CSUEB Catalog 2009-2010: Philosophy (Undergraduate)

Philosophy

	Department Information
	Program Description
	Career Opportunities
	Major Requirements (B.A.)
	Other Degree Requirements
	Minor Requirements
	Undergraduate Courses
	Footnote

Department Information

Department of Philosophy
College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Office: Meiklejohn Hall 4006
Phone: (510) 885-3225, FAX: (510) 885-2123
Website: http://class.csueastbay.edu/philosophy/


Professor Marek W. Bielecki, Ph.D. University of Warsaw (Poland) Associate Professor Jennifer L. Eagan (Chair), Ph.D. Duquesne University Assistant Professor Barbara Hall, Ph.D. University of Arizona, J.D. DePaul University Law School Christopher Moreman, Ph.D. University of Wales, Lampeter Lecturers Russell Abrams, Ph.D. Yale University Kathleen Blamey, Ph.D. University of California, Davis, Doctorate Université de Paris X Robert Gorton, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Please consult the 2010-2011 online catalog for any changes that may occur.

Program Description

The Department of Philosophy at Cal State East Bay seeks to promote the exploration of enduring human concerns--concerns, for example, about the nature of knowledge, ethics, truth, and God. In addition to emphasizing classical philosophy, the department encourages students to think critically about contemporary debates, particularly in the areas of law, human rights, and social justice; science, technology, and values; and religion. The department's faculty strive to instill in students lifelong habits of questioning, of exploring views contrary to their own, and of engaging in reasoned and honest dialogue. By their focus on analysis, comprehension and communication, they aim to develop qualities that are essential to personal fulfillment, civic responsibility, and career success.

The Department of Philosophy offers programs leading to a B.A. degree major in Philosophy in four different option areas: Classical Philosophy; Law, Human Rights and Social Justice; Religious Studies; and Science, Technology and Values. The department also allows students to design their own option, formally designated as a "Special Option," with the guidance of an advisor. Through a broad range of courses in each program, students encounter the great ideas of our heritage, both Western and Eastern, as well as explore contemporary issues from a philosophical perspective.

Many different kinds of students choose the major in philosophy. Some intend to do graduate work in philosophy, often with the intention of becoming philosophy professors who research and teach in philosophy. Others take philosophy as a preparation for another professional area. Traditionally, for example, philosophy has been one of the chief roads to professional law schools. On the other hand, the aim of many religious studies students is to prepare for entrance into theological seminary. Philosophy also serves as a good general liberal arts education, since many of the long-established university disciplines are founded on philosophical principles: political science, sociology, education, aesthetics, physics, and other subjects. Finally, many students major in philosophy in order to prepare for careers that require clarity of thought, analytical ability, good writing skills, and the ability to present a reasoned argument.

Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy from Cal State East Bay should: (1) be able to read and comprehend complex philosophical texts; (2) be able to offer good philosophical criticism to the positions presented by others; (3) be able to construct their own philosophical positions and present them persuasively to others in dialogue and/or writing; (4) be able to take in and fruitfully utilize criticisms of their own philosophical positions; (5) show an openness to giving careful and serious consideration to different philosophical views and the reasons offered in support of them; (6) be able to present arguments from various philosophical perspectives/traditions, including those very different from their own; (7) be able to empathize with the experiences of others insofar as those experiences are relevant to the resolution of philosophical issues; (8) have competence in the history of philosophy (ancient/medieval, Rationalism and Empiricism, Kant and Idealism, roots of contemporary philosophy, and contemporary philosophy) and subject areas of philosophy (ethics, epistemology or metaphysics); students should understand the interrelations of these areas of philosophy; (9) develop the ability to do philosophical research and to engage with secondary sources; (10) be able to utilize their philosophical training in their public or personal life.

Career Opportunities

Analyst • Business Executive • Clergy • Consultant • Critic • Editor • Foreign Service Officer • Journalist • Lawyer • Philosopher • Policy Analyst • Primary/Secondary School Teacher • Professor • Public Administrator • Theologian • Writer

Major Requirements (B.A.)

