Courses in Philosophy

LOWER-DIVISION

1 Introduction to Philosophy (4). A selection of philosophical problems, concepts, and methods, e.g., free will and cause and substance, personal identity, the nature of philosophy itself. (IV)

4 Introduction to Ethics (4). Selected topics from the history of ethics, e.g., the nature of the good life and the moral justification of conduct. (IV)

5 Contemporary Moral Problems (4). Selected moral issues of current interest, e.g., abortion, sexual morality, euthanasia, capital punishment, reverse discrimination, civil disobedience, or violence. (IV)

6 Philosophy and Psychoanalysis (4). An analysis of Freudian psychoanalytic theory and therapy, and its significance for such classical philosophical problems such as the mind-body problem, self-identity and self-deception, psyche and consciousness, innatism, and the origins of moral behavior.

7 Introduction to Existentialism (4). An analysis of themes in phenomenology and existentialism and their philosophical origins, e.g., consciousness, self and other, freedom and individuality.

9 Feminist Moral and Political Philosophy (4). Selected topics in moral and political philosophy analyzed from feminist perspectives, e.g., gender-based differences in moral attitudes and virtues, hidden in traditional accounts of political obligation, and feminism and sexual orientation. Prerequisite: Philosophy 4 recommended. (IV)

10 History of Ancient Philosophy (4). Examination of the central philosophical themes developed by the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, the Epicureans, and the Skeptics. (IV)

11 History of Medieval Philosophy (4). A study of some of the major theological and philosophical texts from the Medieval period. Philosophy 10 recommended as background. (IV)

12 History of Modern Philosophy (4). A study of major developments in western philosophy from Descartes to Kant with readings from Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Philosophy 10 or 11 recommended as background. (IV)

13 History of Contemporary Philosophy (4). A study of recent philosophical developments in Anglo-American and Continental philosophy with readings from such figures as Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Quine, Heidegger, and Sartre. Philosophy 12 recommended as background. (IV)

20 Introduction to Human Nature (4). Is our nature determined by how we are created or by what we want to be? Attempts to answer these questions by looking at stories of human origins and scientific accounts of human nature. (IV)

21 Introduction to Philosophy and Religion (4). What is religion? What is its relation to philosophy? Must one be religious in order to be a moral or good person? In examining these issues, attends to both Eastern and Western traditions and perspectives. (IV)

22 Introduction to Law and Society (4). What constitutes a legal system? What does it mean for a society to have a system as a part of the social fabric. Examines the social status of law and its use as a tool for fashioning society. (III)

23 Introduction to Problems of Self and Mind (4). A study of basic problems in metaphysics, such as: What am I? A mind, a soul, a body? A social being? A bioorganism? Am I the same person today, yesterday, and tomorrow? Is there a story of my life that captures my essence? (IV)

29 Critical Reasoning (4). Introduction to analysis and reasoning. The concepts of argument, premise, and conclusion, validity and invalidity, consistency and inconsistency. Identifying and assessing premises and inferences. Deductive versus inductive reasoning, and introduction to the probability calculus. Evaluating definitions. Informal fallacies. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 29. (V)

30 Introduction to Symbolic Logic (4). An introduction to the symbolism and methods of the logic of statements, including evaluation of arguments by truth tables, the techniques of natural deduction and semantic tableaux. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 30. (V)

31 Introduction to Inductive Logic (4). Philosophical questions concerning the foundations of scientific inference, e.g., the traditional problem of induction, the Goodman paradox, the concept of cause, Mill's method of inductive reasoning, probability calculus, different interpretations of probability, and their interaction in inductive reasoning. Prerequisite: Philosophy 30 or 104. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 31. (V)

40 Special Topics in Philosophy (4). Lectures on selected topics at the lower-division level. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

UPPER-DIVISION

100 Writing Philosophy (4). Discussion of those aspects of writing of special importance in philosophy, e.g., philosophical terminology, techniques for evaluating arguments, philosophical definitions and theories. At least 4,000 words of assigned composition based on philosophical readings. Prerequisites: satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement; junior standing or consent of instructor. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 100.

