DESCRIPTION
The B.A. Minor in Philosophy provides students the opportunity to build a sturdy educational foundation in one of the core areas of the Humanities. The program, designed to acquaint participants with the major areas of philosophy, is also expressly set up to satisfy a variety of additional pedagogical and intellectual objectives, chief among these being the development of critical reasoning and writing skills, both in general and with regard to specialized research in the discipline, and the inculcation and honing of the capacity to think independently. At the 1000-level, students who choose to Minor in Philosophy are introduced to the subject through an array of entry level courses. At the 1200/2000-level, two core courses in Philosophy are obligatory: Metaphysics (the study of the nature of reality) and Epistemology (the study of the nature and limits of knowledge). Students also elect a number of second year offerings intended to expose them to other areas of philosophical investigation. Completing the Minor requires successful participation in a minimum of five courses at the 3000 and/or 4000 level. The range and sequence ensures both depth and breadth of knowledge, and the mix of required courses and electives enables students to progress along lines that answer to their particular interests. Smaller in size than introductory and intermediate ones, courses at the upper levels provide an especially suitable environment, of close supervision and lots of give-and-take, for the productive and enjoyable pursuit of philosophical knowledge.
CONTENT
1000 LEVEL
- HUMN 1100 Analytical Approaches to Western Humanism
- PHIL 1100 Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 1106 Introduction to Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
- PHIL 1107 Introduction to Modern Philosophy
- PHIL 1110 Confronting Moral Issues: Ethics
- PHIL 1112 Environmental Philosophy
- PHIL 1145 Critical Thinking
- PHIL 1150 Basic Logic
- PHIL 1155 Scientific Reasoning
1200/2000 LEVEL
- PHIL 1210 Epistemology
- PHIL 1211 Metaphysics
- PHIL 2115 Asian Philosophy
- PHIL 2117 Social and Political Philosophy
- PHIL 2120 Philosophy of Religion
Students will be required to take at least 2 courses at the first or second year level. In addition to these 2 courses, in order to apply for the BA Minor in Philosophy, it is required that students successfully complete PHIL 1210 and PHIL 1211. Certain pre-requisites are required for 1200/2000 level PHIL courses.
3000 LEVEL
- PHIL 3033 Business Ethics
- PHIL 3040 Philosophy of Art
- PHIL 3101 20th Century Analytic Philosophy
- PHIL 3109 Foundations of Ethics
- PHIL 3110 The Possibility of Knowledge
- PHIL 3118 Ethics and Public Policy
- PHIL 3119 Contemporary Moral Theories
- PHIL 3150 Formal logic
- PHIL/NRSG 3170 Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 3430 Philosophy of Mind: Consciousness
- PHIL Seven Deadly Sins
- PHIL Philosophy of Law
- PHIL Philosophy of Psychology
- PHIL Freedom and Determinism
- PHIL Persons
- PHIL Identity
- PHIL Empiricism
- PHIL Rationalism
- PHIL 20th Century Analytic
- PHIL Philosophy of Social Science
- PHIL Philosophy of Science
- PHIL Truth
- PHIL Existentialism
- PHIL Feminism/Oppression
- PHIL Great Philosophers of the Twentieth Century
4000 LEVEL
- PHIL 4110 Special Topics in Ethical Theory
- PHIL 4210 Special Topics in Epistemology
- PHIL 4430 Special Topics in Philosophy of Mind
- PHIL Special Topics in Aesthetics
- PHIL Special Topics in Ancient Philosophy
- PHIL Special Topics in the History of Modern Philosophy
- PHIL Special Topics in Metaphysics
- PHIL Special Topics in Philosophy of Religion
- PHIL Special Topics in Asian Philosophy
- PHIL Special Topics in Social and Political Philosophy
Any combination of 15 credits in 3000 and 4000 level PHIL courses will satisfy the B.A. Minor in Philosophy program requirements. Certain pre-requisites must be met in order to gain admission to 4000 level PHIL courses.
GRADUATION
Upon completion of a Minor in Philosophy, students can qualify to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts – General Studies, or when combined with a second minor program, a Bachelor of Arts – Double Minor.