USC Catalogue 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]
Philosophy
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Return to: USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The School of Philosophy offers courses in most areas of philosophy, including philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, epistemology, metaphysics, logic, philosophy of science, political philosophy, ethics, aesthetics, the history of philosophy, phenomenology and existentialism. The major in philosophy is designed to acquaint students with the fundamental problems of Western thought and introduce them to the concepts and techniques necessary for independent philosophical thinking; it is equally intended to provide a broadening perspective for the various areas of specialization in the natural and social sciences and in literature and the arts. The school also offers minors in: philosophy; ethics and moral philosophy; philosophy; philosophy for business, law, and the professions; and theories of art. In addition to these undergraduate programs, The School of Philosophy also offers a Master of Arts in Philosophy, a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Law, a joint degree with the USC Gould School of Law, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy.
Mudd Hall of Philosophy 113
(213) 740-4084
FAX: (213) 740-5174
Email: philos@dornsife.usc.edu
dornsife.usc.edu/phil
Director: Scott Soames, PhD
Faculty
Distinguished Professor: Scott Soames, PhD*
Provost Professor of Philosophy and Law: Gary Watson, PhD
William T. Dalessi Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy: Gregory Keating, PhD (Law)
Professors: Stephen Finlay, PhD; John Hawthorne, PhD; Robin Jeshion, PhD; Janet Levin, PhD; Sharon Lloyd, PhD*; Edwin McCann, PhD*; Kevin W. Robb, PhD*; Mark Schroeder, PhD*; Gabriel Uzquiano Cruz, PhD; James Van Cleve, PhD; Kadri Vihvelin, PhD; David Wallace, PhD; Ralph Wedgwood, PhD
Associate Professors: Zlatan Damnjanovic, PhD; John H. Dreher, PhD; Shieva Kleinschmidt, PhD; Jonathan Quong, PhD; Jacob Ross, PhD; Jefferey Sanford Russel, PhD
Assistant Professors: Andrew Bacon, PhD; Jeremy Goodman, PhD
Emeritus University Professor and Emeritus Dean of the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: S. Marshall Cohen, MA*
Emeritus Professors: Frank Lewis, PhD; George Wilson, PhD
*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.
Undergraduate Degrees
Double Major
Double majors are encouraged but a student must work in close consultation with the undergraduate adviser.
Bachelor of Arts with a Combined Major in Linguistics and Philosophy
See Linguistics .
Philosophy Honors Program
Students who are considering the possibility of continuing their education at a graduate level in philosophy or similar disciplines, or students who wish to undertake a more intensive course of studies in philosophy, which includes original independent research, are strongly encouraged to take the major with honors.
The major with honors requires completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, with the following additional requirements:
- Students must take a capstone seminar, having completed the prerequisites for taking it.
- In addition to the required courses for the major, students must take PHIL 494 Senior Thesis during the fall term of their senior year. The senior thesis will be graded by the student’s adviser and another member of the School of Philosophy, following an oral defense. The senior thesis must be completed with a grade of B or higher.
- Students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their philosophy courses.
Students who intend to complete the major with honors are encouraged to enroll in the program during their sophomore year (but no later than the end of the first term of their junior year), and should consult about their studies with the faculty adviser for the honors program on a continuous basis.
Minor in Critical Approaches to Leadership
See Interdisciplinary Studies .
Graduate Degrees
The objective of the graduate program in philosophy is to equip suitably prepared and talented students to function effectively as teachers, thinkers and writers on philosophical topics in the Western tradition. The program provides for a wide range of studies within philosophy, but emphasizes the history of philosophy, both classical and modern, along with the traditional core disciplines: ethics, epistemology, metaphysics and logic.
Because philosophy is as much a special manner of intellectual activity as it is a special subject matter, the graduate student is expected not only to master major works in the historical and contemporary literature of philosophical thought, but also to develop the ability to engage in the ongoing process of philosophical research and dialogue.
