Spring 2003: Philosophy or Religion or Honors

SPRING 2003
Philosophy
PHIL 100 Introduction to Logic
.001 TF 9:55-11:10AM Redding, E
This beginning course introduces students to the study of formal logic and its relation to critical thinking and ordinary language. Logic has been an important part of the Western philosophical tradition at least since the time of Aristotle, and developments in the Twentieth Century have given us more powerful logical tools than were ever available before. We will learn to recognize “arguments” in ordinary language, to distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning, to identify informal fallacies, and to determine the validity of deductive arguments through the use of truth tables, Venn diagrams, and the construction of formal proofs using both truth-functional and quantificational notation. The study of logic improves reasoning and analytical abilities, and provides intellectual skills that are helpful both in the conduct of daily affairs and as preparation for further study.

PHIL 105/105G Western Philosophy
.001 MTH 3:35-4:50PM Tschemplik, A
.003 MTH 12:45-2:00PM Reiman, J
This course provides a historical introduction to the Western philosophical traditions. Students will be introduced to the three major branches of philosophy - metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. The course invites students to address some of the philosophical problems which have seized the attention of great thinkers throughout history: What is the nature of reality? What is the good life? How should one live? What is justice? How do human beings achieve knowledge? Does God exist? Do human beings have free will? The objectives of the course are: (1) to familiarize students with some of the great philosophers' answers to these questions and (2) to provide a background for students as they begin to formulate their own answers to these major philosophical problems. The format of the course will be lecture and discussion.

.002 TH 5:30-8:00PM Sherman-Peterson
This course provides a historical introduction to the Western philosophical tradition. We will address several of the core questions which have motivated Western philosophers for the past 2500 years and which distinguish our tradition from those of other great civilizations. These questions include the following: Is there a God? Do human beings have immortal souls? How do we differ from other animals? Do humans have free will, and what does that mean? How do we achieve knowledge? What is justice and morality? Are there universal truths that apply to all people in all times, places and cultures?

We will begin our exploration with Plato and the ancient Greek foundations of the Western tradition. Next we will examine Kant and the rationalist tradition. These philosophers lay the groundwork for the dominant themes in Western philosophy - the emphasis on reason and the search for universal truth and morality. However, the last several hundred years have seen these views challenged by a number of thinkers who argue that universal reason and morality do not exist, and that the Western tradition is biased against other forms of knowledge. We will take up these criticisms by examining Hume's empiricism as well as recent feminist work in moral epistemology which stresses the central role of the emotions in moral conduct. Finally we will conclude our course with the American pragmatists, who emphasize that the goal of thinking is useful action and thus dismiss many of the questions which earlier thinkers found so important.

The objectives of this course are to familiarize students with the history and thought of the Western tradition which has shaped our contemporary society, and to aid students as they develop their own critical reasoning skills and views on these questions in order that they may participate in the further development and change of our culture.

This course is a foundation course in the General Education Program, Area II: "Traditions that Shape the Western World".

PHIL 210/210G European Philosophy & American Experiment
.001 MTH 11:20-12:35PM Rodier, D
The course is designed to explore the impact of European philosophy on the foundations of American government, focusing on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We will study some of the more prominent philosophers who influenced these documents such as Aristotle, Locke, Hume, Montesquieu, and Machiavelli. We will also consider the continuing impact of their ideas in shaping constitutional law and contemporary critiques of their ideas from such perspectives as Marxism, feminism, and critical race theory. This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop greater understanding of the influence of philosophy on the foundations of American government and law, and the currency of those ideas today (for example, in controversial Supreme Court cases), and to enhance their skills in critical thinking, writing, and debate.

This is a second-level course in Curricular Area II, “Traditions That Shape the Western World,” in the General Education program.
Prerequisite for General Education credit: GOVT-105G or PHIL-105G or HIST-110G.

PHIL 220/220G Moral Philosophy
.001 T 8:10-10:40PM Hanzl, B
.003 MTH 2:10-3:25PM Tschemplik, A
Over the course of the semester, we will critically analyze the major classical and contemporary approaches to moral philosophy and their application to a number of contemporary moral problems, including human rights, homosexual rights, war and peace, environmental protection, abortion and euthanasia, AIDS, racial and gender justice, and hunger and poverty.

