PHILOSOPHY COURSES

SPRING 2005
PHI 100:  Introduction to Philosophy
(B) Introduction to subject matter and methods of  philosophy. Readings include classical and contemporary  writers on a range of philosophical topics including social and political philosophy, philosophy of religion, questions  of metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and basic  characteristics of rational inquiry. (3 sem.  hr.) Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page

PHI 201:  Ancient Social Philosophy
(S-C) Western philosophy from its origins in Greece, emphasizing Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy. (3 sem. hr.)
Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

PHI 205: Prisons and Punishment
(B) A consideration of theoretical issues surrounding the concept and justification of punishment from traditional sources (Kant, Bentham, Mill) to modern critiques (Foucault).  A number of special issues surrounding prison policy and practice (Race, Supermax Prisions, Youthful Offenders) are also analyzed.  (3 sem.  hr.)  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page

PHI 240:  Social and Political Philosophy
(C) Focus on the relationship between the individual and the state, and opposing conceptions of democracy, freedom and a just society.  Prerequisite:  Three hourse of philosophy or consent of instructor.  (3 sem hr.) Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

PHI 270:  Race and Racism
(C) An examination of political and philosophical issues stemming from relations of power based on "race" in the U.S.  Subjects will include how the concept of "race" has been used to classify humans, designating them as inferior or superior; the notions of racial identity or race consciousness; and political philosophies addressing the problem of racial oppression.  Also listed as AAS 270.  (3 cr. hr.)  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

PHI 380:  Feminist Social Thought
(C)  Discussion of various philosophical approaches to problems of women's oppression, like sex role stereotyping, economic discrimination and treatment in family.  Comparison of political theories and strategy.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of the instructor.  (3 cr. hr.)
Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page

VAL 140:  Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
(A)  Oriented to first-year students. Freedom, justice and equality are examined in connection with racism and sexism.  Not open to students who have taken VAL  335 or VAL 340. (3  sem. hr.) Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page, Craig Hanson, Cecile Lawrence

VAL 335:  Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
(A)  Exploration of moral issues found in our daily lives and our special disciplines. Includes problems such as:  racial and sexual discrimination, abortion, capital punishment, civil disobedience, war, problems in bioethics.  Not open to students who have taken VAL 340. (3 sem. hr.)
Dr. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

PHI 499:  Independent Study    Ashley    (Consent of department)
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Nagel    (Consent of department)
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Russell    (Consent of department)

CPV400:  Internship   (Consent of department)
 
 

FALL 2004

PHI 100:  Introduction to Philosophy
(B) Introduction to subject matter and methods of  philosophy. Readings include classical and contemporary  writers on a range of philosophical topics including social and political philosophy, philosophy of religion, questions  of metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and basic  characteristics of rational inquiry. (3 cr. hr.)

PHI 110: Critical Thinking and Argumentation
(O)  Exercises and principles designed to enhance critial thinking and evaluation of arguments.  In addition to a focus on philosophical inquiry, classes also concentrate on daily situations such as ordinary conversations, reading newspapers and advertising.  Not open to students with credit for COM 241. (3 cr. hr.)  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page

PHI 202:  Introduction to Modern Philosophy
(F-C)  Modern western philosophy from Descartes to Kant.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor. (3 cr. hr.)  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

PHI 235:  Aesthetics and Film
(O)  Theoretical issues surrounding film, including the nature of film and judgments about film, comparison of film theories and theories of film criticism, genres.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.  Also listed as CIN 225.  (3 cr. hr.) Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page

PHI 271:  Philosophy of Human Nature
(B)  Discussion of various existential approaches to the problem and meaning of human existence.  Focus on existentialist themes such as self-consciousness, freedom, absurdity, responsibility, being and nothingness.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.  (3 cr. hr.)  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page

PHI 321 Medical Ethics  CANCELLED!!!!
(C)  Consideration of ethical issues as they arise in contemporary medical practice and related health-care professions.  Readings from philosophy or consent of instructor.  (3 cr. hr.)  CANCELLED!!!!

VAL 140:  Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
(A)  Oriented to first-year students. Freedom, justice and equality are examined in connection with racism and sexism.  Not open to students who have taken VAL  335 or VAL 340. (3  cr. hr.)  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page, Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page, Craig Hanson, Cecile Lawrence.

