Philosophy Course Offerings

Please see the section on "Course Description Symbols and Terms" in The University Catalog for an explanation of course description terminology and symbols, the course numbering system, and course credit units. All courses are lecture and discussion and employ letter grading unless otherwise stated. Some prerequisites may be waived with faculty permission. Many syllabi are available on the Chico Web.

PHIL101 Introduction to Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

An introduction to philosophical thought and skills. Issues that traditionally have been of central importance in philosophical inquiry, such as the nature of knowledge, reality, and values, will be emphasized. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 003. CAN PHIL 2.

PHIL101H Introduction to Philosophy <197> Honors 3.0 Spring

Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Honors Program.

A special section of PHIL 101 open only to students with demonstrated academic talent. Interested students should consult with the university Honors Adviser. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 003H.

PHIL102 Logic and Critical Thinking 3.0 Fa/Spr

A practical course in clear thinking and sound reasoning, which includes training in recognizing and avoiding the most commonly made mistakes in reasoning. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 002. CAN PHIL 6.

PHIL102E Logic and Critical Thinking <197> ESL 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: For Students with English as a Second Language.

A special section of Logic and Critical Thinking open only to students with English as a Second Language. Interested students should consult with international evaluations. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 002E.

PHIL102H Logic and Critical Thinking <197> Honors 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Honors Program.

A special section of Logic and Critical Thinking open only to students with demonstrated academic talent. Interested students should consult with the university Honors Adviser. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 002H.

PHIL104 Personal Values 3.0 Fa/Spr

An examination of various moral theories and their application to contemporary moral issues. The role of morality in everyday life will be explored. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 007. CAN PHIL 4.

PHIL105 Persons and Society 3.0 Inquire

A philosophical study of alternative ideas about the nature and structure of the person in urban and industrialized societies. Formerly PHIL 004A.

PHIL106 Philosophy and Third World Societies 3.0 Inquire

A philosophical examination of some of the beliefs, values, and social and political institutions of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Formerly PHIL 004B.

PHIL107 Human Existence 3.0 Fa/Spr

Philosophical interpretations of the human condition as reflected in and affected by modern developments in the arts, science, society, and philosophy. The course covers modern approaches to freedom, consciousness, subjectivity, language, history, alienation, power, and creativity. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 013.

PHIL108 Philosophical Methods 3.0 Fall

The course provides students intensive training to think, read, and write as clearly and as philosophically as they can be trained to do. One important philosophical problem is used as the sample problem. Students write a short weekly essay and have class discussions of their essays as well as of the reading material. Formerly PHIL 119.

PHIL201 History of Ancient Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

Western philosophical thought from the pre-Socratics through Stoicism, including movements and figures such as Atomism, Plato, Aristotle, and Epicureanism. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 100A.

PHIL202 Philosophy East and West 3.0 Fa/Spr

A philosophical analysis of major ideas in Chinese, Japanese, and Indian thought and their relationship to basic philosophical developments in the west. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Non-Western course. Formerly PHIL 102.

PHIL203 Existentialism 3.0 Fall

An examination of existentialism from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to Sartre, and Marcel. An analysis of the basic forces, concepts, and figures which have shaped existentialism. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 122.

PHIL204 Reason and Religion 3.0 Fa/Spr

Philosophical analysis of various approaches to the problems of religious belief, such as faith and knowledge, the existence and nature of God, immortality, and the problem of evil. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 117.

PHIL205 Philosophy of the Fine Arts 3.0 Inquire

The study of aesthetic values and judgments, emphasizing such topics as creativity and the art object, with reference to works of architecture, painting, sculpture, music, and literature. Formerly PHIL 118.

PHIL301 Medieval Philosophy 3.0 Inquire

Origins and development of medieval philosophy, centering on its central themes as presented by Plotinus, St. Augustine, Proclus, John Scotus Erigena, Alfarabi, Avicenna, Averroes, Roger Bacon, St. Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham. Formerly PHIL 101.

PHIL302 History of Modern Philosophy 3.0 Fall

Western philosophical thought from the Renaissance through Kant, including Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. Formerly PHIL 100B.