.002H TF 12:45-2:00PM Harre, R
(Open only to students in the University Honors Program.)
Attitudes to the most pressing issues of our own times will be addressed through studies of the basic conceptions of the basis of morality proposed by philosophers of both East and West. The course will cover moral systems based on the personal virtues, on the idea of duty, on the principle that morality can be defined in terms of human happiness, and so on. Students will be encouraged to engage in discussion and debate on such matters as capital punishment, euthanasia, the concept of a just war, and moral issues around human reproduction such as cloning and surrogacy. An introduction to the moral principles of the great Eastern thinkers, such as Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Gautama (the Buddha) will also be a feature of this course.

Moral Philosophy is a second-level course in General Education Curricular Area II: Traditions that Shape the Western World.
Prerequisites for General Education credit: Western Philosophy or Western Legal Traditions.

PHIL 313/613 Studies in Asian Philosophy: Chinese Philosophy
.001 MTH 3:35-4:50PM Park, J
The course focuses on three major trends in Chinese philosophy, i.e.,
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. By examining major philosophical issues in each tradition and exploring how the three traditions interacted with one another, we will try to understand the Chinese way of thinking and consider whether traditional Chinese thought can offer any alternatives for the disputes we are facing in our society on issues arising in areas such as ethics, gender, and meaning of life.

PHIL 314/614 American Philosophy
.001 W 2:10-4:50PM Rodier, D
What makes American Philosophy 'American' and what contributions philosophers in the United States have made to philosophy as a global enterprise will be the central themes of this course. The course will begin with a brief view of development of philosophy in the United States during the colonial era and the early nineteenth century with a glance at Jonathan Edwards's validation of the emotions, Emerson's privileging of non-logical thought, and the St. Louis School's attempt to make the United States an outpost of German ideology. The bulk of the course will be a careful reading of texts by major American pragmatists including C. S.Pierce, William James, Royce, Santayana and Mead. The course will end with readings from three major mid- and late twentieth-century philosophers: A. N. Whitehead, W. V. O. Quine and Richard Rorty.

PHIL 386/686 Selected Topics in Philosophy: Democracy & Human Rights
.001 W 5:30-8:00PM Reiman, J
In addition to traditional Western theories of democracy and of human rights, we will study contemporary approaches, e.g., Habermasian and post-modern, plus critical perspectives from feminism and critical race theory. In addition to considering democracy and human rights separately, we will also consider their relationship, asking questions such as: Can there be genuine democracy without human rights? Can there be reliable protection of human rights without genuine democracy? We will look also at non-Western views of democracy and rights, and devote a segment of the course to the East-West debate on human rights.

PHIL 391/691 Internship in Philosophy
Tschemplik, A
Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

PHIL 392/692 Cooperative Education Field Experience
Tschemplik, A
Prerequisite: permission of department chair and Cooperative Education office.

PHIL 486 Colloquium of Philosophy
.001 Philosophy of Love, Tschemplik, A
8-10pm on the following dates: February 3, 10, 17, & 24
Battelle-Tompkins 130
In this colloquium we will examine whether there is anything to the love part of Philosophy, i.e, whether there is a link between philosophical and erotic activity. We will consult Plato as our guide by reading his dialogues dealing with love and friendship: Symposium, Phaedrus and Lysis. Once we have gained some insight into Plato's analysis of love and philosophy, we will examine what role love plays in modern philosophy. If it is no longer a central concept, what has replaced it? Autonomy?

PHIL 490/690 Independent Study Project in Philosophy
Peach, L
Prerequisite: permission of instructor and department chair.

PHIL 498 Honors Project in Philosophy
Peach, L
Prerequisite: permission of department and University Honors Director.

PHIL 612 Recent & Contemporary Philosophers: Wittgenstein
.001 TF 3:35-4:50PM Harré, R
Wittgenstein was the originator of two main strands in modern philosophy, logicism and linguistic philosophy. Dissatisfied with the former, he spent the last half of his life developing the latter. We will briefly touch on his early work (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus) as a prelude to our study of his later philosophy. Topics will include meaning, rule following, understanding others, mental concepts like thinking and expecting, the nature of perception and the role of color words. Though Wittgenstein was equally absorbed by the problems of mathematics, we will concentrate on those which have a strong psychological import.

PHIL 693 Global Ethics
.001 T 5:30-8:00PM Peach, L
Ethical issues of global scope and import are in serious need of systematic and sophisticated philosophical analysis. This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine a number of ethical issues of global concern, including human rights abuses, economic globalization and its attendant injustices, inequitable distribution of the world's resources, the AIDS pandemic, moral obligations to starving peoples, militarization and peace and conflict resolution, and environmental degradation.

Although there is considerable overlap between the various topics to be discussed, the outline for the course will covers six basic areas, which will be applied to a specific case study for in-depth consideration and analysis: Global Governance, Subjects or Citizens in the International System, Human Rights, Militarization and Military Intervention, Economic Crises, and The Environment. Assignments will include problems requiring research on the internet as well as more traditional library research and reading and writing assignments.