Admission Requirements
An applicant for admission normally has an undergraduate major in philosophy, but programs may be arranged for promising students who do not. At least three letters of recommendation from the student’s undergraduate teachers should be sent to the chair of graduate admissions of the School of Philosophy. All applicants are required to take the verbal and quantitative General Tests of the Graduate Record Examinations.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are awarded under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and The Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Progressive Degree Program in Philosophy and Law
The progressive degree program permits exceptional undergraduate students with a major in philosophy to receive both an undergraduate degree and the Master of Arts in Philosophy and Law within five years. A minimum GPA of 3.5, two letters of recommendation and outstanding performance in philosophy courses are required for admission to this program. For other requirements of the progressive degree program, see here.
Graduate Advisement
In addition to the departmental graduate adviser, who has the formal role in graduate advising, each student will be matched with a personal adviser, who will share responsibility with the graduate adviser for monitoring a student’s progress semester by semester. The graduate adviser is available to counsel any graduate student on all aspects of the graduate program. A student’s personal adviser will consult informally with the student semester by semester on how to interpret his or her grades and especially the written reports provided by the instructor for each course in which the student is enrolled, discuss informally the student’s selection of courses each semester, and generally keep track of the student’s progress in the program. At the appropriate time, the student will consult his or her adviser concerning the appointment of a faculty committee for guidance and supervision. An official qualifying exam committee will be appointed at the time the student passes the screening examination; for the rules governing its establishment and makeup, see General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Graduate School section. The qualifying exam committee will meet with the student soon after its appointment, and at least once each academic year thereafter.
Bachelor’s Degree
Minor
Master’s Degree
Dual Degree
Doctoral Degree
Philosophy
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PHIL 100g Central Problems of Philosophy Units: 4
Explores questions about human beings and their place in nature, including questions about knowledge, mind and body, freedom and determinism, and the existence of God.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Instruction Mode: Lecture, discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 102gp Historical Introduction to Philosophy Units: 4
Introduction to the central philosophical works that have shaped western thought. Includes ancient, early modern and contemporary writings.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 104g Ancient Foundations of Western Thought Units: 4
Explores writings of ancient philosophers who first raised, and continue to influence our thinking about, fundamental questions concerning nature, knowledge, justice, happiness, and death.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Duplicates Credit in PHIL 115 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 110g Modern Foundations of Western Thought Units: 4
Explores the writings of philosophers, from Descartes to Kant, who responded to, and helped to shape, the scientific and political upheavals of the modern period.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Old General Education in Category I: Western Cultures and Traditions
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 101
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 115g Ancient Greek Culture and Society Units: 4
Focus on the literary achievement from the beginning of Greek literature to the fourth century with a special emphasis on the philosophers.
Satisfies Old General Education in Category I: Western Cultures and Traditions
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 120g Introduction to Formal Logic Units: 4
Introduces formal tools for distinguishing between good and bad arguments or inferences. Covers both propositional logic and predicate logic.
Satisfies New General Education in F Quantitative Reasoning
Duplicates Credit in and .
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 122a Reasoning and Argument Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSp
Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others.
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 250ab.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 122b Reasoning and Argument Units: 2
Terms Offered: FaSp
Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others.
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 250ab.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 130g The Physical World and Our Place In It Units: 4
Exploration of basic questions about the nature of reality. Topics may include personal identity, freedom and determinism, causation and laws of nature.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 138gp Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion Units: 4
Explores arguments for and against the existence of God, as well as questions about the nature and rationality of faith.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 141gp The Professions and the Public Interest in American Life Units: 4
The study of the nature and role of professionals in life and society, forces that shape and direct them, foundations and applications of professional ethics.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Satisfies Old General Education in Category VI: Social Issues
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 166gw Current Moral and Social Issues Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Critical study of controversial social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, war and terrorism, sexual morality, affirmative action, and economic justice.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Satisfies Old General Education in Category V: Arts and Letters
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 140g.
