UA Courses | Philosophy

Fall 1999 Course Descriptions
Help reading course descriptions
Course numbers link to the Schedule of Classes.

Philosophy (PHIL) Dept Info - College Info

PHIL 110. Logic and Critical Thinking (3) I II Designed to improve ability to reason and think critically; emphasis on evaluating and presenting arguments. Includes a basic introduction to logic and scientific reasoning. P, Math Readiness Test score of at least 100 and have satisfied the 1998-99 admissions requirement for mathematics.

PHIL 111. Introduction to Philosophy (3) I II Selected basic philosophical areas and problems: knowledge, belief and truth; the world and God; nature of persons; action and free will; the good life; the ideal community.

PHIL 113. Introduction to Moral and Social Philosophy (3) I II Introduction to moral and political theory, and problems of practical ethics. Readings from representative moral and social philosophers.

PHIL 121. Philosophical Foundations of Western Civilization: Justice and Virtue (3) Classical, medieval and modern moral and political thought; theories of human good, natural rights, political obligation, relation of individual and state, class conflict.

PHIL 122. Philosophical Foundations of Western Civilization: Mind, Matter and God (3) Classical, medieval and modern metaphysical questions: What am I-mind, body, or both? Is the nature of the world ultimately physical? What is God? How may we know?

PHIL 145. Science, Technology and Human Values (3) I Nature of science, technology, pseudo-science, and their relation to philosophy and culture; impact of science and technology on society and its values and religion.

PHIL 195A. Topics in Philosophy (1) I II

PHIL 199. Independent Study (1-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 202. Introduction to Symbolic Logic (3) I II Truth-functional logic and quantification theory; deductive techniques and translation into symbolic notation. (Identical with MATH 202).

PHIL 222. African American Studies: A History of Ideas (3) II P, two courses from Tier One, Traditions and Cultures (TRAD 101,102,103,104). (Identical with AFAS 222, which is home). Approved as Tier Two -Humanities. Fulfills the Gender, Race, Class, Ethnicity, or Non-Western area study requirement.

PHIL 233. Philosophy of Religion (3) I Nature of religion; existence and nature of God; religion and meaning, values and knowledge. P, two courses from Tier One, Individuals and Societies (INDV 101, 102, 103, 104). (Identical with RELI 233). Approved as Tier Two -Individuals and Societies.

PHIL 238. Philosophy in Literature (3) I Philosophical analysis of selected literary works.

PHIL 245. Existential Problems (3) I II Exploration of central problems of the human condition, such as meaning of life; death; self-deception; authenticity, integrity and responsibility; guilt and shame; love and sexuality. (Identical with RELI 245).

PHIL 260. Ancient Philosophy (3) I Survey of Greek philosophy, from the pre-Socratic philosophers through Plato and Aristotle to post-Aristotelian philosophers. P, two courses from Tier One, Traditions and Cultures (TRAD 101,102,103,104). (Identical with CLAS 260). Approved as Tier Two -Humanities.

PHIL 261. Medieval Philosophy (3) The course focuses on three important thinkers in the Christian medieval tradition-Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. Topics covered: knowledge and skepticism, free will and the problem of evil, the nature and existence of God, and problem of universals. P, two courses from Tier One, Traditions and Cultures (TRAD 101,102,103,104). Approved as Tier Two -Humanities.

PHIL 262. Early Modern Philosophy (3) I II Survey of major 17th and 18th century British and European philosophers, chosen from Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. P, two courses from Tier One, Traditions and Cultures (TRAD 101,102,103,104). Approved as Tier Two -Humanities.

PHIL 263. From Hegel Nietzsche: 19th Century Philosophy (3) I II Survey of influential 19th century philosophers, including Hegel, Marx, J.S. Mill, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Their views on the individual and society, and human nature.

PHIL 264. 20th Century Philosophy (3) Survey of major analytic and continental philosophers of the 20th century including Pierce, Dewey, James, Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Carnap, Austin, Quine, Husserl, Sartre, Heidegger and Derrida. P, two courses from Tier One, Individuals and Societies (INDV 101, 102, 103, 104). Approved as Tier Two -Individuals and Societies.

PHIL 299. Independent Study (2-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 299H. Honors Independent Study (1-2) [Rpt./] I

PHIL 305. Introduction to Philosophy of Science (3) I II Basic issues in the logic of science: scientific concepts and their meaning, testing of hypotheses, explanation, measurement, role of mathematics, truth versus convention, limits of science. P, two courses from Tier One, Natural Sciences (NATS 101, 102, 104). Approved as Tier Two -Natural Sciences.

PHIL 321. Medical Ethics (3) I II Ethical issues that arise in relation to medicine and health care: abortion, euthanasia, the allocation of scarce medical resources, socialized medicine, doctor-patient confidentiality, paternalism, etc.