Please consult an advisor in the Department of Philosophy for clarification and interpretation of your major requirements. The Philosophy major consists of 60 units; the B.A. degree requires a total of 180 units.


I.	Core Courses (32 units)
	Required Courses (24 units)
		PHIL 3100 Ethics (4) PHIL 3305 Fundamental Questions: Self, Nature, and God (4) PHIL 3311 Metaphysics (4) PHIL 3602 Modern Philosophy (4) PHIL 3604 Roots of Contemporary Philosophy (4) PHIL 4606 Seminar in Philosophy (4)
	Epistemology Elective (4 units)
		Select one course from the following: PHIL 3301 Theory of Knowledge (4) PHIL 3321 Philosophy of the Human Sciences (4) PHIL 3332 Philosophy of Science (4) (required for students pursuing the Science, Technology and Values option.)
	Social and Political Diversity Elective (4 units)
		Select one course from the following: PHIL 3403 Philosophies of the East (4) PHIL 3502 Social and Political Philosophy (4) (required for students pursuing the Law, Human Rights, and Social Justice option.) PHIL 3515 Race and Social Justice PHIL 3720 Feminist Philosophy (4)
II.	Options (20-28 units)
Students must complete the requirements for at least one option and may choose to complete additional options if they wish.
	A.	Classical Philosophy Option (20-28 units)
		PHIL 3601 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4) PHIL 3603 Thinkers of the Enlightenment (4) PHIL 3605 Studies in Contemporary Philosophy (4) Epistemology and Metaphysics (0-4 units) PHIL 3301 Theory of Knowledge (4) (may also count as an Epistemology elective in the Core) Value Inquiry (8 units) PHIL 3201 Aesthetics (4) PHIL 3925 Contemporary Ethical Issues (4) Asian Philosophy (0-4 units) Select one of the following:
			PHIL 3403 Philosophies of the East (4) (may also count as a Social and Political Diversity elective in the Core) PHIL 3410 Comparative Themes in Eastern and Western Philosophy (4)
	B.	Law, Human Rights and Social Justice Option (24-28 units)
		PHIL 3503 Philosophy of Law (4) PHIL 3510 Human Rights and Social Justice: Cultural Groups and Women in the U.S. (4) PHIL 3511 Philosophy of Human Rights and Global Justice (4) Applied Ethics (8 units) Select two courses from the following:
			PHIL 3151 Environmental Ethics (4) PHIL 3152 Biomedical Ethics (4) PHIL 3153 Biology and Ethics (4) PHIL/MGMT 3560 Business and Professional Ethics (4) PHIL 3925 Contempoary Ethical Issues (4)
		Social and Political Philosophy (4-8 units) Select two courses from the following:
			PHIL 3321 Philosophy of the Human Sciences (4) (may also count as an Epistemology elective in the Core) PHIL 3335 Science, Technology and Values (4) PHIL 3720 Feminist Philosophy (4)
			The following lower division course may be counted towards fulfillment of this requirement:
				PHIL 1101 Contemporary Social and Ethical Issues (4)
	C.	Religious Studies Option (24-28 units)
		PHIL 3400 Philosophy of Religion (4) PHIL 3401 Contemporary Religious Thinkers (4) PHIL 3601 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4) Select four courses from the following; two courses in religious studies from other departments may be counted towards this requirement with advisor approval (12-16 units):
			PHIL 3403 Philosophies of the East (4) (may also count as a Social and Political Diversity elective in the Core) PHIL 3410 Comparative Themes in Eastern and Western Philosophy (4) PHIL 3411 Jewish Philosophy (4) PHIL 3417 The Philosophy of Islam (4) PHIL 3421 Atheism (4) The following lower division course may be counted towards fulfillment of this requirement:
				PHIL 1401 Religions of the World (4)
	D.	Science, Technology and Values Option (24 units)
		PHIL 3335 Science, Technology and Values (4) Select 4 units of upper division coursework covering history of science, with consent of department (4) Nature of Knowledge (8 units) Select two courses from the following:
			PHIL 3301 Theory of Knowledge (4) PHIL 3321 Philosophy of the Human Sciences (4) PHIL 3341 Philosophy of Cognition and Artificial Intelligence (4)
		Applied Ethics (8 units) Select two courses from the following:
			PHIL 3151 Environmental Ethics (4) PHIL 3152 Biomedical Ethics (4) PHIL 3153 Biology and Ethics (4) The following lower division course may be counted towards fulfillment of this requirement:
				PHIL 1103 Science, Ethics, and Technology (4)
	E.	Special Option (20-28 units)
		An option designed by the student and his or her advisor, consisting of a coherent selection of courses with an identifiable theme substantially different from those offered above. Must be approved by the department chair.
III.	Electives (0-12 units)
	Up to one lower division philosophy course, and/or upper division philosophy courses, including those not chosen from the above lists, to bring total units in the major to 60 units.

