Philosophy Curriculum

Philosophy Curriculum

Undergraduate Courses: Lower Division (100–200 level)
Note: for lower-division Philosophy courses, see also the CSULB Catalog.

PHIL100: Introduction to Philosophy (3 units)
Brief Description: Critical analysis of the history, methods, and major problems of philosophy.
Prerequisites/Corequisites: Any course from GE Foundation subcategories A1 (Written Communication), A2 (Oral Communication), or A3 (Critical Thinking).
•  GE Designation: C2

PHIL101: The Meaning of Life (3 units)
Brief Description: An exploration of philosophical questions about the universe, life, death, God, human beings, consciousness, explanation, meaning, purpose, and value.
Prerequisites/Corequisites: Any course from GE Foundation categories A.1. (Written English), A.2. (Oral Communication) or A.3. (Critical Thinking).
•  GE Designations: C2 or E

PHIL130: Puzzles and Paradoxes (3) Brief Description: Introduction to logical reasoning through puzzles and paradoxes. Provides formal tools needed to comprehend and evaluate philosophical arguments and theoretical problems.
•  GE Designation: A3

PHIL156: Philosophy of Music (3) [Inactive] Brief Description: An introduction to the philosophy of art through analysis of popular music’s history and current practice. Prerequisites/Corequisites: Any course from GE Foundation categories A1 (Written English), A2 (Oral Communication), or A3 (Critical Thinking).
•  GE Designations: C1

PHIL160: Ethics and Society (3) Brief Description: Concepts of right and wrong, good and bad, and the application of moral principles to problems of everyday life. Prerequisites/Corequisites: Any course from GE Foundation subcategories A1 (Written Communication), A2 (Oral Communication) or A3 (Critical Thinking).
•  GE Designations: C2

PHIL170: Critical Reasoning (3) Brief Description: Basic logical concepts and reasoning, including abductive, deductive, and inductive inference; focus on truth and inference in propositional and categorical logic, along with formal and informal fallacies, and heuristics and biases. Prerequisites/Corequisites: GE Foundation requirements subcategory A1 (Written Communication).
•  GE Designations: A3

PHIL203: History of Early Philosophy (3) Brief Description: From Thales to the Renaissance including the systems of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and their influence on European philosophy through the medieval period. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: C2

PHIL204: History of Modern Philosophy (3) Brief Description: Western philosophy from Descartes to Kant, including the development of modern scientific processes, and the philosophical systems of empiricism, rationalism, transcendental idealism, etc. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: C2

PHIL261: Philosophy and Film (3) [New course, beginning FA16] Brief Description: Exploration of philosophical ideas and problems presented through film, photography, and imagery. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: C1 or E

PHIL270: Symbolic Logic (3) Brief Description: Introduction to the formal techniques of evaluating arguments. Prerequisites: none.

 

Undergraduate Courses: Upper Division (300400 level)
Note: for upper-division Philosophy courses, see also the CSULB Catalog.

Distribution: History of Philosophy

PHIL306: Philosophies of China and Japan (3) Brief Description: Historical and critical survey of the philosophical thought of China and Japan. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: UD C and GI

PHIL307: Philosophies of India (3) [Inactive] Brief Description: Historical and critical survey of the philosophical thought of India. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: UD C

PHIL413/513: Continental Rationalism (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of such major figures as Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz.

PHIL414/514: British Empiricism (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of such major figures as Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.

PHIL415/515: Marx (3) Brief Description: An examination of the thought of Karl Marx.

PHIL416/516: Pragmatism (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Development of pragmatism as exemplified in the philosophies of Peirce, James, Dewey and Mead.

PHIL417/517: Phenomenology (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Study of the historical movement of phenomenology and the theoretical issues pertaining to the structure of conscious experience, intentionality, and the manifold of appearance.

PHIL418/518: Existentialism (3) Prerequisites: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of such issues as self-as-existence, freedom and responsibility in their ethical, religious, political and aesthetic dimensions. Philosophers treated may include Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus.

PHIL419/519: Analytic Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL270, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Critical analysis of major movements in the development of Anglo-American philosophy in the twentieth century, such as logical atomism, logical positivism and ordinary language philosophy. Intensive study of the contributions of such philosophers as Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, and Quine.

PHIL421/521: Plato (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL203, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of Plato’s thought, based primarily on readings from his works.

PHIL422/522: Aristotle (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL203, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of Aristotle’s thought, based primarily on readings from his works.

PHIL423/523: Kant (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

PHIL424/524: Hegel (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit.