PHIL 322. Business Ethics (3) II Selected ethical issues in business, including corporate responsibility, preferential hiring and reverse discrimination, advertising practices, environmental responsibility.

PHIL 323. Environmental Ethics (3) Do we have an obligation to recycle? What can and what should we do about the quality of our air and water? In general, what are the proper environmental responsibilities of government, business, community organizations, and individual citizens? Approved as Tier Two -Individuals and Societies.

PHIL 344. Issues and Methods in Analytic Philosophy (3) I II Designed to improve ability to think analytically, with emphasis on analytic methodology. Selected readings on the nature of mental states, the analytic/synthetic distinction, personal identity, the concept of knowledge and justified belief, the theory of reference, and the distinction between science and pseudo-science. Writing Emphasis Course. P, PHIL 202.

PHIL 346. Minds, Brains and Computers (3) [Rpt./ 1] I An introduction to cognitive science; current issues relating to minds as computers, neuroscience, vision and language. P, two courses from Tier One, Individuals and Societies (INDV 101, 102, 103, 104). (Identical with PSYC 346). Approved as Tier Two -Individuals and Societies.

PHIL 376. Introduction to the Philosophy of Language (3) I II A survey of basic issues in the philosophy of language. (Identical with LING 376).

PHIL 396H. Honors Proseminar (3) II

PHIL 399. Independent Study (1-4)

PHIL 399H. Honors Independent Study (1-3) [Rpt./] I II

PHIL 401A. Symbolic Logic (3) I Intermediate prepositional logic and quantificational theory, natural deduction, axiom systems, elementary metatheorems, introduction notions of modal logic, selected topics in philosophy of logic. Credit allowed for only one of these course: PHIL 401A, PHIL 402. (Identical with C SC 401A, MATH 401A). May be convened with PHIL 501A.

PHIL 401B. Symbolic Logic (3) II Advanced prepositional logic and quantification theory; metatheorems on consistency, independence, and completeness; set theory, number theory, and modal theory; recursive function theory and Goedel's incompleteness theorem. (Identical with MATH 401B, C SC 401B). May be convened with PHIL 501B.

PHIL 402. Mathematical Logic (3) I (Identical with MATH 402, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 502.

PHIL 403. Foundations of Mathematics (3) II P, MATH 215. (Identical with MATH 403, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 503.

PHIL 410A. History of Moral and Political Philosophy (3) I Reading and analysis of selected texts from the Greeks to the present. Course focuses on the history of moral philosophy. May be convened with PHIL 510A.

PHIL 410B. History of Moral and Political Philosophy (3) II Reading and analysis of selected texts from the Greeks to the present. Course focuses on the history of social and political philosophy. May be convened with PHIL 510B.

PHIL 412. Readings in Greek Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 6 units] I II Extensive readings in Greek in one of the following areas of Greek philosophy: the pre-Socratics, Plato's ethic and epistemology, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Writing Emphasis Course. P, GRK 202. (Identical with GRK 412). May be convened with PHIL 512.

PHIL 414. Philosophical Logic (3) I II Introduction to modal logic; problems of interpretation and application; extensions to such areas as tense logic, epistemic logic, deontic logic. May be convened with PHIL 514.

PHIL 416. Philosophy of Mathematics (3) I II Problems at the foundations of geometry and set theory. Logicism, formalism, and intuitionism. Nominalism vs. realism. Epistemology of mathematics. May be convened with PHIL 516.

PHIL 419. Induction and Probability (3) I II Basic philosophical problems concerning justification of induction, confirmation of scientific hypotheses, and meaning of probability concepts. May be convened with PHIL 519.

PHIL 421. Philosophy of the Biological Sciences (3) II Laws and models in biology, structure of evolutionary theory, teleological explanations, reductionism, sociobiology. (Identical with ECOL 421). May be convened with PHIL 521.

PHIL 423A. Philosophy of the Physical Sciences (3) I Philosophical problems of space, time, and motion. Topics may include the nature of geometrical knowledge, the philosophical impact of relativity theory, absolute versus relative conceptions of space and time. May be convened with PHIL 523A.

PHIL 423B. Philosophy of the Physical Sciences (3) I Theories and models. Measurement, experimentation, testing hypothesis. Philosophical problems concerning explanation, causation, and law of nature. Philosophical problems raised by quantum mechanics and/or other physical theories. May be convened with PHIL 523B.

PHIL 430A. Ethical Theory (3) I Meta-ethics-meaning of moral terms, relativism, subjectivism, ethics and science, social contract theory. May be convened with PHIL 530A.

