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Philosophy (PHIL)

96 undergraduate courses in the 2024–25 Undergraduate Calendar, and 14 graduate courses in the Spring 2025 Graduate Calendar.

Undergraduate

PHIL 100J Introduction to Philosophy0.50 units

This course seeks to introduce students to the nature of philosophy. This is done through the examination of core texts and figures in the history of philosophy as well as in the discussion of perennial philosophical questions.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 101 Challenging Ideas: An Introduction to Philosophy0.50 units

Students will examine and challenge some influential ideas in philosophy and consider their importance to our lives. Questions might include: Does science describe the world as it really is? Is the mind just the brain? What can we know? Should we be moral? Do we have free will?

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • PHIL110A - Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality (0.50)
    • PHIL110B - Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics and Values (0.50)

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 110A Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality0.50 units

An introduction to central issues in metaphysics and epistemology. Questions to be considered might include: "Can we know anything?", "Does God exist?", "Is the mind just a brain?", "Do human beings have free will?"

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 110B Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics and Values0.50 units

This course is an introduction to philosophical thinking about ethics and value, that is, about what is good, right, fair, just, and worthwhile in life. Includes consideration of questions such as "What is the right thing to do?" and "Do human beings have free will?"

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 118J Virtue and the Good Life0.50 units

An examination of the importance of virtue in general and of the cardinal virtues in particular (practical wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation) for the development of moral character and the enjoyment of the good life.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 120J The Meaning of Life0.50 units

We may have distinct ideas about the reason why we do this or that, but is there a point to our existence as a whole? What do or should we live for? Or is life essentially meaningless or even absurd? What do such questions mean and how can we best answer them? The views of different philosophers will be explored and compared.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 121 Moral Issues0.50 units

This course surveys several controversial moral topics, and a range of philosophical views on each. Topics may include abortion, cloning, euthanasia and suicide, sexism, prostitution, pornography, torture, and animal rights.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • PHIL220

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 125 Happiness0.50 units

This course examines robust, diverse theories of the nature of happiness. Students will build on their intuitive knowledge by analyzing comprehensive theories of happiness: components, controversies, and implications for self and society. Students will critically evaluate and develop their argumentative reasoning about influential accounts of happiness (as well as unhappiness), and they will extend their capacities to communicate about course content in a range of modes and media.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 145 Critical Thinking0.50 units

An analysis of basic types of reasoning, structure of arguments, critical assessment of information, common fallacies, problems of clarity and meaning.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 200J Aristotelian Logic0.50 units

An introduction to the understanding of how words are used, the formation of propositions, the construction of arguments and the examination of fallacies to help the student argue with order, facility and without error.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 201 Philosophy of Sex and Love0.50 units

Classic and contemporary philosophical examination of sex and love. Questions considered might include the following: Do you love because your love-object is worthy, or do you find your love-object worthy because of your love for them? Does sex ever involve using persons as mere means to an end? Should it?

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 202 Gender Issues0.50 units

Philosophical analysis of issues relating to sex/gender. Questions considered might include the following: What, if anything, is the difference between sex and gender? How much of a role do facts about biology play in our ideas about sex and gender? How many sexes are there? What ethical issues arise for us in virtue of our gender?

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • WS222
Cross-listed
GSJ 222

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 204J Philosophy and Culture0.50 units

An exploration of the nature of culture and its role in the life and development of the human being through an analysis of the assumptions of Western popular culture in such areas as technology and the internet, individual freedom, sexuality, and the global economy.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 205 Philosophy of Economics0.50 units

This course considers conceptual, methodological, foundational, and ethical issues in economic theory and practice. Questions include: What can philosophy teach us about economic methodology and justification? Are economic formalizations useful idealizations of human behaviour? Is economics a science? What role do values play in economic reasoning and policy-making?

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
Cross-listed
ECON 261

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 206 Philosophy of Sport0.50 units

This course uses the tools of philosophy to ask important questions about sport, such as: What is sport? What is the value of sport for participants or fans? Are violent sports unethical? Should performance enhancing drugs be banned? What is luck, and how is it different from skill?