PHIL425/525: Wittgenstein (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of the later philosophy of Wittgenstein, centering on Philosophical Investigations.

PHIL490/590: Special Topics—Early Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of figures, periods or issues in ancient or medieval philosophy. Specific issues, period or figures will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Pre-Socratic Philosophy, Post-Aristotelian Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of nine units with different topics.

PHIL491/591: Special Topics—The Modern Tradition (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of a significant philosopher or of some issue or theme of the modern (1600-1900) philosophical era. Specific titles will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Hobbes, German Idealism, Nietzsche. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of nine units with different topics.

PHIL492/592 Special Topics—20th Century Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of a significant philosopher or of a school or movement of the twentieth century. Specific title will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Russell, Process Philosophy. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of nine units with different topics.

Distribution: Language, Epistemology, Mind, Metaphysics

PHIL330: Philosophy of Religion (3) Brief Description: Nature and function of religion and of fundamental religious concepts and ideals. Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
•  GE Designations: UD C

PHIL342: Metaphysics (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Problems of ontology and cosmology including such concepts as matter and energy, time and space, evolution and causality.

PHIL370: Rationality and Decisions (3). The study of formal techniques from mathematics, symbolic logic, probability theory, statistics, and game theory as they relate to normative theories of rationality and decision-making. Prerequisites: PHIL170 or PSYC130 or IS100 or CECS 100; Intermediate Algebra.
•  GE Designations: UD B

PHIL381: Philosophy of Science (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Problems, methods and fundamental concepts of the sciences, including the relationships of the sciences to each other, to mathematics and to philosophy.
•  GE Designations: WI and UD C

PHIL382: Theory of Knowledge (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy. Brief Description: Investigation of such concepts as knowledge, belief, certainty. Critical study of theories concerning such issues as our knowledge of the external world, the past, other minds.
•  GE Designations: WI and UD C

PHIL475/575: Truth and Fact (3) Brief Description: Close study of the concepts of truth and fact, including their explanatory and regulatory roles in inquiry and discourse. Prerequisites: none.

PHIL482: Introduction to Cognitive Science (3) Prerequisites: Completion of all Foundation courses; at least one Explorations course; upper-division standing; at least six units in two areas chosen from Computer Science, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology. Brief Description: Introduction to cognitive science includes the historical development, foundational philosophical presuppositions, core topics, underlying theoretical framework, explanatory goals, different methodologies, and theoretical contributions of its constitutive disciplines.

PHIL483/583 Philosophical Psychology (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Nature of the mind. Psychological concepts such as intention, consciousness, action, motive, imagination, belief and purpose.

PHIL484/584: Philosophy of Language (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Philosophical thought about language and meaning.

PHIL493/593: Special Topics—Metaphysical Studies (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected metaphysical topic. Sample topics: Time, Personal Identity, Philosophical Theology, Philosophy of Action, Process Philosophy. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL494/594: Special Topics—Epistemological Studies (3) [Inactive] Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected epistemological topic. Sample topics: Philosophy of History, Philosophy of Perception. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL495/595: Special Topics—Logic and Semantics (3) [Inactive] Brief Description: Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of the instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of selected topic in logic or semantics. Sample topics: Probability, Necessary Truth, Paradoxes, Philosophy of Mathematics. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

Distribution: Values and Evaluation

PHIL351: Political Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Analysis of fundamental political concepts such as the legitimacy of government, the relation of justice to coercive power, the morality of war, political obligation, and sovereignty; and/or a study of political ideologies such as socialism, classical liberalism, and conservatism.
•  GE Designations: WI and UD C

PHIL352: Philosophy of Law (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Study of the historical development of the philosophy of law and examination of the problems in the field ranging from general theories to analysis of fundamental legal concepts and normative issues.
•  GE Designations: WI and either UD C or D
•  Foundation course in Legal Studies Certificate

PHIL 360: Environmental Ethics (3): Investigation of moral and epistemic questions concerning our relationship to the environment. Topics may include the value of nature, biodiversity, policy and science, climate change, animal ethics, and responsibility to future generations.
•  GE Designations: WI and UD C

PHIL361: Philosophy of Art (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Discussion of central problems in aesthetics, such as the possibility of objectivity in criticism, modern and traditional definitions of a work of art, truth and meaning in the fine arts, natural beauty and its relationship to excellence in music, architecture, etc.
•  GE Designations: UD C

PHIL363: Ethical Theory (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy. Brief Description: In-depth discussion of such issues as obligation, responsibility, social justice, and personal ideals.
•  GE Designations: WI and either UD C or D

