Allen, Jeffner, Professor of Philosophy
and Women’s Studies, PhD, 1973, Duquesne University: Cross-cultural and
feminist theory, post-colonial studies, lesbian studies, experimental writing.
(1987)
Aronson, Jerrold L., Bartle Professor, PhD, 1967, University of Wisconsin: Philosophy of science, metaphysics, semantic analysis, reasoning, philosophy of physics, cognitive science. (1969)
Arthur, John, Professor and Director of the Program in Philosophy, Politics and Law, PhD, 1973, Vanderbilt University: Philosophy of law, political philosophy. (1988)
Bar On, Bat-Ami, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Women’s Studies and Faculty Director of Women’s Studies, PhD, 1981, Ohio State University: Philosophy of violence and trauma, social and political theory, feminist ethico-politics and jurisprudence, Marxism, ethics. (1991)
Dietrich, Eric, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, PACCS, and Director of Philosophy Undergraduate Studies, PhD,1985, University of Arizona: Cognitive science and artificial intelligence, models of analogy and creativity, neural networks, philosophy of mind. (1988)
Dillon, Martin C., Distinguished Teaching Professor, PhD, 1970, Yale University: Continental philosophy, philosophical psychology, philosophy and literature, history of philosophy. (1968)
Goldstein, Leon J., Professor, PhD, 1954, Yale University: Philosophy of history and social science, epistemology, Hegel. (1963)
Light, Andrew, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies, PhD, 1996, University of California, Riverside: Environmental philosophy and policy, political and social philosophy, analytic Marxism, philosophy and film, philosophy and geography. (1998)
Morewedge, Parviz, Senior Research Fellow, PhD, 1969, University of California at Los Angeles: Medieval, Islamic philosophy and mysticism. (1993)
Pensky, Max, Associate Professor, PhD, 1989, Boston College: Contemporary continental philosophy, social and political philosophy, critical theory, philosophy of history. (1990)
Pizante, William A., Assistant Professor Emeritus, PhD, 1961, Johns Hopkins University: Ethics, metaphysics. (1963)
Preus, Anthony, Professor, and Master of College-in-the-Woods, PhD, 1968, Johns Hopkins University: Ancient Greek philosophy, medical ethics. (1964)
Roberts, Lawrence D., Professor, PhD, 1969, Indiana University: Philosophy of language, cognitive science, medieval philosophy. (1972)
Ross, Stephen D., Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Literature and Director of Graduate Studies, PIC, PhD, 1961, Columbia University: Metaphysics, philosophy of art, ethics and political philosophy, contemporary continental philosophy, history of philosophy, American philosophy, environmental philosophy, feminist philosophy and cultural critique. (1967)
Scalet, Steven P., Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy and of Economics, PhD 1999, University of Arizona: Ethical theory, business ethics, medical ethics, political theory, contemporary theories of justice. (1999)
Sinisi, Vito F., Professor, PhD, 1959, University of California at Berkeley: Mathematical logic. (1966)
Tessman, Lisa, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and of Women’s Studies, PhD, 1996, University of Massachusetts: Feminist ethics and politics, critical theories of race, ethics (especially critical development of virtue theory), social and political philosophy. (1999)
Thomas, Sid B., Jr., Associate Professor Emeritus, PhD, 1960, University of Wisconsin: Ethics, symbolism and myth, metaphysics, psychohistory. (1964)
Urbach, Thomas P., Assistant Professor, PhD, 1990, Johns Hopkins University: Philosophy of language, philosophy of psychology, cognitive science, psycholinguistics. (1995)
Way, Eileen C., Associate Professor, PhD, 1988, State University of New York at Binghamton: Artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, metaphor, philosophy of mind. (1987)
Weiss, Donald D., Associate Professor and Department Chair, PhD, 1971, Princeton University: Hegel, Marx, political philosophy, esoteric philosophy. (1969)
Wilcox, John T., Professor Emeritus, PhD, 1960, Yale University: Ethical theory, history of ethics, medical ethics, Nietzsche, Book of Job. (1967)
Zinkin, Melissa, Assistant Professor, PhD, 1999, Northwestern University: Kant, modern philosophy, German idealism, feminist philosophy, political philosophy. (1998)
Philosophy lies at the core of the liberal arts education. It gives students an understanding of the arts and sciences and conceptual tools for analyzing particular areas of human knowledge. It asks difficult and disturbing questions about humanity and the world. Courses confront a range of issues of philosophical import: human nature, freedom, knowledge, science, truth, existence, moral and aesthetic values, law, logic, reason, society.
