Philosophy Courses

Core offerings
Elective offerings

The Core Curriculum features both "knowledge goals" and "skills goals."  Like writing and mathematics, the techniques of logical reasoning are considered to be valuable (and transferable) skills.  Logic is the science of correct reasoning.  Everyone thinks and reasons, but it can be done well or poorly, and one can become a better reasoner through study, care, and practice.
PHIL111, Foundations of Logical Reasoning, satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in Foundations of Logical Reasoning (CLOR).  This class is offered every semester, and is required of all Freshmen effective Fall 06. There are more than 65 sections; please consult InfoBear for times and availability.
PHIL310, Symbolic Logic, satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement in Application of Quantitative Skills (CQUR), and is offered regularly.
All other Philosophy courses satisfy Core distribution requirements in Humanities (CHUM) (except for First- and Second-Year Seminars, which satisfy the CFYS and CSYS requirements respectively).  Many of them satisfy the writing-intensive requirement (CWRT); consult the Catalog.

The department offers a range of elective classes, which reflects the diversity of interests of the faculty.  As a general rule, each elective we have is offered every other year; i.e., every four semesters.  This coming semester (Spring 2012), we will be offering the following:  (Please click the titles below (or see College Catalog (pdf)) for more detailed descriptions.) Not all courses are available each semester; to preview open classes, check Current Courses)

Spring 2012 Electives -- Click title for description.  For further information on individual courses, ask your advisor or contact the instructor.

PHIL199 -- First-Year Seminars in Philosophy
    199-003 - - Nietzsche's Disciples - Prof. Leen - TR 3:25-4:40

PHIL298 -- Speaking-Intensive Second-Year Seminar in Philosophy
    298-001 - Global Issues in Public Health Ethics - Dr. Womack - M 1:50-4:30

PHIL299 -- Writing-Intensive Second Year Seminar in Philosophy
    299-001, 002, 003 - Ethics of Harry Potter - Dr. Mogg - WMF 8:00-8:50; 9:05-9:55; 11:15-12:05
    299-004, 005, 006 - Everyday Ethics - Dr. Steinhofer - MW 12:20-1:35, 1:50-3:05, 3:20-4:35
    299-007, 011 - Immortal Combat - Prof. Luddy - R 6:00-8:40; W 6:00-8:40
    299-008 - Paradoxes - Prof. Johnson - TR 12:30-1:45
    299-009 - Morality at the Movies - Prof. Leen - MW 1:50-3:05
    299-010 - Ethics of War and Peace - Prof. Robillard - MWF 10:10-11:00 
    299-F01 - The Philosophy of St. Augustine - Prof. Wallace - W 6:00-8:40 (Attleboro site)
   
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL136 - Freshman Honors Colloquium in Philosophy (two sections):
*Section H01-  The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film - (1 cr) - Open to all students with consent of instructor -- Dr. Skoble -- M 9:05-9:55       Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature, and by extension cinema, which deals with the effects of science or technology on the human condition, or which explore the human condition via science (including via utopian or dystopian future societies).  Science fiction allows for imaginative, yet carefully thought-out, alternative realities, and raises a number of philosophical questions and themes, including the paradoxes of time travel, enigmas of personal identity, the implications of advanced technology and artificial intelligence, and the meaning of life.  Human nature, ethics, and politics may also be explored.   This colloquium will examine ways in which science fiction illuminates many important philosophical issues, with an eye towards both enhancing the scope of the students' exposure to and appreciation of the genre and its roots, and also towards instilling curiosity about the philosophical dimensions of the genre.