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
Crosslisted as SWMS-140 -
PHIL 168g The Meaning of Life Units: 4
Explores philosophical treatments of the problem of the meaning or purpose of human life.
Satisfies New General Education in B Humanistic Inquiry
Duplicates Credit in .
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 172gmw Social Ethics for Earthlings and Others Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
A systematic study of contemporary issues in social and political philosophy engaging multimedia works of science fiction to illuminate classic Western moral and political theories.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Satisfies Old General Education in Category VI: Social Issues
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 137
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 174gw Freedom, Equality, and Social Justice Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Explores the nature of justice, and how apparently conflicting ideals, such as freedom and equality, are to be balanced within a just society.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Satisfies Old General Education in Category V: Arts and Letters
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 178gw Moral Dilemmas in the Legal Domain Units: 4
Philosophical theories of law and applications to controversies of importance to society and our legal system, such as free speech, civil disobedience, and self defense.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Satisfies Old General Education in Category VI: Social Issues
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 135g.
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 222g Logic and Language Units: 4
Introduces symbolic logic and explores its application to the philosophy of language, plus meta-logical and philosophical results about its scope and limits.
Satisfies New General Education in Category F: Quantitative Reasoning
Duplicates Credit in PHIL 350
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 236g Issues in Space and Time Units: 4
What is time? What is the difference between past, present and future? Is time-travel possible? And what paradoxes might it give rise to?
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Duplicates Credit in PHIL 286Lg
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 240g Mind, Self, and Consciousness Units: 4
Explores philosophical questions about the human mind and consciousness, and how they relate to the brain and to the physical world more generally.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Duplicates Credit in PHIL 262g
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 242 Theories of Art Units: 4
An introduction to general theories of art and to issues concerning particular arts such as literature and drama, photography and film, painting, architecture and music.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 254gp Science, Knowledge and Objectivity Units: 4
Max Units: max 4
How does science differ from pseudo-science? When is it rational to accept a scientific theory? And do such theories provide genuine knowledge of reality?
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 256g Science, Religion, and the Making of the Modern Mind Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Exploration of the philosophical and religious implications of major scientific revolutions, such as those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Old General Education in Category V: Arts and Letters
Duplicates Credit in former PHIL 220g.
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 258g Probability and Rational Choice Units: 4
Explores formal tools for thinking about uncertainty. In an uncertain world, how is it rational to form our beliefs, make decisions, and interact with others?
Satisfies New General Education in Category F: Quantitative Reasoning
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 260gw Ethical Theory and Practice Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Explores various conceptions of morality and what makes actions right or wrong, together with the implications of these views for concrete ethical issues.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category G: Citizenship in a Diverse World
Satisfies Old General Education in Category V: Arts and Letters
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 262g Mind and Self: Modern Conceptions Units: 4
Philosophical problems about the nature of mind associated with the rise of modern science; topics include the mind/body relation, personal identity, rationality and freedom.
Satisfies Old General Education in Category I: Western Cultures and Traditions
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 284gp Ideas on Trial Units: 4
Historically significant trials, from the trial of Socrates to the present day, understood as vehicles for the expression of deep social and cultural attitudes.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 285Lg Knowledge, Explanation, and the Cosmos Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
The nature and limits of knowledge and explanation, and challenges in understanding the origin of the universe and the place of intelligent life within it.
Satisfies Old General Education in Category IV: Science and Its Significance
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Lab Required
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 286Lg Issues in Space and Time Units: 4
Examining the nature of space and time, how they relate, and how material objects relate to them. Some included topics: substantivalism, temporal directionality, persistence, hyperspace.
Satisfies Old General Education in Category IV: Science and Its Significance
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Lab Required
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 288gp Love and its Representation in Western Literature, Film, and Philosophy Units: 4
Key works that have shaped the European and American cultural inheritance, with a special focus on the nature of love.