PHIL400/CBA400: Business Ethics (3) Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements, at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Study of types of ethical dilemmas that take place in business organizations. Acquire concepts and tools needed to manage these complex value conflicts for the well being of individuals, organizations, and society. Letter grade only (A-F). Not open for credit to students with credit in CBA400.
•  GE Designations: UD C or D

PHIL401: Philosophy in Education (3) [Inactive] Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least six units of philosophy. Brief Description: Exploration of the intersection between philosophy and education. Students read and discuss selections from classical philosophical works on education, analyze historical and contemporary reasons for common exclusion of philosophy from K-12 curriculum, explore ways of integrating philosophy into curriculum for young students. Each student will be placed in a local school district classroom to lead weekly philosophy sessions with a teaching partner. Service-Learning.

[New for FA22PHIL402: Engineering Ethics (3) Brief Description:
•  GE Designations: WI and UD C

PHIL403: Medical Ethics (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation; at least one Explorations course. Brief Description: Covers several of main areas of bioethics: reproductive rights and liberties, definitions of health, disease, and disability, end of life care, fair distribution of health care, goals of health care. Philosophical texts, journal articles from medical humanities, ethics, medicine, and case studies used to raise and examine issues.
•  GE Designations: UD C

PHIL405: Philosophy and Literature (3) Prerequisites: Completion of the 13-unit Foundation; at least one Exploration course in philosophy, literature, theater arts; upper-division standing required. Brief Description: Intensive exploration of philosophical ideas in selected literature with special attention to both philosophical and literary ways of reading and appreciating a text.
•  GE Designations: UD C

PHIL420/520: Foucault (3) Brief Description: An examination of the thought of Michel Foucault.

PHIL451: Liberty and Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Law (3) Prerequisites: Completion of GE foundtion requirements, one or more Explorations courses, upper-division standing; and 6 units of philosophy, or consent of instructor. Junior standing required; Senior standing recommended. Brief Description: Philosophical and legal analysis of how liberty and justice for different races, ethnic groups and genders have been treated in American law.
•  GE Designations: UD C and HD

PHIL455/555/WGSS455: Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (3) Prerequisite: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Philosophical perspectives on sex and love explores philosophical issues concerning sex, gender and love through readings and discussion of classical and contemporary philosophical sources. Topics such as sexual perversion, romantic love and gender discrimination. Not open for credit to students with credit in WGSS455.

PHIL489: Philosophy Internship/Pre-Law (1–3) Prerequisites: Consent of Philosophy Department Chair; completion of a minimum of 15 upper-division units required for the Philosophy major. Brief Description: Internship with private organizations and governmental agencies with law-related focus. Work done under the joint supervision of the program sponsor and CSULB Philosophy Pre-Law Advisor. A mid-term and final report and internship conference.

PHIL496/596: Special Topics—Value and Evaluation (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected topic in value or evaluation. Sample topics: Theories of Value, Freedom and Determinism. Specific topics will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

 

Graduate Courses (500–600 level)
Note: for graduate-level Philosophy courses, see also the CSULB Catalog.

Double-numbered

PHIL513/413: Continental Rationalism (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of such major figures as Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz.

PHIL514/414: British Empiricism (3) Prerequisites: 3 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of such major figures as Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.

PHIL516/416: Pragmatism (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Development of pragmatism as exemplified in the philosophies of Peirce, James, Dewey and Mead.

PHIL517/417: Phenomenology (3) Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Study of the historical movement of phenomenology and the theoretical issues pertaining to the structure of conscious experience, intentionality, and the manifold of appearance.

PHIL518/418: Existentialism (3) Prerequisites: 3 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of such issues as self-as-existence, freedom and responsibility in their ethical, religious, political and aesthetic dimensions. Philosophers treated may include Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus.

PHIL519/419: Analytic Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL 270, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Critical analysis of major movements in the development of Anglo-American philosophy in the twentieth century, such as logical atomism, logical positivism and ordinary language philosophy. Intensive study of the contributions of such philosophers as Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, and Quine.

PHIL521/421: Plato (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL 203, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of Plato’s thought, based primarily on readings from his works.

PHIL522/422: Aristotle (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL 203, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of Aristotle’s thought, based primarily on readings from his works.

PHIL523/423: Kant (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy to include PHIL 204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

PHIL524/424: Hegel (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Intensive study of Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit.

PHIL525/425: Wittgenstein (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy to include PHIL 204, or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of the later philosophy of Wittgenstein, centering on Philosophical Investigations.

