PHILOSOPHY 2
A. Ability to identify and critically examine major themes, schools and figures in
moral philosophy.
B. Ability to identify and critically examine major themes, schools, and figures in
political philosophy
C. Demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate the major moral theories of
sustaining influence.
D. Demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate the major theories of political
philosophy of sustaining influence.
E. Demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast the major moral theories off
against each other.
F. Demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast the major theories of political
philosophy against each other.
G. Identify the major presupposition in any theory of moral or political philosophy
including, but not limited to:
1. assumptions regarding moral development and moral psychology
2. the nature of rationality and its role in moral and political thought and action
3. the place and proper structure of social organization within the natural world
4. the nature and source of value, intrinsic or otherwise
5. the nature of human nature and its role in moral and political thought and
action
6. the place and source of rights, autonomy, and liberty within moral and political
contexts
H. Demonstrate a fluency with philosophical argumentation, both in writing and in
oral contexts, including, but not limited to:
1. the presentation and evaluation of arguments in explicit premise/conclusion
form
2. the development of a clear and concise writing style, in which arguments and
criticisms of arguments are presented transparently
3. the proper use of examples and counterexamples in philosophical
argumentation, both written and oral
PHILOSOPHY 4
A. Demonstrate an ability to identify and evaluate the major metaphysical theories of
sustaining influence;
B. Demonstrate an ability to identify and evaluate the major epistemological theories
of sustaining influence.
C. Demonstrate a fluency with philosophical argumentation, both in writing and in
oral contexts, including, but not limited to:
1. the presentation and evaluation of arguments in explicit premise/conclusion
form
2. the development of a clear and concise writing style, in which arguments and
criticisms of arguments are presented transparently
3. the proper use of examples and counter examples in philosophical
argumentation, both written and oral
D. Demonstrate an ability to read critically: i.e., to actively engage a text, ferret out
its arguments and assumptions and to be in a position to address those arguments
either verbally or in writing.
E. Demonstrate a grasp of the particular claims, theories, and arguments advanced by
the philosophers studied.
F. Demonstrate an ability to place the various philosophers and positions studied
against each other with respect to the problems addressed.
PHILOSOPHY 12A
A. Demonstrate the ability to recognize logical relationships (consistency,
equivalency and entailment) by way of models and procedures in a symbolic
system.
B. Demonstrate the ability to recognize and produce the concept of proofs and the
demands of formal proofs.
C. Demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate both the components of
arguments (premises and conclusions) and arguments as a whole.
D. Demonstrate a grasp of the concepts of validity, soundness, as well as inductive
strength and weakness in the evaluation of arguments as a whole.
E. Demonstrate the ability to translate natural language claims into symbolic
representation up to and including the translation of predications, quantified
predications, identity, relational predicates and definite descriptions.
F. Demonstrate an elementary grasp of the semantics of formal systems,
interpretations and elementary features of formal systems such as completeness,
soundness and incompleteness.
PHILOSOPHY 25A
A. Demonstrate a familiarity with the major philosophers of the Ancient Greek
world.
B. Identify the major theories of ancient Greek philosophers, including but not
limited to, Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato.
C. Demonstrate a fluency with philosophical argumentation, both in writing and in
oral contexts, including, but not limited to:
1. the presentation and evaluation of arguments in explicit premise/conclusion
form
2. the development of a clear and concise writing style, in which arguments and
criticisms of arguments are presented transparently
3. the proper use of examples and counterexamples in philosophical
argumentation, both written and oral
D. Demonstrate an ability to read critically: i.e., to actively engage a text, ferret out
its arguments and assumptions and to be in a position to address those arguments
either verbally or in writing.
E. Demonstrate a grasp of the particular claims, theories, and arguments advanced
by the philosophers studied.
F. Demonstrate an ability to place the various philosophers and positions studied
against each other with respect to the problems addressed.
G. Identify the major figures in the ancient period of Greek philosophy, summarize
their major theses and supporting arguments, and be able intelligently to
discuss the relative merits of their positions;
H. Identify a select number of the major problems of the ancient period of Greek
philosophy, explain their cultural origins, trace their developments, and discuss
their cultural effects;
PHILOSOPHY 25C
A. Demonstrate a familiarity with the philosophical tradition form the Renaissance to
the 19th century.
B. Demonstrate a familiarity with the positions of such thinkers including, but not
limited to, Descartes, Hume, and Kant.
C. Demonstrate a fluency with philosophical argumentation, both in writing and in
oral context, including, but not limited to:
1. the presentation and evaluation of arguments in explicit premise/conclusion
form
2. the development of a clear and concise writing style, in which arguments and
criticisms of arguments are presented transparently
3. the proper use of examples and counterexamples in the philosophical
argumentation, both written and oral
D. Demonstrate an ability to read critically: i.e., to actively engage a text, ferret out
its arguments and assumptions to be in a position to address these arguments
either verbally or in writing.
E. Demonstrate a grasp of the particular claims, theories, and arguments advanced
by the philosophers studied.
F. Demonstrate an ability to place the various philosophers and positions studied
against each other with respect to the problems addressed.
G. Identify the major figures in the early modem period of European philosophy,
summarize their major theses and supporting arguments, and be able intelligently
to discuss the relative merits of their positions.
H. Identify a select number of the major problems of the early modem period of
European philosophy, explain their cultural origins, trace their developments, and
discuss their cultural effects.
PHILOSOPHY 40
A. Demonstrate a competence in distinguishing between reasons that are rational and
those that are not.
B. Demonstrate a familiarity with methods of evaluating arguments that will lead to
the truth.
C. Demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate both the components of
arguments (premises and conclusions) and arguments as a whole.
D. Demonstrate a grasp of the concepts of validity, soundness, as well as inductive
strength and weakness in the evaluation of arguments as a whole.
E. Demonstrate a familiarity with common explanatory strategies in the various
sciences and the more common mistakes made in such and other explanations.
F. Identify the common informal fallacies and diagnose their occurrences in both
written and oral contexts.
G. Identify, diagnose, and develop skills for withstanding the more common
persuasive strategies that appeal to non-rational psychological processes.
H. Demonstrate an elementary grasp of the various quantitative methods (statistical,
logical) used in scientific explanations along with their relative strengths and
weakness
I. Apply critical thinking skill to real world examples, both written, oral and in
various media.