VAL 335:  Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
(A)  Exploration of moral issues found in our daily lives and our special disciplines. Includes problems such as:  racial and sexual discrimination, abortion, capital punishment, civil disobedience, war, problems in bioethics.  Not open to students who have taken VAL 340. (3 cr. hr.)
Dr. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

PHI 499:  Independent Study    Ashley
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Staff
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Nagel
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Russell
 
 

SPRING 2004
PHI 100:  Introduction to Philosophy
(B) Introduction to subject matter and methods of  philosophy. Readings include classical and contemporary  writers on a range of philosophical topics including social  and political philosophy, philosophy of religion, questions  of metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and basic  characteristics of rational inquiry. (3 sem.  hr.)

PHI 203: Social Ethics
(C) Basic theories of ethics and their application to the problems of social justice.  Theorists studied with include:  Kant, J.S. Mill, Rawls, Nozick.  Issues to be discussed may include affirmative action, politial liberty and civil disobedience, and equality.  (3 sem.  hr.)

PHI 205: Prisons and Punishment
(B)  A consideration of theoretical issues surrounding the concept and justification of punishment from traditional sources (Kant, Bentham, Mill) to modern critiques (Foucault).  A number of special issues surrounding prison policy and practice (Race, Supermax Prisions, Youthful Offenders) are also analyzed.  (3 sem.  hr.)  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page

PHI 229:  TP:  Images of Water in the Arts
The course is based on interdisciplinary approach (sensual, mythological, psychological, gender, philosophical, and aesthetic aspects of water) with strong cross-cultural and international dimension (examples from India, Europe, America and Asia).  The analyses of various symbolic and aesthetic meanings of the artworks embrace both classical and contemporary images evoked by the water element mainly from Fine Arts (some examples from literature and mustic will be included, too.)  (3 sem hr.)  Zdenka Kalnicka

PHI 300: Philosophical Issues:  Hegel to Nietzsche
(O)  Detailed study of one philosophical problem or comparative study of two or more philosophers.  May be repeated as subtitle shanges.  Prerequisite:  200-level course in pphilosophy or consent of instructor.  (3 sem.  hr.)  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page

PHI 375:  Science Truth and Bias
(F-C)  Examines accounts of scientific methods and the influence of social values or human interests on scientific reasoning.  Comtemporary challenges to the idea of objectivity will be looked at to understand knowldge claims in the natural and social sciences.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.  (3 sem.  hr.) Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

SCI 300:  Science and Its Social Context -WI
This interdisciplinary course is designed to encourage students to think carefully about the role science plays in the intellectual and practical life of society and about how social factors outside science affect the activity of scientists.
Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

VAL 140:  Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
(A)  Oriented to first-year students. Freedom, justice and equality are examined in connection with racism and sexism.  Not open to students who have taken VAL  335 or VAL 340. (3  sem. hr.)  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page,  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page, Craig Hanson

VAL 335:  Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
(A)  Exploration of moral issues found in our daily lives and our special disciplines. Includes problems such as:  racial and sexual discrimination, abortion, capital punishment, civil disobedience, war, problems in bioethics.  Not open to students who have taken VAL 340. (3 sem. hr.)
Dr. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

PHI 499:  Independent Study    Ashley
PHI 499:  Independent Study
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Nagel
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Russell

CPV400:  Internship (Consent of department)

FALL 2003

PHI 100:  Introduction to Philosophy
(B) Introduction to subject matter and methods of  philosophy. Readings include classical and contemporary  writers on a range of philosophical topics including social  and political philosophy, philosophy of religion, questions  of metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and basic  characteristics of rational inquiry. (3 sem.  hr.)

PHI 202:  DL:  Intro. to Modern Philosophy
(S-C)  Modern western philosophy from Descartes to Kant.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.
Dr. Georges Dicker from SUNY Brockport

PHI 272:  DL:  Utopias
(C) An investigation of the concept of ideal societies.  The course will investigate the literary expressionsof utopian sentiment, historical attempts at founding utopian communities and the philosophical implicationsof utopian thought.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page

PHI 320:  Environmental Ethics
(C)  A consideration of ethical issues as they arise in human interaction with the environment.  Topics will include environmental racism, "speciesism," the Gaia hypothesis and the impact of population growth on ecology.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or three hours of environmental studies or consent of instructor.