Satisfies New General Education in Category B: Humanistic Inquiry
Satisfies Global Perspective in Category H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Satisfies Old General Education in Category I: Western Cultures and Traditions
Duplicates Credit in the former PHIL 225
Instruction Mode: Lecture, Discussion
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 300 Introduction to the Philosophical Classics Units: 4
An examination of philosophical works which have had a profound impact on the nature of Western thought.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 315 History of Western Philosophy: Ancient Period Units: 4
Major figures in the history of Western philosophical thought from the pre-Socratics to the Hellenistic period; emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 317 History of Western Philosophy: Medieval Period Units: 4
Central themes in Jewish, Christian and Islamic philosophy from late antiquity through the scholastic period.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 320 History of Western Philosophy: Modern Period Units: 4
The development of philosophy from the 16th to the 19th centuries; emphasis on Continental Rationalism, British Empiricism, and the philosophy of Kant.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 330 Theories of Law Units: 4
Examination of some of the major classical and contemporary theories of the nature and functions of law and of its relation to morality.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 335 Theoretical Models of Leadership Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSp
Political philosophers and social theorists on leadership: political obligation; the art of government; leadership in civil society and counter-cultural dissent; models of cosmopolitan leadership.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 337 History of Modern Political Philosophy Units: 4
Analysis of some of the main political philosophies of the modern era; emphasis on the ethical and metaphysical foundations of political philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 338 Political Economy and Social Issues Units: 4
Terms Offered: Sp
(Enroll in ECON 338 )
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PHIL 340 Ethics Units: 4
Terms Offered: FaSpSm
Study of major philosophical theories of moral right and wrong, such as utilitarianism, Kantianism, egoism, virtue ethics, and theological ethics.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 345 Greek Ethics Units: 4
Examination of the progress of the ethical thought and legal and political institutions of ancient Greece with an emphasis on the Nichomachean Ethics of Aristotle.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 347 Philosophy in Literature Units: 4
Philosophical content in representative European and American literature; philosophical problems about literature such as the nature of truth and meaning in fiction.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 350 Symbolic Logic Units: 4
Introduction to basic techniques of propositional and quantificational logic, and elements of probability. Especially useful to philosophy, mathematics, science, and engineering majors.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 351 Reasoning and Logic Units: 4
Study of reasoning as a strategy for arriving at knowledge in dependence upon logical theory. Logical theories are developed alongside historically influential strategies of reasoning. Not open to freshmen.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 352 Logic and Language Units: 4
Introduction to modern symbolic logic, with applications to the philosophy of language, plus meta-logical and philosophical results about its scope and limits.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 355 Existentialism Units: 4
A critical survey of major 19th and 20th century existentialist writers, including Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Kafka, Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 360 Epistemology and Metaphysics Units: 4
Examination of problems in metaphysics and/or epistemology. Conducted at the intermediate level.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 361 Philosophy of Religion Units: 4
The existence of God; mysticism, miracles and the possibility of disembodied existence; the problem of evil; religion and morality; the meaning of religious language.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 362 Possible Worlds Units: 4
Introduction to possible worlds as a tool for asking and answering questions about what might be, what must be, and what can never be.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 363 Philosophy of Perception Units: 4
Philosophical investigation of sense perception as it relates to issues in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of science.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 385 Science and Rationality Units: 4
Examination of the rationality of the scientific enterprise, and of the relation between science and human values.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 390 Special Problems Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 410 Early Greek Thought Units: 4
A study of the Greek thinkers from Homer to the age of Socrates; emphasis on the pre-Socratic philosophers.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 411 Plato Units: 4
Detailed study of the evolution of Plato’s thought as revealed in selected dialogues.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 415 Aristotle Units: 4
Intensive study of selected topics taken from Aristotle’s writings in natural philosophy, in metaphysics, and in other areas of philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 421 Continental Rationalism Units: 4
Development of philosophy on the continent from the 17th to the 19th centuries; emphasis on the philosophical works of Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 422 British Empiricism Units: 4
Development of philosophy in Great Britain from the 17th to the 19th centuries; emphasis on Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 423 The Critical Philosophy of Kant Units: 4
Intensive study of the philosophical works of Kant.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 424 19th Century Philosophy Units: 4
Leading figures and movements in 19th century philosophy; works of such philosophers as Hegel, Schopenhauer, Mill, Nietzsche, and Bradley.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 425 American Philosophy Units: 4
Leading figures and movements in American philosophy; works of such philosophers as Jonathan Edwards, Charles Peirce, William James, John Dewey, and C.I. Lewis.