Other Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University requirements for graduation which are described in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements chapter in the front of this catalog. These include the General Education-Breadth requirements; the second composition (ENGL 1002) requirement; the cultural groups/women requirement; the performing arts/activities requirement; the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement; the University Writing Skills Requirement; and the residence, unit, and grade point average requirements.

Minor Requirements

The Philosophy minor consists of 28 units of Philosophy courses of which at least 24 units must be upper division. The purpose of the Minor in Philosophy is to provide a general background in Philosophy. Philosophy minors can choose any set of upper division Philosophy classes, which can include courses in the areas of religious studies, law, human rights, social justice, philosophy of science, ethics, and the history of philosophy. Philosophy courses focus on writing and critical reasoning skills; therefore the Philosophy Minor fits well with any major. Prospective Philosophy minors should consult with a Philosophy department advisor or the chairperson to select courses.

Undergraduate Courses


The course prefix for the following courses is PHIL. Lower Division Critical Thinking Courses
1000	Workshop in Clear Thinking (4) Development of clarity and focus in thinking, with attention to rigor, modes of explanation, validity of reasoning, etc.
1001	Introduction to Logic (4) Beginning study of the forms of valid inference, including informal fallacies, syllogistic logic and symbolic logic.
Lower Division Philosophy Courses
1101	Contemporary Social and Ethical Issues (4) Topics of contemporary concern, e.g., human rights, roots of social injustice, affirmative action, sexism and racism. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 1102, 1103 or 1104. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
1102	Issues in Environmental Ethics (4) Critical examination of ethical issues in environmental philosophy. Topics may include: the impact of human activity on environmental systems, climate change, loss of biodiversity, sustainable practices, and intergenerational justice. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 1101, 1103 or 1104.
1103	Science, Ethics, and Technology (4) The ethical implications of various technologies, such as biotechnology, medical technologies, environmental technologies, and informational technologies. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 1101, 1102 or 1104.
1104	The Philosophy of Environmental Science and Policy (4) Study of issues related to the morality and justification of environmental science as a source of knowledge and guide to human action. Topics include: scientific disagreement, whose interests should concern us, and what should influence our evaluation of government policies. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 1101, 1102 or 1103.
1201	Introduction to Ancient Philosophy (4) Introduction to ancient philosophy and the origin of Western philosophy through primary texts. Topics may include the good life, mythology, the natural world, justice, knowledge, and reality.
1303	Introduction to the Philosophy of Art (4) Introduction to aesthetics through artistic forms such as music, visual art, and literature. Topics may include expression, representation, and creativity, as well as questions exploring what constitutes a work of art and the role of the artist.
1401	Religions of the World (4) Comparative study of religions from around the world, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
1605	Introduction to Asian Thought (4) The thought of China, India, and Japan, past and present, as expressed in philosophical texts. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 2605.
2001	Introduction to Philosophy (4) Major themes, thinkers and methods in philosophy. Topics include the history of philosophy, the nature of philosophical questioning, God, reality, truth and the self.
2002	Introduction to Ethics (4) Introduction to philosophical ethics. Topics include major ethical theories, virtue, vice, evil, character, moral education and relativism. Impact of cultural diversity on ethical discourse.
2040	Early Modern World Philosophies (4) Evolution of religious and philosophical traditions of early modern Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Impact of Islam on Judeo-Christian thought; philosophical debates regarding conquest and colonization of the Americas; changing perspectives on race and gender; the Enlightenment in global perspective.
