Philosophy and Religion Undergraduate Courses

Philosophy Courses

PHI 104 Critical Reasoning (3)
The purpose of this course is to help students learn how to analyze, critique, and construct arguments. It will enhance the student's ability to read, reason, and write clearly. In this course we will look at visual media, including TV news, newspapers, and short essays by philosophers and analyze them according to what constitutes a well-reasoned argument and what does not.

PHI 150 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
Introductory study of the principal areas and problems of philosophy, including the nature and methods of philosophical analysis, mind and matter, meaning and knowledge, appearance and reality, the existence of God, and moral responsibility.

Prerequisites or Co-requisites: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 195 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for freshmen. Students may enroll in 195 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

PHI 201 Introduction to Logic (3)
Introductory study of the basic concepts of logic, the rules of valid inference, formal and informal fallacies, and basic symbolic logic.

Prerequisites or Co-requisites: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 257 Moral Philosophy (3)
Introductory study of the principles and methods of moral reasoning, with application to selected moral problems.

Prerequisites or Co-requisites: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 290 Ethics and Health Care (3)
This course is an introduction to the field of medical ethics and the kinds of decisions individuals and families make about health care and treatment options. Students will look at current issues such as kinds of treatment and their effects, allocation of health care resources, ethical issues of health care professionals, managed care decisions, and end of life decisions. Students will apply philosophical theories of ethics to these issues and develop perspectives on health care decision making.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 295 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for sophomores. Students may enroll in 295 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

PHI 302 Logic and the Scientific Method (3)
Study of the principles of induction and scientific method, the structure and function of scientific theories, confirmation of scientific hypotheses, probability, and the appraisal of evidential adequacy. This course may be taken to satisfy the philosophy requirement. It is recommended for students majoring in the natural and social sciences.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 310 Topics in Philosophy (3)
Study of topics in philosophy that are not covered in the regular departmental course offerings.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or equivalent, and one course in philosophy; or permission of instructor.

PHI 311 History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (3)
Survey of Western philosophical thought from the pre-Socratics to Thomas Aquinas.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or equivalent, and one course in philosophy; or permission of instructor.

PHI 312 History of Renaissance and Early Modern Philosophy (3)
Survey of Western philosophical thought from Bacon to Kant.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or equivalent, and one course in philosophy; or permission of instructor.

PHI 313 History of Late Modern and Contemporary Philosophy (3)
A survey of Western philosophical thought from Hegel to Wittgenstein.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or equivalent, and one course in philosophy; or permission of instructor.

PHI 318 Social and Political Philosophy (3)
Study of major social and political philosophies, including explanation and discussion of the principal ideas of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Hegel, Marx, and the Founding Fathers.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 320 Topics in Ethics (3)
The study of topics relating to ethics that are not covered in depth in the regular departmental course offerings. Topics may include moral theory, moral psychology, applied ethics, and controversial social issues.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent; one course in philosophy; or permission of the instructor.

PHI 325 Philosophy of Religion (3)
Study of the nature of religious knowledge, grounds for belief in God, immortality, the problem of evil, and morality and religion.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent; one course in philosophy.

PHI 341 Business Ethics (3)
This course is cross-listed and is otherwise known as PHI 341. It introduces the student to the normative theories of moral philosophy as they apply to free enterprise market systems, corporations and other organizations. Students use case studies and current events to critically assess how to resolve moral issues commonly faced by managers, employees, marketers, and consumers.

Prerequisite: ENG 102 or the equivalent.

PHI 359 Philosophy of Punishment: Moral and Legal Aspects (3)
A study of the major theories of punishment (i.e., retribution, deterrence, compensation or restitution, and reform) and the arguments surrounding the question of justifying the punishment of criminals. Issues will be viewed from the diverse perspectives of psychology, sociology, criminal law, and philosophy, with guest speakers from these fields being featured when available. Emphasis will be on critical reading, expository writing, discussion, and debate.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent; one course in philosophy.

PHI 395 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for juniors. Students may enroll in 395 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

PHI 400 Knowledge and Reality (3)
Study of the nature of knowledge, evidential judgment, appearance and reality, theories of human nature, and the nature of truth.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent; one course in philosophy.

PHI 410 American Philosophy (3)
Survey of American philosophy, including basic ideas of Edwards, the Founding Fathers, Emerson, Thoreau, Peirce, James, Dewey, Whitehead, and representatives of contemporary thought.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or the equivalent.

PHI 415 Great Thinkers in Philosophy (3)
An in-depth study of one or two related major philosophers. The philosophical thinkers will vary by semester. This course will include analyzing the philosopher's own works as well as commentaries and criticisms by others.

Prerequisite: PHI 311 or 312 or 313; or permission of the instructor.