PHI 382: Marxist Philosophy
(O)  Karl Marx's thought and its implications for today.  Topics will include political economic theory, alienation, sexism,r acism, and imperialism.  Prerequisite:  Three hours of philosophy or consent of instructor.  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

VAL 140:  Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
(A)  Oriented to first-year students. Freedom, justice and  equality are examined in connection with racism and sexism.  Not open to students who have taken VAL  335 or VAL 340. (3  sem. hr.)  B. Jean Young
Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page

VAL 335:  Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
(A)  Exploration of moral issues found in our daily lives and our special disciplines. Includes problems such as:  racial and sexual discrimination, abortion, capital punishment, civil disobedience, war, problems in bioethics.  Not open to students who have taken VAL 340. (3 sem. hr.)
Dr. Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

SCI 300:  Science and Its Social Context -WI
This interdisciplinary course is designed to encourage students to think carefully about the role science plays in the intellectual and practical life of society and about how social factors outside science affect the activity of scientists.
Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

PHI 499:  Independent Study    Ashley
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Jackson
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Nagel
PHI 499:  Independent Study    Russell

CPV400:  Internship (Consent of department)

SPRING 2003:

If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Section 001  CRN 23256
Introduction to Philosophy
Ashley, Lawrence:   Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page
08:30 A.M. to 09:45 A.M. on Tue, Thu

Section 002  CRN 20121
Introduction to Philosophy
10:05 A.M. to 11:20 A.M. on Tue, Thu

PHI 201:  Ancient Social Philosophy
Western philosophy from its origins in Greece, emphasizing Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy. (3 sem. hr.)
Section 001  CRN 23261
Ancient Social Philosophy
Ashley, Lawrence:  Dr. Larry Ashley's Home Page
7:00 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. on Mon

PHI 229:  Special Topics in Philosophy
Selected topics. May be taken more than once as subtitle  changes. Prerequisites: Designated by department as  appropriate for content and academic level of credit. (1-4  sem. hr.)
Section 001  CRN 23610  CANCELLED
TP:Images of Water in the Arts
Dr. Z. Kalnicka
TBA
CANCELLED

PHI 271:  Philosophy of Human Nature
Discussion of various existential approaches to the  problem and meaning of human existence. Focus on  existentialist themes such as self-consciousness,  freedom,  absurdity, responsibility, being and nothingness.  Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy or consent of  instructor. (3 sem. hr.)
Section 001
CRN 23260
Philosophy of Human Nature
Nagel, Mechthild:  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page
4:20 P.M. to 6:50 P.M. on Tue
Philosophy of Human Nature (Phi 271.001)

PHI 300:  Philosophical Issues
Detailed study of one philosophical problem or comparative study of two or more philosophers. May be  repeated as subtitle changes. Prerequisite: 200-level course in philosophy. (3 sem. hr.)
Section 001
CRN 23258
Philosophical Issues: Multicultural Social Thought
Russell, Kathryn
4:20 P.M. to 6:50 P.M. on Wed.
Philosophical Issues:  Multicultural Social Thought (Phi 300.001) Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page

PHI 340:  Philosophy of Law
Nature of law with special attention to relation of law  to morality. Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy. (3  sem. hr.)
Section 001
CRN 23263
Philosophy of Law
11:40 A.M. to 12:55 P.M. on Tue, Thu
 

VAL 140:  Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Oriented to first-year students. Freedom, justice and  equality are examined in connection with racism and sexism.  Not open to students who have taken VAL  335 or VAL 340. (3  sem. hr.)
Section 001
CRN 20206
Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Nagel, Mechthild:  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page
1:15 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. on Tue, Thu

Section 002
CRN 23264
Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Nagel, Mechthild:  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page
2:50 P.M. to 4:05 P.M. on Tue, Thu

Section 003
CRN 20208
Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Young, B. Jean
08:00 A.M. to 08:50 A.M. on Mon, Wed, Fri

Section 004
CRN 20114
Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Young, B. Jean
09:10 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. on Mon, Wed, Fri