*Section H02 - Existentialism and Stanley Kubrick - (1 cr) - Open to all students with consent of instructor -- Dr. Devlin -- M 11:15-12:05  Award-winning film director, producer, writer, and photographer, Stanley Kubrick, has haunted and provoked audiences with such great films as Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. In every film, Kubrick explores philosophical questions concerning human nature and existence, human emotions, human dilemmas, war, crime, and madness. More specifically, Kubrick offers an existential analysis of what it means to be human in his films. As such, he invites us to contemplate the notions of freedom, angst, absurdity, and nihilism through his characters and the narratives to which they are bound. In this colloquium, we will follow the existential themes of Kubrick's cinematic corpus, using the book, The Philosophy of Stanley Kubrick, as our guide. Students will write a 3-5 page paper concerning a specific philosophical topic related to the readings, class discussion, and Kubrick's films. Students will also be expected to be familiar with, and have access to, these films for review. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL213 - Philosophies of China and Japan -- Dr. Dasti -- MWF 10:10-11:00    This course explores philosophical traditions of China and Japan, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Shintoism, Zen, and other iterations of Buddhist thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL310 - Symbolic Logic -- Dr. Fitzgibbons -- TR 11:00-12:15  This course explores the formal systems of truth-functional logic and quantificational logic.  By developing a symbolic system, we can more easily see the logical structures we are concerned with.  We will examine what can be legitimately inferred from a given statement or set of statements, whether a given statement can be false at all (or is necessarily true), whether a set of statements is consistent or inconsistent, and what it means to "prove," "deduce," and "imply."  We will study modes of statement composition, how quantificational analysis works, the difference between universal and existential quantification, the logical properties of statements or sets of statements (such as validity and consistency), and logical relations between statements (such as equivalence and entailment).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL199-003 - First-Year Seminar - Nietzsche's Disciples - Prof. Leen - TR 3:25-4:40
This class will examine the impact that Nietzsche's writings have had on a number of historical figures and movements. We will begin by reading a number of Nietzsche's primary works in an effort to understand his claims about, amongst other things, the Will to Power, Eternal Recurrence, the Ubermensch, and the death of God. These views have frequently been used to justify a range of actions as diverse as German Fascism and the Leopold and Loeb murders. We will look at the ways in which Neitzsche's ideas were put to use as a means of better understanding what his views actually were. The class will have a focus on constructing and analyzing philosophic arguments in the context of writing a philosophy paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL298-001 - Global Issues in Public Health Ethics - Dr. Womack - M 1:50-4:30In the 21st century, information, people, and goods and services travel across national boundaries with ease.  However, they carry with them a new set of health risks for the global population.  In this Second-Year Seminar, students will examine some of the most prominent global health problems, learn about approaches to solutions devised by ethicists, health experts and policy makers, and present their own research projects on a particular problem in global public health ethics.  Two key pedagogical goals for this course are:  1) students will be able to understand and analyze important issues in global public health ethics, integrating philosophical sources and applied case studies; and 2) students will be able to apply their knowledge of public health ethics to a research project on a specific and timely topic of global import.  Themes for the course include: Global pandemics, autonomy and security; Multiculturalism and Health:  Issues of Consent and Effectiveness of Treatment Food Safety, Insecurity, and Alternative Foodways; Vaccination:  individual responsibility and the obligations of citizenship; Big Pharma and global health:  balancing commerce and humanitarian interests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-004,005,006 - Second-Year Seminar -Everyday Ethics - Dr. Steinhofer - MW 12:20-1:35, 1:50-3:05, 3:20-4:35  This seminar is a philosophical examination of the ethical implications of certain familiar (perhaps everyday) activities including eating meat, gossiping, copying software, smoking, owning pets, and telling jokes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL222 - Philosophy of Law -- Dr. Skoble -- TR 12:30-1:45   This course is an exploration of a variety of philosophical issues pertaining to law.  We will not be studying the law in the sense of learning what all the laws are, although we will refer to real laws and Supreme Court decisions in the course of our investigations.  Philosophy of Law, like "philosophy of" other things, is concerned with the theoretical underpinnings of our subject; ontological, epistemological, and ethical ramifications or presuppositions of our subject; questions of justification.  More specifically, we will examine questions such as: What is law?  What is the nature of legal reasoning, especially judicial reasoning?  How, if at all, does it differ from other reasoning in philosophy or politics?  Where does legal authority come from?  How are rights understood in the law?  How shall we understand the relation between morality and law?  What is the grounding of a system of punishment?  What is responsibility in the law?  There are also interesting questions about the evolution of legal practice, such as rules of evidence and criminal procedure.  Our objectives for this semester are to look at some of the main philosophical theories pertaining to these questions, get a better sense of what law is and what legal systems are, and to learn to think philosophically about these issues.  Although this class is beneficial to the pre-law student, its essence is philosophy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-007, 011 - Second-Year Seminar - Immortal Combat - Prof. Luddy - R 6:00-8:40; W 6:00-8:40  This course examines the idea of God in the history of the major religious groups. It investigates the source and inspiration of their conception of God, and its implication for morality and politics. The course pays particular attention to the phenomenon of fanaticism, the tendency of some factions within religious groups to follow a perilous path toward radicalism and possibly violence. We highlight the connection between fanaticism and nationalism, as well as the fighting words of various religious and political leaders in current conflicts. It is not merely Foreign Service employees who must understand contemporary religious issues and strife; it is a prerequisite for an informed citizenry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL152 - Contemporary Moral Problems -- Dr. Skoble -- TR 9:30-10:45    This course is an introduction to philosophical thinking about current moral issues, sometimes known as practical or applied ethics.  We will examine a variety of moral problems such as abortion, capital punishment, sexual morality, animal rights, drugs,  pornography, cloning, welfare and social justice, discrimination, and others.   