Regularly Offered Courses

PHIL 210: Introduction to Logic (3 units)

A general introduction to logic covering both deductive and inductive inference, and the analysis of arguments in ordinary language. Offered every semester.

PHIL 214: Introduction to Philosophy (3 units)

A general introduction to the nature, problems, methods, concepts, and divisions of philosophy. Offered every semester.

PHIL 216: Introduction to Philosophy and Aesthetics (3 units)

A general introduction to the nature, problems, methods, concepts, and divisions of philosophy, with an emphasis on the issues and theories of aesthetics.

PHIL 301: Greek and Roman Philosophy (3 units)

The history of philosophy in the West from the Pre-socratics through the Neo-Platonists. This course is designed for students who have already taken at least one course in philosophy and are expected to achieve at a higher level of learning. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 302: Medieval Philosophy (3 units)

The history and philosophy in the West from Augustine to William of Occam, with special emphasis upon Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. This course is designed for students who have already taken at least one course in philosophy and are expected to achieve at a higher level of learning. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 303: Modern Philosophy (3 units)

The history of philosophy in the West from the Renaissance through the 18th century. This course is designed for students who have already taken at least one course in philosophy and are expected to achieve at a higher level of learning. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 312: Symbolic Logic (3 units)

An introduction to the basic elements of modern symbolic logic, including propositional logic and predicate logic.

PHIL 350: Philosophy Seminar (1 unit)

Reading, research and discussionin selected philosophical topics and problems. Prerequisite: The student must be a philosophy major or minor, or a humanities major with an emphasis in philosophy, or have the consent of the professor. May be repeated with different course content. Offered every semester

PHIL 411: Metaphysics (3 units)

An historical and critical examination of selected metaphysical problems, topics and systems. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 412: Epistemology (3 units)

An historical and critical examination of the philosophical study of the nature, scope and validity of human knowledge. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 413: Ethics (3 units)

A study of the principal ethical theories and thinkers, basic ethical problems and related biblical teaching. Offered every four semesters.

PHIL 414: Philosophy of Religion (3 units)

An examination of topics in the philosophy of religion suchas traditional arguments for the existence of God, religious epistemology, the problem of evil and religious pluralism.

PHIL 415: Advanced Studies in the History of Philosophy (3 units)

Reading, discussion and researchin selected topics or periods fromthe history of philosophy. Maybe repeated with different coursecontent.

PHIL 425: Advanced Studies in the Divisions of Philosophy (3 units)

Studies in a single division of philosophy, such as aesthetics, the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of history. May be repeated with different course content.

PHIL 435: Advanced Studies in Philosophical Topics (3 units)

Reading, discussion and research inselected topics in philosophy, withspecial attention paid to contemporary developments in the philosophical literature. May be repeatedwith different course content.

PHIL 450: Advanced Philosophy Seminar/Senior Thesis (3 units)

Prerequisite: the student must be a senior philosophy major or have the consent of the professor. Offered every spring.

PHIL 460: Readings in Philosophy (3 units)

Directed reading in selected areas, topics, and problems in philosophy. Prerequisite: consent of the professor.

PHIL 480: Directed Research (1-3 units)

Directed research in some philosophical topic or problem. Prerequisite: consent of the professor.

Degree Program

A Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy is offered upon completion of the university baccalaureate and the philosophy major. A curriculum chart for philosophy majors can be found here.

Philosophy Major

The philosophy major consists of 36 units beyond the general educationrequirement. The student must take the three courses in the history of philosophy sequence (301, 302, 303), and the three courses in the major divisions of philosophy (411, 412, 413). Additionally, the student must take PHIL 414 (Philosophy of Religion) and select six units from courses designated as "Advanced Studies in Philosophy." In addition, the student must take PHIL 210 Introduction to Logic. Finally, each student must meet the departmental seminar requirement of six units, as follows: three units of 350 Philosophy Seminar and three units of 450 Senior Thesis.

Philosophy Minor

A Philosophy Minor is offered with the completion of 20 units beyond the general education requirement, 17 of which must be upper division. The student must select two courses from 301, 302, and 303 and two courses from 411, 412, and 413.

Humanities with an emphasis in Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy offers a philosophy concentration for the humanities major. (See the Humanities section of the course catalog for specifics.) It is basically a minor in philosophy, but more flexibility is possible through department advisement.