The following is a complete
list of courses taught in the Philosophy Program at UTPA. This list was
last updated Fall 2008.
PHIL
1305 Critical Thinking
This
class will investigate what it is to think critically. Strong
emphasis will be placed on the following: reading critically, analyzing
texts, identifying and systematically representing arguments, recognizing
formal and informal fallacies, and rationally evaluating what is heard
and said.
PHIL
1310 Introduction to Philosophy
An
introduction to some of the major philosophical questions that have
intrigued mankind over the centuries. This will be done through an
examination of the thought of some of the most important figures in the
history of philosophy from the early Greeks to modern times. Credit
Restriction: Credit may be received in only one of PHIL 1310 or PHIL
1387.
PHIL
1320 Introduction to Logic
The
subject matter of this course will be clear and effective thinking. It
will examine principles for correct reasoning and ways to distinguish
good reasoning from bad, and it will consider the kinds of mistakes in
reasoning that are most commonly made in everyday life. Credit Restriction:
Credit may be received in only one of PHIL 1320 or PHIL 1388.
PHIL
1321 Intro to Formal Logic
This
class is an introduction to some of the formal techniques available for
evaluating the correctness or incorrectness of arguments. Formal techniques
likely to be discussed include: symbolization in propositional logic,
parsing trees, truth tables or truth trees, natural deduction in
propositional logic, Venn diagrams, and the probability calculus.
PHIL
1387 Introduction to Philosophy (Honors Plan)
An
introduction to philosophical questions through an examination of major
figures and themes in the history of philosophy from ancient to modern
times. Credit Restriction: Credit may be received in only one of PHIL
1310 or PHIL 1387. Prerequisite: Admission to Honors Studies Program or
by permission of the program director.
PHIL
1388 Introduction to Logic (Honors Plan)
An
introduction to the fundamentals of clear and effective thinking through
an examination of the principles of correct reasoning, the structure of
knowledge and common obstacles to rational thought. Credit Restriction:
Credit may be received in only one of PHIL 1320 or PHIL 1388.
Prerequisite: Admission to Honors Studies Program or by permission of the
program director.
PHIL
2330 Intro to Ethics
This
course will be concerned with human values: our own and those of other
people. It will ask where those values come from and how we can know they
are worth something, and it will examine several related questions such
as personal freedom and the meaningfulness of human life.
PHIL
2350 Intro Social & Political
A
critical introduction to the current and historical relationships that
define contemporary society and politics. Topics may include democracy,
capitalism, communism, anarchism, political authority, norms, justices,
rights, pluralism, and rights.
PHIL
2370 Eastern Thought
An
analysis of the major movements in Eastern philosophy and religion and
their relationship to basic philosophical developments in the West. This
course will examine systems of thought and culture such as Buddhism,
Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto.
PHIL
2390 Professional Ethics
This
course will employ the tools of ethical theory to examine moral issues
and problems facing professionals in such fields as business, industry
and technology, medicine, social work, criminal justice and law. The
content of individual sections of this course may be derived from any of
the fields listed above or from a combination of them, depending on
student need.
PHIL
2391 Professional Ethics: Biomedical
This
course will address the application of moral theories, ethical
principles, and professional codes to ethical dilemmas faced by
professionals in healthcare or research. Topics covered may include, but
are not limited to, euthanasia, conflicts of interest, physicians as
researchers, distribution of scare resources, and the impact of theories
like moral relativism and psychological egoism on the application of
ethical theory.
PHIL
2392 Professional Ethics: Business
This
course will address the application of moral theories, ethical
principles, and professional codes to ethical dillemmas faced by business
professionals, employers, and employees. Topics covered may include, but
are not limited to, conflicts of interest, globalization, duties to
future generations, stakeholder theory, the value of labor, and the
impact of theories like moral relativism and psychological egoism on the
application of ethical theory.
PHIL
2393 Professional Ethics: Engineering
This
course will address the application of moral theories, ethical
principles, and professional codes to ethical dillemmas faced by business
professionals, employers, and employees. Topics covered may include, but
are not limited to, whistleblowing, integrity, honesty, liability, and
the impact of theories like moral relativism and psychological egoism on
the application of ethical theory.
PHIL
3305: Philosophical Methods
TBA
PHIL
3310: Ethics and Methods in Biological Research
A
survey of ethical issues involving research methods for students in
pre-Med, biomedical or bioengineering programs, or students who intend to
pursue graduate study in these areas. The course will examine the
professional practices of medicine and biomedical research, review the
variety of ethical concerns that can arise in these practices, and offer
ethically appropriate strategies for resolving those concerns. A research
paper, analysis of relevant case studies, and classroom presentations
form part of the expectations for students who take this course.
PHIL
3320 Symbolic Logic
This
course will be a continuation of Philosophy 1321, Intro to Formal Logic,
and will be concerned with the principles and methods used in symbolic
logic to distinguish between valid and invalid argument.
PHIL
3330 Aesthetics
This
course will address classic issues in the philosophy of art and beauty
and the philosophy of art and art criticism. These issues will be
illustrated from the fine arts and contemporary media: literature, drama,
music, painting, film, and television. Course may focus on a specific
genre of art.
PHIL
3331 Philosophy of Film
Examines
philosophical issues through the lens of film. Possible topics include
image and reality, representation and culture, beauty, politics, morality,
and aesthetic theory.
PHIL
3359 History of Philosophy: Ancient
This
course will discuss the development of Western philosophy (primarily in
Ancient Greece) from the pre-Socratics through to Aristotle. Emphasis is
likely to be placed on Plato and Aristotle.
PHIL
3360 History of Philosophy: Medieval
This
course will survey the major figures and issues of medieval philosophy in
their historical context. Philosophers from the Christian, Jewish, and
Islamic traditions will be examined. Possible topics include: realism,
nominalism, Augustinianism, and scholasticism.