Section 201 (Paired Course -- Must take CPN 101-201 Also)
CRN 23266
Prejudice, Discrimination, & Morality
Russell, Kathryn:  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page
11:30 A.M. to 12:20 P.M. on Mon, Wed, Fri

VAL 335 Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
Exploration of moral issues found in our daily lives  and our special disciplines. Includes problems such as:  racial and sexual discrimination, abortion, capital punishment, civil disobedience, war, problems in bioethics.  Not open to students who have taken VAL 340. (3 sem. hr.)
Section 001
CRN 22619
Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
Fitz-Gibbon, Andrew
 08:30 A.M. to 09:45 A.M. on Tue, Thu

Section 002
CRN 22620
Philosophical Approaches to Contemporary Moral Problems
Fitz-Gibbon, Andrew
10:05 A.M. to 11:20 A.M. on Tue, Thu
 

PHI 499 Independent Studies
Directed research culminating in substantial paper. For  majors and minors only. Prerequisite: Consent of  department. (3 sem. hr.)
Section 500
CRN 21630
Independent Studies
Russell, Kathryn
TBA

Section 501
CRN 21967
Independent Studies
TBA

Section 502
CRN 21962
Independent Studies
Nagel, Mechthild
TBA

Section 503
CRN 23257
Independent Studies
Ashley, Lawrence
TBA

FALL 2002:  If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course. If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

LISTING OF PREVIOUS COURSES OFFERED (click here)
 
 

New descriptions:

Race and Racism  (Phi 270.001)
Professor: Kathryn Russell

This course will examine political, economic, and cultural issues that structure relations of power according to "race" in the United States. We will see that the concept of race cannot be grounded in biological differences among humans, nor can it be traced to innate behavioral tendencies or intellectual capacities. Instead race is a social construct, rooted in economic and cultural interests of dominating groups.

 The first part of the course will focus on institutional racism. Students will work in groups to come up with recommendations for new policies to address racism or action plans for activism against racism.

 Then we will turn to the historical origins of the concept of race. The ideology of race originates with the oppression of the Irish and Native American populations and growth of European colonialism with its attendant trade in the peoples of Africa. US colonialism continued racialization processes begun by Europeans. The conquest of half of Mexico in 1848, the continued appropriation of Native American land, and the immigration of Asians have extended the racial paradigm beyond black vs. white.

 We will see that the rise of colonialism and capitalism was accompanied with attempts to classify all humans and rank them according to their racial group. The result was competing theories of human diversity which ultimately served to justify the authority of white people, men in particular, and to legitimate the oppression of people of color.

 After grounding ourselves in a study of what racism is and how it has developed, we will examine black philosophical approaches found in the Carribean and the United States. This section will be significantly directed by students who will select the articles and the issues they want to focus on from the text I Am Because We Are: Readings in Black Philosophy and/or from material of their own choosing.
 
 
 

Symbolic Logic (Phi 111.001)
Professor: Larry Ashley
         This is a very unique course.  Instead of adopting a book of symbolic logic (there are MANY of these) we adopt a book which just consists of a large number of arguments, valid and invalid.  As a class, we set about creating our own formal system adequate to showing which of the arguments we are given are valid and which are not.  We cover symbolization, truth tables, rules for proofs.  We complete a propositional logic system and end the course with as much of predicate logic as we can include.
         For thinking about language, meaning, analysis, argument, etc., the study of logic is a must!
         This course is especially valuable to LSAT takers, who must show "analytic abilty", to students in math who are interested in the construction of formal systems and, of course, to philosophy majors and minors for whom formal logic is a standard tool of the discipline.
 
