PHIL-PHILOSOPHY -- 2001-03 Catalog
Philosophy Department

PHIL 126  Logic and Argumentative Writing (4) GE A3

Principles of argument analysis, evaluation and construction. Deductive and inductive reasoning, including analogical arguments, universal and statistical generalizations, and causal inferences. Principles of organizing and writing argumentative essays. Moral dimensions of rational discourse. 3 lectures, 1 library research project. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Areas A1 and A2.

PHIL 225  Symbolic Logic (4)

The nature of deductive logical systems. Methods of notation, translation and proof in the sentential, predicate and relational calculi including indirect and conditional methods of proof. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A3.

PHIL 230  Philosophical Classics: Metaphysics and
Epistemology (4)                                   GE C2

Study of several classic works from the history of philosophy on issues in metaphysics and epistemology. At least one will be from the Ancient period, and at least one from the Modern era. No more than one from the twentieth century. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A.

PHIL 231  Philosophical Classics: Social and
Political Philosophy (4)                   GE C2

Readings from primary philosophical texts, from the ancient and modern periods, with focus on the identification and evaluation of the central ethical and political themes and arguments presented in them. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A.

PHIL 311  Greek Philosophy (4)               GE C4

Beginnings of Western philosophy and science. The Presocratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 312  Medieval Philosophy (4)          GE C4

Development of Western philosophy from Augustine to Ockham, including Anselm, Abelard, Roger Bacon, Bonaventure, Aquinas, and Duns Scotus. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 313  Continental Philosophy: Descartes to Leibniz (4)          GE C4

Development of Western philosophy from the late Renaissance through Leibniz, with special emphasis upon the epistemology and metaphysics of the Continental Rationalists. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 314  British Philosophy: Bacon to Mill (4)     GE C4

Development of Western philosophy from the Renaissance through Mill, with special emphasis on British Empiricism. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 315  German Philosophy: Kant to Nietzsche (4)        GE C4

Primary issues and concepts found in German philosophy from 1780 to 1900, with emphasis on Kant, Hegel, and Nietzsche. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 316  Contemporary European Philosophy (4)            GE C4

Recent movements within the Continental tradition, including French and German existentialism, phenomenology, and post-metaphysical philosophy. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231

PHIL 317  Contemporary British and American
Philosophy (4)                                 GE C4

Major developments within 20th century British and American philosophy, with focus chiefly around Analytic philosophy. Other schools, such as Pragmatism, may be included, as may some philosophers outside of Britain and America whose work was influential in those countries. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 320  Asian Philosophy (4)                 GE C4

Philosophies developed in India, South Asia, China and Japan, including the logical and epistemological presuppositions of the Six Schools of Hindu metaphysics, Buddhist philosophy, Confucian moral philosophy, Taoist metaphysics and social ecology. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 321  Philosophy of Science (4)         GE C4

The rational foundations of inquiry and explanation in the physical, biological and social sciences. Justification of scientific claims, the difference between science and pseudoscience, the relationship between science and other fields of investigation. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 331  Ethics (4)                                   GE C4

Analyses of various traditional and contemporary positions on the difference between right and wrong, if there is one. Theories of metaethics and normative ethics including the divine command theory, relativism, intuitionism, noncognitivism, virtue ethics, egoism, utilitarianism and duty-based ethics. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 332  History of Ethics (4)                 GE C4

The history of moral thought from Homer and the Pre-Socratics to the 20th century, and focus on theories of moral goodness and rightness of action. Related issues and areas of thought, e.g. metaphysics, theology, science, politics, psychology freedom/determinism to be considered, where they shed light on moral thought. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 333  Political Philosophy (4)             GE C4

Analyses of the philosophical foundations of political ideologies, including theories of political authority, legitimacy, obligation, and rights, and of the proper function of the state, and the relation of these theories to issues in metaphysics, theory of knowledge, and ethics. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 334  Philosophy of Law (4)               GE C4

Normative and analytic questions about law. Nature of law and legal systems. Justification of law. Moral obligation to obey the law. Nature and justification of punishment. Guilt and legal responsibility. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, PHIL 230 or PHIL 231, and POLS 112.