PHIL
3361 History of Philosophy: Modern
A
study of the history of philosophy from the Renaissance through the 18th
century, with particular emphasis on Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hobbes,
Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant.
PHIL
3362 From Kant to Nietzsche
This
course will address major trends and figures in the development of
philosophy in the Nineteenth century. Topics likely to be discussed are
German Idealism, Romanticism, Dialectical Materialism, Existentialism,
and Pragmatism as manifest in the thought of Hegel, Kierkegaard, Marx,
Peirce, and James.
PHIL
3363 Existentialism and Phenomenology
This
course will address major figures and issues in existentialism and
phenomenology. Potential topics to be covered are the historicity of
values, the nature of the subject/ojbect distinctions, life, death,
meaning, and authenticity. Some possible figures for study are Husserl,
Bataille, Nietzsche, Sartre, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty.
PHIL
3364 Contemporary Continental Philosophy: Deconstuction, Postmodernism,
and Critical Theory
This
course addresses topics in post-Heideggerian continental philosophy. Some
potential movements and thinkers include deconstruction (Derrida),
genealogy (Foucault), postmodernism (Lyotard, Agamben, Ranciere,
Balibar), hermeneutics (Gadamer), and Critical Theory and contemporary
Marxism (Benjamin, Adorno, Bourdieu, Hardt, Negri, Laclau, Mouffe).
PHIL
3365 Contemporary Analytic Phil
This
class is a study of the development of analytic philosophy during the
Twentieth century. Authors whose work might be discussed include: Frege,
Russell, Carnap, Quine, Putnam, Davidson, Strawson, Grice, Dummett,
Lewis, Kripke, Moore, Chisolm, Rawls, Williams, Austin and Sellars.
PHIL
3370 Philosophy of Religion
A
philosophic study of the nature and varieties of religious experience,
the meaning and validation of religious belief, the act of faith, the
nature and existence of God, the problem of evil, mysticism, immortality,
religious belief and moral conduct, religion and myth, and religion and
culture.
PHIL
3376 Feminist Theories
This
course is designed to examine the variety of existing feminist theories
and their roots in diverse modes of philosophical analysis. It will
explore how various feminist theories are consonant with or diverge from
their base theories and from each other, and whether such theories are
still cogent. Methodology will incorporate both feminist pedagogy and
traditional philosophical analysis, including feminist critique of the
tradition. Prerequisite: 3 hours of philosophy.
PHIL
3380 Latin American
An
examination of some of the most important and influential contributions
to Latin American thought. Material to be studied will be drawn from both
past and contemporary sources.
PHIL
3390: Philosophy of Law
Examination
of the institution of law, legal concepts, legal reasoning, and the legal
process. Topics may include the nature of law; the moral limits of the
criminal law; legal rights; liberty, justice, and equality; punishment;
responsibility; the private law (property, contract, and tort);
constitutional law; and feminist jurisprudence.
PHIL
4310 Epistemology
This
class will consider questions about the nature, criteria and sources of
(epistemic) justification and knowledge. For example, under what
circumstances do perception, memory, consciousness, reason and testimony
endow us with justified beliefs? How is context relevant to justification
and knowledge? Is there such a thing as religious knowledge? Is skepticism
about the external world a serious threat? Does knowledge have a
foundation?
PHIL
4320 Philosophy of Science
A
philosophical examination of the assumptions and methodology of
scientific inquiry, with examples drawn from the natural sciences. This
course will consider the structure, meaning, confirmation and use of
scientific theories, as well as the philosophical implications of current
theories in science. Previous Course Number: PHIL 3325; a student may
receive credit in only one course.
PHIL
4330: Metaphysics
Metaphysics
investigates the nature, constitution and structure of reality. In this
class we shall discuss some of the major problems in metaphysics. Topics
include existence, modalities and possible worlds, universals and
particulars, the structure of concrete particulars, space and time,
events, identity across time, and realism and anti-realism.
PHIL
4340 Philosophy of Mind
A
study of consciousness, emphasizing the nature of awareness and
experience. Topics concerning the capacities and creative powers of mind
will be examined in theories based on physical, functional and
metaphysical arguments.
PHIL
4350 Moral Theory
This
course will consider questions about the foundations of moral
justification, the nature of moral reasons, and whether a convincing case
can be made for objectivity in moral judgments. A number of options in
ethical theory might be discussed, including realism, metaethical
relativism, noncognitivism, naturalism, sensibility theories,
constructivism, and practical reasoning theories.
PHIL
4351 Topics in Applied Ethics
This
course will address the application of ethical theory to contemporary
moral problems and the types of issues that arise in such applications.
The particular field of applied ethics studied may vary between areas
such as business ethics, biomedical ethics, environmental ethics,
research ethics, etc. Topics covered may include end-of-life issues,
conflicts of interest, physicians as researchers, globalization, duties
to future generations, and the impact of theories like moral relativism
and psychological egoism on the application of ethical theory.
PHIL
4355 Social and Political Philosophy
A
critical examination of the current and historical relationships that
define contemporary society and politics. Topics may include democracy,
capitalism, communism, anarchism, political authority, rights, justice,
power, pluralism, and tyranny.
PHIL 4380:
American Philosophy
This
course will explore the diverse traditions, ideas, and thinkers that have
shaped American culture in the past and today. Important works from
Native American, African American, Latin American, and Puritan sources
may be examined, as well as works from such intellectual movements as transcendentalism
and pragmatism.
PHIL
4390 Special Topics in Philosophy
A study of selected issues or figures in philosophy; content will vary.
May be repeated for up to 9 hours credit as content changes.