In addition to the intrinsic satisfaction that can be found in the study of philosophy, a major in philosophy provides training in the analysis of concepts and the clarification of ideas. It can be useful not only for students who plan to continue in philosophy, but also for those thinking of careers in law, business or industry, which require logical and analytic skills.
Students interested in preparation for graduate school in philosophy should discuss this with their advisers. A senior (or honors) thesis and skill in a foreign language are desirable preparations for graduate study in philosophy.
The department offers several distinct plans for the philosophy major, described below. Students must earn a grade of C– or above in courses fulfilling the major requirements. Courses fulfilling major requirements may not be taken Pass/Fail. Although courses toward the major are accepted in transfer from other institutions, it is normally expected that at least one of the required upper-level courses and at least half of all required courses be taken in this department.
DOUBLE MAJOR
For students who complete the degree requirements for two majors (philosophy and one other), the philosophy requirements are reduced to seven courses in philosophy, including PHIL 121 or 122, 201, 202 and at least two 300- or 400- level courses. Philosophy majors double-majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Law are expected to take at least one upper-level philosophy course not among those required by the Philosophy, Politics and Law major. PHIL 491, Practicum in College Teaching, does not count toward the upper-level course requirement.
HONORS PROGRAM
The honors program in philosophy involves eight credits of coursework consisting of two components in sequence: an honors course (PHIL 398) and the honors thesis (PHIL 498-499). The program is administered by a three-member faculty honors committee appointed by the chair of philosophy.
1. Honors Seminar. Entry into the honors program consists of acceptance into PHIL 398. This course may be taken either (1) as a designated "Honors Seminar," or (2) conjointly with an upper-level (300-400) philosophy course. In either case permission of the instructor is required. Students may apply for entry into PHIL 398 if they have completed (a) 60 college credits and (b) at least three four-credit courses in philosophy, at least one of which must be PHIL 201 or 202.
Upon the student’s completion of PHIL 398, the instructor gives
(a) the student a grade for the course and
(b) the committee a written report that will help to determine whether the student should be admitted to the writing of the honors thesis. In making this determination, the committee — evaluates the student’s entire academic record.
2. Honors Thesis. Of the students who have completed PHIL 398, the committee decides which will be invited to continue to PHIL 498-499, Honors Thesis. By the time of entry into the thesis, the student must have completed at least five philosophy courses, at least one of which must be an upper-level (300-400) course other than PHIL 398.
If admitted to thesis writing, the student may choose any member of the philosophy faculty as thesis mentor. Normally, 498-499 will consist of a two-semester sequence of two credits each, taken during the senior year: one semester for research and preparation, the other for writing. But in some cases (e.g., students who take the honors seminar in their seventh semester), 498-499 may be concurrently completed for four credits in a single semester.
Upon the student’s completion of the thesis, the thesis mentor gives the student a grade for PHIL 498-499. The thesis mentor and the honors committee together determine whether the student should receive an honors designation, and, if so, whether it should be honors, high honors or highest honors. In making this determination, they evaluate not only the thesis, but the student’s entire academic record.
To receive any honors designation, a student must, at the time of graduation, and in addition to all the above, have completed a nine-course philosophy major (i.e., whether or not the student is a "double major").
