Philosophy Department - Spring 2010 Offerings
211 Asian Philosophy - India (Prof. Yang) -
211-01 MW 2:00-3:15pm & 211-02 MW 3:25-4:40pm
This course introduces students to the Indian philosophical tradition. There are many varieties within the Indian philosophical tradition, but we will focus on Hinduism and Buddhism. We will discuss issues concerning Self and World (such as whether there is a permanent and immaterial self, the relation between the self and the world, and whether the world is dualistic or monistic), knowledge (such as the nature and forms of knowledge, where knowledge comes from or the main sources of knowledge, and the test of truth and error) and the path to (spiritual) liberation. Although we will focus on the issues, students will be introduced to different schools of Indian philosophy in the discussion of the issues. We will also compare Indian philosophers' views/arguments with Western philosophers' views/arguments about these issues and explore similarities and differences between the Indian philosophical tradition and the Western philosophical tradition.
296 Ancient Philosophy: Pre-Socratics to Plotinus (Prof. Cullen) -
MWF 8:10-9:00 am
Development of Western philosophy from its beginnings in Pre-Socratics. Main emphasis is on the works of Plato and Aristotle. Included are the Stoics, Epicureans, and Plotinus.
297 Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy: Augustine to Machiavelli
(Prof. Cullen) - MWF 10:10-11:00 am (Pre-req. PHI 296)
Philosophical thought in the Middle Ages and the Humanists tradition of the Renaissance. Emphasis upon the thought of Augustine, Aquinas, Scotus, Ockham, and Machiavelli.
303W The History of Islamic Thought (Prof. Gorniak) - TR 4:45-6:00 pm
(Pre-req. 3 cr. in Philosophy/Religious Studies or Junior/Senior status)
For a variety of reasons, there is a renewal of interest in Islam all over the world. At present, Islam is among the world's fastest growing religions. The course will focus on some of the most important ideas that influenced Islam during its history. The life of the prophet Mohammed, the spiritual and intellectual climate of his days, and the importance of Koran will be discussed in this course as will be Islam's development after the death of its founder, including the legal thought and the influence of Ancient Greek philosophy (esp. Plato and Aristotle). Students will examine the intellectual debates of Islam's golden age. The analysis will focus on some of the most important figures in Muslim spiritual and intellectual history, such as Rabi'a, al Ghazālī, Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna), Ibn Rushd (Averroës), and Rumi. Last but not least, some time will be devoted to present-day Islam, especially in the context of global society. This is an upper-level philosophy course. Prerequisites: 3 credits in philosophy or religious studies or 6 credits in relevant major; junior/senior status. The course may count toward the minor in religious studies, minor in philosophy, and major in philosophy (student's academic advisor should be consulted for details). This is also a "W" (writing intensive) course.
307 19th Century Philosophy (Prof. Pettigrew) - MW 2:00-3:15 pm
(Pre-req. PHI 296)
Our course will undertake close readings of selected works of Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and others. We will engage the content and style of the period and consider the extent to which it utterly transformed the way we approach the meaning of history.
325W Bio-Ethics of the Life Sciences (Prof. Owen) - TR 4:45-6:00 pm
(Pre-req. 3 cr. In PHI and Junior or Senior status in relevant major)
Moral and social issues arising from present practices, research and technology in medicine and biology; genetics, interventions in human birth, human experimentation, abortion, health-care delivery, euthanasia, life prolongation, etc.
327 Moral Problems in the Law (Prof. Cavallero) - MW 2:00-3:15 pm
(Pre-req. 3 cr. In PHI or Junior/status)
Examination of the moral and philosophical problems in the law such as
privacy, due process, and the death penalty.
331 Media: The Ontology of Communication (Prof. Gatzke) -
TR 12:25-1:40 pm (Pre-req. 3 cr. In PHI)
The course will explore various theories of media and their relationships [are they similar, different, inconsistent, and so on]. Are some theories of media more successful than others in giving an account of various phenomena? We will explore whether thinking of some phenomena and/or objects are more fruitfully thought of as media. Is media restricted to communicative contexts? For example, would thinking of guns [or other weaponry] as media enable one to move beyond current debates? This second issue will enable us to consider the ethical nature of media.