PHIL303 History of 19th Century Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

Western philosophical thought from Kant through the twentieth century, including the phenomenological and analytic traditions in western philosophy. Formerly PHIL 100C.

PHIL304 Analytic Philosophy 3.0 Spring

An examination of the history, concepts, and techniques of twentieth-century analytic philosophy. The analytical method will be applied to selected contemporary philosophical problems. Formerly PHIL 120.

PHIL305 Continental Philosophy 3.0 Fall

An examination of the phenomenological movement from Husserl through Merleau-Ponty and Heidegger. Formerly PHIL 121.

PHIL306 American Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

A study of the major philosophic movements which have originated in the United States or had a significant impact on its institutions and culture. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 128.

PHIL320 Ethics 3.0 Spring

An introduction to moral theory, including such figures as Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. Alternative views concerning fundamental moral questions will be explored. Formerly PHIL 107.

PHIL321 Ethics and Human Happiness 3.0 Fa/Spr

An investigation of major contemporary theories of human happiness. Emphasis will be placed on analyzing the philosophical assumptions which they make about human nature, on evaluating the ethical content of these theories, and applying these theories to one's everyday life. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 108.

PHIL322 Science and Human Values 3.0 Spring

Prerequisites: BIOL 101 or BIOL 108.

Critically examines scientific and humanistic world views and sensibilities, directly applying these approaches to contemporary social and personal problems. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 116.

PHIL322H Science and Human Values <197> Honors 3.0 Fall

Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Honors Program, faculty permission.

Critically examines scientific and humanistic world views and sensibilities, directly applying these approaches to contemporary social and personal problems. A special section of PHIL 322 open only to students with demonstrated academic talent. Interested students should consult the university Honors Adviser. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 116H.

PHIL323 Moral Issues in Parenting 3.0 Fa/Spr

A philosophical investigation of the moral and legal dimensions of parenting. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 127.

PHIL324 Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love 3.0 Fa/Spr

An exploration of conceptual and ethical issues pertaining to intimate relationships, e.g., sexual equality, perversion, fidelity, the nature of love and friendship, marriage, and children. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 137.

PHIL325 Marxist Thought 3.0 Inquire

Origin and development in the nineteenth century of dialectical and historical materialism, emphasizing the implications of Marxist philosophy for an understanding of nature, knowledge, revolution; doctrinal evolution from Marx to Mao. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 125.

PHIL326 Social Ethics 3.0 Fall

An examination of selected ethical issues confronting contemporary society, emphasizing legal and other institutional contexts in which these problems arise. Topics may include genetic engineering, animal rights, and preferential treatment. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 138.

PHIL327 Biomedical Ethics 3.0 Fa/Spr

An examination of moral issues arising in medical practice and biomedical research. Among the topics discussed are the responsibilities of health care professionals, the allocation of scarce medical resources, genetic engineering, and the harvesting of fetal tissue. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 140.

PHIL328 Business Ethics and Social Policy 3.0 Inquire

An examination of ethical issues that arise in business decisions and the formulation of social policy involving business, e.g. employee rights, consumer and environmental protection, advertising, and affirmative action. Moral theory and alternative conceptions of justice will also be discussed. Formerly PHIL 141.

PHIL329 Environmental Ethics 3.0 Fa/Spr

An examination of a variety of approaches to the development of an environmental ethic, including "shallow" and "deep" environmentalism, the balance of nature argument, and the Gaia hypothesis. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 146.

PHIL330 Learning and Values 3.0 Fa/Spr

Basic introduction to the nature and acquisition of values, to the idea of humans as moral agents, to principles of moral reasoning, and to applications to educational settings. Formerly PHIL 155.

PHIL331 Center for Applied and Professional Ethics (CAPE) Forum 1.0 Fall

An introduction to current ethical issues facing individuals, institutions, and society. Students attend regularly scheduled CAPE forums, symposia, and seminars and do appropriate reading and writing in conjunction with sessions. Formerly PHIL 159.