With the cooperation and assistance of the computer science, psychology and systems science departments, the Philosophy Department of Binghamton University offers an innovative, interdisciplinary MA/PhD program in philosophy. This program is designed to integrate the disciplines of philosophy, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, computer science and systems science.
Beginning in fall 2000, new students are not being admitted to this program.
Purpose
The program:
• conducts research into various sub-fields of artificial intelligence and cognitive science;
• examines the philosophical and methodological assumptions of artificial intelligence and cognitive science, and evaluates these assumptions from the perspective of computability theory, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology and philosophy of science;
• tackles philosophical problems using ideas and tactics from cognitive science;
• trains interested students in computer modeling techniques so that they may formulate vaguely stated philosophical issues precisely enough to be programmed;
• trains interested students in psychological experimental practice in order to bring empirical considerations to bear on the evaluation of philosophical theories.
The PACCS specialization is designed to prepare students for:
• research and teaching that require broad interdisciplinary knowledge in philosophy, artificial intelligence and cognitive science;
• new directions in professional philosophy, viz., the use of programs (computer or information processing models) as an investigative tool for the analysis of traditional philosophical problems.
MA Program
The MA degree may be earned by completing the following requirements:
1. A minimum of 32 credits (eight courses) with a cumulative average of not less than B.
2. Required courses generally offered on a two-year cycle:
a. Philosophy of Language (PHIL 502)
b. Philosophy of Science (PHIL 503)
c. Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (PHIL 511)
d. Programming for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science (PHIL 516)
e. Computability and Logic (PHIL 517)
f. Artificial Neural Networks (PHIL 561)
g. Philosophy of Psychology (PHIL 566)
h. Computational Theories of Mind (PHIL 568)
3. Satisfactory performance on a General Proficiency Examination, given during the student’s fourth semester of full-time residence, typically during February of each year. Performance on the examination and coursework is the basis for admission to the PACCS PhD program.
4. A paper on the student’s research results, suitable for submission to a professional conference, journal or other professional forum, is required.
5. A presentation of this paper at a PACCS Colloquium.
Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture is an interdisciplinary philosophy graduate program leading to the MA and PhD degrees in philosophy, addressing the ways in which cultural forms of knowledge and expression shape and are shaped by human practices and experience. A detailed description of the program is provided in the section on Interdisciplinary Departments, Programs and Cross-Disciplinary Concentrations at the end of the Harpur College section.
MA Program in History and Major Sub-Fields of Philosphy (HMSP)
The department offers an MA program in history and major sub-fields of philosophy, including an interdisciplinary concentration in Philosophy, Interpretation and Culture (PIC). Students may pursue the general track or the interdisciplinary concentration. This MA concentration is described under the PIC graduate program listed in the section on Interdisciplinary Departments, Programs and Cross-Disciplinary Concentrations at the end of the Harpur College Section. The general MA track is described here.
Qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree are eligible for admission to the HMSP master of arts program in philosophy. An undergraduate specialization in philosophy is desirable but not essential for admission; a broad background in the humanities and sciences, as well as philosophy, is considered a desirable preparation. Students who lack sufficient preparation for graduate study in philosophy may be required to complete work beyond the minimum required for the master of arts degree.
Applicants are expected to submit a short essay including a detailed statement of purpose expressing their philosophical interest and background and their goals in relation to study in the philosophy graduate program. This essay should be submitted in place of the writing sample. It is a very important part of the admission process. Applications must be submitted by Feb. 15.
The MA degree in philosophy, emphasizing the history of philosophy and its major sub-fields, may be earned by completing the following requirements:
1. A minimum of seven courses (28 credits) with a cumulative average of not less than a B. Courses must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. There are no specific course requirements. At least five of the seven courses submitted for the degree must be graduate philosophy courses, not including independent study.
2. Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination given after the student’s third semester of full-time residence, typically during January of each year.
3. Demonstration of the ability to read philosophical works in a foreign language. Procedures for meeting this requirement are established by the Graduate Committee.