101 Introduction to Metaphysics (4). A study of one or more of the problems of "first philosophy," e.g., substance, free will, causation, abstract entities, identity.

102 Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (4). A study of one or more of the basic issues in epistemology, e.g., the role of perception in the acquisition of knowledge, the nature of evidence, the distinction between belief and knowledge, and the nature of truth and certainty. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 102.

103 Introduction to Moral Philosophy (4). A study of one or more of the problems of contemporary moral philosophy, e.g., the nature of justice, liberalism versus conservatism, happiness and its relation to virtue and right conduct, the objectivity of moral standards.

104 Introduction to Logic (4). Introduction to sentence logic, including truth tables and natural deduction; and to predicate logic, including semantics and natural deduction. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 104.

105A Elementary Set Theory (4). An introduction to the basic working vocabulary of mathematical reasoning. Topics include: sets, Boolean operations, ordered n-tuples, relations, functions, ordinal and cardinal numbers. Prerequisite: Logic and Philosophy of Science 104, Mathematics 6B, an upper-division course in Mathematics, or consent of instructor. Philosophy 105A and Mathematics 151 may not both be taken for credit. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 105A.

105B Metalogic (4). Introduction to formal syntax (proof theory) and semantics (model theory) for first-order logic, including the deduction, completeness, compactness, and Löewenheim-Skolem theorems. Prerequisites: Philosophy 105A or consent of instructor. Philosophy 105B and Mathematics 150 may not both be taken for credit. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 105B.

105C Undecidability and Incompleteness (4). Introduction to the formal theory of effective processes, including recursive functions, Turing machines, Church's thesis, and proofs of Göedel's incompleteness theorem for arithmetic, and Church's undecidability theorem for first-order logic. Prerequisite: Philosophy 105B or consent of instructor. Philosophy 105C and Mathematics 152 may not both be taken for credit. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 105C.

106 Topics in Logic (4). Selected topics in mathematical or philosophical logic. Prerequisite: Philosophy 105B or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 106.

108 Topics in Induction, Probability, and Decision Theory (4). Selected topics in induction, probability, and decision theory. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 108.

110 Topics in Ancient Philosophy (4). Selected topics from the writings of Plato and Aristotle, e.g., Aristotle's criticisms of Plato's metaphysics, ethics, or politics. May be taken for credit twice as topics vary.

111 Topics in Medieval Philosophy (4). Studies of some of the major issues of concern to Medieval philosophers, e.g., universals, the nature and existence of God, faith, and reason. May be taken for credit twice as topics vary.

112 Topics in Renaissance Philosophy (4). Studies of such authors as Bruno and Montaigne. May be taken for credit twice as topics vary.

113 Topics in Modern Philosophy (4). Focuses on the works of one or more of the central philosophical figures of the modern period (e.g., Descartes, Leibniz, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, Kant) or on the treatment of one or more central philosophical problems by a number of these figures. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 113.

114 Topics in Nineteenth-Century Philosophy (4). Studies of some of the major figures after Kant (e.g., Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, Kierkegaard), especially in German idealism and social thought. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

115 Topics in History of Analytic Philosophy( 4). Review of one or more central theories or figures in the history of analytic philosophy. Emphasis is on the study of original sources, especially writings of Frege, Russell, Schlick, Carnap, and Quine. Topics include the nature of meaning and truth, the synthetic/analytic distinction, and scientific knowledge. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 115.

116 Topics in Continental Philosophy. Studies of some of the major figures (e.g., Husserl), movements (e.g., phenomenology, existentialism) in early twentieth-century continental European thought. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

117 Topics in East Asian Philosophy (4). Selected topics in the philosophies of East Asia, e.g., Yoga, Buddhism, Vedanta, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto. Same as East Asian Languages and Literatures 117. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VIII)

120 Topics in Metaphysics (4). Examines central philosophical questions concerning our own fundamental nature and that of the world around us (e.g., causation and necessity, determination, free will, personal identity, the mind-body problem). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 120.

