Philosophy

PH 110 Think! Intro to Philosophy 3 Cr.

Students will develop an understanding of the major philosophical questions concerning ethics, knowledge, politics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and religion in their ancient and recent articulations as they pertain to the question of what it means to live a just and truthful life and to articulately communicate belief in our complex world. 3 Lecture hours.

PH 188 No Norwich Equivalent 1-6 Cr.

PH 199 Competitive Debate 1 Cr.

A course is permitted to run as a pilot without seeking faculty approval for one academic year. The section will include the title of the course. A student will not earn credit for a pilot course and the course when approved as its own course.

PH 215 Survey of Ethics 3 Cr.

An introduction to critical thinking about the fundamental principles on which moral judgments and ethical conduct are based. This course will survey the major historical and contemporary approaches to ethical reflection. Credit may not be earned in both PH 215 and PH 303. 3 Lecture hours. Offered: Fall, Spring.

PH 218 Global History of Philosophy 3 Cr.

Students develop a historical understanding of the origin and evolution of major philosophical questions concerning ethics, knowledge, politics, aesthetics, metaphysics and religion from African, Chinese, Indian and Western articulations. These diverse historical perspectives and topics provide an opportunity for students to question what it means to live a just and truthful life, generating the skills needed to rationally, civilly articulately consider and communicate their beliefs in our global world. 3 Lecture hours. Required for all Philosophy minors. Offered: Fall, Spring.

PH 220 Comparative Religion 3 Cr.

This course serves as an introduction to several major religious traditions of the world including Hinduism, Buddhism, Indigenous and East Asian religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, focusing on various dimensions in each: myth, doctrine, ethics, ritual, ontology, and origin, among others. 3 Lecture hours.

PH 230 Logic 3 Cr.

A study of the principles of valid reasoning and argument: how to analyze arguments, detect fallacies, apply logical rules, prove and refute conclusions from given premises. Both syllogistic methods of argument and modern systems of symbolic inference are studied.

PH 288 No Norwich Equivalent 1-6 Cr.

PH 299 Pilot Course in Philosophy 3 Cr.

A course is permitted to run as a pilot without seeking faculty approval for one academic year. The section will include the title of the course. A student will not earn credit for a pilot course and the course when approved as its own course.

PH 301 Topics in Philosophy 3 Cr.

This course focuses on a specific topic of interest in the field of Philosophy. Sample topics may include Philosophy of Personal Development, Philosophy of Sport, Philosophy and Science Fiction, Philosophy of Mind, or Sexual Ethics. May be repeated up to four enrollments under a different topic.

PH 322 Money, Meaning and Morality 3 Cr.

This course considers the central philosophical question, ‘what is a good life’ as it relates to a number of ethical theories and issues arising from the uses and abuses of money and market structures, including labor, production, marketing, investment, liability, taxation, globalization, and ecological considerations, providing students with a working knowledge of ethics and money as related to their own choice of profession.

PH 323 Environmental Ethics 3 Cr.

An introduction to ethical issues concerning the human and non-human environment. The course provides a working knowledge of the concepts, theories, and types of argument characteristic of ethics in general. It analyzes and debates a selection of such topics as: ethical implications of continued economic and population growth; designing the infrastructure and architecture of human communities for optimal integration into the natural environment; sustainable agriculture and wilderness management; biodiversity and endangered species; pollution, waste disposal and climate change. Mainstream philosophical approaches will be compared with radical perspectives such as deep ecology and eco-feminism; and responses to ecological hazards ranging from free market strategies, through government regulation, local economic and ecological initiatives, to civil disobedience and eco-sabotage, may be examined.

PH 324 Criminal Justice Ethics 3 Cr.

This course provides a short introduction to general ethics (about 1/3 of the semester) with applications to practices and problems in the criminal justice field. Its focus is less on specific rules of ethical conduct for criminal justice professionals than on their interface with issues of common public concern. We will debate the legitimate functions and limitations of the criminal law, as well as a selection of moral problems in policing, judicial processing and corrections. In addition, a number of recent high-profile Supreme and Appeals Court cases in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties will be analyzed. The emphasis will be on developing discussion skills and familiarity with essential patterns of legal and moral reasoning. May not earn credit in both PH 324 and PHLS 324.

PH 340 Philosophy of Non-Violence 3 Cr.

A study of permissible uses of force by individuals and nations. Topics include the theory of the just war, pacifism and non-resistance, conscientious objection, civil disobedience, and the moral problem of nuclear armaments.

PH 350 Medical Ethics 3 Cr.

This course examines general ethics and professional ethics; patient rights and professional responsibilities; terminating and prolonging life; allocating scarce medical resources; human experimentation and informed consent; genetic intervention; and other issues.

PH 360 Philosophy of Science 3 Cr.

A course examining the basic principles of scientific reasoning, questions concerning scientific progress and scientific revolutions and ethical issues in the technological application of scientific discoveries. Case studies are drawn both from the history of science and from contemporary controversies. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher.

PH 388 No Norwich Equivalent 1-6 Cr.

PH 400 Reading and Research 3 Cr.

An inquiry into the pertinent literature and source materials of a specific area concerned with a special project to be agreed upon by instructor and student. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.

PH 488 No Norwich Equivalent 1-6 Cr.