4. Participation each semester in the proseminar on teaching and the profession.
5. Either:
a. Submission of a thesis deemed acceptable by a committee of the department as indicating the student’s ability to do independent work (this includes registering for at least two credit hours of PHIL 599, Thesis)
or b. Completion of a non-thesis option consisting of three graduate courses in addition to those described above. Of the courses offered under this option, at least seven must be graduate philosophy courses, not including independent study.
NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all undergraduate courses carry 4 credits and are offered every year.
Note on the numbering of philosophy courses: All courses in philosophy numbered 101 through 199 are introductory courses and have no prerequisites. They are suitable for freshmen and non-majors, and are about the same in degree of difficulty (i.e., PHIL 160 is no more difficult than PHIL 101); 300-level courses do have prerequisites and should be considered advanced courses, although they are frequently of interest to and suitable for non-majors.
PHIL 101. TOPICS IN INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
Examination of some basic concepts, problems, and major works associated with
topics such as nature of knowledge, reality, science, matter, mind, life,
values.
PHIL 107. INTRODUCTION TO EXISTENTIALISM AND PHENOMENOLOGY
Existentialism and phenomenology, in context of modern French and German
thought, through examination of such authors as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Husserl,
Buber, Jaspers, Tillich, Heidegger, Marcel, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Camus,
Ricoeur.
PHIL 111. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Introduction to some central issues and major works in philosophy of
religion; topics such as God, sin, faith, love, religious truth.
PHIL 116. PHILOSOPHY IN LITERATURE
Exploration of main themes of thought through literary works.
PHIL 121. METHODS OF REASONING
The logic of critical thinking as it is employed in science and other
related areas such as law and public policy. Topics include informal fallacies,
deductive and inductive inferences, models, nature of evidence and analogical
reasoning.
PHIL 122. TOPICS IN ELEMENTARY LOGIC
Introduction to symbolic logic with consideration given to various areas of
traditional logic.
PHIL 140. TOPICS IN INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
Introduction to some fundamental concepts, issues and major works in ethics and
morality. Topics such as good and evil, moral principles, justice, pleasure,
self-interest, self-fulfillment.
PHIL 142. TOPICS IN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Introduction to some central philosophic issues and major works involved in
understanding society and politics. Topics such as social order, social and
political values, economic and social institutions, justice, equality.
PHIL 146. LAW AND JUSTICE
Philosophical problems concerning nature of justice in general, and justice
within the state. Leading classical and contemporary theories considered.
Philosophical positions applied to specific legal problems, e.g., affirmative
action programs, welfare rights, civil liberties and privacy.
PHIL 147. BUSINESS ETHICS AND LAW
Critical introduction to major ethical theories and their implications for
moral and legal issues of economic organizations and business practices, e.g.,
affirmative action, employee rights, corporate responsibility.
PHIL 148. TOPICS IN MEDICAL ETHICS
Philosophical exploration of moral commitments and conflicts arising in
medical policy, professional relationships in healthcare system, and as
consequence of advanced medical technologies. Analysis of concepts of health and
disease, problems surrounding life-and-death decisions, defenses of professional
and client rights, allocation of resources.
PHIL 149 (ALSO ENVI 149). ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND POLICY
Examination of the major philosophical issues surrounding the environment
and nature. Topics may include the value of nature; human obligations to the
land, endangered species, non-human animals, ecosystems and future generations;
vegetarianism; aesthetics and the environment; environmental racism; global
warming; resource depletion; implications of environmental issues for ethical
theory.
PHIL 155. MINDS AND MACHINES
Traditional approaches to mind-body problem examined in light of recent
developments in neurophysiology, psychology, computer technology. Exploration of
feasibility and limitations of using cybernetic models to elucidate the nature
of mental phenomena such as pain, emotions, thinking, consciousness.
PHIL 180. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
Evaluation of philosophical problem or issue of contemporary significance.
Topic varies from year to year at discretion of instructor, and is determined in
advance.