Cross-listed
REC 206

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 207J Philosophy and J.R.R. Tolkien0.50 units

An introduction to the implicit philosophical content of Tolkien's works, with a special emphasis on Lord of the Rings. Problems such as the existence of God, fate, free will, evil, death, and technology will be explored. Tolkien's views will be examined in relation to philosophical works.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 208 Philosophy Through Science Fiction0.50 units

Questions regarding such matters as the nature of knowledge, logic and language, mind and brain, space and time, causality, ethics, and politics are explored through classic philosophic texts and science fiction narratives.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 209 Philosophy in Literature0.50 units

Philosophical themes will be explored through appropriate literary works.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 210J Human Nature0.50 units

What is a human being? The course examines this question from a philosophical perspective. Topics to be covered may include the soul, the body, emotions, the intellect, the will, relationships, sex, and human dignity.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 211J Death and the After-Life0.50 units

What is death? What does it mean for a person to die? Is death an evil thing and what attitude should the living person have toward death? Is there any rational or philosophical reason to believe in immortality? Questions such as these will be explored using the views of a certain number of philosophers.

Antirequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 215 Professional and Business Ethics0.50 units

Study of ethical and moral issues that typically arise in professional and business activity. What responsibilities to society at large do people in such business and professional activities as teaching, engineering, planning, architecture, and accounting have? How far should professional autonomy extend?

Antirequisites
Cross-listed
ARBUS 202

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 216 Probability and Decision Making0.50 units

This course covers a set of related topics in probability, inductive reasoning, game theory, and decision theory which are of both theoretical and practical interest, having application to the philosophy of science, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, political science, and economics. The course begins with probability theory, introduces utility theory, and discusses approaches to the theory of decision making with attention to their epistemological, social, and ethical implications.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 218J Foundations of Ethics0.50 units

What is ethics and what is it based on? What does it mean for an action, a person, or a life to be morally good? Can philosophy provide any objective and universal answers to moral questions? The views of different philosophers will be discussed.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 219J Practical Ethics0.50 units

An examination of contemporary ethical issues pertinent to our Western societies, such as abortion, euthanasia, the treatment of animals, the environment, and free expression.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 220J Philosophy of Friendship0.50 units

Friendship is an essential part of a happy life. Ancient western philosophers made friendship one of the cornerstones of their ethics. This course is an exploration of their views on problems such as the necessity of friendship, its nature, its species, and its relationship to happiness and the political community.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
Cross-listed
CLAS 220

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 221 Ethics0.50 units

An introduction to moral theories, including ones based on virtue, consequences, and rights and duties, with discussion of historical developments leading to those theories.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 224 Environmental Ethics0.50 units

Philosophical perspectives on such issues as climate change, pollution, use of scarce resources, biodiversity, and our relations with animals and future generations. This course will also consider bioactivism and other approaches to environmental problems.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 226 Biomedical Ethics0.50 units

An examination of ethical issues in the health sciences, such as the patient-doctor relationship, reproductive rights and technologies, genetic testing, allocation of medical resources, and end-of-life decisions.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 227 Culture and Ethics0.50 units

This course surveys a variety of competing ethical positions that have been, and continue to be, adopted by different cultures around the world. Can two competing ethical viewpoints both be right? If not, then what grounds should we adopt to decide between them, and under what circumstances? How can we negotiate the difficulties that such differences pose for our practical judgment and moral theorizing? Students will engage these questions by reading texts in philosophical ethics and meta-ethics, and by applying what they have learned in case studies of ethical differences among cultures.

