2020-21 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Philosophy
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Central 253
541-552-6034
Prakash Chenjeri, Chair
| Professor |
Associate Professor |
Instructor |
| Prakash Chenjeri |
Devora Shapiro |
Mitchell Frangadakis |
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Justin Harmon |
The Philosophy Program at SOU is committed to building a community of scholars (including students) dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and scholarship. Philosophy is at the heart of a liberal education, both as a way of thinking, and as the discipline that addresses our ultimate concerns.
The mission of the Philosophy Program is to increase students’ sense of wonder, to teach creative and critical thinking, and to stimulate engagement with the deepest and most enduring questions: knowledge and truth; ethics and personal and social values; how we should live; the nature of reality…
We seek to reinforce students’ ethical reflection on their values and actions and their ability to communicate with others about and beyond ethical differences. Through our various courses, students comprehend and analyze a wide range of philosophical problems and learn to offer creative and constructive responses to ongoing philosophical debates.
The Philosophy Program serves three types of students: those students who take one or two philosophy courses as part of their general education; students with a deeper interest in philosophy who wish to pursue a minor; and the students in interdisciplinary programs and degrees such as Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; Environmental Studies; University Seminar; and the Honors College. The Program offers a wide range of courses providing an excellent introduction to the different areas of Philosophy.
Political Philosophy
Working through the Political Science program, interested philosophy students can pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Political Philosophy. This program integrates courses from Philosophy, History, and Political Science to explore the origins, development, and richness of political thinking from ancient Athens to the contemporary world. Approximately half of the courses that students take to complete the Political Philosophy concentration are taught by the Philosophy faculty. The concentration in Political Philosophy is an invigorating challenge for the serious student of philosophy desiring greater insight into the realms of political power, justice, authority, ideology, the individual, and the good society. Details of the program are included in the requirements for the Political Science degree, Political Science, BA or BS .
Program Requirements
Minor
Philosophy
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PHL 199 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 201 - Introduction to Philosophy
4 credits
An introduction to philosophy’s “big questions,” such as: What is the nature of reality? What separates genuine knowledge from ignorance or mere opinion? Does God exist? What is art? On what basis do we distinguish between right and wrong? Courses may incorporate a thematic structure (e.g. philosophy through science fiction or film), or may reflect more traditional approaches to introductory texts. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 201H - Honors Introduction to Philosophy
4 credits
Introduces philosophy’s basic questions, including the nature of reality, personal identity, religion, art, the world we live in, right and wrong, mind and body, and knowledge. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 203 - Introduction to Logic
4 credits
Addresses how to recognize and think about arguments, reasonings, and proofs. One-third of the course focuses on informal logic (thinking about actual arguments made in English), while the remaining two-thirds is devoted to formal logic (using symbols to analyze valid and invalid arguments).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 205 - Ethics: Moral Issues
4 credits
Includes an introduction to ethics and moral reasoning. Various frameworks for moral evaluation and approaches to moral reasoning are introduced, and these are contextualized within contemporary topics of ethical concern. Examples of such topics include domestic and global hunger and poverty, terrorism and war, end of life issues, genetic manipulation, the ethics of reproduction, racial justice, and environmental ethics. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 205H - Honors Ethics: Moral Issues
4 credits
Includes an introduction to ethics and an exploration of important issues, such as war and peace, the ethics of personal relationships, racism, animal rights, and the environment. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 207 - Philosophy of Sport
4 credits
Examines sport at the conceptual level, using an engaging, topics-based, introduction to philosophy and sports. Considers questions concerning the nature of sport, contemporary issues surrounding sports and values, such as fairness - both in competition and in athlete training (steroids, genetic treatments, etc), the use of sport and athletes for profit, and ethical issues concerning the place of sports in the American academy. Considers the politics of sports and the athlete, discussing race, sex, and gender in sports. Approved for University Studies Explorations - Strand E.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 211 - Philosophy of Art
4 credits
Examines the role of art in human life through a critical engagement with the history of aesthetic concepts and artistic practices. Questions addressed in the course include: What is the nature of beauty? What is art’s connection to truth and knowledge? Is art primarily sensuous or intellectual? What is the relation between beauty and morality? Is there a universal standard of taste? We will strive to understand the nature of art and aesthetic experience through the illumination and application of diverse approaches and perspectives. Approved for University Studies (Exploration - Strand E).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 213 - Introduction to Existentialism
4 credits
Examines major works and thinkers in the history of the existentialist philosophical and literary traditions. The central focus of this course is the human condition, or the nature of human existence. We will ask and find ways of responding to the following questions: “does human nature have an essence?,” what is the nature of “freedom?,” “is reality absurd?,” “what makes life meaningful?,” “what role does death play in the constitution of meaning?,” “are humans responsible for their existence?”
