You are in the official 2005-2006 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of Philosophy
COURSES
Philosophy (PHIL)
PHIL 1. Introduction to Philosophy (3)
Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. 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)
PHIL 2. Exploring Religious Meaning (3)
Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. 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.
PHIL 10. Self, Religion, and Society (3)
Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. Conceptions of human nature;
nature and varieties of religion; personal and social implications
and values of religion. G.E. Breadth C2.
PHIL 20. Moral Questions (3)
Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation A2. 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 28. Critical Thinking in the Classroom
(3)
Open to liberal studies majors only. Prerequisite or corequisite:
EHD 50. Principles and methods of good reasoning, including identifying
arguments, developing deductive/inductive reasoning skills, assessing
observations/testimony reports; common fallacies; and applications
to K-8 teaching. (Students completing PHIL 28 cannot receive credit
for PHIL 25 or 45.) Meets G.E. A3 requirement only for liberal
studies majors.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 120. Contemporary
Conflicts of Morals (3)
(Same as AETH 100.) Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth
Area C. Exploration of moral issues through great works, such
as philosophy, novels, dramas, or films. Looks at questions such
as, "What is it to be moral? Why be moral? Why care about
others? How should scarce resources be distributed? What is integrity?"
G.E. Integration IC.
PHIL 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?
PHIL 122. Introduction
to Professional Ethics (3)
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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 127. Philosophy of Law (3)
Nature and functions of law; methods of justifying legal systems;
logic of legal reasoning; analysis of fundamental legal concepts.
PHIL 129. Marxism (3)
Examination of basic ideas of Marx inherent in his writings and
a consideration of later developments now called "Marxist."
PHIL 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.
PHIL 131. Comparative Religion (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area D. A study of
major religions of the world, their traditions, teachings, influential
texts, methodological and comparative approaches. Emphasis on
major Western and non-Western religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. G.E. Multicultural/International
MI.
PHIL 132. Religion and the Margin (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area D. 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 136. Buddhism (3)
Introduction to Buddhism. Life and teachings of Gautama Siddhartha
Buddha; development of Buddhism after death or mahanirvana of
the Buddha.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 150. Foundations of Knowledge (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area C. 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, and psychological
states. G.E. Integration IC.
PHIL 151. Cognitive Science: Mind (3)
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area C. 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 165T. Special Topics (1-3; max total
9 if no topic repeated)
Topics of current or interdisciplinary interest or requiring special
background.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 190. Independent Study (1-3; max total
6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent
Study. Approved for RP grading.
PHIL 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.
PHIL 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.
CR/NC grading only
PHIL 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.
Philosophy
Degrees