PHIL 797 Master's Thesis Seminar
Prerequisite: permission of department chair.

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SPRING 2003
Religion
RELG 105/105G Religious Heritage of the West
.001 TF 11:20-12:35PM Hamilton, E
This course surveys some of the major Middle Eastern religious traditions that have greatly influenced the development of many cultures, not only in the West, but also in Africa and Asia. We shall explore the origins of these Middle Eastern traditions and examine, historically and topically, how these religious traditions in subsequent centuries led to the formulation of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Religious Heritage of the West is a Foundation-level course in Curricular Area 2 Traditions that Shape the Western World] of the General Education Program.

RELG 185/185G Forms of the Sacred
.001 MTH 9:55 - 11:10AM Park, J
.002 M 5:30 - 8:00PM Greenberg, G
Since we live in both the global village and in our own national, but multicultural, universe, some knowledge of Eastern religions can be a real asset. The course covers three major religious traditions: the traditions developed in South Asia which form Hinduism, Buddhism as it developed in India and is transformed in East Asia, and the indigenous religious traditions of China and Japan. Throughout the course, the manifestations of religion in both high and popular culture and religion’s influence on issues of gender, social structure and personal behaviors will be addressed.

This course is a foundation level course in Area III “International and Intercultural Experience” in the General Education Program.

RELG 210/210G Asian and African Religious Heritage
.001 MTH 2:10-3:25PM White, C
After an introduction to the teaching of Joseph Campbell, topics to be presented will be Afrocentric and non-Aryanist versions of the origin of religion with emphasis upon Egyptian religion. Other proposed subjects include the Great Philosophies of India, Devotional Hinduism, Modern Hindu Saints, Buddhism in Tibet, and the Mystics of Islam. Interpolated throughout the course will be a series of video lectures by the great historian of religions, Joseph Campbell, often seen on PBS these days in conversation with Bill Moyers. Professor White will lead discussions and lecture throughout.

.002H MTH 9:55-11:10AM Rodier, D
Open only to students in the University Honors Program.
This course will survey the major religious traditions of South and East Asia. The emphasis will be on the interrelations between the religious traditions and society and on the ways in which indigenous religious traditions respond to the challenge of foreign religions brought by traders, missionaries, and colonizers. Course work will involve trips to local museums and the viewing and analysis of videotaped material. Significant cultural works from novels and epic poems will be among the varieties of religious expressions surveyed in the course.

This course is a second-level course in Curricular Area III, “International and Intercultural Experience,” in the General Education Program.
Prerequisites for General Education credit: ANTH-110G or RELG-185G.

RELG 220/220G Religious Thought
.001 MTH 9:55-11:10AM James, N
Beginning with modern approaches to the study of religion, this course examines religious ways of defining the human situation, the quest for salvation, wholeness, and transcendence, and the problem of speaking about the divine within the terms of modern culture.

Prerequisite for General Education credit: ARTH-100G or RELG-105G.

RELG 372/672 Religion in America
.001 TH 8:10-10:40PM Greenberg, G
This course surveys America’s religions beginning with Christianity and Judaism and continuing through contemporary developments of Islam and Buddhism. The course also examines Native American religions, Puritanism, Mormonism, Catholicism, AME, Seventh Day Adventism, and Freemasonry.

RELG 390/590 Independent Reading Course in Religion
Prerequisite: permission of department chair.

RELG 490/690 Independent Study Project in Religion

Prerequisite: permission of department chair.

RELG 498 Honors Project in Religion
Open only to students in the University Honors Program.
Prerequisite: permission of department chair and university honors director.

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Honors
HNRS 300.001H Honors Colloquium in Arts & Humanities: Oxford as a Center of Philosophy
.001H TF 11:20-12:35 Harré, R
Open only to students in the University Honors Program.
The course will cover three main periods during which philosophy flourished in Oxford. At each of these times the work of Oxford philosophers exerted a marked influence on subsequent thought in philosophy, physics, linguistics, political thought and psychology. The first section of the course deals with philosophy in Medieval Oxford, focusing on the writings of William of Ockham among others. In the seventeenth century we turn to the political philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke who were architects of the modern conception of secular politics. They exerted a profound influence on the founding fathers of the Unites States. After the Second World War Oxford became the dominant influence in philosophy across the world, led by Gilbert Ryle, John Austin, and Isaiah Berlin. Grades will be determined by tests taken at the end of each of the three sections.

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