PHIL332 Criminal Justice Ethics 3.0 Fa/Spr

An investigation of contemporary moral issues involved in police work and corrections, such as deadly force, entrapment, undercover work, corruption, and prisoners' rights. Formerly PHIL 205.

PHIL333 Contemporary Moral Theory 3.0 Fall

Prerequisites: PHIL 320 or PHIL 321; ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher.

An analysis of twentieth-century ethical theory. This is a writing proficiency, WP, course; a grade of C- or better certifies writing proficiency for majors. Formerly PHIL 207.

PHIL334 Ethics and Environmental Sciences 3.0 Inquire

Discussion of the ethical issues that arise in the environmental sciences. Emphasis placed on examination of kinds of ethical dilemmas facing environmental scientists and policy makers, on development of tools for analyzing and resolving such dilemmas, and on views that have influenced attitudes about the environment and environmental ethics. Attention given to religious, philosophical, historical, and cultural origins of moral values and various approaches to moral deliberation and moral reasoning. Formerly PHIL 220.

PHIL340 Social and Political Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

A philosophical examination of the nature and function of the human community and the political state, and of the implications for individual life of alternative conceptions of society and politics. Formerly PHIL 114.

PHIL341 Justice and Human Rights 3.0 Fa/Spr

A systematic investigation of the historical origins of the concept of justice and its application to domestic and international issues involving human rights. Special attention is given to the related issues of power and social control. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 126.

PHIL342 Roots of War: A Philosophical Survey 3.0 Fa/Spr

A critical examination of diverse philosophical views regarding the causes of war and the prospects for peace. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 139.

PHIL343 Perspectives on Nuclear Policy 3.0 Inquire

Perspectives on nuclear policy and interdisciplinary examination of the theory and practice of nuclear policy of America and the former Societ Union. Special emphasis given to the philosophical, religious, biological, psychological, and political dimensions of nuclear policy. Formerly PHIL 143.

PHIL344 Comparative Peace Studies 3.0 Fa/Spr

An interdisciplinary cross-cultural survey of prospects for peace. Focuses on non-violent modes of conflict resolution. Major philosophical and social scientific ideas from both the pacifist and non-pacifist traditions are examined in depth. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 145.

PHIL345 Theoretical Perspectives on Gender 3.0 Fa/Spr

Examines the various theories put forth to explain the differences between men and women, including scientific, social scientific, and humanistic explanations. Emphasis on feminist perspectives. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 170.

PHIL349 Social Theory: History of Social Thought 3.0 Inquire

A survey of social philosophy from the Greek Golden Age to the 20th century. The conceptualization of society, social order, and human nature is studied. Emphasis is given to the study of the relationship of ideas to historical and social conditions. Formerly PHIL 103.

PHIL360 Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology) 3.0 Fall

Philosophical studies of the sources, nature, and criteria of knowledge; alternative approaches to problems of perception, meaning, and truth. Formerly PHIL 105.

PHIL361 Metaphysics 3.0 Spring

An examination of basic metaphysical problems, such as free will, the mind-body problem, life after death, and some of the systems of thought that attempt to deal with them. Formerly PHIL 106.

PHIL362 Philosophy of Mind 3.0 Inquire

An examination of the nature of the mind, including such issues as the mind-body problem and the relationship of consciousness to human action. Formerly PHIL 124.

PHIL363 History of Mind 3.0 Fall

This course examines the history of two competing approaches to psychology, and it evaluates their philosophical and scientific merits. Implications for contemporary debates in psychology are discussed. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 129.

PHIL364 Machines, Brains, and Minds 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Junior standing, faculty permission.

An examination of the emergence of artificial mind in machines, with special attention to related issues in the philosophy of mind and cognitive science. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 132.

PHIL365 Philosophy of Psychology 3.0 Inquire

A study of the philosophical origins of psychology and the philosophical presuppositions and implications of various schools of contemporary psychological thought. Formerly PHIL 123.

PHIL370 Philosophy of Science 3.0 Fa/Spr

An examination of the philosophical issues raised by scientific inquiry. Topics include the logical empiricist view of science, perception, and discovery, scientific paradigms, and the implications of reductivism. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 110.