Cross-listed
INDEV 300

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 228 Ethics and Artificial Intelligence0.50 units

Philosophical perspectives on the ethical issues raised by developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Potential topics include fairness and bias in the use of algorithms, accountability and responsibility for autonomous systems, privacy and surveillance, and what it might mean for a machine to engage in moral reasoning.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 230J God and Philosophy0.50 units

What is God? Does God exist? Can philosophy prove God or is agnosticism or atheism more reasonable? Is God compatible with evil and suffering or with a modern scientific worldview? Such questions will be explored from a variety of perspectives.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 237 Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion0.50 units

A critical discussion of basic religious concepts. Among the topics covered will be faith, miracles, religious experience, immortality, arguments for the existence of God, and challenges to religious belief.

Cross-listed
RS 261

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 240 Introduction to Formal Logic0.50 units

An examination of classical propositional logic, covering proof methods, expressive completeness, soundness, and completeness. Also an introduction to quantificational logic.

Antirequisites
  • Not open to students in a Faculty of Mathematics program

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 246 Scientific Revolutions0.50 units

How has scientific knowledge developed over time? Have some changes in scientific theory constituted scientific revolutions? In this course, students will analyze examples of scientific developments ranging from antiquity to modernity. Students will evaluate whether the concept of a "revolution" aptly describes past processes of theory change, and examine what drove natural philosophers and scientists to espouse one scientific theory over another. Specific topics may be drawn from the history and philosophy of chemistry, cosmology, evolutionary biology, geology, and physics.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 251 Metaphysics and Epistemology0.50 units

This course introduces philosophical theories about the nature of reality (metaphysics), how we gain knowledge of it (epistemology), and of why such questions matter. Topics may include skepticism, the nature of rationality, knowledge of other minds, realism and anti-realism, and free will and determinism.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 252 Quantum Mechanics for Everyone0.50 units

Quantum mechanics is driving a technological revolution. This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts of quantum mechanics from a historical and philosophical perspective. The course will supply the background needed to understand the controversies surrounding the interpretation of quantum mechanics as well as the principles behind the cutting-edge research being carried out at the Perimeter Institute and the University of Waterloo.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
Cross-listed
SCI 252

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 255 Philosophy of Mind0.50 units

This course will discuss fundamental questions concerning the nature of mind, including the relation between mind and body, the plausibility of commonsense views of the mind, and knowledge of other minds.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 256 Introduction to Cognitive Science0.50 units

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence. This course will draw on philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, neuroscience, and anthropology to address central questions about the nature of thinking. Topics discussed will include mental representation, computational models of mind, and consciousness.

Cross-listed
PSYCH 256

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 257 Philosophy of Mathematics0.50 units

An introduction to philosophical problems concerning mathematics. Topics may include: what makes mathematical statements true (e.g., do numbers exist?); whether mathematics is a human creation or something we discover; what counts as a proof; mathematical paradoxes; the relationship between mathematics and other sciences; and mathematical pluralism.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • PHIL359

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 258 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science0.50 units

This course considers fundamental questions concerning the nature of science. Consideration is given to such topics as scientific methodology, scientific revolutions, natural laws, and the debate about whether scientific theories represent reality, or just our perceptions of reality.

Cross-listed
SCI 267

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 259 Philosophy of Technology0.50 units

What is technology? What is its relationship with modern science? Is technology a means or an end? Does the development of technology require a change in the way we conceive human nature and its place within the natural world? What new moral and metaphysical dilemmas does technology raise?

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 260 Ancient Science0.50 units

The ancient Greeks developed scientific theories that were influential for over a thousand years. Their worldview was different from ours, but they sought to explain some of the same phenomena that we grapple with today. In this course, we will study ancient Greek theories and methodologies in the sciences, which may include physics, astronomy, mathematics, meteorology, cosmology, astrology, and geography.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
Cross-listed
CLAS 260, SCI 266

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 262J Postmodernist Philosophy0.50 units

A critical examination of postmodernism as a philosophical movement that has profoundly influenced the contemporary world. The course will introduce students to the main tenets of postmodernist philosophy in areas such as rationality, morality, politics, religion, art, and culture.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 265 The Existentialist Experience0.50 units

An introduction to existentialism using both literary and philosophical texts.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 271 Special Topics0.50 units

Special topics, as announced by the department.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 283 Great Works: Ancient and Medieval0.50 units

A historical survey of ancient and medieval philosophy in the Western tradition.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • PHIL250A
Cross-listed
CLAS 261

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 284 Great Works: Modern0.50 units

A historical survey of modern philosophy in the Western tradition.

Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • PHIL250B

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 285J Great Christian Thinkers0.50 units

An introduction to and examination of the thought of one important figure of Christian philosophy, such as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, or Kierkegaard. The choice of the philosopher studied varies from term to term.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 286J Great German Thinkers0.50 units

An introduction to and examination of the thought of one important figure (such as Leibniz, Kant, Nietzsche, or Heidegger) or school (such as Idealism, Romanticism, or phenomenology) of German philosophy. The choice of the philosopher(s) studied varies from term to term.

Cross-listed
GER 286

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 290 Nature of Scientific Knowledge0.50 units

This course examines how knowledge is produced in scientific disciplines, including the nature of inquiry, as well as types of evidence and expertise across different fields. The course features significant input from scientific practitioners in the form of guest lectures.

Cross-listed
INTEG 220

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 291 The Social Nature of Knowledge0.50 units

This course examines social aspects of knowledge, including ways that characteristics of individual knowers and their communities affect the acquisition, interpretation, production, and transfer of knowledge. In addition, we analyze the consequences this has for the objectivity of knowledge. The course features significant input from researchers in the humanities and social sciences in the form of guest lectures.

Cross-listed
INTEG 221

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 302 Topics in Feminist Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in feminist philosophy, as announced by the department. Possible topics include (but are not limited to) bodily autonomy, reproductive justice, intersectionality, feminist epistemology, and the metaphysics of race and/or gender.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 305J Philosophy of Nature0.50 units

A philosophical study of the most fundamental and common aspects of the natural world. After examining how such a study differs from and complements modern science, topics such as nature, matter, change, cause, time, and chance will be explored.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 315 Ethics and the Engineering Profession0.50 units

An analysis from the standpoint of philosophical ethics of moral issues arising in professional engineering practice. Issues include the social responsibility of engineers, conflict of interest and obligation, morally acceptable levels of risk, and moral implications of technology.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 319J Ethics of End-of-Life Care0.50 units

What options does a person reaching the end of life have and how can they best be cared for? How can we balance patient autonomy with the expertise of the health-care provider and the demands of the health-care system? This course will help students think philosophically and critically about issues like these in their cultural, historical, and legal context. Specific topics may include consent, human dignity, euthanasia, refusal or withdrawal of treatment, palliative care and holistic patient care, pluralism and diverse understandings of dying, and treatment of the elderly.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 320 Topics in Value Theory0.50 units

Special topics in value theory, as announced by the department. Possible topics include (but are not limited to) meta-ethics, moral psychology, moral responsibility, justice and oppression, international justice, and specific topics in applied ethics.

Prerequisites
  • Must have completed the following:

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 321J The Philosophy of Palliative Care0.50 units

An exploration of the principles and approaches of the hospice-palliative care movement as it was developed by its founders in the 20th century and as applied today. Topics may include the principles of pain and suffering management, holistic care of patients and their families, value of life at all stages, and integrating palliative care into mainstream medicine.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 324 Social and Political Philosophy0.50 units

An examination of central issues in social and political philosophy. This course draws on both contemporary and historical readings to discuss issues such as: Does the state have legitimate authority to govern? What is the just way to distribute resources? What is the value of equality? Of liberty? What rights, if any, do we have, and why?

