650 Philosophy

650:021. Philosophy: Basic Questions -- 3 hrs.
Introductory exploration of questions concerning nature of self, reality, meaning, knowledge, truth, faith, value, and obligation. (Offered Fall and Spring)

650:045. Elementary Logic -- 3 hrs.
Methods, principles, and rules of reasoning with emphasis on their practical uses in effective thinking, scientific inquiry, and verbal communication. (Offered Fall and Spring)

650:050. Reasoning About Moral Problems — 3 hrs.
Introduction to critical thinking and writing about moral and social problems. Topics may include hunger, economic justice, anti-Semitism, sexism, animal rights, affirmative action, abortion, and homosexuality. (Variable)

650:100. History of Philosophy: Ancient -- 3 hrs.
History of philosophy from the Pre-Socratics to late antiquity, with emphasis on Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisites: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered odd Falls)

650:101. History of Philosophy: Medieval -- 3 hrs.
History of philosophy from late Roman times through Middle Ages, with emphasis on Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Prerequisite: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered even Springs)

650:103. History of Philosophy: Renaissance through Enlightenment -- 3 hrs.
History of philosophy from Renaissance through Hume, with emphasis on continental rationalism and British empiricism. Prerequisite: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered even Falls)

650:104. History of Philosophy: Modern -- 3 hrs.
History of philosophy from Kant to present; emphasis on idealism, romanticism, materialism, positivism, phenomenology, existentialism. Prerequisite: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered odd Springs)

650:105(g). Marxism -- 3 hrs.
Basic doctrines of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and others within Marxist tradition. Dialectical and historical materialism; Marxist conception of nature and human society; historical and contemporary influence of Marxism on economic and political developments, religion, ethics, science and technology, and literature and the arts. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Offered odd Falls)

650:113(g). Philosophy of Religion -- 3 hrs.
Examination of philosophical discussions on the nature and function of religion and religious language; special attention to how philosophical frameworks and methods shape understanding of religion and talk about God and human fulfillment. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Same as 640:113g.) (Variable)

650:119. Philosophy of Science -- 3 hrs.
Philosophical problems of the sciences; nature of laws and theories, causation, explanation and scientific method, and relation between natural and social sciences. (Offered even Falls)

650:142. Ethics -- 3 hrs.
Study of the major school of ethical theory through reading major thinkers and their contemporary commentators. Examination of selected theoretical and practical problems in contemporary ethics. Prerequisites: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered Spring)

650:143. Aesthetics -- 3 hrs.
Examines the question of the nature of art through a discussion of the major philosophical theories: imitation theory, expression theory, and formalism, as well as a critique of these theories. Field trips included. Prerequisites: One philosophy course and sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. (Offered even Falls)

650:150(g). Knowledge and Reality -- 3 hrs.
Study of variety of knowledge-claims about the world and of the structures of reality implied. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Offered Fall)

650:152(g). Existentialism -- 3 hrs.
The unique contribution of existentialism to philosophy is its sustained focus on everyday life: the contradictions of human existence, the human body, the existence of others, and human freedom. Presupposes no previous knowledge of philosophy. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Same as 640:152g.) (Offered even Falls)

650:153. The Human Person -- 3 hrs.
Study of various interpretations of the nature and process of being human. (Variable)

650:172. Society, Politics, and the Person -- 3 hrs.
Critical investigation of contexts of engagement and responsibility of persons as members of social institutions and as participants in public discourse on policy and law. (Variable)

650:173. Bio-Medical Ethics -- 3 hrs.
Application of principles and analytic methods of ethical theory to contemporary issues in medical practice and research. Topics include fundamental concepts of health and disease, life and death; rights and obligations of medical practitioners and their patients; informed consent and confidentiality; abortion and euthanasia; reproductive and transplantation technologies; and health policy and the provision and rationing of health care. (Same as 640:173.) (Offered Spring)

650:174(g). Ethics in Business -- 3 hrs.
Application of ethical principles and analytic methods to contemporary issues in business. Topics include moral responsibility of corporations and their regulation; economic policy, business practices, and social justice; rights and obligations of employers and employees; meaningful work, motivation, and the worker; affirmative action and reverse discrimination; environment and natural limits of capitalism. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Same as 640:174g.) (Offered Fall)

650:175(g). Environmental Ethics -- 3 hrs.
Introduction to and application of ethical theory to environmental issues, including responsibility for plants and animals, pollution, natural resources, and population growth. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Same as 640:175g.) (Offered odd Falls)

650:186(g). Studies in Philosophy -- 3 hrs.
Study of philosophical thinker or problem indicated in Schedule of Classes. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Offered Fall and Spring)

650:189(g). Individual Readings in Philosophy -- 1-3 hrs.
Individually arranged readings and reports drawn from history of philosophy or contemporary philosophical problems. May be repeated for maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisites: junior standing; consent of department head. (Offered Fall and Spring)

650:194(g). Perspectives on Death and Dying -- 3 hrs.
Multidisciplinary study of death, dying, and bereavement across cultures, religious and ethnic groups, and historical periods, with attention to ritual and memoir, ethical dilemmas at the end of life, and psychology of mourning. Prerequisite: junior standing. (Same as 640:194g.) (Variable)

650:197. Ethics Practicum -- 3 hrs.
Combines service-learning with study of theoretical and applied ethics. Students work 4-6 hours per week in a community agency and meet with instructor. Prerequisites: one completed or concurrent ethics course; consent of instructor. (Same as 640:197.) (Offered Fall and Spring)

650:245. Ethics in Public Policy -- 2 hrs.
Attention to major ethical issues facing practitioners of public policy analysis through: a study of ethical principles and procedures of analysis; application of these methods to crucial questions of professional conduct and responsibility; and their application to selected policy problems of timely interest. Prerequisite: enrollment in the Master of Public Policy Degree Program or consent of instructor. (Offered Fall)

650:250. Critical Perspectives on Gender -- 3 hrs.
Consideration of two traditions that have influenced feminist theories in the last two decades - poststructuralism and psychoanalysis. Readings in primary texts (e.g., Foucault, Derrida, Freud, and Lacan) and explorations of feminist elaborations and critiques of these texts revealing the tenacity, centrality, and power in human lives of a sense of gendered existence. (Same as 640:250.) (Offered even Springs)