You are in the official 2000-2001 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of Philosophy
COURSES
Philosophy (PHIL)
1. Introduction to Philosophy (3)
Introduction to the basic issues, disputes, and methods of traditional and
contemporary philosophy, including theory of knowledge, ethics, metaphysics,
religion, and social theory. Development of skills in analysis, logical
thinking, and self-expression. G.E. Breadth C2. (CAN PHIL 2)
2. Exploring Religious Meaning (3)
Introduction to exploration of the many dimensions of religions. Topics
include tools and resources of the academic study of religion, the sacred/holy,
symbolism, myth, ritual, religious origin, and destiny. G.E. Breadth C2.
10. Self, Religion, and Society (3)
Conceptions of human nature; nature and varieties of religion; personal
and social implications and values of religion. G.E. Breadth C2.
20. Moral Questions (3)
Introduction to ethics and its place in human experience. Ethical theory;
methods of reasoning about values. Typical issues include euthanasia, privacy,
work ethics, sex, happiness, capital punishment, censorship, social justice,
and environment. Non-Western perspectives; materials from arts and humanities
(e.g., literature, film). G.E. Breadth C2.
25. Methods of Reasoning (3)
Principles and methods of good reasoning. Typical topics: identification
of argument structure, development of skills in deductive and inductive
reasoning, assessing observations and testimony reports, language and reasoning,
common fallacies. (PHIL 25 and PHIL 45 cannot both be taken for credit.)
G.E. Foundation A3.
26. Reasoning and Religion (3)
No credit if taken after PHIL 25, 27, or 45. An introduction to principles
and methods of critical thinking utilizing as source material the claims,
arguments, and theories of major Western and non-Western religious traditions.
27. Reasoning About Values (3)
No credit if taken after PHIL 25, 26, or 45. An introduction to principles
and methods of critical thinking, utilizing as source material claims and
arguments concerning values, ethics, social, and political issues.
31. World Faiths (3)
A survey of the major world religions, their historical development,
their aesthetical expression and selections of primary texts. Emphasis is
given to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam.
45. Introduction to Logic (3)
Basic concepts and methods of logic; development of skills in deductive
and inductive reasoning, with emphasis on deduction. Elementary formal techniques
for propositional logic; categorical logic, fallacies, and language. (PHIL
45 and PHIL 25 cannot both be taken for credit.) G.E. Foundation A3.
101. Ancient Philosophy (3)
Development of Western Philosophy from its beginning; the emergence of critical
theory, doctrines, and schools of thought in Greek and Roman culture. Topics
considered may include: "pre-Socratic" philosophy; the work of
Plato and Aristotle; Epicurus and the Atomists; Stoicism.
103. Bacon to Kant (3)
Development of early modern philosophy: the search for new scientific methods
-- Bacon, Descartes, Spinoza, Newton, and Locke; empiricism and skepticism
-- Berkeley and Hume; rational ist metaphysics -- Leibniz; influences on
moral and political thought -- the Enlightenment; Rousseau; Kant's critical
philosophy.
105. Twentieth Century Philosophy (3)
Principal developments in philosophy after 1900. Figures and movements include:
logical atomism, logical positivism, linguistic analysis, pragmatism, phenomenology,
existentialism, G. E. Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, Whitehead, Dewey, Santayana,
Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Austin, Ryle, Strawson, Carnap, Ayer.
107. Existentialism (3)
Examination of roots of existentialism in Kierkegaard and Nietzsche; study
of such 20th century existentialists as Sartre, Heidegger, Jaspers, Buber.
Typical problems examined: nature of mind, freedom, the self, ethics, existential
psychoanalysis.
108. Roman Philosophy (3)
Study of major figures and schools of philosophy in the Roman world. Special
emphasis upon Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic traditions, with consideration
of other major contributions.
110. Feminist Philosophy (3)
Introduction to feminist approaches to philosophy and to specifically philosophical
approaches to gender. Several philosophical issues will be explored at some
depth. These might be drawn from the following areas: personal identity;
values and society; political authority; knowledge and reality.
115. Ethical Theory (3)
Introduction to the fundamental concepts and problems of moral theory. Examination
of various ethical theories, including relativism, egoism, utilitarianism,
intui tionism, and non-cognitivism; the meaning of ethical terms.
118. Social and Political Theory (3)
Examination of traditional and contemporary theories of society and government.
Analysis of basic concepts such as the common good, social contract, authority,
justice, and natural rights.
120. Contemporary Conflicts of Morals (3)
(Same as A ETH 100.) Introduction to ethical theory and its application
to contemporary moral problems. Discussion to include: business ethics,
medical ethics, sexual morality, abortion, mercy killing; drugs, and alcohol;
crime and punishment, civil disobedience, revolutionary violence, rights
of women and minorities.
121. Ethics in Criminal Justice (3)
Philosophical issues concerning society's treatment of criminal behavior.
Topics discussed include: morality and law; punishment or rehabilitation;
safe vs. repressive society, and what types of deviant behavior should be
regarded as criminal?
122. Introduction to Professional Ethics
(3)
(Same as A ETH 101.) Survey of ethical issues and standards facing a range
of professionals in their careers, including engineering, law, medicine,
the media, science, agriculture, education, and business. Introduction to
basic ethical theories and methods of reasoning about moral dilemmas.
