2004-06 IUPUI Campus Bulletin

Philosophy

Chair Professor Michael B. Burke Professors Myles Brand
Michael Burke
Edmund Byrne (Emeritus)
Anne Donchin (Emerita)
Nathan Houser
Laurence Lampert
Eric Meslin
Paul Nagy (Emeritus)
Herman J. Saatkamp Jr. Associate Professors Robert Frye (Emeritus)
Ursula Niklas
John Tilley Assistant Professors André De Tienne
Richard Gunderman Adjunct Professor Arthur Burks Adjunct Assistant Professors Cornelis de Waal
Scott Massey

Academic Advising Cavanaugh Hall 331, (317) 274-8082 or (317) 274-2667

Philosophic inquiry aims, ultimately, at a general understanding of the whole of reality. It draws on the insights of the great historical philosophers, on what has been learned in all other major fields of study, and on the rich perspective embodied within our ordinary ways of thinking. Philosophers address a diverse array of deep, challenging, and profoundly important questions. Examples include the nature of the self and of personal identity; the existence or nonexistence of God; the nature of such phenomena as time, mind, language, and science; the sources and limits of human knowledge; the nature of the good life; the foundations of state authority; the requirements of social justice; and the nature of art, beauty, and aesthetic experience. Philosophical questions are addressed not by reference to empirical information alone, but by means of analysis, synthesis, argument, and the construction and evaluation of philosophical theories.

What attracts students to philosophy is the intrinsic interest of its subject matter. But the study of philosophy has practical benefits as well. Philosophy majors are practiced in the close reading of complex texts, in the careful analysis and evaluation of arguments, in original and creative thinking, and in the clear, precise, and persuasive communication of ideas. The skills thus acquired are not only a source of deep personal satisfaction, but a strong asset in any profession. That the study of philosophy is highly effective in enhancing academic skills is evidenced by the fact that philosophy majors receive exceptionally high scores on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and other standardized admissions tests.

Since philosophy examines the presuppositions and the basic concepts and methods of all other disciplines, a minor in philosophy can be the perfect complement to a major in any other field of study. In addition to the perspective it offers on other fields, a minor in philosophy sharpens intellectual skills, opens a broad intellectual vista, and affords an opportunity to consider fundamental questions of human concern.

Undergraduate Major in Philosophy

Requirements

A minimum of 24 credit hours in philosophy, including:

1. Either a survey of philosophy (P110 Introduction to Philosophy, S110 Introduction to Philosophy-Honors) or a basic course in ethics (P120 Ethics, S120 Ethics-Honors, P237 Environmental Ethics, P326 Ethical Theory, or P393 Biomedical Ethics)
2. A basic course in logic (P162 Logic or P265 Introduction to Symbolic Logic)
3. A minimum of 9 credit hours at the 300-400 level

To assure a properly balanced program of study, courses are to be selected in consultation with a departmental advisor

Double Majors

Students planning to major in a discipline other than philosophy are encouraged to consider philosophy as a second major. Students planning such a double major should consult the Department of Philosophy about philosophy courses most suitable to their academic interests and career goals.

Undergraduate Minor in Philosophy

Requirements

A minimum of 15 credit hours in philosophy, including:

1. One course from each of at least two of these three groups of basic courses:
   1. P110, S110;
   2. P120, S120, P237, P326, P393;
   3. P162, P265
2. A minimum of 6 credit hours at the 300-400 level

Ph.D. Minor in Philosophy

To earn a doctoral minor in philosophy at IUPUI a student outside the department must earn a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) in 13 credit hours of graduate-level courses , including 3 credits in the core course (P500), 6 in philosophical area and/or applied philosophy courses, and 4 in the culminating seminar (P730). See the department chair for details.

Departmental Honors Program

To provide superior students the option of advanced work in philosophy, the department offers H-Options in all 200 to 500-level courses other than P265. To graduate with honors in philosophy, a student must complete at least 24 credit hours of honors work, including at least 12 credit hours in philosophy and at least 6 credit hours outside philosophy, and must satisfy the requirements for a major in philosophy. The student must maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 3.3, with a 3.5 in philosophy and a 3.5 in honors courses. For further information, contact the department chairperson.

