Department of Philosophy
201 Guilford House
Phone 368-2810; Fax 368-2216
Chin-Tai Kim
The Department of Philosophy offers an undergraduate major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. A student majoring in philosophy must satisfy the requirements of the Arts and Sciences General Education Requirements. The department participates in the Integrated Graduate Studies Program leading to the Master of Arts degree in philosophy. It offers minor programs and sequences for the undergrauate; it offers graduate-level courses for candidates for the Master of Arts degree in philosophy and in other fields. The department's course offerings are designed not only to provide knowledge and skills required for students whose main interest is in philosophy but also to educate students in general about the intellectual issues that a reflective person is likely to encounter in various contexts of civilized life. The department emphasizes the relevance of philosophy to mathematics, computer science, and disciplines in the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities and arts, and law
The major program in philosophy, besides offering a solid foundation for advanced study in philosophy and enriching programs in other disciplines, develops the skills for analytical and critical thinking, effective communication and rational decision needed in a wide range of endeavors.
The program thus provides majors with unusual flexibility in the choice of subsequent careers, including law, medicine, and management while complementing the pursuit of career objectives with a greater perspective and a richer quality of intellectual life
The department participates in an interdisciplinary major program in the history and philosophy of science and technology leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in collaboration with the Department of History. The department also participates in, and contributes courses to, the interdisciplinary minor in artificial intelligence.
Chin Tai-Kim, Ph.D. (Harvard University)
Professor and Chair
History of philosophy (17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century philosophy); theory of knowledge, metaphysics; ethics; phenomenology
Barbara S. Krasner, Ph.D. (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Assistant Professor
Political and social philosophy; ethics; philosophy of law; philosophy of feminism; Hegel; the Frankfurt School
Colin McLarty, Ph.D. (Case Western Reserve University)
Associate Professor
Logic; philosophy of logic; philosophy of mathematics; philosophy of science; contemporary French philosophy
Stephen Post, Ph.D. (University of Chicago)
Associate Professor of Biomedical Ethics, School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Philosophy
Biomedical ethics; applied ethics
ADJUNCT FACULTY
Scott A. Dowling, M.D. (University of Rochester)
Adjunct Associate Professor of Philosophy
Psychoanalytic Theory and Philosophy
The major consists of 30 hours (ten 3-credit courses) in philosophy, including PHIL 101, 201, 301, 302, and six other courses to be determined in consultation with the department's undergraduate advisor. However, a student may request of the advisor that up to 6 hours (two 3-credit courses) of the required 18 hours in six 3-credit philosophy electives be taken in another field or other fields. Such a request should be supported by considerations showing how the substitution(s) would strengthen the student's major in philosophy. The advisor must approve the substitution(s) in advance
The department offers a range of possible minor programs, each of which must include PHIL 101 and four other courses in philosophy at the 200- or 300-level (excluding PHIL 390, 398, and 399) chosen to meet the specific needs of students majoring in other fields. The undergraduate advisor will assist students in devising minor programs.
All sequences must include PHIL 101, 302, and two other philosophy courses at the 200 or 300 level (except PHIL 390, 398, and 399) as approved by the undergraduate advisor. A typical sequence, for example, would consist of PHIL 101, 302, and two courses from one of the four following groups:
PHIL 201, Introduction to Logic (3)
PHIL 203, Natural Philosophy I (3)
PHIL 204, Natural Philosophy II (3)
PHIL 303, Topics in Philosophy of Science (3)
PHIL 201, Introduction to Logic (3)
PHIL 306, Mathematical Logic (3)
PHIL 310, Topics in Philosophy of Logic (3)
PHIL 313, Philosophy of Mathematics (3)
PHIL 305, Ethics (3)
PHIL 330, Contemporary Moral Problems (3)
PHIL 334, Political and Social Philosophy (3)
PHIL 335, Philosophy of Law (3)
PHIL 375, Aesthetics (3)
PHIL 201, Introduction to Logic (3)
PHIL 202, Introduction to Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (3)
PHIL 345, Epistemology and Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 365, Philosophy of Mind (3)
PHIL 385, Philosophy of Language (3)
PHIL 301, Ancient Philosophy (3)
PHIL 320, Phenomenology, Existentialism, and Hermeneutics (3)
PHIL 345, Epistemology and Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 355, Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Philosophy (3)
PHIL 356, Comparative Philosophy (3)
PHIL 358, Philosophy of the Frankfurt School (3)
PHIL 370, Philosophy and Literature (3)
PHIL 375, Aesthetics (3)
There are other possibilities for sequences.
PHIL 201 may be used to satisfy the Mathematical Reasoning and Analysis
requirement.
PHIL 101, with any one of the following courses, 204, 302, 305, 330, 334, 345, and 370, may be used to satisfy the sequence requirement in History, Philosophy and Religion.
PHIL 101, 302 and two other philosophy courses excluding 395, 398 and 399 may be used to satisfy the sequence requirement in Humanities and Social Sciences.