Students will learn how to apply critical reasoning and reflection to issues which often provoke strong disagreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-001, 002, 003 - Second-Year Seminar -Ethics of Harry Potter - Dr. Mogg - WMF 8:00-8:50; 9:05-9:55; 11:15-12:05  The Harry Potter series is a worldwide phenomenon. Despite the assertion from some that the books promote witchcraft, many take seriously the proposition that they are full of philosophical significance. This proposition is exemplified in The Chamber of Secrets, when Dumbledore raises the question of character when he says, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (333). In this course, with the assistance of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, we will view Harry Potter through a philosophical lens to determine what Harry's choices reveal about the nature of virtues such as courage, temperance, magnanimity and justice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL303 - Major Modern Philosophers -- Dr. McAlinden -- TR 9:30-10:45    This course is an introduction to the philosophy of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.  During this important time many of the foundations of modern ways of looking at the world were developed. We will be reading some of the works of the more prominent figures of this period. Much of this material is difficult, but hopefully you will find it rewarding.   The format of the class will be lecture-discussion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-F01 - Second-Year Seminar - The Philosophy of St. Augustine - Prof. Wallace - W 6:00-8:40 (Attleboro site)  The thought of St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430), as one of the most prolific Latin authors of all time, has had profound and unprecedented influence upon the subsequent development of Western philosophy and theology. Forming a conduit that connects the ancient Greco-Roman philosophical traditions (Stoicism, Skepticism, Manichaeism, Neoplatonism) to the newly emerging intellectual development of medieval Christianity, Augustine's philosophy renders a unique synthesis that would come to yield great authority over Western thought. Bearing in mind this unparalleled degree of influence, this course will closely investigate some of the more predominant and fascinating questions addressed by Augustine. Such topics include his theory of knowledge and truth, the relationship between spirit and matter (soul and body), the relationship between divinity and creation, time and eternity, his moral theory, the nature of free will, and justice. This course will be discussion-based, with attention given to some of Augustine's primary texts. There will be an emphasis on expressing the discussion topics through critical writing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-008 - Second-Year Seminar - Paradoxes - Prof. Johnson - TR 12:30-1:45     Is the following sentence true or false: This sentence is false.   What is the smallest number that can't be described in less than fourteen words? If you change every part of your car over a ten year period is it the same car? Could you go back in time and kill your grandfather? If God knows you're going to take this class then do you really have a choice?   If reason is the principle tool of Philosophy, then paradoxes are its principal foil. This course will introduce the student to many of the most interesting and perplexing puzzles and paradoxes throughout history. These paradoxes span topics such as, infinity, morality, vagueness, self-reference, material constitution, decision theory, and much more. Our investigation into these deep questions will help the student develop their critical thinking and problem solving talents, as well as greatly increasing their writing skills.  It won't be easy, but it will be fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-009 -  Morality at the Movies - Prof. Leen - MW 1:50-3:05    Movies often present characters with moral dilemmas - problems to solve or choices to make that have moral consequences. In this introductory treatment of ethics - the philosophical study of systems of morality - we will discuss some of these films. We will also discuss some classic historical and contemporary ethics texts that offer various methods for solving ethical problems. This semester the course will have a particular focus on ethical issues based on gender and sex, including gender identity, notions of the feminine and the masculine,  the morality of heterosexuality and homosexuality, and the ethical import of sex and sexuality.  The format of the class will be lecture-discussion. This course fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement for writing intensive, and humanities distribution, as well as elective credit toward the Philosophy major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL299-010 - Ethics of War and Peace - Prof. Robillard - MWF 10:10-11:00  When is war morally justified?  Never?  Sometimes?  If the answer is "never," why?  If the answer is "sometimes," what are the criteria?  This course will examine these and many other questions concerning war and peace, including:  How does the role of  states differ morally from that of individuals?  What is the proper attitude to take toward an enemy?  What exactly is "the Geneva Convention" and why does anyone abide by it?  What is "international law"?  What is a war crime?  What is guerilla warfare?  What is terrorism?  Should women or gays be integrated into combat units?  Are nuclear weapons ethical?  You may have some thoughts on all these issues.  The point of this course is to develop a systematic and rigorous way to think about them.  As with any philosophy class, you may discover that some of your preconceived notions are perfectly correct, and others are incoherent or contradictory.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL405 - Metaphysics -- Dr. Devlin -- MW 1:50-3:05     Aristotle characterized metaphysics as the study of being qua being. As such, metaphysics concerns the study of the fundamental nature of reality and existence . This course examines some of the central issues concerning metaphysics. Such issues include the nature of substance (What is substance? How do we define it as the basic constitution of reality?), the analysis of causation (What is causality? How do we respond to David Hume's critique of causality?), the persistence of personal identity over time (What makes me, me, over time? Is there an essence to who I am that constitutes my identity over time? If so, what is it?), the nature of God (Does God exist? If so, what are the attributes or properties of God?), and the realism/antirealism debate (do our best theories about what is capture reality? Or is it the case that we cannot access the world as it really is?). Readings will concentrate on essays from contemporary authors (with some historical analyses presented) covering these issues. Students will be required to write two 10 page papers and take a final (cumulative) exam.  Prerequisite: at least six credits of a 200-level (or higher) philosophy course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHIL 450 - Senior Capstone Seminar in Philosophy - Dr. Womack -- TR 2:00-3:15   This course is the culmination of the work done by majors in philosophy, but others with significant experience in philosophy are welcome, too.  The goal of the course is to develop a three-part reflective essay, covering the following areas:  1) history of philosophy; 2) problems in philosophy; 3) application of philosophy to other disciplines.  There will also be a theme to the philosophical works read in the course; this theme changes from year to year.  For information on this year's theme, contact Prof. Womack (cwomack@bridgew.edu).  The course is done seminar-style, focusing on discussion and analysis both of student writing and philosophical works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Modified: January 18, 2012