Academic Catalogs

PHIL G100: Introduction to Philosophy

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 12/05/2023
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), 
  • Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)
  • GWC Arts, Lit, Phil, Lang (GC)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
  • Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)
  • CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

This course will delve into questions people ask about the universe and their place in it. An examination is undertaken of the range of possible answers developed by leading philosophers in such areas as the meaning of knowledge, scientific method, religion, ethics, aesthetics, history, politics, and metaphysics. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: PHIL 100. C-ID: PHIL 100.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Course Outcomes
  2. Employ analytical philosophical skills.
  3. Explicate philosophical texts of relevant philosophers.
  4. Analyze primary theories and influence of important historical philosophers.
  5. Analyze arguments, assumptions, principles, and methods of classical philosophical topics.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Explain basic problems of Western Philosophy and philosophical positions of classical philosophers.
  • 2. Read classical philosophical texts.
  • 3. Discover underlying structure of classical texts.
  • 4. Analyze philosophical arguments.
  • 5. Compare alternative approaches to basic philosophical questions.
  • 6. Evaluate alternative philosophies.

Lecture Content

Introduction to the nature of philosophical problems  Philosophical questions and ordinary questions  Historical beginning  Classical Greek Philosophy  Socrates The nature of philosophical dialogue The philosopher and society Plato Theory of value Theory of knowledge The platonic legacy for Western thought  Modern philosophy  The Church and Science  Descartes epistemology and metaphysics  Mind-body dualism, its implications and problems  Hume empiricism and rationalism Skepticism Critique of philosophy and religion

Method(s) of Instruction

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

Reading Assignments

Anthology of classical readings and/or selections of individual classical philosophical texts.

Writing Assignments

Weekly reading quizzes, several short-essay tests, paper, final exam.

Out-of-class Assignments

Writing assignments, discussions, quizzes, online assessments.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Analyze the structure of philosophical writing Analyze philosophical arguments; identify premises and conclusions Evaluate philosophical arguments Apply philosophical positions to cases Identify consequences and implications of philosophical positions Compare and contrast philosophical positions

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Weekly reading quizzes Several short-essay tests Paper Final exam

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 Levin, Noah. Introduction to Philosophy: An Open Educational Reader, 1st ed. NGE Far Press, 2020 Rationale: .

Other Resources

1. Selections from primary sources (Open Educational Resources)