Academic Catalogs

PHIL A100H: Introduction to Philosophy Honors

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 10/18/2023
Top Code 150900 - Philosophy
Units 3 Total Units 
Hours 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)
  • OC Humanities - AA (OC1)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)
  • OCC Humanities - AS (OSC2)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
  • Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)

Course Description

A survey of the fundamental problems of philosophy: ethics and aesthetics, logic, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, persons and personal identity, freedom and/or determinism, theory of knowledge, society, and political issues. Basic questions asked about the universe and our place in it. Enrollment Limitation: PHIL A100; students who complete PHIL A100H may not enroll in or receive credit for PHIL A100. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Present a critical philosophical analysis of a selected topic in philosophy that articulates and evaluates the claims made.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Analyze central philosophical questions of moral and social concern (choice and responsibility, citizenship, and the just society).
  • 2. Identify and distinguish the premisses and conclusions of a philosophical argument.
  • 3. Analyze the rules governing philosophical arguments.
  • 4. Discuss the importance of science and its methods for the work of philosophy.
  • 5. Evaluate the importance of issues in the history of philosophy.
  • 6. Explain the fundamental concepts of value theory.
  • 7. Distinguish between teleological and deontological ethical systems.
  • 8. Compare and contrast the merits of the respective normative systems, as found in the works of Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Bentham and Mill.
  • 9. Evaluate metaethical issues as appropriate.
  • 10. Identify and discuss major normative and psychological issues in the field of aesthetics.
  • 11. Discuss and evaluate positions in the philosophy of religion, including the traditional positions of theism, agnosticism, and atheism.
  • 12. Compare and contrast the respective merits of the following theistic arguments: ontological, cosmological, and teleological proofs.
  • 13. Analyze problems in religious belief.
  • 14. Compare and contrast the positions of determinism and freedom, including both metaphysical and ethical aspects of the problem.
  • 15. Compare and contrast the positions of rationalism, empiricism and pragmatism.
  • 16. Discuss the following distinctions: necessary/contingent, a priori/a posteriori, analytic/synthetic.
  • 17. Analyze introductory problems in induction, causation, and scientific explanation.
  • 18. Analyze and discuss the distinction between truth and validity.

Lecture Content

Introduction to Problems and Methods Question of Lifes Meaning The Good Citizen and the Good Society Philosophical Arguments Science and Philosophical Methods Historical Background Value Theory: Ethics and Aesthetics Basic Assumptions and Fundamental Concepts: Self, Other, Pleasure, Moral Obligation or Duty, Ego and Egoism,  Absolutism, Relativism, Deontology, Teleology Normative Systems: Plato and the Form of the Good Normative Systems: Aristotle and Virtue Ethics, the Society Hume and Rousseau: The Ethics of Passion, New Accounts on the Normative Normative systems: Kants Absolutism and the Categorical Imperative Normative Systems: Bentham, Mill and Utilitarianism Existential Ethics: Utilitarian, Situational Metaethical Issues Aesthetics: Normative and Psychological Issues Contemporary Moral and Aesthetical Issues Metaphysics, and The Philosophy of Religion Theism Ontological Argument: St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, and Objections, e.g. from Kant Cosmological Argument: St. Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Kant Teleological Proof or Argument from Design: St. Thomas Aquinas, Berkeley, and Objections, e.g. from Hume The Problem of Evil: Hume, Leibniz, Dostoevsky, Pike, Mackie, Augustines Answer Agnosticism Atheism: Hume, Russell Religion and Science: Newton, Einstein and Heisenberg Problems in Religious Belief Freedom and Determinism, Issues of Responsibility Metaphysical and Ethical Issues Scientific Issues Freedom of the Will and Persons Hard-line Determinism: dHolbach, Freud, Skinner Modified Determinism: Hume, Mill, Ayer Libertarianism or Free Will: Analytical, Continental, Theological Knowledge and Reality: Epistemology and Scientific Explanation Rationalism: Plato, Descartes, Leibniz Empiricism: Aristotle, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Russell Pragmatism: James, Peirce, Dewey, Rorty Issues in Skepticism: Montaigne, Gassendi, Bayle, Descartes, Stroud Induction, Causation, and Scientific Explanation Introduction to Logical Theory Problems in the Historical System, Aristotelian Issues Problems in the Propositional Calculus as appropriate Truth and Validity Introduction to Critical Thinking Special Topics and Problems, e.g. Justice, Equality, Time

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

1.   Lecture 2.   Discussion of the problems of philosophy and abstract theory. 3.   Verbal and written analysis of student questions, the latter by way of chalkboard/overhead. 4.   Oral and written projects undertaken by the students, both individually and collectively, and to which the instructor will provide oral and written critique. 5.   Examinations (objective and essay). 6.   Auxiliary hand-out materials on course themes.

Reading Assignments

Students will spend 2-3 hours per week on readings from textbooks and handouts.

Writing Assignments

Students will average 2 hours per week on: 1. Brief topical papers, assigned in conjunction with oral analysis.2. Written analyses addressing the structure of philosophical arguments.3. Comparative and critical analysis using more than one view or author.4. Clearly written philosophical reasoning, written in good prose.

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will spend 2-3 hours per week on: 1. Argumentative papers2. Reading analysis3. Reflection on readings and issues

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

1.    Comprehensive examinations, objective and written answer, covering the text(s) and lectures, and audio-visual materials.2.    Library resource reading in order to complete written and oral assignments.3.    Participation in small-group discussions and critiques of written and oral assignments.4.    Preparation of brief analytical written assignments.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

1.   Brief topical papers, assigned in conjunction with oral analysis. 2.   Written analyses addressing the structure of philosophical arguments. 3.   Comparative and critical analysis using more than one view or author. 4.   Clearly written philosophical reasoning, written in good prose.

Eligible Disciplines

Philosophy: Masters degree in philosophy OR bachelors degree in philosophy AND masters degree in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Sober, E. Core Questions in Philosophy. , 8 ed. New York: Pearson, 2021 2. Required Solomon, R. Introducing Philosophy, ed. Chicago: Harcourt, Brace, 2021 Rationale: - 3. Required Perry, J., Bratman, M., Fischer, J. M. . Introduction to Philosophy, ed. Oxford University Press. , 2021 Rationale: - 4. Required Plato, Grube . The Republic of Plato, ed. Cincinnati: Hackett, 2003 Rationale: classic text 5. Required Plato, . Trial and Death of Socrates, , ed. Cincinnati: Hackett, 2003 Rationale: classic text 6. Required Lawhead, W.. Voyage of Discovery, 4 ed. Cengage, 2015 Rationale: latest edition, excellent text for continental