PHIL 181. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY 2 cr.
Evaluation of philosophical problem or issue of contemporary significance.
Topic varies from year to year at discretion of instructor, and is determined in
advance.
PHIL 197. INDEPENDENT STUDY 2-4 cr.
Independent study under direct supervision of faculty member. Prior to
registration, student must consult proposed supervisor to receive approval of
project and course credit.
PHIL 200. INTERMEDIATE LOGIC
Development of predicate calculus. Introduction to metatheory of
propositional and predicate calculi; completeness, consistency and decidability.
Axiomatics. Prerequisite: PHIL 122 or consent of instructor.
PHIL 201. PLATO AND ARISTOTLE
Introduction to ancient Greek philosophy, emphasizing works of Plato and
Aristotle.
PHIL 202. DESCARTES, HUME AND KANT
Introduction to modern philosophy, emphasizing works of Descartes, Hume and
Kant.
PHIL 213. TOPICS IN AESTHETICS
Introduction to central issues and major works in philosophy of art; topics
such as aesthetic value, nature of art, interpretation, imagination, creativity,
style, artistic truth.
PHIL 242. TOPICS IN CLASSICAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Focus on writings of small number of political philosophers, to explore the
interplay of individual and the political sphere, action and value, human nature
and communal purpose.
PHIL 245. PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
Philosophical problems emerging from law, such as natural law and its
alternatives, punishment responsibility, tort and contract.
PHIL 280. PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS
Evaluation of philosophical problem or issue of contemporary significance.
Topic varies from year to year at discretion of instructor and is determined in
advance.
PHIL 312. LOVE AND SEXUALITY
Examination of issues related to love and sexuality. Readings from antiquity
to present. Questions considered include the relation of love and sexuality;
permanence; romantic love; relation between love and moral values.
PHIL 317 (ALSO WOMN 317). TOPICS IN FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY
Issues in feminist ethics: aesthetics, epistemology, philosophy of language,
social philosophy and philosophy of science are studied in the work of
contemporary feminist philosophers.
PHIL 332. MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
Introduction to philosophy of major medieval thinkers such as St. Augustine,
St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus and William Ockham; topics include
God, freedom, immortality, universals, nominalism, essence, existence.
PHIL 380. PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES
Examination of philosophic aspects of a given area of subject matter: love,
alienation, literature, myth, mysticism. Topic determined in advance.
Prerequisites: determined by instructor, determined in advance.
PHIL 398. HONORS SEMINAR
Selected topics in philosophy for students who qualify for honors candidacy.
Entry by permission of instructor only.
PHIL 403. TOPICS IN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY
Major period or movement in history of ancient philosophy; pre-Socratic
philosophy, Plato and the Academy, Socrates and the Socratic schools, Aristotle
and the Lyceum, Stoics and Epicureans, Roman philosophy, Neo-Platonism and
Plotinus, early Christian philosophers, skepticism, philosophical foundations of
ancient science. Relationship between development of philosophy in period and
historical context, including political, social, religious and scientific
developments. Topic determined in advance. Prerequisite: PHIL 201 or equivalent.
PHIL 404. TOPICS IN 17TH- AND 18TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY
Detailed examination of topics in British, French, German or Low Countries
17th-century philosophy; or British, French or German 18th-century philosophy.
Major philosophers in pertinent field, balanced by examination of minor
personalities and schools. Connection between development of philosophical
positions, political, social and religious conditions, and development of
science. Topic determined in advance. Prerequisites: PHIL 201, 202.
PHIL 405. KANT
A philosophical understanding of Kantian critical philosophy via a careful
analysis of his major work, the Critique of Pure Reason. Prerequisites: two
courses in philosophy.
PHIL 406. HEGEL
An intensive study of some of Hegel’s writings, with special attention to
the nature of Hegelian dialectic and philosophical method. Prerequisites: two
courses in philosophy.
