Course | Description |
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PH 101 Introduction To Philosophy | Introduction to Philosophy is designed to introduce students to classic questions and concept history of Western Philosophy, from approximately 500 BCE to the present. The material will be presented “topically.” That is, framework ideas, question and theories will be presented for each new section, and then students will be asked to reflect and evaluate each new framework. In addition, students will be asked to take a position with respect to each new question and defend the position. The course, therefore, not only introduces students to classic debates and ideas in the Western philosophic tradition, but in addition teaches students how to think and argue philosophically. This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |
PH 102 The Meaning of Life | This course offers an in-depth journey into Jay Garfield’s influential text, "The Meaning of Life" (and “Losing Ourselves”), and related writings, enabling students to ponder the intricate philosophical questions surrounding life’s purpose, value, and essence. |
PH 200 Environmental Ethics | At no time in history has humankind had such an impact on the Earth’s environment. The growing population coupled with the globalization of the marketplace has placed enormous strains on the Earth’s natural resources and threatened the well-being of numerous plants and, most notably, human and non-human animals. The possible consequences of ignoring environmental issues--such as ozone depletion, greenhouse gases, “irresponsible development,” and the unmitigated use of non-renewable resources—is frequently trumpeted in the news media. The purpose of this course is to expose the student to these “environmental” issues in detail. Moreover, it is also to evaluate these issues from an ethical perspective. |
PH 202 Introduction to Ethics I | Philosophic Ethics addresses not just the study of right actions but also theories of the human good life, what motivates us, how we can construct a meaning fulfilled life. Such theories include the following: What is human nature? What is Happiness? Is there any such thing as morality, and if so is it the same for all persons? Should we care about the plight of persons in other countries? What about people in the future? Do we have an obligation to leave the planet in at least a minimally acceptable state? Finally, even if we know everything there is to know about morality, why should we act morally? This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |
PH 208 Street Logic | This course teaches students a critical thinking system that can be used very effectively to evaluate and construct arguments. Students can immediately apply their new skills to assessing arguments that they encounter in articles and books, and they can use the system in the construction of their own arguments in their writing assignments. Moreover, this course can help greatly with graduate school admission tests, especially the LSATs. So, there is considerable use-value in developing one’s skills in Critical Thinking – both in school and in real-life. This course was previously listed as 'PH 303, Introduction to Critical Thinking.' While the course has been re-worked and re-numbered, students who have taken PH 303, Introduction to Critical Thinking are advised not to enroll in this PH 208. |
PH 218 Introduction to Ethics II | This interdisciplinary course will focus on several fields of moral investigation which are particularly relevant to men and women in contemporary society. Beginning with an examination of various approaches to the resolution of moral issues, students will be encouraged to develop a critical method of issue analysis. Having established a theoretical base for analysis, attention will then be directed to the examination of specific moral issues which confront contemporary society. Issues will include topics in the fields of sexuality, bio-medical technology, death and dying, health care, global justice, business and economics. Both traditional views of these moral issues as well as contemporary developments will be examined. This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |
PH 219 A.I. Ethics | This course delves into the evolving field of A.I. ethics, centered around key readings such as "Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics" and other pivotal writings. Students will engage with pressing moral dilemmas and responsibilities posed by the development and application of A.I. technology. |
PH 301 The Making of the Modern Mind | This course comprises a history of ideas from ancient Greece to the Renaissance. Specifically, it employs philosophic analysis to show the historical impact of philosophical thought upon politics, science, art, and humankind in general as well as the impact of culture on philosophy. An additional goal of this course is that of helping students recognize that many of the ideas with which they are most comfortable did not arise in a vacuum. Moreover, the ideas that they take to be the most obviously true may, in fact, require rational justification — a requirement which cannot be fulfilled without an adequate understanding of the historical context within which these ideas were first formulated. This course fulfills the American History/Western Civilization General Education requirement. |
PH 302 The Making of the Modern Mind II | This interdisciplinary course comprises a history of ideas beginning with the 16th century and continuing to the present day. It employs a philosophic analysis to show the historical impact of philosophical thought upon politics, science, art and humankind in general as well as the impact of culture on philosophy. An additional goal of this course is that of helping students recognize that many of the ideas with which they are most comfortable did not arise in a vacuum and that many of the ideas which are taken to be obviously true require rational justification. Particular attention will be paid to the varying conceptions of truth, justice and the good life found in different epochs. Specifically, the impact of these philosophic notions upon early modern culture will be observed in the works of writers such as Marlowe, Mann and Camus, musicians such as Wagner, and philosophers such as Descartes, Hume, Kant and Nietzsche. This course fulfills the American History/Western Civilization General Education requirement. |
PH 330 Conflict and Cooperation | This course will consider the disciplines of ethics, sociology and political science and will cover a wide range of times, ages and cultures. This course will focus specifically upon the concept of obligation and try to identify the types of obligations which exist between individuals, between groups and individuals, and between a government and its citizens. The course will examine the unique interest of individuals, groups and governments which lead them to ignore their obligations and engage in conflict. Finally, a clearer understanding of the conditions of conflict will help students garner insight into both the resolution of conflict and fostering of cooperation. This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |
PH 370 Reconceiving Reality | This course provides a comprehensive exploration of key issues, concepts, and debates in the philosophy of mind. Students will be introduced to a range of topics including the nature of consciousness, the mind-body problem, mental causation, and the nature of mental states such as beliefs, desires, and emotions. Drawing on historical and contemporary philosophical works, students will critically engage with these ideas, fostering an understanding of the complexities of our mental lives and their relationship to the physical world. This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |
PH 380 Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics | The early 21st century has witnessed a radical new understanding(s) of consciousness that results from recent developments in the study of Quantum Mechanics. Insights from such diverse fields as the Philosophy of Mind and the Philosophy of Physics to Buddhism studies have rendered 20th century theories of consciousness in need of significant revision. Is the self just an illusion? How can our observation possibly influence the states of objects thousands of miles away? Is the reality we perceive, just one of many? This course, therefore, will survey traditional theories of mind, and utilizing insights from Quantum Mechanics theory, students will also learn about the mind-bending implications of contemporary theories of consciousness. This course fulfills the Humanities General Education requirement. |