Undergraduate Courses

Honors Courses

S110 Introduction to Philosophy-Honors (3 cr.) This course is an introduction to key philosophical concepts and issues as well as major thinkers and historical periods.

S120 Ethics-Honors (3 cr.) A study of ethical values in relation to such problems as personal and societal decision making, selection and justification of lifestyle, goal orientation, conflict resolution, freedom and creativity, commitment and responsibility.

S314 Philosophy and Modern Times-Honors (3 cr.) A study of one or more philosophical concepts, themes, or developments characteristic of the modern period.

Regular Courses

P110 Introduction to Philosophy (3 cr.) An introduction to the methods and problems of philosophy and to important figures in the history of philosophy. Concerns such topics as the nature of reality, the meaning of life, and the existence of God. Readings from classical and contemporary sources, e.g., Plato, Descartes, Nietzsche, and Sartre.

P120 Ethics (3 cr.) An introductory course in ethics. Typically examines virtues, vices, and character; theories of right and wrong; visions of the good life; and contemporary moral issues.

P162 Logic (3 cr.) A study of the principles of logic. The course covers a variety of traditional topics, selected for their practical value, within formal and informal logic. Among the topics typically covered are fallacies, syllogisms, causal hypotheses, logic diagrams, argument analysis, and truth-functional reasoning.

P237 Environmental Ethics (3 cr.) An introductory consideration of philosophical views regarding the extent of human responsibility for the natural environment.

P265 Introduction to Symbolic Logic (3 cr.) A study of the most important and widely applicable parts of modern symbolic logic: propositional logic and predicate logic.

P280 Philosophical Problems: (variable title) (3 cr.) Concentrated treatment of an important philosophical problem. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

P281 Philosophy of Religion (3 cr.) Philosophical views regarding such topics as the meaning and purpose of religion, religious experience, religious knowledge, and the existence and nature of God.

P307 Classical Philosophy (3 cr.) A study of the significant texts of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, including the Presocratics, Plato, Aristotle, and the Hellenistic Thinkers.

P314 Modern Philosophy (3 cr.) A study of Western philosophy from the rise of modern science through the Enlightenment. Covers such philosophers as Bacon, Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, Leibniz, and Kant.

P316 Twentieth-Century Philosophy: (variable title) (3 cr.) A study of one or more twentieth-century approaches to philosophy, e.g., pragmatism, analytic philosophy, phenomenology, existentialism, postmodernism, and neo-Marxism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

P317 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy (3 cr.) A historical survey of philosophy in the nineteenth century from Hegel to Nietzsche, including utilitarianism, positivism, and philosophies of evolution.

P322 Philosophy of Human Nature (3 cr.) Theories of human nature and their philosophical implications.

P323 Society and the State in the Modern World (3 cr.) Topics, issues, and key figures in modern political philosophy–e.g., distributive justice, state authority, and the political thought of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, and Rawls.

P325 Social Philosophy: (variable title) (3 cr.)Concentrated study of one or more topics in social philosophy–e.g., human rights, political violence, civil disobedience, and legal paternalism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

P326 Ethical Theory (3 cr.) A variable title course. Advanced consideration of one or more ethical theories or theoretical issues about the nature and status of ethics.

P331 Philosophy of Science (3 cr.) An introductory study of theories with regard to the nature, purpose, and limitations of science.

P348 Philosophy and Literature (3 cr.)A study of philosophical issues raised by and in literature. Special emphasis on reading works of literature as texts of philosophical interest.

P358 American Philosophy (3 cr.) A study of the philosophical tradition in the United States, emphasizing major thinkers such as Peirce, Royce, James, Dewey, and Whitehead.

P365 Intermediate Symbolic Logic (3 cr.) P: P265. Topics in metalogic, set theory, and modal logic.

P367 Philosophy of Art (3 cr.) A study of fundamental concepts and theories of aesthetics and a philosophical exploration of major artistic movements and genres.

