Department of Philosophy

PAX 200. Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies. 3 Credits.

An interdisciplinary inquiry into the nature and causes of social conflict. The aim throughout is to find ways of avoiding destructive conflict, whether through negotiation or other means. The issue of justice as a factor in conflict receives special attention.
Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.
Cross listed courses PAX 200, WOS 200.

PAX 301. Global Perspectives in Peace and Justice. 3 Credits.

This course examines global issues of social justice, reconciliation, and peacemaking with an emphasis on post-colonial resistance, political violence, economic justice, ethnic conflicts, international human rights, and global environmental concerns. The course utilizes theories from Peace and Conflict Studies with an emphasis on post-colonial discourse, feminist theory, critical race theory, conflict transformation, and global peacemaking.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement, Interdisciplinary Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.

PAX 315. Peace and Conflict Studies Travel Seminar. 3 Credits.

This seminar will be approximately three weeks in length and must include at least 10 days of travel. The travel will be an examination of social justice issues and/or conflict transformation work in a location that has experienced conflict. The focus of the seminar will be peace and conflict studies in theory and practice. The seminar will include a study of the social, cultural, and historical contexts of the location. Students will prepare for departure with assigned readings, films, and/or hands-on activities. The seminar will consist of historical site visits, lectures/interviews with local people, sessions with peace practitioners, readings, and discussions. Possible locations may include, among others: the U.S. South, the U.S. Southwest, Israel/Palestine, India, Korea, Germany, and South Africa.
Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

PAX 345. Mediation and Conciliation. 3 Credits.

This is a course designed to place conflict transformation theory and management in to practice. The course will give students the skills they need to engage in community mediation. Students will spend the beginning of the semester learning basic theories and best practices in mediation. The remainder of the semester will allow students to practice the art of mediation through role plays. Students will get the experience of being a mediator and a disputant.
Pre / Co requisites: PAX 345 requires a prerequisite or corequisite of PAX 200 or permission of the department chair.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PAX 373. Conflict Transformation. 3 Credits.

This is a course designed with a focus on constructive change processes. Students will investigate and develop analytical frameworks for understanding conflict and violence. The course will provide strategies for violence prevention/reduction, conflict transformation, and post-conflict healing. Special attention will be given to the topics of interpersonal peacemaking and restorative justice.
Pre / Co requisites: PAX 373 requires 3 credits of a PAX, WOS, or PHI class or permission of the program chair.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PAX 377. Community Organizing: Strategies and Practice. 3 Credits.

This is a course that explores strategies and practice of organizing for social change. This course will study and engage social problems and the agencies (NGOs, non-profits, Not-for-profits, religious, and governmental) which deal with social problems through the strategic organizing. The course will examine the way social change occurs and how and why people organize with a focus on social, political, and economic justice and radical democracy. Students will be exposed to a variety of methods and practical strategies for nonviolent community organizing. While time is given to theory, this course will focus on the practice of social change and the development of practical skills for capacity building, strategic design, and organizing logistics.
Pre / Co requisites: PAX 377 requires a prerequisite of PAX 200, RUX 110, or YES 250.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.
Cross listed courses PAX 377, RUX 377.

PAX 400. Peace & Conflict Studies Seminar. 3 Credits.

This course is a capstone experience for Peace and Conflict Studies students to solidify and integrate their study of social justice, activism, international relations and negotiation and conflict theory with real world experience. Students will examine and review the various theoretical insights of the discipline, get hands on experience with conflict resolution in the real world, and integrate the insights gleaned from both practical and classroom learning into an overarching model of conflict management to be developed over the course of the semester.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 100. Creating Meaning. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to existentialism, one of the most influential intellectual currents of the 20th century. Through film, literature, and the primary philosophical texts of existential philosophers, such as Frederick Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and Simone de Beauvoir, we will explore basic existential themes such as the formation of values, "dread" and "alienation." Existentialism focuses less on what to think and more on how to live in the face of radical freedom and responsibility.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PHI 101. Introduction to Philosophy. 3 Credits.

The chief problems and methods of philosophic thought, with a survey of some typical solutions. The place and influence of philosophy in life today.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PHI 102. Introduction to Religious Studies. 3 Credits.

The role of religion in human life. Illustrations drawn from various traditions, rituals, and belief patterns, both ancient and modern.
Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary Requirement, Writing Emphasis.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PHI 125. Theology & Science: Enemies or Partners?. 3 Credits.

An inquiry into the relationship of theology to the natural sciences. Team taught by both a physicist and a philosopher, the course investigates how ideas of God have been affected by advances in physics and biology.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2020: Humanities Distributive Requirement, Science Distributive Requirement.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Fall 2020 and After: None.
Typically offered in Spring.
Cross listed courses PHI 125, PHY 125.