PHIL 430B. Ethical Theory (3) II Normative ethics-Utilitarianism, egoism, rights, natural law, justice, deontological duties, blameworthiness and excuses. May be convened with PHIL 530B.

PHIL 432. Psychology of Language (3) II P, LING 101 or PSYC 101. (Identical with LING 432, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 532.

PHIL 433. Aesthetics (3) I II Classical and contemporary theories of art; the esthetic experience, form and content, meaning, problems in interpretation and criticism of works of art. May be convened with PHIL 533.

PHIL 434. Social and Political Philosophy (3) I II Fundamental concepts of politics; leading social and political theories, such as anarchism, social contract, Marxism. May be convened with PHIL 534.

PHIL 436. Games and Decisions (3) I Classical theory of subjective probability, utility, and rational choice, with applications to games theory and social welfare theory. P, MATH 119. May be convened with PHIL 536.

PHIL 438A. Philosophy of Law (3) I Nature and validity of law; law and morality, judicial reasoning, law and liberty. (Identical with POL 438A). May be convened with PHIL 538A.

PHIL 438B. Philosophy of Law (3) II Problems about justice, compensation and contracts and/or responsibility and punishment. (Identical with POL 438B). May be convened with PHIL 538B.

PHIL 440. Metaphysics (3) I II Topics include free will and determinism; causation; personal identity; necessity and essence; truth, realism and ontology. May be convened with PHIL 540.

PHIL 441. Theory of Knowledge (3) I II Critical examination of some of the major problems concerning evidence, justification, knowledge, memory, perception and induction. May be convened with PHIL 541.

PHIL 442. Knowledge and Cognition (3) I Issues in philosophy and psychology of knowledge, with emphasis on cognitive mechanisms. Perception, memory, concepts, mental representation, problem-solving, reasoning and rationality. P, two philosophy courses. (Identical with PSYC 442). May be convened with PHIL 542.

PHIL 443. Knowledge and Society (3) II Social and interpersonal processes affecting the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge. Emphasis on philosophical perspectives, with interdisciplinary borrowings. P, one course in philosophy. (Identical with IRLS 443). May be convened with PHIL 543.

PHIL 445. Neural Network Model (3) II P, PSYC 297A, and PSYC 325 or PSYC 346 or PSYC 402, college-level algebra skills, probability/statistics, computer familiarity either with Unix PCC, or Mac. (Identical with PSYC 445, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 545.

PHIL 450. Philosophy of Mind (3) I II Topics include the nature of mental states; the relation between mind and brain; and analysis of perception, emotion, memory and action. May be convened with PHIL 550.

PHIL 451. Philosophy and Psychology (3) I II Investigation of philosophical issues arising from current work in psychology including perception, reasoning, memory, motivation and action. (Identical with PSYC 451). May be convened with PHIL 551.

PHIL 455. Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence (3) I II Interdisciplinary problems lying at the interface of philosophy and artificial intelligence. (Identical with PSYC 455). May be convened with PHIL 555.

PHIL 463. Philosophy of Language (3) I II Survey of basic issues in the philosophy of language such as: speech acts, reference, meaning, logical form. (Identical with LING 463). May be convened with PHIL 563.

PHIL 465. Pragmatics (3) II Study of language use, its relationship to language structure and context; topics such as speech acts, presupposition, implication, performatives, conversations (Identical with LING 465). May be convened with PHIL 565.

PHIL 467. Early Analytic Philosophy (3) I II The 50 year rise of analytic philosophy from Frege through early Russell to Wittgenstein's Tractatus. May be convened with PHIL 567.

PHIL 470. Greek Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 1] I II Topics in Greek philosophy. May be selected from the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and post-Aristotelian philosophy. (Identical with CLAS 470). May be convened with PHIL 570.

PHIL 471A. Rationalism and Empiricism (3) I Rationalists of the 17th and 18th centuries: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Kant. May be convened with PHIL 571A.

PHIL 471B. Rationalism and Empiricism (3) II Empiricists of the 17th and 18th centuries: Locke, Berkeley, Hume. May be convened with PHIL 571B.

PHIL 472A. Ancient Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 1] I A philosophical introduction to the major works of Plato. (Identical with CLAS 472A). May be convened with PHIL 572A.

PHIL 472B. Ancient Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 1] II A philosophical introduction to the major works of Aristotle. (Identical with CLAS 472B). May be convened with PHIL 572B.

PHIL 493L. Legislative Internship (1-6) I II

PHIL 498. Senior Capstone (3) I II

PHIL 498H. Honors Thesis (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 499. Independent Study (1-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 499H. Honors Independent Study (3) [Rpt./] I II

PHIL 501A. Symbolic Logic (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 401A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with MATH 501A, C SC 501A). May be convened with PHIL 401A.

