Grading Mode: Standard Letter

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. This course may also be offered online. C-ID: PHIL 100.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

An examination of key issues and problems of religion, including the nature and significance of religion and religious experience, arguments for and against the existence of God, the nature of God, the problem of evil, and the relation between science and religion. Same as RLST A115. Students completing PHIL A115 may not receive credit for RLST A115. Graded or Pass/No Pass option.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

A philosophical approach to a critical evaluation of works of art (literary, musical, visual). Graded or Pass/No Pass option.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

An introduction to ethical theories and problems. An analysis of the theories and principles on which moral judgments are based and the way these judgments are used in moral problems such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, sexual equality, discrimination, censorship, and economic justice. Special attention will be given to the kinds of arguments used in ethical discussion. Graded or Pass/No Pass option. C-ID: PHIL 120.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

This introductory course surveys ancient philosophy. It explains the philosophical positions of the ancients, their religious attitudes, and the cultural milieu out of which ancient philosophical thought arose. Recommended for philosophy majors, historians, and those interested in the roots of modern civilization. Graded or Pass/No Pass option. C-ID: PHIL 130.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter

This course addresses 16th through 18th century European philosophy with emphasis on broad epistemological and/or metaphysical developments of empiricism and rationalism in philosophical thought from Descartes to Kant. It may include immediate precursors and/or successors.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

An introduction to the critical analysis and rational evaluation of argument and other forms of expression. Covers the uses of language, distinctions between deductive and inductive reasoning, and practice in detecting formal and informal fallacies. Develop tools for distinguishing between and evaluating beliefs, opinions, claims, explanations, and arguments. A strong emphasis is instruction in writing which models the critical thinking knowledge and skills examined in the course. Graded or Pass/No Pass option.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

An introductory general education course focusing on the use of argumentation in both ordinary and academic discourse, with a particular focus on deductive logic. Emphasis on the role of formal and informal logic in the basic skills of oral communication (speech/listening) and written communication (reading/writing). Various deductive and inductive reasoning techniques will be identified, distinguished and evaluated for logical correctness and logical mistakes. Recommended for all humanities, social science, business and natural science majors, and for those planning to transfer to four-year colleges or universities. Graded or Pass/No Pass option. Lecture. C-ID: PHIL 110.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

A critical survey of theories of truth, knowledge and belief, perception, and related problems. An evaluation of the limits and extent of human reasoning. The survey includes the mathematic-deductive method, the problem of induction, and an assessment of the conditions of the possibility of experience. Assess how evidence is assembled, interpreted and evaluated, and addresses what counts as a good reason to believe, i.e. the problems of justifying evidence. Graded or Pass/No Pass option.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter

Methods and problems of contemporary philosophy. Continental European and Anglo-American philosophy since 1900. Problems of the self, freedom, time, choice and action, language, thought and interpretation, science, evidence, and justification.

Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass

Students learn to translate simple, quantified, and multiply-quantified English sentences into symbolic form in both sentence logic and predicate logic with quantifiers. Truth tables are used to both classify and compare symbolic sentence's properties. Proof techniques for determining validity or invalidity of arguments containing simple sentences, compound sentences, and sentences containing quantifiers in sentence and predicate logic systems are learned including truth tables, truth trees, and natural deduction style proofs with inference, replacement and quantifier rules. Same as MATH A220. Students completing PHIL A220 may not receive credit for MATH A220. Graded or Pass/No Pass option. C-ID: PHIL 210.