 

Feminist Social Thought
Professor: Mecke Nagel
        We will compare and contrast different feminist theories, including Radical Feminism, Socialist Feminism, Liberal Feminism, and Multicultural Feminism, using sociological and philosophical approaches.  Special focus on politics of the body and aging, and Black Feminist Thought. No prerequisites necessary.
Books: Judith Lorber, Gender Inquality
Joy James, Shadowboxing: Representations of Black Feminist Politics
Bettina Aptheker, The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis
Kathleen Woodward, Figuring Age: Women, Bodies, Generations

Back to current course listings

If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course. If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001)
Symbolic Logic  (Phi 111.001) Dr. Bernard Jackson's Home Page
TP:  Islam -- Beliefs and Practices  (Phi 229.001)  Dr. Osborne Lorentzen
Social and Political Philosophy:  Global Power  (Phi 240-001) Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page
Environmental Ethics (Phi 320-001)
Feminist Social Thought  (Phi 380.001) Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page
Contemporary Philosophical Approaches  (Phi 390-001)  Dr. John Ryder
DL:  Seminar:  Hume-Kant  (Phi 400-001) Dr. Georges Dicker (SUNY Brockport)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.001.002.201) Dr. Anthony Pendergrass,  Dr. Mechthild Nagel's Home Page  and  Dr. Kathryn Russell's Home Page
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001.002)  Dr. Andrew Fitzgibbon

If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course. If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.001.002.201.202)
Introduction to Modern Philosophy  (Phi 202.001)
Prisons and Punishment  (Phi 229.001)
Philosophy of Human Nature (Phi 271.001)
Utopias (Phi 272.001)
Science and Its Social Context -WI  (Sci 300.001)
Science, Truth and Bias  (Phi 375.001)
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001.002)

Back to current course listings
 
 

SPRING 2001

If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course. If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001.002)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.001.002.003.004.005.201)
Ancient Social Philosophy  (Phi 201.001)  (NOTE:  THURSDAY NOT MONDAY NIGHT!)
Race and Racism (Phi 270.001)
Science and Its Social Context -WI  (Sci 300.001)
Philosophy of Law  (Phi 340.001)
Feminist Social Thought  (Phi 380.001)
 
 

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001.002)
Introduction to Modern Philosophy  (Phi 202.001)
Social Ethics  (Phi 203.001)
Prisons and Punishment  (Phi 229.001)
Aesthetics and Film  (Phi 235-001)  CANCELLED!
Social and Political Philosophy  (Phi 240-001) CANCELLED!
Marxist Philosophy  (Phi 382-001)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.001.002.003.004.201)
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001.002.003)
 
 

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001)
Symbolic Logic  (Phi 111)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.201)
Masculinities (Phi 229)
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001.002)
Philosophical Issues:  Prejudice and Discrimination (Val 340.001.002)
Science, Truth and Bias  (Phi 375)
Feminist Social Thought  (Phi 380)
 
 

Philosophy courses offered in the Fall of 1999 are listed below.  If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course.  If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.201)
Introduction to Modern Philosophy  (Phi 202.001)
Social and Political Philosophy (Phi 240.001)
Race and Racism (Phi 270.001)
Utopias (Phi 272.001)
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001.002)
Philosophical Issues:  Prejudice and Disrimination (Val 340.001.002)
 
 

If you would like to read a brief course description for a course, click on the title of the course. If you would like a closer look at the course, you can access its syllabus, if one is available, by clicking on the section number.

Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100.001)
Social Ethics (Phi 203.001)
American Philosophy (Phi 250)
TP: Individual Philosophy:  Berkeley and Locke  (Phi 329)
    (Distance Learning from Brockport; no syllabus available)
Feminist Social Thought  (Phi 380.001)
TP:  The Puzzle of Free Will (Distance Learning from Fredonia) (Phi 429.001)
Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.201)
Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems (Val 335.001,002)
Philosophical Issues:  Prejudice and Disrimination (Val 340.001,002)
 
 

                                                                FALL 1998
 

 Introduction to Philosophy (click here) (Phi 100)
Meaning and Existence (click here)  (Phi 215)
Environmental Ethics (click here) (Phi 229)
Introduction to Modern Philosophy (click here)  (Phi 261)
Science, Truth and Bias (click here) (Phi 275)
Theory of Knowledge (click here)  (Phi 329)
 
 

Prejudice, Discrimination and Morality (Val 140.201)
Professor: Larry Ashley

COURSE DESCRIPTION (JOINT):