2605	Asian Thought (4) Buddhist thought of India, Southeast Asia, and Japan as expressed in its philosophical texts, visual art and music, and literature; demonstration of the interconnections among these disciplines. Not open to students with credit for PHIL 1605.
Upper Division Critical Thinking Courses
3002	Modern Logic (4) Advanced course in symbolic logic. Students without a mathematical background are encouraged to first take PHIL 1001.
3010	Critical Legal Reasoning (4) Development of ability to think clearly and rationally with focus on legal reasoning. Argument by analogy, use of precedent, interpretation of court opinions, and LSAT preparation.
Upper Division Philosophy Courses
3100	Ethics (4) Major theories about ethics or morality and their relation to different social systems, institutions and cultures of the world.
3151	Environmental Ethics (4) Philosophical conceptions of nature and the environment, and human responsibilities towards it, drawn from different historical and cultural traditions.
3152	Biomedical Ethics (4) Ethical issues in biology and medicine, such as euthanasia, abortion, truth-telling, genetic engineering, cloning, distribution of medical resources.
3153	Biology and Ethics (4) Conceptual and ethical issues arising from new developments in biology. Topics may include cloning, genetic engineering, biodiversity, the evolution/creation debate.
3161	Philosophy and Sex (4) A philosophical examination of conceptual and ethical issues raised by sexuality and sexual love. Possible topics include love and sexuality, promiscuity, prostitution, adultery, homosexuality, sexual harassment, pornography, and same-sex marriage.
3201	Aesthetics (4) Theories of art, such as imitation, formalism and expressionism; the contrast between representational and abstract art.
3216	Philosophy and Science Fiction (4) Philosophical views about topics contained implicitly in science fiction writing and film.
3230	Art and Philosophy of the East (4) An interdisciplinary investigation of the relationship between art and philosophy of Asia, with particular emphasis on Hinduism and Buddhism. Team taught by faculty from the Art and Philosophy departments. Cross-listed with ART 3230.
3301	Theory of Knowledge (4) An exploration of such issues as skepticism, relativism, truth, and the nature of understanding. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3305	Fundamental Questions: Self, Nature, and God (4) Topics such as the mind-body problem, freedom versus determinism, and the nature of truth, faith, and reason.
3311	Metaphysics (4) An exploration of the nature of matter, mind, space, time, truth, and the real. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3321	Philosophy of the Human Sciences (4) Philosophical study of theories, methods and problems in the social and behavioral sciences. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3322	Philosophy of Language (4) An exploration of fundamental issues concerning language and discourse, such as truth, communication, meaning, representation, understanding, metaphor, and irony.
3332	Philosophy of Science (4) The nature of scientific explanation, scientific methods, and conceptual revolutions in science.
3335	Science, Technology and Values (4) Nature of scientific reasoning and its relation to technology. Historical development of modern technology. Examples of technological systems: communications, data processing, materials, energy generation. Impact on the environment and on human society. Relation to moral reasoning. Cross-listed with SCI 3335.
3341	Philosophy of Cognition and Artificial Intelligence (4) Philosophical study of the nature of cognition and of human and machine intelligence. Explores such questions as: "What is thinking?" "What is intelligence?" "Can computers understand ordinary language?" Recent trends and prospects of the quest for truly intelligent machines.
3400	Philosophy of Religion (4) Philosophical issues such as the existence of God, the problem of evil, the paradox of free will, the nature of religious experience and mysticism. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3401	Contemporary Religious Thinkers (4) The religious philosophies of one or more major thinkers of the Twentieth Century from different cultures or religious traditions of the world. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3403	Philosophies of the East (4) Eastern thought as expressed in its great religious philosophies such as Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
3410	Comparative Themes in Eastern and Western Philosophy (4) Critical and comparative study of themes from Western philosophy and from Indian, Chinese and other Eastern philosophies. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3411	Jewish Philosophy (4) Readings on themes of Jewish philosophy including suffering, evil, love, alterity or otherness, and the question of Jewish identity.
