of the
Latin American situation, a necessary condition for the understanding of major trends in
Latin America in the midst of the pluralistic traditions and their dialogical integration.
Thinkers studied will include Bartolome de las Casas, Jose Carlos Mariategui, Simon
Bolivar, Jose Marti, Leopoldo Zea, Enrique Dussel and Ofelia Schutt, among others.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Metaphysics
3 hours, 3 credits
Metaphysics is the study of the basic categories of existence; in other words: what
kinds of things are there? Distinctions will be made between material objects, abstract
mathematical entities, and mental representations of these things. Definitions of mind,
time, identity, being, freedom, causality and reality will be debated. The course may
include work by historical philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Hume
and Berkeley, and 20th century and contemporary writers such as Heidegger, Sartre,
Quine, and Parfit.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Philosophy of Science*
3 hours, 3 credits
This is a course on scientific knowledge and the process of scientific inquiry in the
20th century. It will address questions such as whether scientific knowledge is special or
different from other types of knowledge. It will also address what counts as scientific
inquiry, as opposed to pseudoscientific inquiry, and whether there is actually a difference
between the two. As a result of these questions, among others, the course will look at
ways in which adoption of scientific theories, or preference of one theory or another, has
been justified. No substantive knowledge of a particular science is assumed.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, and PHI 231 or permission of the instructor
PHI 3XX: Epistemology*
3 hours, 3 credits
This course will cover questions concerning knowledge, what we can know, and
what we are justified to believe. It will address the question of whether justified true
belief is the same as having knowledge. It will also address questions about mental states
and whether we have independent access to our mental state, separate from external
relations. Finally, this course will address skepticism about knowledge, why this seems to
be an untenable position for most people, and whether we should view it as an untenable
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position.
400-level
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: Ethics and Value Theory
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: Metaphysics and Epistemology
PHI 4XX: Senior Seminar: History of Philosophy
3 hours, 3 credits
This is an advanced senior-level seminar focusing on a set of specific topics or
issues to be chosen by the course instructor. Topics can be either theoretical or applied.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 201, PHI 231, and PHI 3XX:Philosophical Modernity,
or permission of the section instructor
32