121 Topics in the Theory of Knowledge (4). One or more topics in the theory of knowledge, e.g., the nature of rational justification, of perceptual knowledge, of a priori knowledge. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 121.

122 Topics in Philosophy of Mind (4). Selected topics involving the concept of mind, e.g., the relation between mind and body, the self, personal identity, consciousness, the unconscious. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

123 Topics in Philosophy of Religion (4). Critical examination of concepts involved in the theological literature, e.g., the nature and existence of God, miracles, the problem of evil, divine command theories in ethics. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

130 Topics in Moral Philosophy (4). Selected topics in ethics. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

131 Applied Ethics. Application of moral theories and arguments to important problems facing contemporary society.

131A Applied Ethics (4). Topics may include capital punishment, world hunger, obligations to future generations, environmental ethics, animal rights, economic justice, sexual morality, affirmative action, racism and sexism, or legalization of drugs.

131C Medical Ethics (4). Analysis of moral issues concerning health care. Topics may include: just allocation of scarce medical resources, the doctor/patient relationship, genetic engineering, surrogate motherhood, abortion, euthanasia, or social policy concerning AIDS.

132 Topics in Political and Social Philosophy (4). Selected topics in social and political philosophy, e.g., the functions of government, the justification of political authority, the nature of democracy, the varieties of liberty, and social justice. Readings from classical and contemporary sources. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

133 Topics in Philosophy of Law (4). Selected topics concerning legal systems and the concept of law, e.g., the nature and purpose of law, the nature of authority, the relationship between law and morality, law and political-economic systems. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

140 Topics in Philosophy of Science (4). Selected topics in contemporary philosophy of science, e.g., the status of theoretical entities, the confirmation of theories, the nature of scientific explanation. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 140.

141A Topics in Philosophy of Physics (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of physics, e.g., the interpretation of quantum mechanics, the nature of spacetime, the problem of quantum field theories. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 141A.

141B Geometry and Spacetime (4). An examination of the foundations of the special theory of relativity, with emphasis on the geometry of Minkowski spacetime, and its relation to both Euclidean and non-Euclidean (hyperbolic) plane geometries. Prerequisites: multivariable calculus and linear algebra at the undergraduate level. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 141B.

141C Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics (4). An examination of the standard von Neumann-Dirac formulation of quantum mechanics. The quantum measurement problem is discussed along with several proposed solutions, including GRW, many-worlds, man-minds, and Bohm's theory. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 141C.

141D Probability and Determinism (4). An examination of a cluster of interrelated issues concerning probability, determinism, logic, and the foundations of quantum mechanics. Prerequisites: multivariable calculus and linear algebra at the undergraduate level. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 141D.

142 Writing/Philosophy of Biology (4). Philosophy of biology, e.g., scientific method in biology, the structure of evolutionary theory, teleology, ethics, and evolution. Course work includes one 4,000-word and four 1,000-word papers. Prerequisite: satisfactory completion of the lower-division writing requirement. Same as Biological Sciences E142 and Logic and Philosophy of Science 142.

143 Topics in Philosophy of Psychology (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of psychology, e.g., the nature of psychological explanation, reductionism, issues in cognitive, behavioral, and neuroscience. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 143 and Psychology 123P.

144 Topics in Philosophy of Social Science (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of the social sciences, e.g., is their goal to understand behavior or to predict and control it?; are they normative and the natural sciences not?; do they incorporate philosophical doctrines about language and mind? May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

145 Topics in Philosophy of Language (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of language, e.g., the nature of meaning, mechanisms of reference, speech acts. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Linguistics 141 and Logic and Philosophy of Science 145. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

146 Topics in Philosophy of Logic (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of logic, e.g., the nature of logical truth and our knowledge of it, the status of propositions, definite descriptions, and existential presuppositions. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 146.