3417	The Philosophy of Islam (4) Islamic cosmology as articulated in the Quran, the teachings of Muhammad, Muslim law, and major Muslim philosophers.
3421	Atheism (4) Philosophical examination of atheism, focusing on the reasons, if any, for being an atheist. Topics may include agnosticism, faith, morality, meaning of life, science and religion, nature of spirituality.
3502	Social and Political Philosophy (4) Intensive study of the philosophical theories underlying or justifying public policy issues, such as individual freedom and government protection of the rights of others; freedom of speech and religious, racial or sexual prejudice; affirmative action and reverse discrimination; and violence, personal responsibility and the roots of social injustice.
3503	Philosophy of Law (4) Introduction to the main schools of jurisprudence and legal philosophy. Cross-listed with POSC 3503.
3510	Human Rights and Social Justice: Cultural Groups and Women in the U.S. (4) Philosophical perspectives on human rights and social justice as they apply to the lived experiences of cultural groups and women in the U.S.
3511	Philosophy of Human Rights and Global Justice (4) Explores human rights theory and its global application from a philosophical perspective. Considers whether the following concepts can be applied globally: the nature of rights, individualism, liberalism, the social contract, cosmopolitanism, postmodernity, multiculturalism, materialism, and the nature of power.
3515	Race and Social Justice (4) A philosophical examination of race, racism, racial identity and experience, through the narratives of U.S. cultural groups. Possible topics include race as an epistemological and ethical category, racism, racial identity formation, and how to secure social justice.
3543	Evil (4) Survey of traditional and contemporary philosophical debates on the nature, origin, and existence of evil. Topics may include cruelty, genocide, torture, war, slavery.
3560	Business and Professional Ethics (4) Team-taught by a philosopher and a social scientist. Explores current ethical issues in business and other professions: preferential hiring vs. equal opportunity, environmental regulation vs. property rights, truthfulness in business communications, economic efficiency vs. social responsibility. Cross-listed with MGMT 3560.
3601	Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (4) Western philosophy from the ancient Greeks (including Socrates, Plato and Aristotle) through the philosophers and theologians of the Middle Ages (including St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas).
3602	Modern Philosophy (4) Seventeenth and eighteenth century Western philosophy, especially rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz) and empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume).
3603	Thinkers of the Enlightenment (4) Themes stemming from the Enlightenment such as autonomy, critique, and idealism in philosophers from Kant to Hegel.
3604	Roots of Contemporary Philosophy (4) Study of one or more twentieth century philosophical traditions, such as logical positivism, analytic philosophy (including Wittgenstein), pragmatism, existentialism, phenomenology, process philosophy, the Frankfurt School. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3605	Studies in Contemporary Philosophy (4) Various figures or topics in contemporary philosophy. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
3701	Philosophy of Education (4) Philosophical analysis of contemporary theories and methods of education through examination of major works offering contrasting perspectives on the nature of knowledge, competing value systems, and ethical and multicultural concerns in the educational process. Seminar approach emphasizing student participation and presentations.
3720	Feminist Philosophy (4) Major themes, theories, and different schools of feminist philosophy; the influences of Marxism, psychoanalysis, existential phenomenology, postmodernism, and theories of difference, with special reference to American feminist thought.
3925	Contemporary Ethical Issues (4) An examination of ethics as applied to issues of current concern. May include discussion of abortion, affirmative action, animal rights, euthanasia, torture, and the death penalty.
3999	Issues in Philosophy (4) Readings, discussion, and research on contemporary and/or significant issues in philosophy. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
4606	Seminar in Philosophy (4) Intensive study of an individual philosopher, school, movement or problem in philosophy. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
4900	Independent Study (1-4)

Footnote

Has prerequisites not included in program.