P368 Philosophy of Language (3 cr.) Philosophical study of the nature and functions of language. Covers such topics as meaning and truth, theories of reference, linguistic relativity, and speech acts.

P369 Epistemology (3 cr.) Knowledge and justified belief: their nature, structure, sources, and limits.

P382 Philosophy of History (3 cr.) An analysis of some of the philosophical problems implicit in the study of history, such as the possibility of historical objectivity, and a survey of influential interpretations of history from Augustine to Heidegger.

P383 Topics in Philosophy: (variable title) (3 cr.) Advanced treatment of a special topic. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

P385 Metaphysics (3 cr.) A study of several of the principal problems of metaphysics, such as identity through time, the self, the mind-body problem, freedom and determinism, fate, causation, the problem of universals, and the existence of God.

P393 Biomedical Ethics (3 cr.) A philosophical consideration of ethical problems that arise in current biomedical practice, e.g., with regard to abortion, euthanasia, determination of death, consent to treatment, and professional responsibilities in connection with research, experimentation, and health care delivery.

P394 Feminist Philosophy (3 cr.) A study of one or more philosophical topics in feminist thought. Examples: feminist ethics; feminist critiques of science; and feminist perspectives on motherhood, sexuality, and reproductive technology.

P414 Philosophy and Culture (3 cr.) In-depth consideration of a topic involving the interrelationship between philosophy and culture. May be repeated for credit.

P418 Seminar in the History of Philosophy: (variable title) (3 cr.) Intensive study of a philosopher or philosophical school of enduring importance. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

P448 Seminar in American Philosophy (3 cr.) An intensive study of a major American thinker, such as Edwards, Royce, James, Peirce, Dewey, or Whitehead, or of a leading theme, such as community, experience, or education. May be repeated for credit.

P468 Seminar in the Philosophy of Mind (3 cr.) An in-depth study of some particular problem of current concern in one of the following: theory of meaning, conceptual analysis, information theory, theory of action, artificial intelligence. May be repeated for credit.

P488 Research in Philosophy I (1-4 cr.) P: 9 credit hours of philosophy and consent of instructor. Independent research in philosophical theory approved by and reported to any member of the department. May be repeated for credit, but no more than 6 credit hours may be counted toward the major.

P489 Research in Philosophy II (1-4 cr.) P: 9 credit hours of philosophy and consent of instructor. Independent research in applied philosophy approved by and reported to any member of the department. May be repeated for credit, but no more than 3 credit hours may be counted toward the major.

Graduate Courses

P500 Philosophy Pro-Seminar (3 cr.) An advanced survey of areas and issues addressed in philosophy. Principal objective: to familiarize the post-baccalaureate student with the range and diversity of contemporary philosophical discourse.

P520 Philosophy of Language (3 cr.) Advanced study of selected topics.

P522 Topics in the History of Modern Philosophy (3 cr.) Selected topics from the philosophies of one or more of the following: Continental rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz), British empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, Hume), and Kant. May be repeated twice with consent of instructor(s).

P540 Contemporary Ethical Theories (3 cr.) Fundamental problems of ethics in contemporary analytic philosophy from G. E. Moore's Principia Ethica to present.

P542 The Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.) An inquiry into the ethics and values of philanthropy rooted in a general understanding of philanthropy, as voluntary action for the public good, as an ethical ideal. A consideration of philanthropic activity in light of this ideal.

P543 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)

P560 Metaphysics (3 cr.) In-depth discussion of representative contemporary theories.

P562 Theory of Knowledge (3 cr.) Advanced study of selected topics.

P590 Intensive Reading (1-4 cr.) A tutorial course involving in-depth consideration of a specific philosophical area or problem or author. May be repeated for credit.

P694 Biomedical Ethics (3 cr.) A rigorous examination of bioethical theory and practice. Stress is placed on moral and conceptual issues embedded in biomedical research, clinical practice, and social policy relating to the organization and delivery of health care.

P730 Seminar: Contemporary Philosophy (4 cr.) Selected topics on the works of twentieth-century philosophers.

P748 Seminar in American Philosophy (3 cr.) Advanced study of a principal philosopher or a set of selected topics in classical American philosophy.