342W Political Thought II: Modern Era (Prof. Volkman) - TR 12:25-1:40 pm
(Pre-req. 6 cr. PSC and Sophomore or Higher Status)
Who has the right to decide how each of us should live? Does the state have a duty to advance human welfare, promoting the common good, or is it more just for the state to simply get out of the way of individuals, each of whom knows his own good best? Starting with the Renaissance and accelerating into the Scientific Revolution, conceptions of politics based on religious or moral authority and centering on the promotion of virtue gave way to thought that embraces a thoroughly scientific and secular worldview. At about the same time, the emergence of the nation state transformed political institutions. These changes encouraged an examination of the legitimacy and scope of state power. Some argue that state power ought to be boundless; others insist that justice imposes strict limits on the legitimate authority of government. Involving such seminal figures as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Marx, these debates continue to inform and even define our contemporary political landscape. (Note: PHI and PSC prerequisites can be waived for anyone with a demonstrated passion for political philosophy! Contact Dr. Volkman for more details: volkmanr1@southernct.edu.)
398 Special Topics in Philosophy (Prof. Lockwood) - TR 11:00-12:15 pm
This course is a rigorous introduction to several areas of contemporary logic that are of interest to philosophers. We will begin with a rapid review of techniques of proof in first-order logic (sentential logic and the predicate calculus with identity). Topics to be covered include: metalogical results such a compactness, Gödel's incompleteness theorems and Löb's theorem; modal and tense logic; possible world semantics and the Barcan formulae question; the Fitch-Church paradox and the realism/anti-realism debate; and logical pluralism.
403W Selected Philosophical Classics (Prof. Gorniak)- W 7:35-10:05pm
(Pre-req. 6 cr. in Religious Studies)
The rapidly changing world poses many challenges to established traditional religions. The course will focus on some of the most important trends that are currently influencing the spirituality and religious attitudes of people as well as the formal religious structures. Although the main focus will be on the challenges experienced by the traditional western religions references to other religions and cultures will be frequently made. Challenges to the traditional religious views, forms of worship, and institutions posed, among others, by the fall of Communism, science and technology (e.g., biotechnology, neuroscience, and reproductive technologies), ICT-driven globalization, archeological discoveries, social justice theories, world events (e.g., wars), theories of personhood, and by the pop-culture will be discussed in this course. The course will often have a seminar format, with a significant contribution from the students; debates will be welcome. This is an upper-level philosophy course. The course may count toward the minor in religious studies, minor in philosophy, and major in philosophy. This is also a "W" (writing intensive) course.
420 American Philosophy (Prof. Rafalko) - TR 1:50-3:05 pm (Pre-req. 6 cr. in PHI)
American Philosophy will begin with the beginning, tracing the influence of the Puritans (e.g. Jonathan Edwards) on philosophy and including the contributions of Native Americans to American democracy. An emphasis will be placed on the American Pragmatists (esp. Peirce, James and Dewey). Next, we will examine the work of a modern Pragmatist, Willard Van Orman Quine. Then we will come full circle and study the political philosophy of John Rawls and his conceptions of justice and democracy.
490 Philosophy Seminar (Prof. Lockwood) - W 5:00-7:30 pm (Pre-req. 12 cr. In PHI)
The PHI 490 philosophy seminar is an opportunity for research and in-depth study of a selected philosophical problem or area of philosophy. It is open to philosophy majors and students who have successfully completed at least 12 credits in philosophy, and is required for majors in the final year of the program. The area of philosophy we will be focusing on is epistemology. As the study of the nature of knowledge of propositions, epistemology is concerned with the following sorts of questions: What are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge? Does knowing that p require believing that p? Are there different types or degrees of knowledge? As the study of the scope of knowledge, epistemology aims to answer questions such as: What are the limits of knowledge? Are there unknowable truths? What counts as knowledge? What can we know about knowledge? And as the study of the sources of knowledge, epistemology considers questions such as: What makes justified beliefs justified? Is justification internal or external to one's own mind? This course will provide a systematic overview of the problems raised by these questions, and focus in some depth on issues relating to the structure and the limits of knowledge and justification.