PHIL371 Philosophy of Social Science 3.0 Inquire

Examination of selected current issues regarding the methods, scope, concepts, and presuppositions of the social and behavioral sciences. Formerly PHIL 109.

PHIL373 Science and Modern Culture 3.0 Fa/Spr

An appreciation of Darwin's theory of evolution, Einstein's theory of relativity, and quantum theory as basic intellectual sources of Modernism, along with an understanding of their relationship to other foundational themes of Modernism, such as Marx's socialism, Nietzsche's perspectivism, and Freud's theory of the unconscious. Formerly PHIL 131.

PHIL380 Intermediate Logic 3.0 Fall

In this course students will learn categorical and propositional logic, beginning with the historical origins of these formal systems and ending with analysis and evaluation of arguments from philosophical texts and popular sources. Formerly PHIL 112.

PHIL381 Philosophy in Literature 3.0 Inquire

Critical reading and discussion of selected literary works, with special emphasis on the clarification and analysis of the philosophical ideas they entail. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Formerly PHIL 130.

PHIL382 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Existentialists <197> Sartre and Camus 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291G.

PHIL383 Philosophy and Film 3.0 Fa/Spr

Critical examination of selected cinematographic works, with special emphasis on the clarification and analysis of the philosophical ideas they entail. This is an approved General Education course. Special fee required; see The Class Schedule. Formerly PHIL 192.

PHIL385 Critical Theory of Information 3.0 Spring

An examination of theories relevant to the analysis of context and content of oral and written texts. Formerly PHIL 242.

PHIL386 Philosophy of Judaism 3.0 EvenSp

This course explores the major philosophical trends and traditions affecting Jewish life. Hellenistic and rabbinical philosophy, Philo to Maimonides, Spinoza to Moses Mendelsohn and the Enlightenment, and Hebrew-Yiddish renaissance to modern Zionism will be examined. This is an approved General Education course. Formerly PHIL 135.

PHIL398 Special Topics in Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

Investigation of special topics in philosophy. Open to upper-division students only. Variable content. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Formerly PHIL 190.

PHIL399 Special Problems 1.0-3.0 Fa/Spr

This course is an independent study of special problems offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Credit/no credit grading only. Formerly PHIL 199.

PHIL401 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Problems of Perception 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 290A.

PHIL402 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Philosophical Semantics 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 290B.

PHIL403 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Issues in Ontology 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 290C.

PHIL404 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Selected Topics in Logic 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 290D.

PHIL405 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Philosophy of Symbolism 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 290E.

PHIL406 Seminar in Special Issues in Philosophy: Philosophical Theology 3.0 Inquire

PHIL 401 - PHIL 406: Intensive reading and discussion of special issues in philosophy. Formerly PHIL 290F.

PHIL411 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Plato and Aristotle 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291A.

PHIL412 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Continental Rationalists <197> Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291B.

Hume
PHIL413 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: British Empiricists <197> Locke, Berkeley, and 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291C.

PHIL414 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Kant 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291D.

Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel
PHIL415 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: The German Idealists <197> 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291E.

PHIL416 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Nineteenth-Century Social Theorists 3.0 Inquire

See description below. Formerly PHIL 291F.

PHIL417 Seminar in Major Philosophical Figures: Philosophical Analysts 3.0 Inquire

PHIL 411 - PHIL 417: Intensive reading and discussion of the writings of major philosophical figures. Formerly PHIL 291J.

PHIL418 Tutorial in Philosophy 3.0 Inquire

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing.

Individually directed projects in philosophy. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Formerly PHIL 296.

PHIL421 Seminar in Special Issues in Social and Political Philosophy 3.0 Spring

Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher.

Intensive reading and discussion of special issues in social and political philosophy. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. This is a writing proficiency, WP, course; a grade of C- or better certifies writing proficiency for majors. Formerly PHIL 294.

PHIL434 Origins of Western Political Thought 3.0 Inquire

The classical roots of western political philosophy and their relationship to contemporary political theory. Formerly PHIL 234.