The department offers an Honors Program for students enrolled in its major program which involves completing a substantial thesis, passing an oral examination on the thesis, and maintaining a B average in philosophy courses taken while in the program. An interested student should apply for admission to the program during the first semester of the junior year. To be eligible for admission, a student should have an overall grade point average of B or better, and a grade of B or better in each philosophy course already taken. A student normally should have taken at least four, and at most seven, philosophy courses at the time of application for admission. An honors student should register for PHIL 399, Directed Study (3), to do honors work.
The Department of Philosophy participates in the Integrated Graduate Studies Program. Interested students should note the general requirements and the general admission procedures in this bulletin and consult the department for further information. The Honors Program and the Integrated Graduate Studies Program may be combined with the department's approval. Students wishing more information about any aspect of the undergraduate programs should consult the department.
The department offers graduate-level courses for the Master of Arts degree through the Integrated Graduate Studies Program and for graduate students in other fields.
Philosophy (PHIL)
PHIL 101, Introduction to Philosophy, 3
Basic problems of philosophy and methods of philosophical thinking. Problems raised by science, morality, religion, politics and art. Readings from classical and contemporary philosophers. Normally given in multiple sections with different instructors and possibly with different texts. All sections share core materials in theory of knowledge, metaphysics, and ethics despite differences that may exist in emphasis.
PHIL 201, Introduction to Logic, 3
Presentation, application, and evaluation of formal methods for determining the validity of arguments. Discussion of the relationship between logic and other disciplines.
PHIL 203, Natural Philosophy I, 3
Historical and philosophical interpretation of some epochal events in development of science. Copernican revolution, Newtonian mechanics, Einstein's relativity physics, quantum mechanics, and evolutionary theory; patterns of scientific growth; structure of scientific "revolutions"; science and "pseudo-science". First half of a year-long sequence.
PHIL 204, Natural Philosophy II, 3
Conceptual, methodological, and epistemological issues about science: concept formation, explanation, prediction, confirmation, theory construction and status of unobservables; metaphysical presuppositions and implications of science; semantics of scientific language; illustrations from special sciences. Second half of a yearlong sequence.
PHIL 301, Ancient Philosophy, 3
(Also listed as CLSC 301.) Western philosophy from the early Greeks to the Skeptics. Emphasis on the pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 302, Modern Philosophy, 3
British empiricism: Bacon, Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. Continental rationalism: Descartes, Spinoza, and Liebniz. The critical philosophy of Kant.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 303, Topics in Philosophy of Science, 3
In-depth study of selected topics in general philosophy of science or philosophy of physical, biological, or social science. Topics may include: theories of explanation, prediction, and confirmation; semantics of scientific language; reductionism; space, time and relativity; philosophical issues about quantum mechanics; philosophical issues about life sciences (e.g. evolutionism, teleology); explanation and understanding in social sciences; value in social science.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or PHIL 201 or PHIL 203
PHIL 305, Ethics, 3
Analysis of ethical theories and concepts of goodness, right, and obligation. Discussion of nature of justice, problem of justification of moral principles, and relation between facts and values.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 306, Mathematical Logic and Model Theory, 3
Propositional calculus and quantification theory; consistency and completeness theorems; goedal incompleteness results and their philosophical significance; introduction to basic concepts of model theory; problems of formulation of arguments in philosophy and the sciences.
Prerequisite: PHIL 201
PHIL 313, Philosophy of Mathematics, 3
Logical paradoxes and their effects on foundations of mathematics. Status of mathematical entities and nature of mathematical truths. Formalist, logicist, and intuitionist positions.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or PHIL 201
PHIL 315, Selected Topics in Philosophy, 3
Examination of views of a major philosopher or philosophical school, a significant philosophical topic, or a topic that relates to philosophy and another discipline.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 320, Phenomenology, Existentialism, and Hermeneutics, 3
Husserl's phenomenology and its background including Descartes, Kant and Bretano. Interpretations and uses of phenomenology by twentieth century philosophers of existence such as Heidegger, Sartre, and Merleauponty. The religious and humanistic background of existentialist thought. Influence of phenomenology and philosophy of existence upon twentieth century hermeneutics.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 325, Philosophy of Feminism, 3
Dimensions of gender difference. Definition of feminism. Critical examination of feminist critiques of culture, including especially politics, ideology, epistemology, ethics, and psychology. Readings from traditional and contemporary sources.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 330, Contemporary Moral Problems, 3
Examination of selected contemporary moral problems relating to allocation of scarce resources in health care, paternalism, lying, genetic engineering, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, distribution of wealth, punishment, care of the environment, obligation to future generations, obligation to distant peoples, collective responsibility and guilt, violence, just war, rights, equality and discrimination, and/or treatment of animals. Application of moral theories and their evaluation in the context of reflecting upon concrete problems.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 333, Philosophy of Religion, 3
Topics include: classical and contemporary arguments for God's existence; divine foreknowledge and human freedom; the problem of evil and theodicy; nature and significance of religious experience; mysticism; varieties of religious metaphysics; knowledge, belief and faith; nature of religious discourse. Readings from traditional and contemporary sources.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 334, Political and Social Philosophy, 3
(Also listed as POSC 354.) Justification of social institutions, primarily political ones. Such distinctions as that between de facto and legitimate authority; analysis of criteria for evaluation, such as social justice and equality; inquiry into theories of justification of the state; theory of democratic government and its alternatives. Readings from classical and contemporary sources.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 335, Philosophy of Law, 3
Nature of law and legal systems; bearing of moral justice on legal validity; nature and justification of criminal law and punishment; nature of legal rules and of obligations to law in legal systems; logic of legal reasoning; distinctions of concepts such as legal responsibility and causation. Reading from classical and contemporary sources.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 340, Introduction to Gender Studies, 3
This course introduces women and men students to the methods and concepts of gender studies, women's studies and feminist theory. An interdisciplinary course, it covers approaches used in literary criticism, history, philosophy, political science, sociology, psychology, film studies and art history. It is the required introductory course for students taking the Women's Studies minor but is designed also to include non-minors. See ENGL 340.