PHIL555/455/WGSS455: Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (3) Prerequisite: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Philosophical perspectives on sex and love explores philosophical issues concerning sex, gender and love through readings and discussion of classical and contemporary philosophical sources. Topics such as sexual perversion, romantic love and gender discrimination. Not open for credit to students with credit in WGSS455.

PHIL575/475: Truth and Fact (3) Brief Description: Close study of the concepts of truth and fact, including their explanatory and regulatory roles in inquiry and discourse. Prerequisites: none.

PHIL583/483: Philosophical Psychology (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Nature of the mind. Psychological concepts such as intention, consciousness, action, motive, imagination, belief and purpose.

PHIL583/484: Philosophy of Language (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Philosophical thought about language and meaning.

PHIL590/490: Special Topics—Early Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of figures, periods or issues in ancient or medieval philosophy. Specific issues, period or figures will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Pre-Socratic Philosophy, Post-Aristotelian Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of nine units with different topics.

PHIL591/491: Special Topics—Modern Tradition (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of a significant philosopher or of some issue or theme of the modern (1600-1900) philosophical era. Specific titles will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Hobbes, German Idealism, Nietzsche. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL592/492: Special Topics—20th Century Philosophy (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Detailed and intensive study of a significant philosopher or of a school or movement of the twentieth century. Specific title will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Sample titles: Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Russell, Process Philosophy. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL593/493: Special Topics—Metaphysical Studies (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected metaphysical topic. Sample topics: Time, Personal Identity, Philosophical Theology, Philosophy of Action, Process Philosophy. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL594/494: Special Topics—Epistemological Studies (3) [InactivePrerequisites: Six units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected epistemological topic. Sample topics: Philosophy of History, Philosophy of Perception. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL595/495: Special Topics—Logic and Semantics (3) [Inactive] Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of the instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of selected topic in logic or semantics. Sample topics: Probability, Necessary Truth, Paradoxes, Philosophy of Mathematics. Specific topic will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

PHIL596/496: Special Topics—Value and Evaluation (3) Prerequisites: 6 units of philosophy or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Seminar study of a selected topic in value or evaluation. Sample topics: Theories of Value, Freedom and Determinism. Specific topics will be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 units with different topics.

Graduate Seminars and Directed Research

PHIL572: Advanced Problems in Logic (3) [Inactive]

PHIL599: Graduate Tutorial (1–3) Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Brief Description: Supervised independent study. Seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or better may enroll with consent of Department. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 6 units. Traditional grading only.

PHIL610: Proseminar in Philosophy (3) Brief Description: Introduction to graduate-level philosophy, with emphasis on basic level skills in analysis, research, and composition. Content varies. Letter grade only (A-F). 3 hours seminar.

PHIL620: Seminar in History of Philosophy (3) Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Brief Description: Close study of selected subjects in the history of philosophy. The original language may be required. May be repeated with different subjects for a max. of 9 units. Traditional grading only.

PHIL630: Seminar in Philosophy of Religion (3) Prerequisite: PHIL 330 or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Critical examination of selected issues, figures and movements. May be repeated for a maximum of six units, subject to suitable variation. Traditional grading only.

PHIL640: Seminar in Metaphysics (3) Prerequisite: PHIL 342 or consent of instructor. Brief Description: Supervised research and discussion on recurrent metaphysical problems and systems on the basis of selected works. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 6 units credit with different topics. Traditional grading only.

PHIL663: Seminar in Ethics (3) Prerequisite: PHIL 363 or consent of the instructor. Brief Description: Systematic examination of topics (such as human rights, pleasure) and theories (such as utilitarianism, contract theory) which are central to moral reasoning. Course may be repeated for a maximum of 6 units with different topics. Traditional grading only.

PHIL680: Seminar in Epistemology (3) Prerequisite: PHIL 382 or consent of instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of six units, subject to suitable variation in course content. Traditional grading only.

PHIL681: Seminar in the Philosophy of Science (3) Current issues in the philosophy of science. May be repeated for a maximum of six units, subject to suitable variation in course content. Traditional grading only.

PHIL690: Seminar in Selected Topics of Current Interest (3) Presentation, discussion and critical evaluation of advanced work (which may include original research of faculty and graduate students) in selected topics of current interest to professional philosophers. If demand for more than one subject exists, multiple sections may be given in any one semester. May be repeated for a maximum of six units, subject to suitable variation of course content. Traditional grading only.

PHIL697: Directed Research (1–3) Prerequisite: Consent of the student’s advisor. Traditional grading only.

PHIL698: Directed Thesis (1–6) Prerequisite: Consent of student’s advisor and advancement to candidacy. Preparation and completion of a thesis in philosophy and oral defense thereof.