Philosophy Course Descriptions
PHL 101 - Introduction to Logic
3 Credits
An introduction to critical thinking, with an emphasis on the logical analysis of
arguments and on the reasoning skills needed for standardized tests such as the GMAT,
GRE, LSAT, and MCAT.
Note: This course does not fulfill any part of the philosophy requirement in the core
curriculum.
PHL 109 - Issues in Philosophy
3 Credits
An introductory course that examines the works of representative philosophers through
the ages and their responses to some perennial issues. Includes topics such as faith
and reason, theories of knowledge, and ethical behavior.
Not open to students enrolled in or with Credit in PHL 110.
PHL 110 - Wisdom & the Web
3 Credits
An introductory course that examines periods in the history of philosophy, various
philosophical movements, important philosophers, and key philosophical ideas in Western
philosophy. All content for the course will be drawn from the Internet.
Not open to students enrolled in or with Credit in PHL 109.
PHL 150 - Theories of Ethics
3 Credits
A general introduction to ethical theories focusing on major figures in the Western
tradition, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Kant.
Not open to student enrolled in or with Credit in PHL 109 or PHL 110.
PHL 170 - Philosophy of Good & Evil
3 Credits
An introductory course that examines how representative thinkers through the ages
have defined the nature of good and evil, including both evil caused by humans and
by natural forces.
PHL 206 - Philosophy of the Person
3 Credits
An examination of traditional approaches to the study of human nature. Includes an
analysis of major figures from the history of philosophy as well as an analysis of
contemporary approaches present in Christian personalism.
PHL 224 - Philosophy of Religion
3 Credits
A critical examination of the fundamental questions of religion from the perspective
of reason. May include topics such as arguments for the existence of God; the phenomena
of religious experience and mysticism; the problem of evil; faith and revelation;
death and immortality.
PHL 242 - Applied Ethics
3 Credits
An examination of ethical principles and their application to ethical issues. Specific
areas of application announced when the course is offered.
Prerequisites: For two-Credit sections, one prior PHL course other than PHL 101.
PHL 243 - Bioethics
3 Credits
An examination of ethical principles and their applications to ethical issues in medicine,
health care, and biological sciences.
Not open to students with Credit in PHL 348B.
PHL 245 - The Philosophy of Love & Friendship
3 Credits
A seminar for the review of philosophical literature dealing with the enduring themes
of friendship and love.
PHL 270 - After Thomas Aquinas: Varieties of Thomism
3 Credits
An examination of the system of philosophy developed by Thomas Aquinas and with emphasis
on its continued vitality in later figures of the Thomistic tradition.
PHL 278 - Opera Omnia
3 Credits
An audition into the wonderful world of opera. Stories of the operas will be presented
with an emphasis on literary, artistic and philosophical themes. Literary sources
such as Shakespeare, artistic trends such as Romanticism, and philosophical issues
such as the nature of the passions and theories of tragedy, will be explored. Students
will be introduced to some of the greatest music of Bellini, Donizetti, Puccini, Rossini,
Verdi, Wagner, and many others.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 111 and CORE 179 or transfer equivalent. Not open to
students with Credit in PHL 348H.
PHL 279A - CORE: Ethical Issues of Sex & Marriage
3 Credits
An examination of ethical principles and their application to ethical issues of sex
and marriage. Includes consideration of whether communities formed by sexual relationships
and marriages promote the common good of larger communities.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or equivalent.
PHL 279B - CORE: Community of Living Things
3 Credits
An examination of the nature of living things and their interdependence. The course
will include a discussion of the place of intelligent beings in the cosmos and the
different orders of common good involved.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status. Pre- or Co-requisite: ENG 102
or ENG 111.
PHL 320 - Philosophy of Art
3 Credits
An examination of the nature of art and beauty. Includes a study of major works from
Plato to the present.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 111 and CORE 179 or transfer equivalent. Not open to
students with Credit in PHL 348C.
