2002-2003 Undergraduate Catalog
Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705
Philosophy
Credit designation at right of title is expressed in (c) class hours per week, (l) lab or (d) discussion section hours per week, and (sh) semester hours of credit per semester.
PHIL: Philosophy
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
PHIL 101 Informal Logic: Methods of Critical Thinking
3c-0l-3sh
Designed to develop students’ ability to analyze critically deductive and inductive argumentation, rhetoric, and persuasion, by examples drawn from media, textbooks, advertising, scholarly works, personal contacts, etc.
PHIL 120 Introduction to Philosophy
3c-0l-3sh
Designed to acquaint the beginning student with philosophical problems and methods in such areas as metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and value theory.
3c-0l-3sh
An introduction to fundamental concepts in deductive logic with an emphasis on teaching students the basis of clear logical thought. Some of the historical origins of logical theory are explored. Students learn to symbolize arguments in the truth-functional logic and the predicate logic. Ways of testing arguments for validity as well as proofs are covered, with a stressing of application to actual arguments drawn from numerous sources in the media, philosophical issues, and moral problems.
3c-0l-3sh
An investigation of efforts to rationally justify moral judgment. Deals with fundamental issues such as: What is morality? Are moral notions cultural, rational, divine, or innate in origin? Are they relative or absolute? Are they freely chosen or determined by genetics and/or environment? Covers a variety of ethical theories significant both historically and contemporarily and applies those theories to current issues which involve moral dilemmas.
3c-0l-3sh
Investigates some of the major problems in the philosophy of art, e.g., the nature of beauty and the aesthetic experience, the ethics and politics of art, creativity, the nature of the work of art and aesthetic objects, the concept of fine art, and the evaluation of works of art and aesthetic objects.
PHIL 232 Philosophical Perspectives on Love, Marriage, and Divorce
3c-0l-3sh
Examines the philosophical foundations of contemporary Western institutions and ideologies of romantic love. Considers major positions in both the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy. Investigates the concepts, problems, and philosophical theories central to understanding romantic love, marriage, and divorce.
var-1-3sh
Prerequisite: As appropriate to course content
Special topics are offered on an experimental or temporary basis to explore topics that are not included in the established curriculum. A given topic may be offered under any special topic identity no more than three times. Special topics numbered 281 are offered primarily for lower-level undergraduate students.
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisite: PHIL 221 or permission of instructor
A continuation of Symbolic Logic I designed to enable students to evaluate consistency of statements, validity of arguments, soundness and completeness of formal systems. Focus on quantificational calculus and inductive logic.
3c-0l-3sh
An inquiry into the philosophical concepts underlying the major political theories from ancient Greece to the modern era. An emphasis will be placed on major authors and texts to demonstrate a continuum of ideas and their modifications, replacement, and revival, as well as novel political ideas. Possible topics: commonality; peace; internationalism; sovereignty; nature of the state; law; the ruler; cosmopolitanism; nationalism; social contract; liberty; obligation; property; racism; sexism; slavery.
PHIL 324 History of Philosophy I: Ancient and Medieval
3c-0l-3sh
Western philosophy of pre-Socratic, classical Greek, Roman, and medieval periods. Special attention given to Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas, as well as the philosophic schools.
PHIL 325 History of Philosophy II: Renaissance and Modern
3c-0l-3sh
A continuation of PHIL 324, beginning with fifteenth-century Renaissance thought and ending with the nineteenth-century precursors of contemporary philosophies.
PHIL 326 Phenomenology and Existentialism
3c-0l-3sh
A study of the phenomenological method as developed by Edmund Husserl and of the subsequent phenomenological movement as exemplified in the works of such representative figures as Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Paul Ricoeour and of existentialism both as an independent movement of thought and as influenced by phenomenology and exemplified in the works of such representative figures as Kierkegaard, Jaspers, Marcel, Buber, and Sartre.
PHIL 330 Philosophy of Science
3c-0l-3sh
An investigation into the nature of formal and empirical sciences: structure of scientific thought and its dependence upon or independence of theory; the logical and metaphysical status of scientific laws and theoretical concepts; reductionism in science; the concept of causality; the logic of explanation; problems in confirmation theory; science and value. No special background required. Recommended for math and science majors.
PHIL 400 Ethics and Public Policy
3c-0l-3sh
An analysis of the ethical dimension of public policies. Provides a general understanding of ethical theories, then focuses on their application to specific policy issues. Topics will vary from semester to semester. See current schedule of classes.
PHIL 405 Justice and Human Rights
3c-0l-3sh
An introduction to theories of justice and an analysis of the concept of human rights which is central to a just society and to much moral, political, and legal dispute. Explores relevant major positions in the history of philosophy, but its major focus is contemporary and raises issues such as women’s rights, black rights, animal and environmental rights, welfare rights, and rights to life (or death).
PHIL 410 Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
3c-0l-3sh
An investigation of twentieth-century Western positions such as pragmatism, logical positivism, logical and linguistic analysis.
3c-0l-3sh
A study of the nature of reality in general and of the main categories through which it is understood. The main topic areas of metaphysics concern: the one and the many; the relation of thought and being; the problem of universals; nominalism; realism; idealism; the nature of being, substance, essence, space, time, eternity, matter, mind; determinism and indeterminism.
3c-0l-3sh
An investigation into problems involved in knowledge and justification and a consideration of methods suggested for their resolution. Particular attention is paid to issues such as knowledge, justification, certainty, objectivity, perception, and truth.
3c-0l-3sh
An examination of the nature of law and its relationship to such questions as morality, obligation, judicial review, justice, rights, punishment, liberty. Combines philosophical theory with consideration of selected court cases to develop a philosophical and legal understanding of law and its place in society.
PHIL 460 Philosophy of Language
3c-0l-3sh
An investigation of issues in the philosophy of language and related issues in linguistics (including anthropological linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics). Topics include, for example, the influence of language on perception, rationalist/empiricist perspectives on language acquisition, language and political control, reference, meaning, and truth.
var-l-3sh
Prerequisite: As appropriate to course content
Special topics courses are offered on an experimental or temporary basis to explore topics that are not included in the established curriculum. A given topic may be offered under any special topic identity no more than three times. Special topics numbered 481 are primarily for upper-level undergraduate students.
var-1-6sh
Prerequisite: Prior approval through advisor, faculty member, department chairperson, dean, and Provost’s Office
Students with interest in independent study of a topic not offered in the curriculum may propose a plan of study in conjunction with a faculty member. Approval is based on academic appropriateness and availability of resources. May be taken more than once to a maximum of 6sh. (This option is available to both philosophy majors and nonmajors.)
PHIL 482 Independent Study: Honors Project
3c-0l-3sh
Prerequisites: Prior approval through advisor, faculty member, department chairperson, dean, and Provost’s Office. 3.00 cumulative GPA, 15sh in Philosophy, and 3.20 GPA in departmental courses
Majors in Philosophy are invited to take 3sh of independent study designated Honors Project. Upon satisfactory completion, graduation with departmental honors is possible.
PHIL 493 Internship in Philosophy
var-3-6sh
Prerequisites: Permission of the department, junior or senior PHIL major or double major, 2.5 GPA
A supervised experience of no longer than one semester and no less than five weeks. This would take place in either a public or private organization in areas that either extend and develop or complement coursework in Philosophy. Log and/or major paper required. Internships are to be done with a clear analysis, argumentation, and examination of governing principles.
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