This is a joint course, pairing CPN101 and Val 140. The composition element is part of an all-college
requirement for students at Cortland and the Values course satisfies the GE2 category of the General Education requirements of the College. We hope, by this pairing, to enrich both your study of the values issues (racism, sexism and homophobia) and your writing skills by binding together the subject matter and the process of writing in a more integrated way than is normally attempted in other classes in these areas. Additionally, both classes will introduce you to using computers. You will learn to use the computer to aid you in your writing, to extend your understanding of social issues and to project your "voice" beyond the walls of the college.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
In the values course, our objectives are several:
(1) to learn as much as we can of our national history with respect to "disadvantaged groups"--those who
have had to struggle for inclusion within the framework of power and acceptance which defines the
nation.
(2) to learn of the of the conditions, experiences and issues which characterize these groups.
(3) to study the causes of inequality and oppression.
(4) to discuss alternative visions of what we ought to strive for as a people and a nation.
(5) to discuss alternative suggestions about how we might bring about such a vision.

The course is designed to provide you with an occasion to exchange perspectives and discuss topics which are amongst the most crucial and divisive to people in our society.
 
 

Philosophical Approaches:  Contemporary Moral Problems.  Val 335.001

Professor: Robert Schwager

Course Description The purpose of this course is to introduce you to moral reasoning, i.e. moral justification and moral disagreement. Not only will you be asked to read and discuss various articles in which moral issues are analyzed, but you will be called upon to discuss moral issues as they arise in case studies, many of which involve real-life situations. By the end of the course you should understand the extent to which morality is not merely subjective, not simply a matter of personal taste, but a legitimate area of critical investigation requiring the application of intelligent analysis to the solution of moral issues. You should have come to understand the sorts of reasons that can be used to support moral judgments and the sorts of reasons that are of no relevance to moral decision-making.

Back to current course listings

Philosophical Issues: Prejudice and Discrimination.  Val 340.001, 002

Course Description: This class will define the difference between prejudice and oppression and will examine institutional, cultural and personal oppression. We will also consider resistance to
oppression and creativity in the face of oppression. In particular, the class will focus on racism,
sexism, classism, heterosexism, and anti-Semitism. One important task of the class will be an
exploration of the historical underpinnings of oppressive forces in contemporary society. That is,
we will examine how present social, political and economic conditions grow from and are shaped by past events. And we will examine how present reflections might change our interpretations of and insights into historical events. Through historical, philosophical, and literary readings;
discussions; activities; videos and student presentations, we will explore personal and cultural
identities and how these identities, along with oppression and privilege based in such identities,
intersect. Strategies for change, on both personal and broader levels, will be investigated.
 
 

troduction to philosophy (Phi 100.001)

Professor:  Anne Mamary

Course description: How do we know what we know? Who are we? What is real? Do people have free will?  Is there absolute knowledge or only contingent knowledge?  Reading philosophical and literary texts, both historical and contemporary, the class will consider these and other questions in the history of philosophy.

Back to current course listings

Masculinities (Phi 229.001)
Professor: Anne Mamary
        This course will examine constructions of masculinities. That is, we will consider cultural attitudes about men and maleness. We will consider representations of male bodies in advertising and the media. We will look at power and gender ideology in sports. We'll ask ourselves questions about men with other men and men with women. the class will look at changing clothing styles and what those styles signify about men and masculinity. We will consider men's experiences at home, at play, in prison, and in school. Finally, we will attempt to untangle the gender expectations that, at times, bind both women and men.

Back to current course listings

Social Ethics (Phi 203)

Professor: Robert Schwager

Course Description. The purpose of this course is to examine some basic issues in the area of social ethics. Unlike courses in ethics per se or courses in contemporary moral problems, the focus in this course is on ethical issues at the societal level rather than at the level of individual morality. Thus, lying may be morally wrong. Nonetheless, it is at least possible that a public official under certain circumstances may be justified in telling (or even morally required to tell) a lie for reasons having to do with her role in the polity. Similarly, the issues we shall be dealing with are issues which have a peculiar application to the relationship of the individual to society and the structure of society itself.

Meaning and Existence PHI 215.001

I stick my finger in existence--it smells of nothing. Where am I? What is this thing called the world? Who is it who has lured me into the thing, and now leaves me here? Who am I? How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted?

One of the forerunners of existentialism, Kierkegaard posed many of the questions with which this class, through our reading of several existentialist texts, will grapple. That is, what is the nature of the human being, and what is the meaning of human existence, if it has any meaning at all?