125. Issues in Political Philosophy (3)
Not open to students who take PHIL 118. Examination of prominent political
philosophies and contemporary issues of politics and public policy. Policy
issues may include the scope and limits of government authority, the role
of government in the economy, foreign policy, health care, education, agriculture,
and the environment.
127. Philosophy of Law (3)
Nature and functions of law; methods of justifying legal systems; logic
of legal reasoning; analysis of fundamental legal concepts.
129. Marxism (3)
Examination of basic ideas of Marx inherent in his writings and a consideration
of later developments now called "Marxist."
130. Philosophy of Religion (3)
The nature and function of religious faith, belief, and practice; relations
between religion and morals; existence of God; problem of evil; nature and
significance of religious experience.
131. Comparative Religion (3)
Survey of the major religions of the world, their history and teachings,
with emphasis on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam.
132. Religion and the Margin (3)
Exploration of elements facing religious studies that have been historically
moved from the center to the side (marginalized), such as women's experience,
ethnicity, gender, and class. Focus will include how religion has both supported
and resisted this move. G.E. Multicultural/International MI.
133W. Literature of the New Testament (3)
(Same as ENGL 115W.) Prerequisite: satisfactory completion (C or better)
of the ENGL 1 graduation requirement. Discussion and close written analyses
of selected texts from the New Testament. Meets upper-division writing skills
requirement for graduation.
134. Literature of the Old Testament (4)
(Same as ENGL 116.) Discussion and written analyses of selected texts from
the Hebrew Bible. Special attention to the sources and styles of biblical
literary techniques.
135. Asian Religious Traditions (3)
A study of the major beliefs and values of the Asian religious traditions,
including an examination of some of the classical texts central to Asian
religions.
136. Buddhism (3)
Introduction to Buddhism. Life and teachings of Gautama Siddhartha Buddha;
development of Buddhism after death or mahanirvana of the Buddha.
137. Hinduism (3)
Introduction to the development and ideas of Hinduism, including an examination
of classical scriptural texts, e.g., Upanishads, Bhagavad-gita, as well
as modern Hindu writings.
138. Chinese Thought (3)
Introduction to the development of major ideas and systems of thought in
China; emphasis on Confucian, Taoist, and Chinese Buddhist traditions.
140. Advanced Reasoning Skills (3)
Development of skills in the analysis of arguments, thinking clearly, and
reasoning well. Emphasis on problems and skills involving language (e.g.,
clarifying meaning, handling vagueness, handling verbal component of disputes),
and on inductive inferences in everyday life.
145. Symbolic Logic (3)
(Similar to MATH 110; consult department.) Prerequisite: PHIL 25 or 45 or
permission of instructor. Theory of deductive inference; includes propositional
logic, predicate logic, relations, identity, definite description, nature
of axiom systems.
146. Philosophy of Language (3)
Nature and uses of language; theories of meaning; concepts of reference,
predication, truth, name, ambiguity, vagueness, definition, metaphor; relationships
between methodology in philosophy and theories of language.
150. Foundations of Knowledge (3)
Prerequisite: satisfaction of G.E. Core/Foundation critical thinking
requirement. Nature, sources, and limits of human knowledge; roles of perception,
reason, testimony, and intuition in acquiring rational beliefs; e.g. science,
mathematics, values, the arts, religion, social issues, psychological states.
G.E. Integration IC.
151. Cognitive Science: Mind (3)
The interdisciplinary study of cognition and mind: cognition includes mental
states and processes such as thinking, reasoning, remembering, language
understanding and generation, visual perception, learning, consciousness,
emotions, self-awareness, and our place in the world. G.E. Integration IC.
156. Philosophy of Mind (3)
Analysis of problems concerning the nature of mind and mental phenomena:
relation between mind and body, nature of the self and personal identity,
free will, action and behavior, thinking machines, knowledge of other minds;
concepts of mind, intention, desire, emotion.
157. Freedom, Fate, and Choice (3)
Nature of human action, free will and determinism, free will and moral responsibility;
analysis of basic concepts; for example, will, action, freedom, determinism,
fatalism, chance, choice, decision, intention, reason, desire, belief; implications
for everyday life.
165T. Special Topics (1-3; max total 9 if no topic repeated)
Topics of current or interdisciplinary interest or requiring special background.
170T. Senior Seminar (1-4; max total 12 if no topic repeated)
Prerequisites: senior standing or permission of instructor and at least
one upper-division philosophy course. Intensive investigation of selected
problems, major figures, or a historical period in philosophy. Extensive
writing and supervised research.
172T. Seminar in Religious Issues (1-4; max total 12 if no topic repeated)
Prerequisite: one upper-division philosophy course. Intensive investigation
of problems in philo sophical theology, comparative religion, and culture.
Extensive writing and supervised research.
190. Independent Study (1-3; max total 6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent
Study. Approved for SP grading.
192. Directed Reading (1-3; max total 6)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Supervised readings in a selected
philosopher or field of philosophy. Combined units of PHIL 190 and 192 may
not exceed 6 units.
198. Applied Ethics Internship (3)
Prerequisite: junior standing, PHIL 120, 122, or applied ethics courses
and permission of instructor. Workstudy experience in community service,
with a focus on ethical analysis and understanding.
199. Fieldwork in Philosophy and Law (3)
Prerequisites: senior standing, permission of instructor. Practical community
work-study experience in legal or paralegal setting. Student works under
sponsorship of a law firm or law-related agency, meets periodically with
instructor, and submits a written report on relevant issues in ethics, jurisprudence,
or philosophy.