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PHIL 426 20th Century European Philosophy Units: 4
Main philosophers and movements from 1900, including the major developments within phenomenology and existentialism, the emergence of structuralism and hermeneutics.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 427 20th Century Anglo-American Philosophy Units: 4
The nature and function of analysis as a philosophical method; the development of major metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical views; Russell, Wittgenstein, Carnap, Quine and others.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 428 Anglo-American Philosophy Since 1950 Units: 4
The maturing of the analytic tradition from the later Wittgenstein through Ryle, Strawson, Hare, Austin, Grice, Quine, Davidson, Kripke, and beyond.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 430 Philosophy of Law Units: 4
Philosophical theories about the nature of law, relations between law and morality, and analysis of normative concepts central to law, such as responsibility, punishment, negligence.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 431 Law, Society, and Politics Units: 4
Terms Offered: Fa
A systematic presentation of the main philosophical perspectives on the interactions between law and the social-political aspects of our lives.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 437 Social and Political Philosophy Units: 4
The nature of man and society, the nature and justification of state and government, political rights and political obligation, justice and equality.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 440 Contemporary Ethical Theory Units: 4
Ethical theories in the 20th century; contemporary theories of value and obligation; metaethical theories; intuitionism, naturalism, and non-cognitivism; concepts of justice, human rights, and freedom.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 442 History of Ethics to 1900 Units: 4
An historical and critical study of the great moral philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and the British moralists.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 443 Value Theory Units: 4
The evaluation of individual and social ends; consideration of such topics as values and rational choice, the good of a person, hedonism, welfare, ideals, and utopias.
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PHIL 445 Philosophy of the Arts Units: 4
Principal theories of the nature of, and response to, art; examination of form and content in various arts; consideration of the role of criticism.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 446 Aesthetics and the Film Units: 4
Problems in the philosophy of art raised by film, such as the notion of “cinematic”; the nature of interpretation of films; criteria for evaluating films.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 450 Intermediate Symbolic Logic Units: 4
Systematic study of the metatheory of quantificational logic, with applications to questions of decidability and completeness of formal systems including Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 452 Modal Logic Units: 4
Elements of propositional and quantified modal logic and the logic of counterfactual conditionals with an eye to some of their applications in contemporary philosophy.
Prerequisite: PHIL 350 , or PHIL 351 , or PHIL 352 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 455 Phenomenology and Existentialism Units: 4
Terms Offered: Irregular
Close study of major writings of Husserl, Heidegger, and Sartre.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 460 Metaphysics Units: 4
Systematic introduction to basic concepts, including identity, difference, existence, individuals, substance, quality, and relation; emphasis on idealism, materialism, and the ontology of intentionality.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 462 Philosophy of Mind Units: 4
Examination of contemporary theories of mind and its place in the natural world.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 463 Theories of Action Units: 4
Systematic investigation of action, the mental states involved in action, the reasoning processes that lead to action, and related concepts including intentionality and free will.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 465 Philosophy of Language Units: 4
The nature of communication, meaning, reference, truth, necessity, speech acts, convention, and language.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
Crosslisted as LING-465 -
PHIL 470 Theory of Knowledge Units: 4
Examination of contemporary accounts of the nature, scope, sources — and value — of human knowledge and justified belief.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 471 Metaphysics and Epistemology Units: 4
Classic issues in epistemology and the philosophy of language, leading up to the application of context-sensitivity in language to the problem of skepticism.
Prerequisite: PHIL 350 or PHIL 351 or PHIL 352
Recommended Preparation: at least one 400-level PHIL course.
