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LSA Course Guide Search Results:
UG, Spring 2010, Subject = PHIL
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Courses in Philosophy
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Philosophy is the systematic study of questions any thoughtful human being faces concerning the nature of knowledge, reality, thought, and value. What is valuable and what is value? What gives thought and language meaning? What is truth, and how can we know it? The main value of philosophy lies in its contribution to a liberal arts education. It can, however, also provide excellent preparation for a wide variety of professions (notably, law), because of the training it provides in rigorous thinking and incisive and clear writing. Philosophy cuts across other academic disciplines by examining their concepts, methods, and presuppositions.
Department of Philosophy Waitlist Policies (Effective Winter 2010)
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Page 1 of 1, Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Title
Section
Instructor
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Term
Credits
Requirements
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PHIL
181
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Philosophical Issues: An Introduction
Section
101,
LEC
Instructor:
Zhong,Lei
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SP 2010
Credits:
2
Reqs:
HU
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Credit Exclusions:
No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 182, 202, 231, 232, 234, or 297.
This course aims at helping students develop their skills at interpreting texts, critical thinking, and argumentative writing, while introducing them to a series of fundamental problems in philosophy. We will study issues in:
- philosophy of religion;
- free will;
- human knowledge; and
- philosophy of mind.
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PHIL
262
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Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
Section
101,
LEC
Instructor:
Charlow,Nathan Allen
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SP 2010
Credits:
3
Reqs:
HU
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Philosophy of Religion is a good gateway to philosophy for beginning students. Unlike many other philosophy courses, it addresses philosophical questions students are likely to have considered about before taking their first philosophy course, for example, the question of how to reconcile the existence of a benevolent, all-powerful and all-knowing God with the existence of worldly evil. The course begins by examining traditional arguments for the existence of the God of the world's major monotheistic religions. It then moves to a consideration of problem of evil, the relation of religion and morality, and the question of religious tolerance.
Intended audience: First and second year students.
Course Requirements: six short quizzes, two short papers (1,500 words each), and a final exam.
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PHIL
303
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Introduction to Symbolic Logic
Section
101,
LEC
Instructor:
MacPherson,Brian C
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SP 2010
Credits:
3
Reqs:
BS, MSA
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Credit Exclusions:
No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 203, 296 or 414.
Historically, at least two concerns have driven the development of formal systems of logic to make explicit principles of good reasoning and to systematize inquiry in mathematics and the physical sciences. Central to these concerns is the idea that good reasoning is 'truth-preserving' reasoning. ('Truth-preserving' reasoning cannot fail to take one from true premises to true conclusions.) One goal we have in the study of logic is to get a grasp on which forms of argument are truth-preserving and which are not. In this course, we study two simple yet powerful systems of formal logic — 'sentential' logic, which takes sentences as the basic unit of logical analysis, and 'predicate' logic, which takes predicates and terms as the basic units. In the course of learning these systems, we will have the chance to apply formal techniques in analyzing ordinary, garden-variety arguments, and in solving various practical problems. After mastering these logics, we'll raise some important questions concerning their power and dependability. In order to answer our questions we will have to develop a 'meta-theory' for the systems we've studied. And along the way, we will learn to employ the extremely important tool of mathematical induction. No previous training in logic is required. Frequent homework assignments, two midterm examinations, and a final examination.
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PHIL
355
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Contemporary Moral Problems
Section
101,
LEC
Instructor:
Wiens,David Abram
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SP 2010
Credits:
3
Reqs:
HU, RE
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Credit Exclusions:
No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in PHIL 455.
In contemporary life, we are faced with many questions that have moral dimensions, only some of which may be obvious to us. In this course, we will delve into the moral dimensions of a range of contemporary issues, including affirmative action, freedom of expression, abortion, recreational drug use, poverty, civil disobedience, and the treatment of animals. In the process, we will also be examining different conceptions of morality and justice, and the presuppositions about human nature, society, and value that underlie them. Throughout the course, we will be concerned with issues of race and gender and how these categories interplay with the moral issues that we grapple with in contemporary society.
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PHIL
399
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Independent Study
Section
101,
IND
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SP 2010
Credits:
1 - 4
Other:
Independent
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Independent study of a topic not otherwise available through a regular departmental offering.
Enforced Prerequisites:
With permission of instructor.
Advisory Prerequisites:
One philosophy introduction and permission of instructor.
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PHIL
499
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Senior Honors in Philosophy
Section
101,
IND
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SP 2010
Credits:
2
Other:
Honors, Independent
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Students who wish to elect the Philosophy 498-499 sequence should consult with the departmental Honors advisor by the end of the preceding academic year.
In PHIL 498 or 499, which is taken in the semester following PHIL 401, students work with a thesis supervisor to develop their ideas into a thesis of appropriate length (usually 40-50 pages, double-spaced). At the end of this process, they defend their thesis at an oral exam, conducted by a committee of two professors, one of whom supervised the thesis. The award of the honors degree requires successful defense of the thesis and the level of honors (honors, high honors, highest honors) is determined on the basis of thesis and defense. Before a student enrolls in PHIL 498 or 499, Honors candidates must submit a thesis proposal to the department for its approval. Students considering an Honors degree should consult a concentration advisor as early as possible.
Enforced Prerequisites:
With permission of instructor.
Advisory Prerequisites:
Permission of department.
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Page 1 of 1, Results 1 - 6 of 6
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