PHL 340 - Epistemology
3 Credits
An examination of the nature and foundations of human knowledge. Topics covered may
include rationalist and empiricist theories; truth and falsity; evidence, justification,
and belief.
Prerequisites: ENG 102 or ENG 111 and CORE 179 or transfer equivalent, and one prior
PHL course other than PHL 101.
PHL 346 - Principles of Business Ethics
3 Credits
An introduction to traditional ethical theories in preparation for more advanced study
of problems in social philosophy and business.
PHL 361 - History of Ancient Philosophy
3 Credits
A period course that examines developments in philosophy in antiquity, with special
consideration given to the writings of Plato and Aristotle.
Not open to students with Credit in PHL 250 or 261.
PHL 362 - History of Medieval Philosophy
3 Credits
A period course that examines developments in philosophy from the fifth century through
the fourteenth century; with special consideration of the writings of Augustine, Anselm,
and Aquinas; and some Islamic and Jewish philosophers.
Not open to students with Credit in PHL 251 or 262.
PHL 363 - History of Renaissance Philosophy
3 Credits
A period course that examines developments in philosophy from the fifteenth century
until the time of Descartes. Thinkers covered may include Nicholas of Cusa, Pico della
Mirandola, Machiavelli, More, Montaigne, Bacon, Hobbes, and Descartes.
Not open to students with Credit in PHL 252 or 263.
PHL 364 - History of Modern Philosophy
3 Credits
A period course that examines the developments in philosophy from the seventeenth
through the nineteenth century. Thinkers covered may include Descartes, Spinoza, Locke,
Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche.
Not open to students with Credit for PHL 252 or 264.
PHL 365 - History of Contemporary Philosophy
3 Credits
A period course that examines developments in philosophy from the twentieth century
to the present.
Not open to students with Credit in PHL 253 or 265.
PHL 379A - CORE: Principles of Justice
3 Credits
An examination of some fundamental questions about how people should live and how
societies should allocate their resources. To answer these questions, students will
study the basic tenets of different theories of justice and economic systems. The
course will focus on justice in the allocation of a society’s resources, but it also
will address how different forms of justice are related.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111. Not open
to students with Credit in PHL 230. This course partially fulfills the Philosophy
requirement.
PHL 379B - CORE: Lives of the Philosophers
3 Credits
An examination of biographies and autobiographies of famous philosophers. These texts
will be considered as documents that exhibit one of the traditional definitions of
philosophy “as way of life.” The biographical and autobiographical writings will be
supplemented with challenging primary texts from the philosophers that highlight issues
of justice and morality.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111.
PHL 379C - CORE: Medieval Moral Dilemmas & Moral Luck
3 Credits
This upper-level philosophy course will approach medieval conceptions of justice by
examining philosophical texts that concern moral dilemmas and moral luck. Several
medieval philosophers considered whether the existence of moral dilemmas or moral
luck would be threats to justice. The course’s close reading of philosophical texts
from a variety of medieval writers will be supplemented with contemporary literature
on moral dilemmas and moral luck.
Prerequisite: CORE 179 or appropriate transfer status; ENG 102 or ENG 111.
PHL 479 - CORE: Metaphysics
3 Credits
An examination of the ultimate causes of things and of how the search for truth in
philosophy complements the search for truth in other disciplines and in the core seminars.
Open to majors and non-majors who have an interest in metaphysical issues, such as
whether we can prove that God exists, what types of things are real, and how metaphysics
is related to the natural sciences.
Prerequisites: Completion of junior core seminar; one prior philosophy course other
than PHL 101.
PHL 1/2/3/485 - Special Topics
3 Credits
Study of topics of special interest in philosophy including semantics, hermeneutics,
philosophy of law, philosophy of science, and philosophy of history.
Prerequisite for 385 and 485: one prior philosophy course.
PHL 2/3/486 - Independent Study
3 Credits
Research in philosophy directed by a professor in the division.
Prerequisites: prior coursework in philosophy; consent of instructor, academic advisor, division chairperson.