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Course Catalog 2011-2012 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Philosophy
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 Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
Timothy M. Hall, Associate Professor,Chair
Dorit A. Ganson, Associate Professor
Todd S. Ganson, Associate Professor
Peter K. McInerney , Professor
Katherine Thomson-Jones, Assistant Professor
Martin Thomson-Jones, Associate Professor
Study in Philosophy is an essential ingredient of a liberal arts education. The Department of Philosophy offers a full curriculum on three levels: introductory courses (100 level), intermediate and advanced courses with concentration on particular sub-fields of philosophy (200 level), and topical and historical seminars (300 level). The Philosophy major meets the needs and interests of the following students: a) those who plan graduate study and teaching in the field; b) those who intend to go to law school; c) those who seek preparation for work in government, business, social service, journalism, or any field in which critical thinking is valued; and d) those who wish to approach a liberal arts education through a concentrated study of philosophy. The major also combines easily with other majors, and both the Law and Society major and the Cognitive Sciences Concentration count some Philosophy Department courses toward their requirements.
Introductory Courses
Courses at the 100 level offer the student a choice of emphases in an initial study of methods, problems, and theories in philosophy. None of these courses duplicates courses of higher number. Some 200 level courses are also open to students with no previous work in philosophy. These courses are not intended to serve as introductory courses in philosophy, but they may still be taken by students without previous philosophical training who have a special interest in their topics. Any 200 level course with no stated prerequisite falls into this category.
Course Sequence Suggestions
The department suggests any of its 100 level courses as an appropriate first course in philosophy. (Other philosophy courses that are open without prerequisite may also be taken as first courses, though they are not intended as introductory courses.) From any of these first courses, students may, with occasional exceptions, proceed to any of the department’s advanced offerings. For the purposes of the major it is desirable, though not mandatory, that the course in Deductive Logic (200) or that in Reason and Argument (201) should be completed early in one’s philosophical studies. Students interested in majoring in philosophy should consult with a member of the department concerning course sequence planning. It is possible to complete the Philosophy major even if it is not started until the junior year
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Major
When declaring a major in philosophy a student may approach any faculty member in the department to serve as major advisor. The selection of courses for the major is to be made in consultation with the major advisor.
The major consists of at least 30 credit hours of course work in the Department of Philosophy, satisfying the following course requirements:
- History of Philosophy. Two courses designated with an ‘H’ as satisfying this requirement (see course descriptions). Possible courses include Ancient Philosophy, Modern Philosophy, Existentialism, Nineteenth-Century Philosophy, Twentieth-Century Continental Philosophy, and Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy.
- Mind and World. Two of the following courses: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language.
- Value Inquiry. One course designated with a ‘V’ as satisfying this requirement (see course descriptions). Possible courses include Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Philosophy of Art, Philosophy of Music, Topics in Applied Ethics, Biomedical Ethics, and Social, Political, Legal Philosophy.
- Logic. One of the following courses: Deductive Logic, Reason and Argument.
- At least one course must be a 300-level course.
- The balance of the 30 credit hours consists of electives chosen by the student in consultation with the major advisor. No student may use any course to satisfy more than one of these requirements.
In addition, note the following important constraints: (i) No more than one 100-level course will count toward the major. (ii) No course for which a student earns a grade lower than C– will count toward the major.
Minor
Students may earn a minor in philosophy upon completion of 15 credit hours of work in philosophy chosen in consultation with a minor advisor. No more than one of these courses may be from the 100 level. Students majoring in philosophy may not minor in philosophy. Honors
The department offers an Honors Program to qualified senior majors. The Program
involves intensive study and writing under faculty supervision for an academic year. It
culminates in the preparation of a lengthy written thesis, and a defense of the thesis before
departmental faculty and, typically, an external examiner from another college or university.
Questions should be directed to the department’s Director of the Honors Program. Winter Term
Most members of the department will be available to sponsor Winter Term projects in 2011. See the department’s web site for a complete list of the faculty members who are available and the areas of philosophy each of them covers. Private Reading and Independent Research
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Return to: College of Arts and Sciences
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