Philosophy

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Philosophy

Professor Falkner; Associate Professor Jakoby (Department Chair); Assistant Professor Grosz; Lecturer Baron.

Areas of particular teaching interest: Professor Falkner: ancient philosophy and classics, Jakoby: history of philosophy and philosophy of culture, Grosz: Asian philosophy and feminism, Baron: ethics.

Philosophy has been called the queen of sciences because it deals with basic questions concerning our world and ourselves, the underlying ideas upon which the more specialized disciplines are based. Because its methodology is one of rigorous and critical thinking, students find it a valuable preparation for such fields as law, medicine, business, literature, history, and religion, to mention a few. Courses are offered in both the historical and contemporary perspectives, with many of them being issue-oriented.

Philosophical studies are generally divided into two groups: the historical and the issues oriented. Courses in the history of philosophy cover topics from early Greek thought to contemporary philosophy and are closely related to other fields of study such as the sciences, literature, political thought, the arts, language, and economics. Issues-oriented courses deal with the nature of knowledge and truth, the meaning of justice, and ethical values of our time such as war, sex, honesty in government and business, the determination of freedom, the relationship between mind and body, the most desirable society, and gender relations.

The Department offers classes in Continental, Anglo-American, and Asian philosophy and a number of courses in Asian civilization, which allow students to explore various ways of living, thinking, expression, and self-development. Students may plan their programs for general liberal education, for graduate study, or for special objectives in related fields.

Departmental Honors

Students who have a 3.50 GPA in courses in the major, a 3.20 GPA overall and receive an “A” grade on their senior thesis (PHI 4492) receive departmental honors.

Programs

• Philosophy Major
• Philosophy Minor

Courses

• PHI 1101 - Introduction to Philosophy
• PHI 1102 - Critical Thinking
• PHI 1105 - Contemporary Issues In Ethics
• PHI 1113 - Greek and Roman Philosophy
• PHI 1114 - Philosophy from the Renaissance to Contemporary Times
• PHI 2102 - Philosophy Around the World
• PHI 2205 - Law, Morality and the Cinema
• PHI 2206 - Philosophy of Love and Sex
• PHI 2211 - Issues of Social Justice
• PHI 2221 - Minds and Machines
• PHI 2222 - Philosophy of Art
• PHI 2224 - Plato’s Search for Knowledge
• PHI 2226 - Philosophy Law
• PHI 2227 - Violence and Non-Violence
• PHI 2228 - Philosophy of Violent Media
• PHI 2233 - Elementary Logic
• PHI 2265 - Special Topics In Philosophy
• PHI 2266 - Special Topics in the History of Philosophy
• PHI 2291 - Directed Readings
• PHI 2295 - Internships in Philosophy
• PHI 2298 - Independent Studies in Philosophy
• PHI 3200 - Writing in Philosophy
• PHI 3230 - Buddhist Philosophy
• PHI 3302 - Classical Indian Philosophy
• PHI 3304 - Philosophy and Film
• PHI 3305 - Anarchy, Authority, and Autonomy
• PHI 3318 - Philosophy of Science
• PHI 3321 - Minds and Languages
• PHI 3323 - Environmental Philosophy
• PHI 3333 - Philosophical Logic
• PHI 3334 - F. Nietzsche: Over(wo)men
• PHI 3350 - Bioethics
• PHI 3365 - Special Topics In Philosophy
• PHI 3366 - Special Topics in the History of Philosophy
• PHI 3395 - Internships in Philosophy
• PHI 3398 - Independent Studies in Philosophy
• PHI 4465 - Special Topics In Philosophy
• PHI 4466 - Special Topics in the History of Philosophy
• PHI 4492 - Thesis in Philosophy
• PHI 4495 - Internships in Philosophy
• PHI 4498 - Independent Studies in Philosophy

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