PHIL 501B. Symbolic Logic (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 401B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with MATH 501B, C SC 501B). May be convened with PHIL 401B.

PHIL 502. Mathematical Logic (3) I (Identical with MATH 502, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 402.

PHIL 503. Foundations of Mathematics (3) II (Identical with MATH 503, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 403.

PHIL 510A. History of Moral and Political Philosophy (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 410A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 410A.

PHIL 510B. History of Moral and Political Philosophy (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 410B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 410B.

PHIL 512. Readings in Greek Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 6 units] I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 412. Graduate-level requirements extensive reading and an in-depth paper. P, 3 units of 400-level Greek. (Identical with GRK 512). May be convened with PHIL 412.

PHIL 514. Philosophical Logic (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 414. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 414.

PHIL 516. Philosophy of Mathematics (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 416. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 416.

PHIL 519. Induction and Probability (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 419. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 419.

PHIL 521. Philosophy of the Biological Sciences (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 421. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with ECOL 521). May be convened with PHIL 421.

PHIL 522. Linguistic Semantics and Lexicology (3) II P, one course in linguistics. (Identical with LING 522, which is home).

PHIL 523A. Philosophy of the Physical Sciences (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 423A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 423A.

PHIL 523B. Philosophy of the Physical Sciences (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 423B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 423B.

PHIL 530A. Ethical Theory (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 430A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 430A.

PHIL 530B. Ethical Theory (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 430B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 430B.

PHIL 532. Psychology of Language (3) II (Identical with LING 532, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 432.

PHIL 533. Aesthetics (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 433. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 433.

PHIL 534. Social and Political Philosophy (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 434. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 434.

PHIL 536. Games and Decisions (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 436. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 436.

PHIL 538A. Philosophy of Law (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 438A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with POL 538A). May be convened with PHIL 438A.

PHIL 538B. Philosophy of Law (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 438B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with POL 538B). May be convened with PHIL 438B.

PHIL 540. Metaphysics (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 440. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research project on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 440.

PHIL 541. Theory of Knowledge (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 441. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 441.

PHIL 542. Knowledge and Cognition (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 442. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 442.

PHIL 543. Knowledge and Society (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 443. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with IRLS 543). May be convened with PHIL 443.

PHIL 545. Neural Network Model (3) II (Identical with PSYC 545, which is home). May be convened with PHIL 445.

PHIL 550. Philosophy of Mind (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 450. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 450.

PHIL 551. Philosophy and Psychology (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 451. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with PSYC 551). May be convened with PHIL 451.

PHIL 555. Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 455. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with PSYC 555). May be convened with PHIL 455.

PHIL 563. Philosophy of Language (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 463. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with LING 563). May be convened with PHIL 463.

PHIL 564. Formal Semantics (3) I (Identical with LING 564, which is home).

PHIL 565. Pragmatics (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 465. Graduate-level requirements include a greater number of assignments and a higher level of performance. (Identical with LING 565). May be convened with PHIL 465.

PHIL 567. Early Analytic Philosophy (3) I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 467. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 467.

PHIL 570. Greek Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 1] I II For a description of course topics see PHIL 470. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with CLAS 570). May be convened with PHIL 470.

PHIL 571A. Rationalism and Empiricism (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 471A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 471A.

PHIL 571B. Rationalism and Empiricism (3) II For a description of course topics see PHIL 471B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. May be convened with PHIL 471B.

PHIL 572A. Ancient Philosophy (3) I For a description of course topics see PHIL 472A. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with CLAS 572A). May be convened with PHIL 472A.

PHIL 572B. Ancient Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 1] II For a description of course topics see PHIL 472B. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a central theme or topic of the course. (Identical with CLAS 572B). May be convened with PHIL 472B.

PHIL 593L. Legislative Internship (1-9) I II

PHIL 596A. Ethics (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596B. Metaphysics (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596C. Epistemology (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596F. Social and Political Philosophy (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596G. Philosophy of Law (3) I II (Identical with LAW 596G).

PHIL 596H. Philosophy of Physical Science (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II (Identical with PHYS 596H).

PHIL 596K. Philosophy of Mind (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596L. Philosophy of Language (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596P. History of Philosophy: Ancient (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596Q. History of Philosophy: Recent (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 596S. Philosophy of Mathematics (3) I

PHIL 596V. Philosophy and Cognitive Science (3) [Rpt./ 2] I II

PHIL 599. Independent Study (1-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 900. Research (1-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 910. Thesis (1-4) [Rpt./]

PHIL 920. Dissertation (1-9) [Rpt./]

PHIL 930. Supplementary Registration (1-9) [Rpt./]

Page last updated: May 20, 2013