PHIL 408. 19TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY
Issues in 19th-century philosophy, after Kant through Nietzsche. Such
authors as Fichte, Schelling, Schleiermacher, Hegel, Mill. Prerequisites: two
courses in philosophy.
PHIL 409. NIETZSCHE
Introduction to major themes in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.
Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 413. HEIDEGGER
Detailed study of the thought of Martin Heidegger. Prerequisites: two
courses in philosophy.
PHIL 416. MERLEAU-PONTY
Detailed study of the thought of Merleau-Ponty. Prerequisites: PHIL 107 or
202 and one other philosophy course.
PHIL 423. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Analytic treatment of concepts central to scientific inquiry: law, cause,
verification, explanation, probability. Competing interpretations by selected
scientists and philosophers. Prerequisites: PHIL 122 and either one course in
philosophy or a major in the Division of Science and Mathematics.
PHIL 427 (ALSO LING 427). TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
Detailed examination of topics in philosophy of language and symbolism;
meaning, reference, truth, interpretation, etc. Prerequisites: two courses in
philosophy.
PHIL 431. METAPHYSICS
Detailed examination of some central issues in metaphysics: nature of being,
reality, experience, order of universe, universals and particulars, mind and
body. Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 433. EPISTEMOLOGY
Critical examination of knowledge as such. Basic questions, including
problems of meaning and truth; perceptual and linguistic considerations.
Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 435. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Emotion, will, motive, imagination, learning, perceiving, dreaming, in light
of current philosophical analyses of these concepts and current psychological
research and theorizing. Topic determined in advance. Prerequisites: At least
two of the following: PHIL 155, 202, 255, 423, 433; or consent of instructor.
PHIL 443. PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY
Selected problems of historical knowledge: evidence and events in history,
objectivity of historical judgment, causation and explanation in history.
Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy or specialization in history.
PHIL 444. PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
Problems of concept and theory formation in social science; nature of social
reality, logic of explanation in social science, and conditions of objectivity
and validity of social knowledge. Open to juniors and seniors who either are
majoring in a social science or have taken two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 451. CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY
Post-Kantian movements such as idealism, phenomenology, existentialism,
post-modernism. Prerequisites: PHIL 107 or 212 and one other course in
philosophy.
PHIL 455. ADVANCED PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
Critical study of legal concepts and philosophical problems arising within
the law; criminal responsibility, nature of punishment, nature of law.
Prerequisite: PHIL 245.
PHIL 456. PROBLEMS IN LAW AND POLITICAL THEORY
Philosophical problems involving the relationship between law and
contemporary political theory; topics may include justice, rights, equality and
democracy. May not be repeated.
PHIL 457. PROBLEMS IN LAW AND MORALITY
Philosophical problems involving the relationship between law and morality;
topics may include sex and race discrimination, harassment, speech codes,
divorce and family, pornography, war, violence, disobedience, abortion, privacy,
homosexuality, euthanasia, negligence and punishment. May not be repeated.
PHIL 458. PROBLEMS IN LAW AND THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophical problems involving one or more major figures in the history of
philosophy whose work is important to law and legal theory; topics will vary,
but emphasis will be placed on the legal implications of classical philosophers
writing in any historical period or civilization. May not be repeated.
PHIL 460. A MAJOR PHILOSOPHER
Intensive investigation of work of one major philosopher. Prerequisites: two
courses in philosophy.
PHIL 480. ADVANCED TOPICS 4 cr.
IN PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics for advanced students. Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 481. ADVANCED TOPICS 2 cr.
IN PHILOSOPHY
PHIL 486. ADVANCED TOPICS IN ETHICS
Advanced issues concerning the meaning, basis and validity of moral principles.
Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 488. ADVANCED TOPICS IN SOCIAL
AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Advanced issues in the study of social systems: competing models of social
evolution, the justification of political authority, comparative theories of
economic organization, etc. Prerequisites: two courses in philosophy.
PHIL 491. PRACTICUM IN COLLEGE TEACHING
Independent study by means of teaching in particular course in philosophy.