PHIL436 Liberal and Conservative Traditions 3.0 Fall

The philosophical framework of political and social change, with emphasis on the French Revolution and on the emergence of liberal ideology as a basis of contemporary radical and liberal political philosophy. Formerly PHIL 236.

PHIL437 Contemporary Political Thought 3.0 Inquire

An extended discussion of the nature of anarchy, corporatism, oligarchy, classical liberalism, radical liberalism, democratic socialism, communism, and fascism, with a continued focus on these political cultures and their ideological expressions in contemporary politics. Formerly PHIL 237.

PHIL438 Jurisprudence: Philosophy of Law 3.0 Fall

The philosophical nature and origins of law. Topics to be examined include theories of law, justice, the relationship of law to morality, natural law, responsibility, punishment, and other basic concepts. Approach is both theoretical and via case studies. Formerly PHIL 238.

PHIL469 Ethics in Government 3.0 Inquire

Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

A discussion course which explores a variety of ethical decision-making procedures via a case-study approach in order to help students develop critical decision-making skills useful in dealing with ethical issues likely to confront the public manager. Formerly PHIL 269.

PHIL480 Advanced Logic 3.0 Spring

Prerequisites: PHIL 380, faculty permission.

Systematic treatment of truth functions and quantifiers; introduction to mathematical logic. Topics include syntax, semantics, and metatheory for the propositional and predicate calculi, elementary set theory. Russell's paradox, infinite sets. Formerly PHIL 212.

PHIL489 Internship 1.0-3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Junior standing or above and either 9 units of philosophy or have declared philosophy as a major or minor, faculty permission.

This course is an internship offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. Internships in Philosophy: (a) assisting instructors in lower-division courses; (b) assisting the department in preparation of Philosophy Forums, or department-sponsored discussions, debates, and multimedia presentations; (c) working outside the academic program in government, community, or business, in tasks appropriate for philosophy students; or (d) assisting faculty in research. A maximum of 6 units may be counted toward the major or minor in philosophy. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Formerly PHIL 289.

PHIL489T Internship in Teaching Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Upper-division standing and faculty permission.

Supervised collaborative training in teaching, normally completed in two consecutive semesters. Focus in the first semester is on developing class plans and instructional communication skills. Focus in the second semester is on creating syllabi and developing competence in assessment. Registration is by arrangement with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Formerly PHIL 289T.

PHIL499H Senior Honors Research Paper 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, acceptance into Honors in Philosophy, faculty permission.

To provide opportunity for the student accepted for "Honors in the Major" to prepare and write a thesis on a topic germane to interests developed during the first three years of work in Philosophy. Research and writing will be done under supervision by a staff adviser and for the total of 6 units in consecutive semesters. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. This is a writing proficiency, WP, course; a grade of C- or better certifies writing proficiency for majors. Formerly PHIL 299H.

PHIL599 Project in Applied Philosophy 1.0-6.0 Fa/Spr

This course is a culminating project in the Certificate in Teaching Critical Thinking and is offered for 1.0-6.0 units. It focuses on communication and application of critical thinking techniques in professional and commercial contexts. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 18.0 units. Formerly PHIL 295.

PHIL689 Internship in Teaching Philosophy 3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and faculty permission.

Supervised collaborative training in teaching, normally completed in two consecutive semesters. Focus in the first semester is on developing class plans and instructional communication skills. Focus in the second semester is on creating syllabi and developing competence in assessment. Registration is by arrangement with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Formerly PHIL 389T.

PHIL690 Project in Applied Philosophy 1.0-6.0 Fa/Spr

This course is a culminating project in the Certificate in Teaching Critical Thinking and is offered for 1.0-6.0 units. It focuses on communication and application of critical thinking techniques in professional and commercial contexts. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 18.0 units. Formerly PHIL 395.

PHIL697 Independent Study 1.0-3.0 Fa/Spr

Prerequisites: Open only to students pursuing a Master of Arts Degree with a special major, faculty permission.

This course is a graduate-level independent study offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Formerly PHIL 398.