PHIL 345, Epistemology and Metaphysics, 3
Traditional problems of epistemology, such as definition of knowledge, justification of belief, nature of evidence and foundationalism, skepticism, the a priori, and the role of sense perception in knowledge. Metaphysical presuppositions and implications of epistemological views. Forms of realism and anti-realism.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 335, 19th/Early 20th Century Philosophy, 3
History of philosophy after Kant up to and including logical empiricism. Interpretation and comparison of important philosophers and philosophical schools of the period in terms of common methods, problems, themes, doctrines, and ideologies. Emphasis on Schopenhauer, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Marx, and Nietzsche.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 356, Comparative Philosophy, 3
Comparison of significant philosophers or philosophical schools of non-Western traditions with Western counterparts on metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, aesthetic, and sociopolitical theoretic issues. The non-Western traditions to be considered include the Indian and the Far Eastern, but not exclusively. Discussion, in context, of the problems of comparative hermeneutics. Readings will include original sources in English translation.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 358, Philosophy of the Frankfurt School, 3
Understanding, analysis and critical assessment of the main concerns of the philosophers of the Frankfurt School (Adorno, Benjamin, Bloch, Habermas, Horkheimer, and Marcuse). Focus on their explanations of why rationalism has come to have such an important and widespread influence on all aspects of Western culture. A representative work by each member of the School will be read.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 365, Philosophy of Mind, 3
Traditional problems such as the relation of mind and body, knowledge of other minds, free will and determination, and nature of psychological explanation. Analysis of chief theories of mind. Analysis of mental concepts such as intention, action, decision, emotion, and will.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 370, Philosophy and Literature, 3
(Also listed as CMPL 370) Affinities and tensions between philosophy and literature and issues that arise in their interface. Topics include: philosophical use of literary devices; literary use of philosophical ideas; literary philosophy and philosophical literature; hermeneutics of literature and philosophy. Readings in philosophy and literature from traditional and contemporary sources. Team-taught by faculty of the philosophy and literature departments.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 375, Aesthetics, 3
Chief theories of nature, of art, and aesthetic experience. Logic of criticism of the arts and of artistically relevant controversy.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 385, Philosophy of Language, 3
Nature of language; problems of meaning, reference, and truth.
Prerequisite: PHIL 101
PHIL 390, Seminar: History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, 3
(Also listed as HSTY 390.)
PHIL 399, Directed Study, 3
Open to students in either of the major programs, and to minors.
PHIL 403, Topics in Philosophy of Science, 3
(See PHIL 303.)
PHIL 405, Ethics, 3
(See PHIL 305.)
PHIL 406, Mathematical Logic and Model Theory, 3
A study of formal logical systems and their models. Propositional logic and quantification. First order theories, consistency, compactness, and the Lowenheim Skolem theorem. (Will be cross listed as MATH 406.)
PHIL 413, Philosophy of Mathematics, 3
(See PHIL 313.)
PHIL 415, Selected Topics in Philosophy, 3
(See PHIL 315.)
PHIL 420, Phenomenology, Existentialism, and Hermeneutics, 3
(See PHIL 320.)
PHIL 425, Philosophy of Feminism, 3
(See PHIL 325.)
PHIL 430, Contemporary Moral Problems, 3
(See PHIL 330.)
PHIL 433, Philosophy of Religion, 3
PHIL 434, Political/Social Philosophy, 3
(See PHIL 334.) (Also listed as POSC 454.)
PHIL 435, Philosophy of Law, 3
(See PHIL 335.)
PHIL 445, Epistemology and Metaphysics, 3
(See PHIL 345.)
Century Philosophy, 3
(See PHIL 355.)
PHIL 456, Comparative Philosophy, 3
(See PHIL 356.)
PHIL 458, Philosophy of the Frankfurt School, 3
PHIL 470, Philosophy and Literature, 3
(See PHIL 370.)
PHIL 475, Aesthetics, 3
(See PHIL 375.)
PHIL 485, Philosophy of Language, 3
(See PHIL 385.)
PHIL 600, Tutorial, 1-36
PHIL 651, Thesis M.A., 1-6
PHIL 700, Advanced Tutorial and Dissertation, 1-36
For Ph.D. candidates in fields related to philosophy.
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