Existentialism is a philosophy that denies that humans have any innate, essential nature. Rather, human beings are unique in that we are conscious of our selves and our lives. This class will focus, then, on human existence and the meaning(s) we give to our lives through our own conscious existence.

Being self-conscious and not having any given nature or purpose, humans are free to make decisions regarding the course of our lives. Jean-Paul Sartre, commenting on this freedom, said that not only are we free, but we are "condemned to be free."

One of the guiding questions of the class will be about the nature of this freedom and what it means to be condemned to freedom. We will also ask what social constraints make freedom more of an abstraction than a reality. For example, what effects do racism, sexism and classism and normative race, class and gender expectations have on an individual's ability to make choices and then to carry them out?

Back to current course listings
Return to Philosophy Department Page

American Philosophy Phi 250

Professor:  John Ryder

 Course Description: This course is a study of the dominant features of philosophy in North America, the United States in particular, from the colonial period through the present. We will begin with a quick look at the pre-revolutionary period, the enlightenment, and transcendentalism. Most of the semester, however, will be devoted to the two most influential strains of American philosophy, pragmatism and naturalism, both of which have come into their own in the twentieth century.

 Our readings are nearly all primary sources, so we will have a first hand view of the issues and analyses that have moved prominent philosophers and intellectuals throughout American history. We will be reading and discussing material that ranges over a wide area of philosophic interest, including questions concerning nature and knowledge, ethics, the individual and society, and political theory. We will also consider at various points the question whether American philosophy reflects anything unique or distinctive about the American "experience."

Back to current course listings

Race and Racism Phi 270-001 & AAS 270-001

Professor:  Kathryn Russell

Course Description: This course will examine political, economic, and cultural issues that structure relations of power according to "race" in the United States. We will see that the concept of race cannot be grounded in biological differences among humans, nor can it be traced to innate behavioral tendencies or intellectual capacities. Instead race is a social construct, rooted in economic and cultural interests of dominating groups.

We cannot understand how race has become entrenched in US institutions today without looking at its historical origins.  The ideology of race originates with the oppression of the Irish and Native American populations and growth of European colonialism with its attendant trade in the peoples of Africa. US colonialism continued the racialization processes begun by Europeans. The conquest of half of Mexico in 1848, the continued appropriation of Native American land, and the immigration of Asians have extended the racial paradigm beyond black vs. white.

We will see that the rise of colonialism and capitalism was accompanied with attempts to classify all humans and rank them according to their racial group. The result was competing theories of human diversity which ultimately served to justify the authority of white people, men in particular, and to legitimate the oppression of people of color. Though these scientific forms of racism declined in the twentieth century, they have been replaced with more subtle styles of racist thinking.
After grounding ourselves in a study of what racism is and how it has developed, we will examine Charles Mills' theory that among whites a nonverbal "social contract" exists which structures white consciousness and ideologically justifies the subordination of people of color.

Finally, the work of Angela Y. Davis and Elizabeth Martinez will aid us in studying political activism and contemporary issues like the prison industrial complex, immigration, women, labor exploitation, art and music, and multiculturalism.

Science, Truth and Bias  PHI 275.001

In The Scientific Attitude Frederick Grinnell says "there are three kinds of umpires:  The first says `I call them [balls and strikes] as they are;' the second says:  `I call them as I see them;' the third says, `What I call them is what they become.'"

We often think of science along the lines of the first umpire.  It is successful only if facts are described with complete neutrality.  Honest investigators can claim to know the objective truth only if they are bias-free.  But is this goal possible?

Recent work in philosophy suggests not.  This course will look at the reasons why.  We will contrast the traditional view of science corresponding to the first umpire with contemporary views.  Science is perhaps more like the second or third type of umpire.  In studying the world, people bring their biases with them, and they cannot get outside the circle of assumptions they acquire from their own experience, culture and society.  And if science is a form of collective practical activity, we must consider its political dimensions.  Truth claims may contain hidden values that reflect the interests of powerful groups.