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 326J Philosophy of Social Justice0.50 units

What is justice and more particularly what makes a society just? In the philosophical treatment of this problem, notions such as the purpose of community living, private and common goods, individual freedom, and social responsibility will be explored.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 327 Philosophy of Law0.50 units

Basic themes in the philosophy of law. Issues include the nature of law and its relation to morality and politics, legal reasoning, the justification of punishment, and theories of rights, responsibility, and liability.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher
Cross-listed
LS 351

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 328 Human Rights0.50 units

What are human rights? Which do we have, and why? What are the practical implications of human rights, for both individuals and institutions? A comprehensive discussion of theory and history, of law and morality, and of national and international applications.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher
Cross-listed
LS 352

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 329 Violence, Non-Violence, and War0.50 units

An exploration of the traditional debates concerning the legitimacy of violence and war as instruments in the pursuit of personal and political goals. The course critically examines a continuum of views from religious doctrines of non-resistance, to various forms of pacifism and non-violent resistance, "just-war theory", and political realism. The strategic arguments for political non-violent action are also considered.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher
Cross-listed
PACS 316

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 331 Philosophy of Art0.50 units

What is art? What is beauty? What do the two have to do with each other? This course introduces students to some fundamental issues in the philosophy of art, and to a variety of philosophical views on these issues.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher
Cross-listed
FINE 338

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 340 Topics in Formal Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in formal philosophy, as announced by the department. Potential topics may include (but are not limited to) non-standard logics, intermediate classical logic, game and decision theory, philosophy of mathematics, and formal epistemology.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 350 Topics in Epistemology0.50 units

Special topics in epistemology, as announced by the department. Potential topics include (but are not limited to) the epistemology of testimony, the epistemology of disagreement, normative social cognition, and the varieties and functions of ignorance.

Prerequisites
  • Complete 1 of the following
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
      • PHIL251 - Metaphysics and Epistemology (0.50)
      • PHIL255 - Philosophy of Mind (0.50)
      • PHIL284 - Great Works: Modern (0.50)
    • Must have completed the following:
      • PHIL250A

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 355 Topics in Metaphysics0.50 units

Special topics in metaphysics, as announced by the department. Potential topics include (but are not limited to) universals and particulars, the mind-body problem, realism and anti-realism, and the nature of time.

Prerequisites
  • Complete 1 of the following
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
      • CLAS261 - Great Works: Ancient and Medieval (0.50)
      • PHIL251 - Metaphysics and Epistemology (0.50)
      • PHIL283 - Great Works: Ancient and Medieval (0.50)
      • PHIL284 - Great Works: Modern (0.50)
    • Must have completed 1 of the following:
      • PHIL250A
      • PHIL250B

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 356 Intelligence in Machines, Humans, and Other Animals0.50 units

A comparison of the representations and processes that produce intelligent performance, such as problem-solving, learning, and language in natural and artificial systems.

Prerequisites
  • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
    • PHIL256 - Introduction to Cognitive Science (0.50)
    • PSYCH256 - Introduction to Cognitive Science (0.50)
Cross-listed
COGSCI 300

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 358 Topics in Philosophy of Science0.50 units

Special topics in the philosophy of science, as announced by the department. Possible topics include (but are not limited to) philosophy of physics, philosophy of biology, the philosophy of social science, topics in the history and philosophy of science, general philosophy of science, and science in society.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 363 Philosophy of Language0.50 units

Topics in the philosophy of language such as meaning, truth, reference, speech acts, mental representations of syntax and semantics, psycholinguistics, and relations between logical and natural languages.

Prerequisites
  • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 371 Special Topics0.50 units

Special topics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 2A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 380 History of Ancient Philosophy0.50 units

In this course students will examine one or more important figures, periods, or issues in ancient philosophy. Plato and Aristotle are among the philosophers who may be covered.

Prerequisites
  • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL
Cross-listed
CLAS 361

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 382 Medieval Philosophy0.50 units

In this course students will examine one or more important figures, periods, or issues in medieval philosophy. Augustine, Boethius, Avicenna, Maimonides, Aquinas, and Scotus are among the philosophers who may be covered.

Prerequisites
  • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 384 History of Modern Philosophy0.50 units

In this course, students will learn about one or more important figures, periods, or issues in modern philosophy. Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant are among the figures who may be covered.