Registration Restriction: Open to Philosophy majors.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 472 Moral Philosophy Units: 4
In-depth study of some important work from the last few decades concerning the nature and status of moral reasons, moral obligations, and moral discourse.
Prerequisite: PHIL 350 or PHIL 351 or PHIL 352
Recommended Preparation: at least one 400-level PHIL class.
Registration Restriction: Open to Philosophy majors.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 473 Wittgenstein Units: 4
A detailed study of the philosophical works of Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 480 Philosophy of Mathematics Units: 4
The nature of mathematical truth and the nature of mathematical entities.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 484 Philosophy of Physics Units: 4
Max Units: 12
A comprehensive introduction to two of the central areas of modern philosophy of physics: the philosophy of spacetime, and the philosophy of quantum mechanics.
Recommended Preparation: PHYS 304 , PHYS 408a , or PHYS 438a
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 485 Development of Physical Science Units: 4
Concepts central in the advance of physical science such as the concepts of space, time, mass, force; philosophical problems concerning quantum mechanics.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 486 Methodologies of the Sciences Units: 4
Comparison of the methodologies of the natural, social, and/or behavioral sciences; consideration of such topics as the concept of scientific law, prediction, explanation, confirmation.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 490x Directed Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Max Units: 12.0
Individual research and readings.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 494 Senior Thesis Units: 4
Independent studies for philosophy majors, and guidance in the preparation of the senior thesis for students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 499 Special Topics Units: 2, 3, 4
Max Units: 8.0
Selected topics in various specialty areas within philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 500 Introduction to Contemporary Philosophical Literature Units: 4
Terms Offered: Fa
Analysis of selected philosophical problems and theses of current interest; explication of major contemporary papers and/or books is emphasized.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 501 Seminar in Recent Philosophy Units: 4
Max Units: 16.0
Terms Offered: Sp
Contemporary philosophical issues and literature.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 503 Introduction to Contemporary Philosophical Literature on Value Units: 4
Terms Offered: Sp
Analysis of selected philosophical problems and theses of current interest; explication of major contemporary papers and/or books is emphasized.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 505 Pro-Seminar in Central Topics in Contemporary Philosophy Units: 4
Terms Offered: Irregular
Key developments in central areas of philosophy are used to provide training in philosophical analysis, criticism, and the writing of precise philosophical prose.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 510 Philosophical Logic Units: 4
Terms Offered: Sp
Applications of logical theory to contemporary philosophical research. Elements of model theory, recursion theory; Goedel’s Incompleteness results; modal logic and its interpretations.
Recommended Preparation: PHIL 350 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 515 Studies in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy Units: 4
Max Units: 16.0
Problems in research in selected portions of ancient and medieval philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 520 Studies in Modern Philosophy Units: 4
Max Units: 16.0
Problems in research in selected portions of modern philosophy.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 525 Seminar in Phenomenology Units: 4
The origin, principles, and development of the phenomenological movement from Brentano to Merleau-Ponty.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 530 Seminar in Philosophy of Law Units: 4
Max Units: 12.0
Theories of the nature of law; emphasis on recent writing; legal concepts such as rights, powers, liability, legal responsibility, law, and morality.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 537 Seminar in Social and Political Philosophy Units: 4
Max Units: 16.0
Advanced literature on selected topics in social and political philosophy, including the nature of law, man, and society; ideals such as justice and freedom.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 540 Seminar in Ethics Units: 4
Max Units: 16.0
Advanced topics and literature in ethical theory.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 545 Seminar in Aesthetics Units: 4
Advanced topics in the philosophy of the arts. Contemporary views on such problems as the nature of art and the role of criticism.
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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PHIL 550 Advanced Topics in Formal Logic Units: 4
Consistency and completeness of the predicate calculus; truth and validity; rudiments of model logic.
Prerequisite: PHIL 450 .
Instruction Mode: Lecture
Grading Option: Letter
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