But must we then throw out the ideal of objectivity?  We will examine this challenge as we consider accounts of scientific evidence and reasoning.  We will work with issues and problems that arise in both the social and the natural sciences, so the course should be valuable for students in either area who are interested in fundamental questions and assumptions of their own disciplines.  Though the course has a three hour prerequisite, it is appropriate for students who have a solid background in their fields, even if they have no background in philosophy.  The course requires only your interest and  willingness to examine critically the nature of scientific inquiry.

Course would be good for science majors, political science majors, and others interested in issues of knowledge, values, and truth.  Meets philosophy requirement for Psychology and English majors.

Back to current course listings
Return to Philosophy Department Page

Feminist Social Thought.  Phi 380

Professor:  Anne Mamary

Course Description: This course will offer an introduction to some of the questions that shape feminist philosophy today.  What connections are there between feminist philosophy and feminist writing in other disciplines and feminist movements inside and outside the academy?  The class will assume the importance of diverse women's voices and their reflections on their lives and memories as we consider a range of issues of importance to women, some of which include: activism; body image and relationships to food; women's relationships to friends, lovers, children, communities and families; institutionalized oppression; resistance to oppression; and feminist thought and writing.  Reading theoretical and literary texts, and experimental texts which challenge the distinction between theory and literature, the class will focus on how an awareness of the intersections of race, class, sexuality, gender, ability and ethnicity is vital for disciplinary and interdisciplinary study in feminist philosophy.

Format: Lecture, discussion, video.  Often discussions will be facilitated by a student or pair of students.

Back to current course listings

Philosophy courses offered in the Fall of 1996 are listed below. The courses described are:
Introduction to Philosophy (Phi 100)
Critical Thinking (Phi 110)
Introduction to Modern Philosophy (Phi 261)
 

These descriptions do not cover other courses taught by the philosophy department, eg the GE courses Val 140, Val 340 and Sci 300.

Introduction to Philosophy PHI 100.001

This course is intended for those who are interested in learning what philosophy is about and how philosophic inquiry is conducted. It has no prerequisites, and is open to students at all levels. The discipline of philosophy is one of the oldest forms of inquiry, and it is the parent of many of the disciplines with which we are currently familiar, especially the natural and social sciences. Consequently it includes many problems and issues which are relevant to those disciplines: what is the mind? how should society be organized? what are human rights? what is the proper role of government? etc. In addition to its connection to other disciplines, philosophy also includes a core of issues which are more or less unique to it. These include issues in logic, aesthetic and ethical values, questions about the general nature of reality, and problems concerning the nature of knowledge. Students in this course will study several of these issues, reading both classical and contemporary authors who have written on them. Whichever issues are covered in the course, and they differ from one semester to the next and from one instructor to the next, we will learn philosophy by doing it through class discussions and writing.
 

Return to Philosophy Department Page
 

Critical Thinking PHI 110-001

Would you like to argue more persuasively? Did you ever feel you knew that someone's viewpoint was right or wrong but were unsure how to defend your reaction? This class will pick up on these "gut feelings" and discuss ways to evaluate what people say. We will look at arguments as they occur in everyday settings, such as letters to the editor in newspapers or popular magazines. Students will be invited to bring in samples of such material so that we can apply our work to concrete social issues of interest to the class. We will learn some traditional techniques for deciding whether an argument is acceptable or whether an analogy is appropriate. Particular attention will be given to helping students construct their own effective arguments. Our goal will be to develop critical thinking skills that can be used when the course is over. This course has no prerequisite, and is open to all interested students. It is the same course which was offered during the Spring 1995 term as PHI 200 Informal Reasoning. It is not open to students who have taken that course or who have taken COM 203 Argumentation and Debate.
 
 

Introduction to Modern Philosophy PHI 261-001

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe were marked by the rise of the new science of mechanism, the growth of industry and capitalist exchange, the Atlantic slave trade, and witch hunts. New nation-states were created in response to industrialization and colonialism. This course will show how modern philosophy participated in these changes by creating new concepts and systems of thought. As the medieval world was torn asunder, philosophers broke away from Aristotelian scholasticism, examined the new assumptions made necessary by mathematical physics and experimental science, and responded to the moral challenges thrown up by nontraditional and threatening patterns of social and political life.

Return to Philosophy Department Page