Prerequisites
  • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 386 19th- and 20th-Century Philosophy0.50 units

A course on one or more important figures or issues in 19th- or 20th-century philosophy, as announced by the department. The focus of the course may change each time it is offered. Potential figures include (but are not limited to) Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, James, Dewey, Peirce, Frege, Carnap, and Russell.

Prerequisites
  • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 402 Studies in Feminist Philosophy/Philosophy of Sex0.50 units

Special topics in feminist philosophy, women philosophers, and/or the philosophy of sex, as announced by the Department of Philosophy.

Prerequisites
Antirequisites
  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in:
    • WS422
Cross-listed
GSJ 402

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 403 Studies in Ancient Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in ancient philosophy, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites
Cross-listed
CLAS 461

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 404 Studies in Medieval Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in medieval philosophy, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 405 Studies in Modern Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in 17th- and 18th-century philosophy, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 407 Studies in 19th- and 20th-Century Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in 19th- and 20th-century philosophy, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 416 Studies in Probability and Decision Theory0.50 units

Special topics in probability and decision theory, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 420 Studies in Ethics0.50 units

Special topics in ethics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 422 Studies in Political Philosophy0.50 units

Special topics in political philosophy, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 441 Studies in Logic0.50 units

Special topics in logic, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites
  • Complete 1 of the following
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
      • PHIL240 - Introduction to Formal Logic (0.50)
      • PMATH330 - Introduction to Mathematical Logic (0.50)
    • Must have complete at least 1 of the following:
      • PHIL341
      • PHIL342

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 447 Seminar in Cognitive Science0.50 units

An interdisciplinary discussion of central issues concerned with mind and intelligence such as representation, meaning, inference, and consciousness.

Prerequisites
  • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
    • PHIL256 - Introduction to Cognitive Science (0.50)
    • PSYCH256 - Introduction to Cognitive Science (0.50)
Cross-listed
PSYCH 447

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 450J Being and Existence0.50 units

A discussion of metaphysics as the kind of examination initiated by the Greeks (e.g., Parmenides and Aristotle) and renewed subsequently by many other philosophers (e.g., Aquinas and Heidegger), understood as ontology or the rational study of being as such. Notions such as reality, essence, existence, and analogy will be discussed.

Prerequisites
  • Students must be in level 3A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 451J Thomas Aquinas0.50 units

An in-depth study of a particular theme in Thomas Aquinas. Specific topic to vary.

Prerequisites
  • Complete all of the following
    • Earned at least 0.50 units from PHIL
    • Students must be in level 3A or higher

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 452 Studies in Epistemology0.50 units

Special topics in epistemology, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 455 Studies in Metaphysics0.50 units

Special topics in metaphysics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 458 Studies in the Philosophy of Science0.50 units

Special topics in the philosophy of science, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 459 Studies in the Philosophy of Physics0.50 units

An investigation of philosophical issues raised by physics. Topics could include the interpretation of quantum theory, the arrow of time, or the nature of space and time. This course is suitable for students with a background in either philosophy, physics, or mathematics.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 463 Studies in the Philosophy of Language0.50 units

Special topics in the philosophy of language, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 471 Special Topics0.50 units

Advanced study of special topics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 472 Special Topics0.50 units

Advanced study of special topics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 481 Special Topics0.50 units

Advanced study of special topics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 482 Special Topics0.50 units

Advanced study of special topics, as announced by the department.

Prerequisites

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

PHIL 498 Directed Reading in Special Areas0.50 units

Readings in selected topics chosen in discussion with instructor.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Fall 2024Course outlines

Graduate

From the Spring 2025 Graduate Calendar. Also this year: Fall 2024, Winter 2025.