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 299 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 299H - Honors Special Studies
1 to 4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 301 - History of Western Philosophy
4 credits each
Explores Western philosophy, beginning with ancient Greece and continuing to the present. Courses do not have to be taken in sequence, but it is strongly recommended that students take PHL 302 before PHL 303 .
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 302 - History of Western Philosophy
4 credits each
Explores Western philosophy, beginning with ancient Greece and continuing to the present. Courses do not have to be taken in sequence, but it is strongly recommended that students take PHL 302 before PHL 303 .
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 303 - History of Western Philosophy
4 credits each
Explores Western philosophy, beginning with ancient Greece and continuing to the present. Courses do not have to be taken in sequence, but it is strongly recommended that students take PHL 302 before PHL 303.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 310 - Information Technology: Legal and Ethical Issues
4 credits
Investigates the ethical and legal implications of the products, activities, and behaviors of digital-technology users, with emphasis on U.S. laws and technology. Examines digital works, copyright laws, software, and business practice patents, in addition to significant court cases that raise fundamental constitutional issues. Explores the complexity of morals and laws in the midst of digital technology. Fosters the insight and discipline necessary to form sound moral and legal positions in the digital world. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strand I). Prerequisite(s): Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements and sophomore standing. (Cross-listed with CS 310 )
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 323 - Moral Theory
4 credits
Offers a critical analysis of major ethical theories, including relativism, utilitarianism, duty ethics, virtue ethics, and recent developments, such as the ethics of care. Approved for University Studies - Strand I. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 and sophomore standing.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 326 - Indian Ethics
4 credits
Offers a philosophical study of both classical and contemporary Indian ethics. Addresses such fundamental ethical questions as: What should we be doing, and why should we do it? Introduces students to the rich, ageless tradition of Indian ethics. Drawing on sources Indian and Western, classical and contemporary, the course explores key ethical concepts (e.g., dharma, karma, and moksa) and demonstrates an organic relationship among ethics and religion, philosophy, and social culture. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 and sophomore standing.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 329 - Science and Religion: Critical Explorations
4 credits
Surveys the main issues in the interaction between science and religion. Topics include the nature of science and the scientific method, religion and religious worldviews, physics and Big Bang cosmology, evolution and genetics and implications for religious beliefs, models of interaction between science and religion, and recent research and scholarship in the science-religion debate. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strand H). Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 330 - Science, Democracy, and Citizenship
4 credits
Explores the place of values in science and how it cuts across numerous debates in the philosophy, history, and social studies of science. Studies the place of values in science and how the practical implications are as deep as its philosophical implications. Considers the fundamental ideals of modern societies, such as rationality and progress, and how they are grounded in certain conceptions of science. Students are equipped to navigate through the complex issues of fact and value. Surveys various issues in the debate about the place of values and its ramifications. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strands H and I.) Prerequisite(s): Completion of Explorations courses or sophomore standing.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 330H - Honors Science, Democracy, and Citizenship
Explores the place of values in science and how it cuts across numerous debates in the philosophy, history, and social studies of science. Studies the place of values in science and how the practical implications are as deep as its philosophical implications. Considers the fundamental ideals of modern societies, such as rationality and progress, and how they are grounded in certain conceptions of science. Students are equipped to navigate through the complex issues of fact and value. Surveys various issues in the debate about the place of values and its ramifications. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strands H and I.) Prerequisite(s): Completion of Explorations courses or sophomore standing.
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 339 - History and Philosophy of Science
4 credits
Considers the nature of scientific reasoning. Analyzes basic scientific concepts, such as explanation, hypothesis, and causation. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strand H). Prerequisite(s): Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 340 - Death and Dying: Multidimensional Explorations
4 credits
Addresses many questions about death, including how it is defined in physical terms; how it is viewed by various cultures, times, and religions; and what insights the arts, and especially philosophy, can offer regarding the existential, moral, and metaphysical dimensions of death. Prerequisite(s): Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 348 - Philosophy of Religion
4 credits
Studies specific issues arising from reflection on such topics as the nature of faith, proofs of the existence of God, the nature of divine attributes, the problem of evil, and religious ethics. Considers similar issues as they arise in Eastern religions. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 and sophomore standing.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 349 - Healthcare and Justice
4 credits
Provides a foundational understanding of the legal and regulatory environments governing the modern healthcare industry. Equips students to recognize and evaluate situations that may involve legal and ethical considerations and explores the impact of those considerations upon both individual and institutional decision making. Particular emphasis is given to issues related to patient confidentiality and the protection of health information.