Various assignments closely directed by instructor in that course, including
development of syllabi and other course materials; construction and reading of
examinations; lecturing and/or discussion leadership; academic counseling of
students. May be repeated for total of no more than eight credits. Credit may
not be earned in conjunction with course in which student is concurrently
enrolled. Does not satisfy major or all-college requirements. Prerequisites:
consent of instructor and department chair.
PHIL 496. SENIOR THESIS
PHIL 497. INDEPENDENT STUDY 2-4 cr.
Independent study under direct supervision of faculty member. Prior to
registration, student must consult proposed supervisor to receive approval of
project and course credit. Prerequisites: consent of department and junior
standing.
PHIL 498. SENIOR HONORS 2 cr.
PHIL 499. SENIOR HONORS 2 cr.
May be taken concurrently with PHIL 498
PHIL 501. NEW FRENCH FEMINISMS
Theories of women’s language, embodiment and desire, studied in texts by
such authors as Cixous, Kristeva, Irigaray, Wittig.
PHIL 502. PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
Issues concerning language: meaning, reference, truth, representation,
expression, structure, interpretation. Epistemology and ontology of language.
Relation of language to other sign systems.
PHIL 503. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Logic of concept and theory formation in modern empirical science; deductive
and inductive models, indeterminism, probability and induction, functional
explanations, reductionism.
PHIL 504. PHILOSOPHY OF ART
Issues in theory of art and criticism: artistic value, meaning, creativity,
perception, truth, morality, interpretation, genius, sublime.
PHIL 505. ETHICS
Concepts and issues in moral philosophy.
PHIL 506. INTERPRETATION AND HERMENEUTICS
Issues in theory of interpretation, including study of hermeneutics.
PHIL 507. EPISTEMOLOGY
Issues in theory of knowledge.
PHIL 508. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Classical and contemporary views concerning society and politics.
PHIL 509. PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
Conceptual and methodological issues in social sciences.
PHIL 510. TOPICS IN METAPHYSICS
Topics in metaphysical tradition and contemporary metaphysics. Such topics
as being, reality, matter, causation, mind and body, experience, unity,
relation, determinateness, indeterminateness. Topic determined in advance. May
be repeated for credit with different topics.
PHIL 511. FOUNDATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Examination of philosophic assumptions underlying artificial intelligence,
with consideration of Turing machines, finite state automata, non-standard
logics, pattern recognition, and self-organizing systems.
PHIL 514. MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
Propositional calculus, first-order functional calculus with identity,
consistency, completeness, decidability of two calculi.
PHIL 516. PROGRAMMING FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND COGNITIVE SCIENCE
An introductory course covering common programming languages and techniques
used in the fields of artificial intelligence and cognitive science.
PHIL 517. COMPUTABILITY AND LOGIC
Enumerablity, computability via Turing machines, undecidability of
first-order logic, the Skolem-Lowenheim theorem, Church’s theorem, Gödel’s
first incompleteness theorem.
PHIL 520. PROBABILITY AND INDUCTION
Examination of problem of induction, application of theories of probability.
PHIL 521. POSSIBILITY, NECESSITY AND COUNTERFACTUALS
Systems of modal logic applied to interpretation of counterfactual
conditional claims and to possible world semantics.
PHIL 526. EPISTEMOLOGY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Examination of knowledge representation, search and control, semantic nets,
frames, learning, conjectural reasoning, non-monotonic reasoning in context of
theory of knowledge.
PHIL 530. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF OTHER DISCIPLINES
Philosophical foundations, implications of other disciplines.
PHIL 532. PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY
Selected problems of historical knowing: reference and verification, realism and
skepticism, evidence and events, objectivity of historical judgments, causation
and explanation in history, historical narratives.
PHIL 536. REPRESENTATION
Issues in theory of representation.
PHIL 540. TOPICS IN HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics and periods.
