Requirements and Curriculum
Note: This information reflects the 2007-08 course catalog.
Requirements
Required for a major: A minimum of nine courses (not including the senior project) in philosophy, including 110, 120 or 320, 200, 220, 485, and at least two additional courses numbered 300 or above.
Required for a minor: A minimum of five courses in philosophy, including 200, 220, 485, and at least one additional course numbered 200 or above.
Students who were enrolled at the college prior to 2006-07 are particularly encouraged to seek admission to advanced philosophy courses if within one course of meeting the prerequisite. Given appropriate academic interest and experience, consent of instructor to enroll can be obtained with adviser’s assistance.Curriculum
100 Introduction to Philosophy 4 hours
An introduction to basic questions in philosophy concerning God, the nature of reality, knowledge and truth, human nature, morality, and the individual in society, together with the range of arguments and answers that philosophers have developed in response to them. (HEPT)
110 Logic 4 hours
A study of reasoning and argumentation, with attention to informal logic and fallacies and an introduction to formal symbol systems, including propositional and predicate logic. (Quant)
120 Ethics 4 hours
A topical introduction to moral philosophy, considering both historical and contemporary developments. Topics include human nature, standards of morality, obligation and rights, justice, responsibility and freedom, character and action. (HEPT)
130 Philosophy of Religion 4 hours
A study of attempts to bring rational justification and clarification to religious beliefs and practice, focusing primarily on the concepts of Christian theology. Topics may include: the existence and attributes of God, faith and reason, death and immortality, miracles and revelation, the problem of evil, and religious pluralism. (Same as religion 230.) (HEPT)
139, 239, 339, 439 Special Topics Credit arr.
140 Environmental Philosophy 4 hours
A study of the philosophical response to the environmental crisis. The course begins with a survey of environmental problems and a brief history of the environmental movement. It then examines various philosophical attempts to reevaluate human attitudes and responsibilities toward the nonhuman environment. (HEPT)
150 Social and Political Philosophy 4 hours
An introduction to major social and political theories with focus on such concepts as obligation, law, authority, freedom, rights, justice, individual, community, ideology, and oppression. (HEPT)
185 First-year Seminar 4 hours
A variety of seminars for first-year students offered each January term.
200 Ancient Philosophy 4 hours
An examination of the development of philosophy among the Greek speaking peoples and the civilizations they influenced. Primary focus will be on the thought of Plato and Aristotle as the major founders of western philosophical thought, with a brief review of subsequent developments in Hellenistic and Roman philosophy. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy. (HEPT)
220 Early Modern Philosophy 4 hours
An examination of the development of modern European philosophy. Primary focus will be on the formation of scientific philosophies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and upon the synthesis of these views in Kant’s philosophy. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy. (HEPT)
230 Philosophy of Science 4 hours
A study of the nature of scientific methodology, which has entitled the sciences (especially the natural sciences) to their authoritative status as reliable sources of knowledge and rational belief. This involves issues such as the relation between theory and evidence, the nature of confirmation, explanation, probability, and rational considerations in delivering and consuming scientific information. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy, or two courses in natural science. Offered alternate years. (HEPT, NWNL)
240 Philosophy of Art 4 hours
A study of the nature of art and its relationship to the human condition. Issues covered include definitions of art, the relationship between art and the community, the nature of aesthetic experience, and standards of taste. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy, or two courses in fine arts. Offered alternate years. (HEPT)
260 Feminist Philosophy 4 hours
Examination of feminist philosophies, including issues in epistemology, ethics, social philosophy, political philosophy, philosophy of religion and historical interpretation. Focus on the challenges which feminist theory presents to traditional philosophical assumptions in the Western tradition. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy, or two courses in women’s and gender studies. Offered alternate years. (Same as women’s and gender studies 260.) (HEPT)
300 19th and 20th Century Philosophy 4 hours
A study of philosophical movements which developed in response to German idealism, including existentialism, phenomenology, pragmatism, analytic and post-modern philosophy. Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy. Offered alternate years. (HEPT)
310 Metaphysics and Epistemology 4 hours
A comparative and critical study of major theories about being and knowing. Metaphysical issues focus on the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, time, space, causation, change, modality, and identity. Epistemological topics concern the possibility, origins, nature, and extent of human knowledge. The course includes classical as well as contemporary readings, covering a wide range of philosophical theories and their interaction. Prerequisite: two courses in philosophy. Offered alternate years. (HEPT)
320 Topics in Value Theory 4 hours
Study of particular theories, movements, issues, major philosophers in value theory. Examples include major works in virtue ethics, utilitarian theory, deontological ethics. Prerequisite: two courses in philosophy. Offered alternate years. (HEPT)
322 Applied Environmental Philosophy 4 hours
This course focuses on evaluating the worldviews, policies, and practices which support or threaten the integrity of the local bioregion and its varied ecosystems. Emphasis is on learning how to enhance the biodiversity of the local ecosystems by improving these policies and practices and the worldviews they express. The principal activity involves designing and implementing actions which help to sustain healthy biosphere functioning.
330 Philosophy of Mind 4 hours
A investigation of historical and contemporary attempts to address a wide range of questions concerning the mind and mental phenomena, such as: Is the mind independent of the body/brain? Can consciousness be explained? Can machines think? How can we account for personal identity? Is free will an illusion? Is evolutionary theory relevant to our understanding of the mind? Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy, or at least one course in psychology numbered 300 and above. Offered alternate years. (HEPT)
375 Directed Readings Credit arr.
395 Independent Study 1, 2, or 4 hours
400 Advanced Topics in Philosophy 4 hours
Designed for students with significant interest and experience in philosophy. Prerequisite: Three courses in philosophy. Offered alternate years.
485 Seminar 4 hours
In-depth study of specific topics or philosophers in seminar format, designed for students with significant experience in philosophy. Prerequisite: Three courses in philosophy.
490 Senior Project 1, 2 or 4 hours
493 Senior Honors Project 4 hours
A year-long independent research project. Applications are completed on the “Honors Program” form available at the registrar’s office, requiring the signatures of a faculty supervisor, the department head, the honors program director, and the registrar. Interdisciplinary projects require the signatures of two faculty superivors. The project must be completed by the due date for senior projects. The completed project is evaluated by a review committee consisting of the faculty supervisor, another faculty member from the major department, and a faculty member from outside the major department. All projects must be presented publicly. Only projects awarded an “A” or “A-” qualify for “department honors” designation. The honors project fulfills the all-college senior project requirement.