PHIL 335  Social Ethics (4)          GE C4    USCP

Examination of contemporary moral problems, solutions to these problems, and the arguments for these solutions, with emphasis on two or more of the following sample problem areas: abortion, suicide and euthanasia, capital punishment, family ethics, race relations, social justice, war, women’s issues. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 337  Business Ethics (4)                   GE C4

Critical examination of ethical problems that arise in business. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 338  Ethics and Education (4)          GE C4

Critical discussion of moral issues as a means to the educational goals of autonomy and freedom. Critical examination of major ethical theories. Examination of classroom approaches to discussions of ethical values and moral controversy in education. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 339  Biomedical Ethics (4)               GE C4

Critical examination of problems in biomedical ethics, proposed solutions to these problems, and the arguments for such solutions. Emphasis on two or more of the following sample problem areas: concepts of health and disease, human experimentation, informed consent, behavior control, genetic intervention, new birth technologies, euthanasia and physician-assisted dying. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 340  Environmental Ethics (4)          GE C4

Analyses of various positions on the moral status of nonhuman entities and problems such as the treatment of animals, wilderness preservation, population, pollution and global warming. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 342  Philosophy of Religion (4)        GE C4

Inquiry into the rational and nonrational bases of religious claims. Arguments for and against the existence of God. Discussion of miracles, revelation, the definition of God, the problem of evil, the relation of faith and reason, the nature of religious experience, the verification of religious claims. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 350  Aesthetics (4)                            GE C4

Critical examination of philosophical views of art from both a historical and contemporary perspective. Treatment of theories from Plato and Aristotle through those of the twentieth century. Discussion of the problems raised by modern art. The relation between aesthetic values and metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and politics. 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area A, and PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 400  Special Problems for Advanced Undergraduates (1–2)

Individual investigation, research, studies or surveys of selected problems. Total credit limited to 4 units, with a maximum of 2 units per quarter. Prerequisite: Consent of department chair.

PHIL 411  Metaphysics (4)

Traditional and current ideas and arguments about substance, the relation of universals to particulars, space and time, events, causation and

necessity, the self and free will. 3 lectures, research paper. Prerequisite: PHIL 230.

PHIL 412  Epistemology (4)

Analysis of the concept of knowledge. Development of competing theories of epistemic justification and truth. Inquiry into relationship between knowledge, belief, justification and truth. Examination of skepticism. 3 lectures, research paper. Prerequisite: PHIL 230.

PHIL 422  Philosophy of Mind (4)

Classic and current work in the problems and issues of the nature and unity of the self, consciousness, mental representations, and action, and of the relation of philosophy of mind to psychology, linguistics and computer science. 3 lectures, research paper. Prerequisite: PHIL 230 or PHIL 231.

PHIL 429  Special Topics in the History of Philosophy (4)

Advanced discussion of selected topics in the history of philosophy. Examination and analysis of important philosophical movements (e.g., positivism, postmodernism) or alternatively, of particular philosophers or philosophical works of exceptional importance (e.g., David Hume; Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason). Class Schedule will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 12 units. 3 lectures, research paper. Prerequisite: PHIL 230.

PHIL 439  Selected Problems in Ethics and Political Philosophy (4)

Advanced discussion of selected topics in ethics and political philosophy. Examination and analysis of significant ethical or political theories (e.g., utilitarianism, contractarianism) or alternatively, of particular philosophers or philosophical works of exceptional importance (e.g., John Stuart Mill; John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice). Class Schedule will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 8 units. 3 lectures, research paper. Prerequisite: PHIL 231 and PHIL 331 or PHIL 333.

PHIL 460, 461  Senior Project (2) (2)

Selection, development and completion of a project under faculty supervision. Results presented in a formal thesis. Minimum of 60 hours per quarter. Requirements for PHIL 460 must be completed before student can enroll in PHIL 461. Prerequisite: Senior standing, consent of instructor.

PHIL 470  Selected Advanced Topics (1–4)

Directed group study of selected topics for advanced students. Class Schedule will list topics selected. Total credit limited to 8 units. 1–4 lectures. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.