PHI 130. Religion in the United States. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the rich diversity of religions in the United States and the impact of religion on our culture.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 150. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. 3 Credits.

Introduction of the principles needed for effective thinking and evaluation of arguments in practical situations. Topics include procedures and guidelines for identifying and evaluating arguments, recognizing fallacies, ands writing/criticizing argumentative essays.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

PHI 174. Principles of the Arts. 3 Credits.

A critical examination of traditional and contemporary aesthetic theories from diverse cultural perspectives to extend students' thinking about the "concept" as well as the "experience" of art. Visual and literary arts are emphasized, as well as how to live a more artful life.
Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 180. Introduction to Ethics. 3 Credits.

Introduction to major theories and contemporary work in moral philosophy. Offers tools for ethical decision making in our daily lives with emphasis on the influence of culture, power, privilege.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement, Ethics Requirement, Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

PHI 190. Logic. 3 Credits.

Introduction to deductive and inductive logic, with emphasis on classical syllogistic and symbolic logic. Topics include arguments, categorical propositions and classes, immediate inferences, Venn diagrams, rules of syllogism propositional functions, truth tables and predicate logic.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

PHI 199. Transfer Credits. 1-10 Credits.

Transfer Credits.
Repeatable for Credit.

PHI 201. Contemporary Issues. 3 Credits.

Discussion and analysis of contemporary philosophical issues. The topic varies from semester to semester.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.
Repeatable for Credit.

PHI 204. Philosophies and Religions of India. 3 Credits.

The religious and philosophical heritage of India, from Vedic times to the present. Examination of major classics, such as Rig Veda, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, and Yoga-sutras; recent writers such as Tagore, Gandhi, and Radhakrishnan.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 205. Yin-Yang, Dao, and Zen. 3 Credits.

This course offers an overview of classical East Asian philosophies and religions. This course will aim to contextualize the three major religious traditions of northeast Asia (Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism) within a philosophical-cultural common sense view that seeks religious meaning and values within constantly changing webs of relationality. This course offers students an alternative to Western perspectives. The discussion topics include, but are not limited to, Yijing, Dao De Jing, Yin-Yang, Zen Buddhism, Donghak, Korean Shamanism, Shinto, East-Asian Arts and Medicine, etc.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 206. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the three major monotheistic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Exploring their earliest heritage including founders, scriptures, early institutions, and practices, it will then address how these traditions were preserved, re-invigorated, and sometimes transformed in response to social change and political upheaval.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 207. Philosophies of Non-violence. 3 Credits.

An examination of the concepts of violence and nonviolence, especially as seen by recent thinkers. The course attempts to link theory with practice by considering the contributions of Tolstoy, Gandhi, Thoreau, and other philosophers, religious thinkers, and activists.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2020: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Fall 2020 and After: None.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 220. Introduction to Islam. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to Islam as a prophetic religious tradition. Students will begin the course with an overview of Islam and how the Western discourses see it. They will then learn about the beliefs, tenants, and the teachings of Islam, as well as about the life of the Prophet Muhammad, hadith, and the Qur'an. Subsequently, students will delve into some of the most significant topics related to the classical and post-classical Islamic tradition: theology, Sufism, law, and gender. They will conclude the course by examining Islamophobia in the post-911 era.
Gen Ed Attribute: Arabic Culture Cluster, Diversity Requirement, Foreign Language Culture Cluster, Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 270. History of Ancient Philosophy. 3 Credits.

A survey of the major figures of ancient philosophy, from the pre-Socratic period through Plato, Aristotle, the Epicureans, and Stoics, to the Skeptics and Neo-Platonists.
Gen Ed Attribute: Classical Civilizations Culture Cluster, Foreign Language Culture Cluster.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

PHI 271. History of Medieval Philosophy. 3 Credits.

The history of philosophy from the early Church fathers to the late Middle Ages. St. Augustine, St. Thomas, mysticism, Jewish and Islamic influences, humanism, and the rise of science.
Gen Ed Attribute: Classical Civilizations Culture Cluster, Foreign Language Culture Cluster.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 272. History of Modern Philosophy. 3 Credits.

From Descartes to Hegel. The social, political, and scientific impact of the philosophers.
Gen Ed Attribute: Foreign Language Culture Cluster, Germany Culture Cluster.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 273. 19th Century Philosophy. 3 Credits.