PHIL 600 Seminar in Cognitive Science0.50 units

Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence. This seminar will discuss controversial topics concerning the nature of human and computer intelligence

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 626 Bioethics and Technology0.50 units

Students will grapple with a sample of ethical issues related to advanced and emerging medical technologies and/or biotechnologies. The primary goals of doing so are: (1) To gain familiarity with key ethical concepts and values, which may include patient autonomy, beneficence, justice, care, anti-ableism, inclusion, and others; and (2) to enhance core critical thinking skills needed for ethics, which will help improve each student’s self-understanding (of not only what they think is right and wrong, but, more importantly, why) and their capacity to engage with different perspectives on the “whats” and “whys” of ethics in a spirit of open-mindedness, mutual respect, and constructive cooperation. Frequent in-class discussion is typically an important element of student learning in this course.

Prerequisites
  • Open only to Masters students in the Collaborative Health Technologies Program.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 670 Fall Term Reading Course0.50 units

Consult the schedule of classes for specific topics being offered.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 671 Winter Term Reading course0.50 units

Consult the schedule of classes for specific topics being offered.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 672 Spring Term Reading Course0.50 units

Consult the schedule of classes for specific topics being offered.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 673 Graduate Courses0.50 units

Graduate level courses covering specialized topics in philosophy. These courses are often held in conjunction with 400 level philosophy courses, though of course the work requirements for graduate students are more stringent. Students must pay attention to the restriction on the number of these courses they are allowed to count toward their degree.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 674 Graduate Courses0.50 units

Graduate level courses covering specialized topics in the department's fields of research concentration.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 675 Graduate Courses in Applied Philosophy0.50 units

Graduate level courses covering specialized topics in Applied Philosophy.These courses are often held in conjunction with PHIL 673, Graduate Courses in Philosophy; the course requirements in PHIL 675 will involve application of philosophical methods and theories to practical problems. These courses are often held in conjunction with 400 level philosophy courses, through of course the work requirements for graduate students are more stringent. Students must pay attention to the restriction on the number of these courses they are allowed to count toward their degree.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 676 Graduate Courses in Applied Philosophy0.50 units

Graduate level courses covering specialized topics in the department's field of research concentration. These courses are often held in conjunction with PHIL 674, Graduate Course in Philosophy; the course requirements in PHIL 676 will involve application of philosophical methods and theories to practical problems.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 680A Departmental Graduate Seminar

A graduate level survey which acquaints students with a number of issues under active investigation in the philosophical literature in a particular area of central importance to philosophy. Normally covers an area that falls within the department's identified fields of research concentration. The area will vary from year to year, but will always be one which is likely to inform students' research whatever their eventual specialization.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 680B Departmental Graduate Seminar1.00 units

A graduate level survey which acquaints students with a number of issues under active investigation in the philosophical literature in a particular area of central importance to philosophy. Normally covers an area that falls within the department's identified fields of research concentration. The area will vary from year to year, but will always be one which is likely to inform students' research whatever their eventual specialization.

Prerequisites
  • Must have completed the following:
    • PHIL680A - Departmental Graduate Seminar (0.00)

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 696 Directed Research for MA Candidates0.50 units

A one-term course which involves the writing of a research paper. Non-thesis MA students must complete three such courses, each supervised by a different instructor, as part of the requirements for their degree. Thesis MA students must complete one such course, supervised by the instructor who will supervise the thesis, as a preliminary stage in their thesis preparation.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 698 Research Area Tutorials for PhD1.00 units

PhD candidates select two of these tutorials on topics approved by the department, each to be taken with a different instructor, as part of their degree requirements. The goal of each area is to allow the student to reach a point where she or he is ready to make a research contribution to a particular area of philosophy. One of the areas will normally be in the subject the student intends to pursue for the dissertation.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines

PHIL 699 Applied Research Placement Tutorial1.00 units

Students in the Applied Philosophy program enroll in this tutorial in conjunction with a placement at a host organization. The Applied Research Placement will prepare the student to make a research contribution on a specific philosophical topic and to make an applied contribution outside of philosophy.

Archived calendar entryRequirements, Spring 2025Course outlines