Philosophy

PH101: Greek Philosophy

An examination of the origins of Western philosophy as it arose in ancient Greece. The course begins with the Pre-Socratic philosophers, centers on the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, and closes with the important Hellenistic traditions of Stoicism, Skepticism, Epicureanism, Cynicism, and Neoplatonism. 1 unit  —  Riker.

PH113: Brothers Karamazov

(Not offered 2009-10.) .5 unit.

PH116: Greek Language and Philosophy

Introduction to ancient Greek language and philosophy in the context of Greek culture. Pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle in relation to Homer, dramatists, emergence of a democratic Athens, and etymological and grammatical structures of the Greek language. Investigation of Greek concepts and language extends into modern philosophy, revealing how they both influence and are transformed by such thinkers such as Hegel, Nietzsche, and Heidegger. (with the second block of Classics 101, meets the college language requirement). (Meets the Critical Perspectives: The West in Time requirement.) (Not offered 2009-10.) 2 units.

PH122: Philosophical Argument and Writing (with Emp on Writing)

Beginning with an introduction to critical thinking and conceptual argument, this course will cover basic principles of logic as they pertain to philosophical writing. The latter half of the course will be devoted to an intensive workshop on the grammatical and stylistic techniques that make for clarity and coherence in spoken and written argument. (A writing-intensive course, limited to 12 students.) 1 unit  —  Department.

PH140: Ethics

An exploration of the questions of what constitutes a good human life, what it means to be a moral human being, and whether reasoning about ethical and moral values can be objective. Texts may include works by Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Nietzsche, among others. 1 unit  —  Riker.

PH141: Philosophy & Literature

Through a study of the literary style of certain philosophical texts and the philosophical significance of selected literary works of art, this course will study the comparative ability of different modes of writing to address traditional philosophical questions and to illuminate particular features of human experience. (Not offered 2009-10.) 1 unit.

PH156: Citizens of the World

Prerequisite: FYE Course. 1st Years Only. (Not offered 2009-10.) 2 units.

PH200: History of Modern Philosophy

(Not offered 2009-10.) 2 units.

PH201: History of Modern Philosophy

A study of the evolution of philosophical "modernity" and of the "modern" concept of the subject or self. While the course focuses on major ethical, epistemological, and metaphysical developments from the beginning of the 17th century to the end of the 19th century, it begins by situating these issues in the history of medieval philosophy. Philosophers covered may include Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Mill, and Nietzsche, among others. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: The West in Time requirement.) 2 units  —  Genova, Hernandez-Lemus, Lee.

PH203: Topics in Philosophy

Experimental and occasional courses taught by either visiting professors or permanent staff. Courses offered under this rubric will vary from year to year.

PH218: Introduction to Ethics

(Not offered 2009-10.) 1 unit.

PH221: Philosophies of India

(Not offered 2009-10.) 1 unit.

PH223: 20th Century Marxism and Critical Theory

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor or Philosophy 100. (Not offered 2009-10.) 1 unit.

PH227: Epistemology

In this course we will engage in a critical examination of problems concerning knowledge and belief: how beliefs are acquired and justified, the possible limits to knowledge, and the interplay between reason and experience. Readings will be from historical and contemporary sources. 1 unit  —  Department.

PH228: Philosophy of Science

This course investigates basic concepts, assumptions, structures, and methods of science, and confronts philosophical ideas about the significance, justification, and production of science. In this course we will examine some historical and contemporary case studies of scientific controversy to illustrate competing views about the nature of science. 1 unit  —  Hourdequin.

PH229: Philosophy of Language

A study of the nature, origins, and significance of language. Discussion of various theories from such thinkers as Cassirer, Piaget, Quine, Wittgenstein, Whorf, Heidegger, Austin, Chomsky and Merleau-Ponty. regarding language's relation to thought, reality, culture, formal systems and non-verbal systems of communication. 1 unit  —  Bayer.

PH240: Philosophies of Africa

Major philosophical trends in African thought, focusing on traditional folk thinking and contemporary elaborations of tradition, the ethnophilosophy debate, post-colonial theory (Nkrumah and Fanon), and Cheikh Anta Diop's claim that African culture unity is grounded in the philosophical ideas of ancient Egypt. (Not offered 2009-10.) 1 unit.

PH241: History of Social and Political Philosophy

Surveys the history of Western social and political philosophy. Why, against the backdrop of a tradition of thought descended from Plato, do some characterize the contemporary era as one of moral, intellectual, and political disarray, while others portray contemporary democratic life as rich morally, intellectually, and politically? Explores what is reasonable and unreasonable in such interpretations, and why one may or may not support either perspective. (Meets the Critical Perspectives: The West in Time requirement.) 2 units  —  McEnnerney.

PH246: Environmental Ethics

An analysis of human attitudes toward the rest of the natural world and of the ways in which our beliefs and values influence our relation to the environment. The course will focus on the challenge of finding conceptual resources adequate to the creation of a sustainable way of life and on the difficulty of transforming habits of mind which contribute to the current ecological crisis. (Also listed as Environmental Science 281.) 1 unit  —  Furtak, Hourdequin.

PH247: Aesthetics

This course deals with the creation and appreciation of works of the imagination, including such questions as: what is art?, how are we to evaluate works of art?, and how does art enrich our lives? 1 unit  —  Hernandez-Lemus.