PHILOSOPHY Courses

PI–101 INTRODUCTION TO WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course introduces the student to the nature of philosophy and to philosophical thinking, through a discussion of various important topics in Western philosophy. Issues can include the philosophy of mind, death and immortality, knowledge, time and time travel, free will, personality identity,the nature of morality, the existence of God and more.

 

PI–102 CONTEMPORARY ETHICAL PROBLEMS
FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course provides a careful and critical examination of the moral issues in our society, including (but not limited to) the ethics of food, climate change, ethics and the city, robotics, population ethics, space exploration, human enhancement, medical ethics, animal ethics and environmental ethics. This course develops students' abilities to engage in ethical reasoning through the application of ethical theories and moral concepts to concrete, real-world cases.

 

PI–103 INRODUCTION TO ASIAN AND NON-WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course introduces the student to philosophical thinking as it developed in non-western intellectual traditions. The course may cover philosophical thought that has grown out of Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Islamic, African, and indigenous civilizations.

 

PI–210 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC
FALL ONLY/ODD YEARS

3 credit hours

This is a philosophy methods course that provides an introduction to the study of formal and informal arguments. Skills to be covered include the identification and analysis of arguments, recognition of fallacies, and modern techniques for analyzing and symbolizing certain kinds of arguments.

 

PI–220 ETHICAL THEORY
SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This is a philosophy methods course on ethical reasoning and an essential course for anyone interested in personal, social, or professional ethics. It examines classical and contemporary theories on morality, from both western and non-western philosophical perspectives. The course helps the student to think through the different theories and concepts that we rely on to guide our actions.

 

PI–230 INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHY
FALL ONLY/EVEN YEARS

3 credit hours

This course offers a close look at various "indigenous" intellectual traditions, which may include chamoru and Micronesian, Melanesian, Hawaiian, Maori, north American first nations, Inuit, Aztec, Polynesian, Sami, Okinawan and Ainu philosophies. We will engage with different perspectives, worldviews, with an aim to appreciating the contributions indigenous philosophies can make a universal human questions about the nature of human beings, the world, and our place in it, as well as to debates about concrete issues, such as health care and environmental protection.

 

PI–301 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY I
FALL ONLY/EVEN YEARS

3 credit hours

This survey course provides an historical study of philosophical concepts and issues during the ancient, medieval, and renaissance period. The focus of the course is on prominent Western thinkers and a study of the philosophical systems they devised and the problems that they addressed.

 

PI–302 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY II
SPRING ONLY/ODD YEARS

3 credit hours

This course is a continuation of the philosophical survey begun in PI301 covering principal issues and philosophical figures that dominate the modern and contemporary periods of philosophy. Emphasis again is on pivotal Western philosophers and their influence on the development of Twentieth Century philosophy.

 

PI–306 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course acquaints the student topics central to the philosophy of religion. this may include issues such as the evidentialist and anti-evidentialist attempts to support or discredit the religious hypothesis; proofs of Gods, existence; the interrelationship between reason, faith, revelation, and science; God's attributes; the problem of evil; the nature of mysticisms and religious experience; reaction sot the theism.; and more.

 

PI–331 PHILOSOPHY OF ART
SPRING ONLY/EVEN YEARS

3 credit hours

This course is a study of the major philosophical positions taken in relation to the arts. Prerequisites: FA231 or consent of instructor.

 

PI–394 SPECIAL STUDIES
SPRING ONLY

3 credit hours

 

PI–398 PHILOSOPHY INTERNSHIP
FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course provides an internship experience of at least 150 hours, where majors or minors in the Philosophy program apply skills and knowledge they possess to, as well as gain new skills and knowledge through, practical experience working in a professional-level capacity for an organization, government agency, research lab, planning group, advocacy organization, or other groups that solve problems or develop policies. Students enrolled in this course benefit from practical experience under the supervision of professionals who provide a service to the community. The experience gained through this internship provides students opportunities to apply writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills, as well as develop networks and additional practical skills that are desirable for employment and/or graduate studies. Prerequisite: Philosophy major or minor with at least Junior standing.

 

PI–410 COMMUNITY ENGAGED PHILOSOPHY
FALL ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course explores ways philosophical concepts and skills can serve communities outside of academia and make positive changes in society. In addition to learning how to convey concisely, accessibly, and engagingly moral and other philosophical issues raised by current events and popular culture, the course focuses on various principles and practices of engaging communities in philosophical conversation and inquiry: Deweyan inquiry, Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Philosophy for Children (P4C), Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), Experimental Philosophy, or others. As such, this course is highly recommended not just for students interested in philosophy, but also for those interested in education, psychology, social work, politics, law, or community organizing. As a course with the Carnegie Foundation's Elective Classification for Community Engagement, students in this course are required to complete a project or to conduct fieldwork beneficial to the public.

 

PI–481 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
FALL/SPRING/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

Each time this course is offered it covers one specific area of philosophy or one particular philosopher in a seminar format. The course is particularly recommended for those students who wish to develop their skills in careful reading, discussion and debate, and analysis to a high level. The skill cultivated in this course gives students an advantage when it comes to any kind of learning at university (and beyond). The course may be repeated for credit under different topics.

 

PI–486 TRAVEL STUDIES IN ASIA
SPRING ONLY/EVEN YEARS

3 credit hours

Philosophy students and others interested in gaining a direct intensive exposure to Asian culture and philosophy will be interested in participating in this course. Each summer one of the faculty in the philosophy program takes a group of students into a particular Asian country of choice. At this time, destination of this course is planned to be either India, Tibet, China, or Japan. This course is invaluable for students who are specializing in Asian philosophy, though anyone could benefit from this unique opportunity to gain a direct encounter with one of these countries under the guidance of an expert in the culture and religion/philosophy of that particular country.

 

PI–492 CAPSTONE RESEARCH SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY
SPRING ONLY/ALL YEARS

3 credit hours

This course is the final requirement for the philosophy major. Advanced students in philosophy develop a previous project/paper into a publishable essay. To achieve this aim the class develops students' research and writing skills. Special attention is given to strategies for selecting a suitable publication venue and to the submissions and editorial processes. Prerequisite: PI-481. Additional Prerequisite: Philosophy major with senior standing and instructors consent.