PHI 450 Bioethics and the Deaf Community (3)
Bioethics is a branch of applied ethics, which in turn is a part of the philosophical field of ethics. Bioethics applies ethical theory to issues in the biological sciences, including scientific research and healthcare. This course introduces major theoretical approaches to bioethics and applies them to topics of interest to the deaf community, including (but not limited to) eugenics, cochlear implant surgery, and genetic technology. Bioethics theories and concepts covered will include informed consent, research ethics, individual and group rights, surrogate decision-making, quality of life, genetic enhancement versus gene therapy, and wrongful life. The potential impact of new and emerging technologies on the deaf community will also be discussed.

Prerequisite: GSR 150 or equivalent, and one course in philosophy; or permission of instructor.

PHI 493 Senior Research Paper (3)
Students will research and write a high quality formal philosophy paper, approximately 20 - 25 pages in length, on a topic determined in consultation with the instructor. The thesis shall be reviewed by, and defended before, a committee of at least three members of the faculty, including the instructor.

Prerequisite: Philosophy majors only; 15 credit hours in philosophy, senior standing and permission of the department chair.

PHI 494 Senior Thesis (3)
A course of intensified research and the writing of a thesis, approximately 50 pages in length, on a topic determined in consultation with the instructor. The thesis shall be reviewed by, and defended before, a committee of at least three members of the faculty, including the instructor.

Prerequisite: Philosophy majors only; 15 credit hours in philosophy, senior standing, PHI 499, and permission of the department chair.

PHI 495 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for seniors who are majors or minors. Students may enroll in 495 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

PHI 499 Independent Study (1-3)
Study of special problems in philosophy through extensive reading, independent research, and writing. Problems to be considered and materials to be covered will be determined in consultation with the instructor.

Prerequisite: 12 hours of philosophy and permission of the department chair.

Religion Courses

REL 195 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for freshmen. Students may enroll in 195 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 200 Introduction to Religion (3)
A survey of major ways to study religion. The survey includes the approaches of history of religions, religion in relation to culture, the study of sacred texts, and religion as individual experience.

REL 210 Religion and Literature (3)
A study of the religious elements of various kinds of literature, including scripture, drama, poetry, essays, inspirational writing, and the novel. Students will be expected both to analyze the literature they read and to think about it from their own point of view.

REL 295 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for sophomores. Students may enroll in 295 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 300 Comparative Religion (3)
The study of the world's great living religions. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism will be presented and discussed in their historical and sociocultural perspectives.

REL 303 Early Hebrew Bible: The Torah (3)
An introductory study of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible focusing on historical context, authorship, the Bible as literature, and the influence of these books on both Jewish and Christian life and thought.

REL 304 Later Hebrew Bible: The Prophets and Writings (3)
A study of the Hebrew Bible from the formation of Ancient Israel to the Maccabean era focusing on historical context, authorship, the Bible as literature, and the influence of these works on both Jewish and Christian life and thought.

REL 310 Native American Religion and Culture (3)
When the Europeans arrived, Native Americans were living in 500 tribal groups and spoke more than 20 major languages. Native American Religion and Culture is a study of the complexity of the religious way of life on Turtle Island (North America) and its implications in every aspect of culture. Special emphasis will be placed on the issue of the European contact with Native American cultures and the mutual influence they have had on one another. To this end, we will look at Europe at the time of contact, the ways European and African influences have affected Native American culture, and vice versa.

Course Fee: $25

REL 321 Life of Jesus (3)
A study of the life and teachings of Jesus based mainly on the synoptic gospels. Considerable attention is given to how the gospels were written and chosen for inclusion in the New Testament. Gnostic gospels, non-Christian sources and archeological research about the historical Jesus are also reviewed.

REL 328 History and Literature of the New Testament (other than the Gospels) (3)
A study of the origins of the early church and the circumstances that caused the writing of the New Testament; an analysis of the content of each book. Particular emphasis is placed upon the life and contributions of the Apostle Paul.

REL 355 Religion and Society (3)
Religion and Society looks at religion as a social phenomenon that provides meaning, belonging, hope, personal ethics, and social cohesion. Questions of whether or not religion is true are not the issue; rather, in this course the impact of religion on special social issues such as culture contact, religion and politics, black religion, women and religion, new religious movements, and secularization are explored.

REL 395 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for juniors. Students may enroll in 395 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 400 Religion and Psychology (3)
This course will use the viewpoints of religion and of psychology to look at the basic issues of human existence, love, death, guilt, evil, suffering, healing, the meaning of life, and the possibility of personal transformation. Through knowledge of various theories on these issues, students will be encouraged to develop their own personal informed understanding of them.

REL 495 Special Topics (1-5)
Special topics in the discipline, designed primarily for seniors who are majors or minors. Students may enroll in 495 Special Topics multiple times, as long as the topics differ.

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 499 Independent Study (1-3)
Intensive supervised study and research on topics of the student's selection.

Prerequisite: Permission of the department chair.