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PHL 353 - Political Philosophy: A Historical Introduction
4 credits
Intended as an introduction to political philosophy as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition. Focuses upon three broad themes that are central to understanding political life: the polis experience (Plato, Aristotle), the sovereign state (Machiavelli, Hobbes), and constitutional government and democracy (Locke, Rousseau, Tocqueville, Rawls, Nussbaum). The way in which different political philosophies have given expression to various forms of political institutions and our ways of life are examined throughout the course. The course concludes with a critical discussion of some of the major topics in contemporary political philosophy, including sovereignty, nationalism, citizenship, feminism, imperialism, freedom, liberty, security, and equality. Approved for University Studies - Strand I.
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PHL 373 - Philosophy and Sexuality
4 credits
Begins with historical readings on marriage and love, their connection to each other and to the gendered roles in society, and their connection to the state and institutions of power. Then moves into a contemporary analytic philosophy of sexuality, reading conceptual analyses of “sex”: what it means, what it might be, and what counts as it. Discusses both the social understandings of sexuality and sex generally, and the implications of our views on such special topics as prostitution and sex work, and further with regard to sexual abuse and rape. The course ends with the final question: “After all this and everything you’ve read, what do you think sex and sexuality is, and what ought we count as sexual?” May be applied to the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies major or minor. Approved for University Studies - Strand J.
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PHL 399 - Special Studies
4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 401 - Research
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 403 - Thesis
1 to 9 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 405 - Reading and Conference
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 407 - Seminar
1 to 4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 409 - Practicum
1 to 16 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable for a maximum of 16 credits. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 420 - Topics in Contemporary Philosophy
4 credits
Topics are offered on the basis of interest. Past subjects include death and dying, biomedical ethics, analytic philosophy, and phenomenology and existentialism. Repeatable for a maximum of 9 credits. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 , junior standing, and at least one course in philosophy
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 425 - Feminist Philosophy
4 credits
Examines the nature of feminism and explores current feminist thinking in the philosophies of knowledge and language, as well as metaphysics, religion, and aesthetics. May be applied to the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies major or minor. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 , junior standing, and at least one course in philosophy or women’s studies
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 426 - Women and Ethics
4 credits
Examines the ethic of care and offers a multicultural exploration of contemporary women’s writings on values (e.g., truth, love, and justice); issues of difference and oppression (e.g., gender, race, class, ability, age, sexual preference, and identity); and questions of birth and death, war and peace, animal rights, and ecology. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 , junior standing, and at least one course in philosophy or women’s studies
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 501 - Research
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 503 - Thesis
1 to 9 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 505 - Reading and Conference
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arrangeed. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 507 - Seminar
1 to 4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 509 - Practicum
1 to 16 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable for a maximum of 16.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PHL 525 - Feminism and Philosophy
4 credits
Examines the nature of feminism and explores current feminist thinking in the philosophies of knowledge and language, as well as metaphysics, religion, and aesthetics. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 , junior standing, and at least one course in philosophy or women’s studies
Graded (A-F) only -
PHL 526 - Women and Ethics
4 credits
Examines the ethic of care and offers a multicultural exploration of contemporary women’s writings on values (e.g., truth, love, and justice); issues of difference and oppression (e.g., gender, race, class, ability, age, sexual preference, and identity); and questions of birth and death, war and peace, animal rights, and ecology. Prerequisite(s): USEM 102 , junior standing, and at least one course in philosophy or women’s studies
Graded (A-F) only
Religion
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REL 199 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
REL 201 - Religion and the Human Experience
4 credits each
Examines religion as a human experience and traces its influence on human concepts of spiritual, cultural, and physical reality. Explores the beliefs and practices of five religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) and their influence on the cultural understanding of the individual; the world and the cosmos; the roles of the individual and the community; social, commercial, and governmental structures; and gender, race, and age. Addresses the influence of religion and religious practice on the philosophy, literature, music, and fine art of a culture. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
REL 202 - Religion and the Human Experience
4 credits
Examines religion as a human experience and traces its influence on human concepts of spiritual, cultural, and physical reality. Explores the beliefs and practices of five religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) and their influence on the cultural understanding of the individual; the world and the cosmos; the roles of the individual and the community; social, commercial, and governmental structures; and gender, race, and age. Addresses the influence of religion and religious practice on the philosophy, literature, music, and fine art of a culture. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand E–Humanities).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
REL 299 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
REL 399 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule.
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