Hegel and German Idealism; decisive influences on European and American literature and thought. Survey of the chief themes of Schopenhauer, Comte, Mill, Spencer, Marx, Kierkegaard, Darwin, and Nietzsche.
Gen Ed Attribute: Foreign Language Culture Cluster, Germany Culture Cluster.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 280. Philosophy and Film. 3 Credits.

This course helps students understand and discuss philosophy, film, and how the two disciplines intersect. Students' critical thinking skills will improve as they use film theory and terminology to decipher key philosophical texts, and vice versa.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement, Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 282. Animal Ethics. 3 Credits.

An exploration of the religious, philosophical, and scientific perspectives on animals, animal treatment, and animal use, including arguments for vegetarian/veganism and of activist groups.
Gen Ed Attribute: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 301. Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl. 3 Credits.

This class surveys some major ethical theories and applies them to 15 cases published by the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, in preparation for competing in the Northeastern Regional in November. Ethics Bowl cases are drawn from recent news stories and typically involve a wide spectrum of ethical concerns including environmental and sustainability issues, animal rights, economic justice, civil rights, and reproductive rights.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Fall.
Repeatable for Credit.

PHI 310. New Religious Movements. 3 Credits.

An examination of New Religious Movements, alternative spiritualities and "cults." This course will explore their main beliefs and practices as well as theoretical perspectives for understanding them.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 330. Introduction to Meaning. 3 Credits.

Discussion of the analysis of meaning given by various disciplines, including philosophy, psychology, linguistics, communication studies, and the arts.
Gen Ed Attribute: Interdisciplinary Requirement, Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Spring.
Cross listed courses LIN 330, PHI 330.

PHI 340. Contemporary Moral Issues. 3 Credits.

Philosophical examination of major social debates (e.g. abortion, human cloning, war, and violence) and their relation to race, class, gender, etc.
Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 349. Ideas of the Bible. 3 Credits.

This course will explore major themes in the Bible and their impact on Western Culture, including on constructions of gender. Particular attention will be paid to their influence on Western literature, religion and philosophy.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 350. Philosophical Topics: 20th Century and Beyond. 3 Credits.

A course in recent and current philosophies and philosophers from various traditions.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2020: Humanities Distributive Requirement.
Gen Ed Attribute for Students Admitted Fall 2020 and After: None.
Typically offered in Spring.
Repeatable for Credit.

PHI 355. Political Philosophy. 3 Credits.

What is the legitimate role of the state? How do we preserve liberty, equality, and produce a distribution of burdens and benefits in society? To begin to answer these sorts of questions, this course examines philosophical texts on politics from thinkers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Jefferson, Thoreau, Mill and Marx.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 371. Medical Ethics. 3 Credits.

A case-based approach to the study of philosophical concepts and ethical criteria as applied to health care practice, clinical research, and the pressing medical issues of the day.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 371 requires a prerequisite of junior or senior standing or department consent.
Gen Ed Attribute: Ethics Requirement, Interdisciplinary Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

PHI 373. Business Ethics. 3 Credits.

The study of philosophical concepts and ethical criteria as applied to business practices. Through case studies and scholarly contributions, the course will cover issues such as the ethical nature of the free market system, foreign outsourcing, issues around environmental impact of business, consumer rights, worker rights and job discrimination, and more.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 376. Entrepreneurial Ethics. 3 Credits.

The study of philosophical concepts and ethical criteria applied to business practices especially from the perspective of the entrepreneur. Through case studies and scholarly contributions, the course will cover issues such as the ethical nature of the free market system, marketing and advertising, product development, etc. The course will ask key questions: "what makes a business a good business?"; "can a product or service be inherently unethical?"; "how can new products alter our community in important ways that contest our values?"; etc. Most importantly, the course will invite students to reflect on their own system of moral evaluation and creatively engage in ways that they could solve problems with attentiveness to the ethical dimensions of any business activity.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.

PHI 390. Women and Religion. 3 Credits.

An exploration of how the beliefs and practices of major world religions have both hampered and enhanced women's lives. Particular attention will be paid to often marginalized voices of women from within these traditions.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 401. Internship in Philosophy. 3 Credits.

This course provides a structured and supervised work experience in philosophy for upper-level students. Students must apply to the department Internship Director and receive approval to be admitted.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.

PHI 405. Feminist Theory. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the development of contemporary feminist theoretical constructs, beginning in the 1970s. Students will study classic feminist theories and ideas from this period. They will use a feminist pedagogy which emphasizes learning that is collaborative and student-centered. We value participatory, experiential, diverse, and student-centered knowledge production. Because we believe that students serve as sources of knowledge for themselves and each other, we encourage students to take initiative in and responsibility for the learning process.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 405 requires a prerequisite of two other WOS courses.
Typically offered in Fall.
Cross listed courses WOS 405, PHI 405.

