A study of those issues which are of common concern to philosophy and religion. Topics focused upon include: the nature and function of religion; the existence and attributes of God; the claims of reason and the claims of faith; God and the problem of evil; the meaning of religious statements; religious experience and the inexpressible; religion and morality; human freedom and the meaning of life.
Every Fall and Spring
Previously: PHIL 200, RELI 200
An introductory exploration of basic ethical issues from different philosophical perspectives as well as from the vantage point of the Christian faith. This course is designed to encourage a thoughtful appraisal of the deep questions of life within the broadest possible context.
Every Fall and Spring
Previously: PHIL 210, RELI 210
This course is a survey of Western philosophical thought with the purpose of introducing students of theology to the philosophical ideas which have had a significant influence on the development of Christian theology.
Every Spring
Previously: PHIL 241, RELI 241
This course explores significant issues in social ethics in the United States, including some or all of the following: race, gender, sexuality, bioethics, crime and punishment, immigration, economic justice, and the environment. Attention will be given to contemporary debates on these issues as well as their development historically and their relation to American cultures and institutions. Study of these issues will help deepen our thinking about key American ideals such as freedom, equality, and the pursuit of happiness.
Every other Fall, even years
Previously: PHIL 282
This course will consider issues in global ethics, that is, ethical issues related to, or popularized by, transnational connections. As we study these issues, priority will be given to the perspectives of non-Western thinkers. Issues to be studied may include: the enduring legacies of colonialism, conception and critiques of human rights, gender relations and equality, non-Western conceptions of justice, the social, cultural, and environmental impacts of globalization,the impacts of global trade and "sweatshops," climate change, and terrorism. Through this course, students will gain an understanding of the complex ways people and societies in other parts of the world are impacted by global interconnections.
Occasionally
Previously: PHIL 260
A survey of the history of Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics through the scholastics, concentrating upon the main thinkers, ideas, and cultural developments of the period.
Every Fall
Previously: PHIL 220
A survey of the history of Western philosophy from the 17th Century through the 20th Century, concentrating upon the main thinkers, ideas and cultural developments which have shaped the modern mind.
Occasionally
Previously: PHIL 230
In this course, students will read texts from philosophers across various time periods covering issues in the philosophy of science, such as the distinction between science and pseudoscience, values in scientific research, issues with underdetermination, the laws of nature, and scientific empiricism. Upon completing the course, students will be able to articulate several philosophical positions concerning each of the topic areas listed above. Assignments and readings have been selected to will help the student achieve the larger goal of recognizing the structure of arguments, articulating arguments, improving reading comprehension, and improving communication skills.
Every other Spring, odd years
Previously: PHIL 236
What is medical practice, and how do we justify the standards and practices in medicine? Students examine philosophical concepts and theories used in medicine and medical practice, covering historical and theoretical philosophical approaches. Following Galen’s corpus (especially in Europe, Africa, and West Asia) and its reception and dissemination through Ibn Sina, students explore a variety of philosophical interpreters and interpretations that have significantly contributed to modern medicine and engage in comparative study with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Contemporary medical approaches rely on philosophical groundings and assumptions, which provide students with opportunities to analyze contemporary approaches to health, disease, evidence, and skepticism.
Every other Fall, odd years
Religious views about the environment have profound impacts. Examining religious views about what the environment is, what its importance is, and what humans’ relationship to it is reveals ideas behind many modern day approaches to the environment. The religious component to environmental views—views promoting the environment as a good in itself and views promoting the notion of the environment as a means to human ends—is explored in this class. Students will interpret religious texts, explain key concepts in various religious and philosophical perspectives, and orally articulate theological viewpoints.
Every Spring
Previously: PHIL 264, RELI 264
This course is an introduction to American philosophy. The aim of the course is to provide a survey of the main movements and texts of American Philosophy, including early religious philosophies, American Idealisms, the American Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, Pragmatism, Radical Empiricism, and the philosophy of science.
Occasionally
Previously: PHIL 280
This course will survey some of the major texts of classical Chinese and Japanese philosophy in order to develop an understanding of the development of the broad strains of Asian philosophy. Some attention will also be given to the roots of Buddhism in India; to the influence of Asian philosophies on early American philosophy; and to the reception and influence of classical texts in contemporary Asian and American culture.
Every other Spring, odd years
Previously: PHIL 270
Special Topics in Philosophy
Previously: PHIL 297
Individualized study in Philosophy
Instructor Permission
Previously: PHIL 299