147 Topics in Philosophy of Mathematics (4). Selected historical and contemporary topics in the philosophy of mathematics, e.g., mathematical truth and ontology, mathematical knowledge, the nature and role of proof, the workings of mathematics in application. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 147. Formerly Philosophy 147B.

150 Phenomenology (4). A study of the foundations of phenomenology in Husserl and its background in Bolzano, Frege, Brentano, Meinong, Kant, and Descartes. Topics include phenomenological method, theory of intentionality, meaning, perception, evidence, ego, other minds, intersubjectivity, and life-world. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

151 Existentialism (4). A study of such central existentialist thinkers as Heidegger and Sartre. Philosophy 7 or 150 recommended as background.

152 Topics in Feminism (4). A study of selected topics in feminist theory and/or gender studies. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

190 Special Topics in Philosophy (4). Lectures on selected topics to be given by regular faculty and visiting faculty. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

199 Directed Special Studies (2 to 4). Independent study on a research topic supervised by a faculty member. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

GRADUATE COURSES

200 Special Topics in Philosophy (4). Seminars on selected topics to be given by regular faculty and visiting faculty. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

201 First-Year Seminar (4). Examination of some standard works in history of philosophy, value theory, metaphysics, or epistemology. Limited to and required of all first-year Philosophy graduate students in the School of Humanities.

205A Set Theory (4). The basic working vocabulary of mathematical reasoning. Topics include: sets, Boolean operations, ordered n-tuples, relations, functions, ordinal and cardinal numbers. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 205A.

205B Metalogic (4). Formal syntax (proof theory) and semantics (model theory) for first-order logic, including the deduction, completeness, compactness, and Loewenheim-Skolem theorems. Prerequisite: Philosophy 205A. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 205B.

205C Undecidability and Incompleteness (4). Formal theory of effective processes, including recursive function, Turing machines, Church's thesis, and proofs of Goedel's incompleteness theorem for arithmetics, and Church's undecidability for first-order logic. Prerequisite: Philosophy 205B. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 205C.

206 Topics in Logic (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 206.

210 Topics in Ancient Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

211 Topics in Medieval Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

212 Topics in Renaissance Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

213 Topics in Modern Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 213.

214 Topics in Nineteenth-Century Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

215 Topics in Analytic Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 215.

216 Topics in Continental Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

218 Topics in Contemporary Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

220 Topics in Metaphysics (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 220.

221 Topics in Epistemology (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 221.

222 Topics in Mind and Action (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

230 Topics in Ethics (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

232 Topics in Political and Social Philosophy (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 232.

234 Topics in Aesthetics (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

240 Topics in Philosophy of Science (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 240.

241 Topics in Philosophy of Physics (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 241.

242 Topics in Philosophy of Biology (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 242.

243 Topics in Philosophy of Psychology (4). Selected topics in the philosophy of psychology, e.g., the nature of psychological explanation, reductionism, issues in cognitive, behavioral, and neuroscience. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 243 and Psychology 231P.

244 Topics in Philosophy of Social Science (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 244.

245 Topics in Philosophy of Language (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Linguistics 241 and Logic and Science of Philosophy 245.

246 Topics in Philosophy of Logic (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 246.

247 Topics in Philosophy of Mathematics (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 247.

248A-B-C Continental Philosophy Workshop (0-0-4). A three-quarter long workshop, conceived as a reading group and developed with the input of all participants, where significant texts are discussed and analyzed in class. 248A-B: In-progress grading. 248C: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

249 Logic and Philosophy of Science Workshop (1 to 4). A two- or three-quarter long workshop on selected topics in logic and philosophy of science. In-progress grading, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. Same as Logic and Philosophy of Science 289.

250 Topics in Existentialism and Phenomenology (4). May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

298 Independent Study (4 to 12). May be repeated for credit.

299 Directed Research (4 to 12). May be repeated for credit.

399 University Teaching (4). Limited to Teaching Assistants. May be repeated for credit.