PHI 407. Queer Theory. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to the study of Queer Theory, as both a discipline and a form of political resistance. Queer theory is, in a very basic nutshell, the study of identities that exist outside of rigid binary categories. For this reason, we must understand queer theory as separate from, even if closely aligned with, GLBT or sexuality studies. Queerness, in this context, does not refer to sexuality and gender, but to any identity rejected by or resistant to normative, binary categories. Thus, this course utilizes a "queer" approach (drawing on feminist, race, sexuality, psychoanalytic, literary, etc.) to ask fundamental questions about our identities (whether sexuality, gender, race, class, nationality, etc.) and how our identities are determined by and resistant to social regulation.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 407 requires a prerequisite of one WOS course.
Gen Ed Attribute: Diversity Requirement.
Typically offered in Fall.
Cross listed courses PHI 407, WOS 407.

PHI 410. Independent Study. 1-3 Credits.

Topic to be approved by supervising faculty member. Requires approval of Department Chair.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Repeatable for Credit.

PHI 411. The Problem of War. 3 Credits.

An examination of war and the "war systems" including terrorism. Alternatives to war are considered.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 412. Ethical Theories. 3 Credits.

An inquiry into the meaning, interpretations and function of ethical theory in our lives. The course will explore some combination of classic, modern and contemporary ethical theories.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 412 requires prerequisites of PHI 101 or PHI 180 and an overall GPA of at least 2.00.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 414. Philosophy of Religion. 3 Credits.

Religion and religious experience as viewed by major western thinkers. Concepts of God, immorality, religious knowledge, evil, miracles, and science and religion.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 415. Existentialism. 3 Credits.

An exploration of important texts in 19th century and 20th century existentialism and their influence on contemporary currents in philosophy and social sciences.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 415 requires prerequisite of 2 PHI courses.
Gen Ed Attribute: Foreign Language Culture Cluster, France & Francophone Area Culture Cluster.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 421. Philosophy of Law. 3 Credits.

Consideration of the philosophical foundations of law. Topics may include the nature of law and its' relation to rights, liberties, duties, liability, and responsibility, and privacy; the nature of judicial reasoning; concepts of responsibility and liability; theories of punishment; causation in the law; discrimination and equality; the relation of law and morality; civil disobedience.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 421 requires prerequisite of 3 hours of Philosophy or permission of instructor.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 422. Philosophy of Science. 3 Credits.

The nature of scientific method and scientific theory, with reference to presuppositions, inference, explanation, prediction, applications, and verification.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 422 requires prerequisites of one 200 level PHI course and one other PHI course.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 436. Symbolic Logic. 3 Credits.

Principles and methods of symbolic logic. Practice in determining validity of sentential and quantificational arguments. The algebra of classes.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 436 requires prerequisite of PHI 190.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 451. Religion and Ecology. 3 Credits.

This course explores contemporary environmental issues from the perspectives of different religious traditions through a postcolonial interreligious lens. We will compare spiritual and religious views of the ecosystem, its meaning, and its relation to human beings. Students will be asked to critically examine these efforts and also explore issues of environmental injustice. Furthermore, this course introduces postcolonial ecocriticism that promises to make new contributions to the analysis of how imperialism, colonialism, and neocolonialism create basic conditions of inequality between the colonizer and the colonized. This high level online course is offered for both graduate and undergraduate students.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 451 requires prerequisite of one PHI course.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

PHI 480. Environmental Ethics. 3 Credits.

Study of arguments and principles surrounding moral questions about the environment. Who and what dissolves moral consideration? What if our obligations to the environment and human beings conflict? Do animals have rights?.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 480 requires a prerequisite of 3 PHI credits or permission of instructor.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 481. Philosophy of Human Rights. 3 Credits.

An examination of theories of human rights and the bearing of these theories on public policy issues such as legitimacy of war and terrorism, economic justice, and whether future generations have rights. Topics include whether there are basic human rights, and if so, what they are, what is there nature or basis, and what arguments can be brought to bear upon these questions.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 481 requires prerequisite of 6 credits of Philosophy.
Typically offered in Spring.

PHI 499. Philosophical Concepts and Systems. 3 Credits.

An intensive study of the major works of one philosophical system, emphasizing comparison with other views. Required of all philosophy majors.
Pre / Co requisites: PHI 499 requires prerequisites of six hours of philosophy, senior standing, and an overall minimum GPA of 2.00.
Typically offered in Fall & Spring.