PHIL 543. TOPICS IN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 544. TOPICS IN 17TH- AND 18TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 545. TOPICS IN AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY
Special topics in American pragmatism, naturalism and social philosophy.
Topics determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different topics
and periods.
PHIL 546. TOPICS IN 19TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 550. A MAJOR PHILOSOPHER
Writings of a major philosopher, studied in depth. May be repeated for
credit with different philosophers.
PHIL 560. PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
Traditional approaches, perennial problems and recent developments in the
philosophy of mind.
PHIL 561. ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS
The fundamentals of connectionist and artificial neural network
architectures and their implications for philosophy of mind and cognition.
PHIL 562. KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION
AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Various methodologies in artificial intelligence and their underlying
assumptions concerning the nature of knowledge and reasoning.
PHIL 564. REFERENCE AND COMPUTING
Theories of reference and approaches to modeling them in theories of
computer science.
PHIL 565. MODELING AND SIMULATION LABORATORY
Higher level software designs for models of various cognitive processes.
PHIL 566. PHILOSOPHY OF PSYCHOLOGY
Basic conceptual and methodological issues raised by recent psychological
theories dealing with behavior of persons.
PHIL 567. PHENOMENOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Examination of writings and issues in phenomenological psychology.
PHIL 568. COMPUTATIONAL THEORIES
OF MIND
An examination of various theories that attempt to comprehend mental phenomena
in terms of computing.
PHIL 570. BRIEF TOPICS IN 1-3 cr.
PHILOSOPHY
Short topics in philosophy. Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for
credit with different topics.
PHIL 591. TEACHING OF 1-4 cr.
PHILOSOPHY
Course credit but no grade. May not be used to satisfy course requirements for
either MA or PhD degree.
PHIL 592. PROSEMINAR IN 1 cr.
PHILOSOPHY
Issues in the profession. Registration credit only.
PHIL 595. EXCHANGE 1-12 cr.
Registration for students on exchange or internship programs. Registration
credit only.
PHIL 597. INDEPENDENT STUDY
PHIL 599. THESIS
PHIL 601. TOPICS IN FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 602. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 603. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF
SCIENCE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 604. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF ART
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 605. TOPICS IN ETHICS
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 607. TOPICS IN KNOWLEDGE, REPRESENTATION AND TRUTH
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 608. TOPICS IN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 609. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 611. TOPICS IN ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 612. CONCEPTS AND CATEGORIES
Investigates philosophical and psychological theories concerning the nature
of concepts and categories.
PHIL 614. TOPICS IN LOGIC
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 620. TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF PLATO
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 621. TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ARISTOTLE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 622. TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF KANT
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 623. TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF HEGEL
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different topics.
PHIL 630. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY AND OTHER DISCIPLINES
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different topics.
PHIL 635. TOPICS IN DISCIPLINES AND PROFESSIONS
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 640. TOPICS IN CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 642. TOPICS IN THEORY OF POWER
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 643. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY AND VIOLENCE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 644. TOPICS IN LESBIAN THEORY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 646. TOPICS IN EMBODIMENT
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 647. TOPICS IN THEORY OF CULTURE
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 648. TOPICS IN MULTICULTURAL FEMINIST THEORY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 649. POST-COLONIAL STUDIES
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 650. TOPICS IN 20TH-CENTURY CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 655. TOPICS IN POST-MODERNISM
Special topics in post-modernism and post-structuralism. Topic determined in
advance. May be repeated for credit with different topics.
PHIL 659. TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 666. TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF PSYCHOLOGY
Topic determined in advance. May be repeated for credit with different
topics.
PHIL 687. TUTORIALS IN PHILOSOPHY 4 cr.
Courses in small groups on specialized topics where regular courses not
offered. Arranged individually.
PHIL 698. PRE-DISSERTATION var. cr.
RESEARCH
PHIL 699. DISSERTATION var. cr.
PHIL 700. CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION
PHIL 707. RESEARCH SKILLS