Philosophy
Courses for PHIL (PHIL)
PHIL
409/809
Theory of Knowledge LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Intensive study of basic problems in the Theory of Knowledge: the nature of knowledge, the analysis of perception and memory, the justification of induction, the problem of how one knows other minds, and the analysis of a prior knowledge. Readings from recent work.
PHIL
411/811
Formal Logic LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Format: | Lecture 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
PHIL 211 or equivalent.
PHIL 411 is a second course in symbolic logic.
The main metalogical results of the twentieth century. Completeness, compactness and undecidability of first-order logic; the Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem; axiomatic set theory; the Gödel incompleteness theorems; and non-classical logics.
PHIL
412/812
Modal Logic LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
9 hrs philosophy including PHIL 211 or equivalent or permission.
Syntax and model theory of quantified modal logic with applications to e.g., deontic logic, epistemic logic, and the philosophy of logic.
PHIL
414/814
Philosophy of Mind LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Main problems in the philosophy of mind, including dualism and materialism, instrumentalism and eliminativism, wide and narrow content, qualia, and mental causation.
PHIL
418/818
Metaphysics LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Intensive study of main problems in metaphysics, especially universals and particulars, the relation of mind and matter, the categories of the real, criteria of identity, and existential propositions. Readings from recent philosophers.
PHIL
420/820
Philosophy of Social Science LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Format: | Lecture 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
The epistemological character of the social sciences. Character and explanatory role of social scientific generalizations, various explanatory strategies for social matters, the continuity or discontinuity of the social sciences with the special sciences, the importance of interpretation, and the place of rationality.
PHIL
423/823
Advanced Ethics LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Critical study of leading theories in ethics, with close attention to major works, chiefly modern and contemporary. Includes naturalism, intuitionism, emotivism, utilitarianism, Neo-Kantian ethics, and various current positions.
PHIL
425/825
Political and Social Philosophy LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Critical study of main problems and leading theories in social and political philosophy. Origin and justification of political obligation, with emphasis on social contact theories; the nature and foundation of individual rights and the strength of these rights when they conflict with each other and with concern for the common good; the principles of social justice and the obligation to protect the welfare of others; and the concepts of personal autonomy, liberty, equality, and freedom. Readings from a combination of historical and recent work, and emphasis on relating the various issues to current problems in society.
PHIL
450/850
Ancient Philosophy LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Advanced survey of ancient philosophy from the pre-Socratics through Aristotle, concentrating on central epistemological and metaphysical issues.
PHIL
460/860
History of Modern Philosophy LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Advanced survey of early European philosophy from the late renaissance through the Enlightenment, concentrating on central epistemological and metaphysical issues.
PHIL
471/871
Kant LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Kant's philosophy and problems in the interpretation of his writings. Primary text is the First Critique.
PHIL
496/889
Philosophical Themes LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Max credits per degree: | 24 |
| Course Format: | Independent Study |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
| ACE Outcomes: | 10 |
Prereqs:
Open to graduate students and, with the consent of the instructor, to seniors and especially qualified juniors.
Library work and conferences.
PHIL
801
Philosophical Analysis LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
Permission from philosophy graduate adviser
Seminar for beginning graduate students whose primary goal is the development of basic philosophical skills such as the analysis of primary texts, the writing of philosophical papers, and sustained oral discussion. Readings include a significant number of important works drawn from diverse areas of philosophical inquiry. Class meetings devoted primarily to student presentations of reading materials and their own written work. Effective oral discussion on the part of the student required.
PHIL
805
Philosophy of Language LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Critical examination of some concepts and problems involved in the philosophical study of language, e.g., truth, meaning, reference, grammaticality, speech acts, language acquisition, the relation of language to other symbol systems, and the use of language in literature.
PHIL
817
Philosophy of Science LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Intensive study of some main problems in the philosophy of science: explanation and prediction in the sciences, the nature of scientific laws, functional explanations in the biological and social sciences, the structure of scientific theories, the ontological status of theoretical entities, the reduction of scientific theories, the confirmation of scientific hypotheses, and value judgments in the acceptance of scientific hypotheses.
PHIL
899
Masters Thesis LINK| Credit Hours: | 6-10 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
Admission to masters degree program and permission of major adviser
PHIL
903
Philosophy of Mathematics LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
905
Philosophy of Language LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
911
Topics in Logic LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
913
Advanced Epistemology LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-4 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
914
Philosophy of Mind LINK| Credit Hours: | 3 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
915
Advanced Metaphysics LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-4 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
917
Philosophy of Science LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
920
Ethical Theory LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
921
Aesthetics LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-4 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
Graduate standing in the humanities
PHIL
923
Philosophy of Psychology LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
925
Social and Political Philosophy LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-4 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Intensive discussion of one or more of the main problems of social and political philosophy. Variable content. Possible topics are: political obligation, the concept of political authority, natural rights, the public interest, the aims of the state, and distributive justice.
PHIL
952
Greek Philosophy LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
955
Empiricism LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
957
Quine LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
960
Rationalism LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
971
Kant LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
991
Special Studies in Philosophy I LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
992
Special Studies in Philosophy II LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
998
Dissertation Seminar LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
PHIL
999
Doctoral Dissertation LINK| Credit Hours: | 1-24 |
| Max credits per degree: | 55 |
| Campus: | |
| Course Delivery: | Classroom |
Prereqs:
Admission to doctoral degree program and permission of supervisory committee chair
Description
For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.
Department Chair: Joseph Mendola, Ph.D.
Graduate Committee: Professor van Roojen (chair), Henderson; Associate Professors Dowell, Gibbons
The Department of Philosophy offers graduate courses leading to the degrees of master of arts and doctor of philosophy. Facility in particular foreign languages and/or special research tools may be required by the supervisory committee when they are particularly relevant to a student’s area of specialization. Students may become candidates for the masters or doctoral degree only after passing general qualifying exams. Candidates for advanced degrees are required to teach as part of their program.
Students should consult the Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Handbook for a complete statement of academic policies and student responsibilities in the Philosophy Department Graduate Program.
The seminar unit is normally represented by 3 credit hours per semester. However, in exceptional cases a student may be given permission to register for more or less than 3 hours.