Departments:

Code Name Description
PL204 PLKR: INFORMAL LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING Study of correct and incorrect reasoning involved in everyday life. Examines the fundamentals of language, fallacies, and deductive and inductive arguments, with an emphasis on debate.
PL205 PLKR: FORMAL LOGIC Study of modern formal logic and its use in appraising the correctness of reasoning. Covers areas such as syllogisms, propositional logic, basic quantificational logic, basic modal logic, formal proofs, and informal fallacies.
PL210 PLKR: ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY Ancient Greek philosophical thought, with major emphasis on the works of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
PL220 PLKR: MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY Medieval philosophy, including the thought of Augustine, Aquinas, and other major figures.
PL225 PLKR: MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY AND LOGIC Medieval philosophy, including the thought of Augustine, Aquinas, and other major figures; also includes a component of logic. Offered at Borromeo Seminary.
PL230 PLKR: CHRISTIAN THINKERS Philosophical problems raised by selected Christian writers, both classical and contemporary. Offered during Rome program.
PL240 PLKR: 17th- AND 18th-CENTURY EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY History of early modern philosophy with special attention given to the beginnings of modern science and its impact on Western ideas about nature, knowledge, mind, and God. Readings include selections from Descartes to Kant.
PL245 PLKR: 19th-CENTURY EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY Study of some of the major figures of the nineteenth century from Fichte through Nietzsche.
PL246 PLKR: 19th- AND 20th-CENTURY PHILOSOPHY Study of some major movements and figures of the period, such as German Idealism, dialectical materialism, atheistic humanism, positivism, pragmatism, existentialism, and phenomenology. Offered at Borromeo Seminary.
PL250 PLKR: CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY Key figures in the development of Continental thought from Husserl to Derrida.
PL255 PLKR: MARXISM AND CRITICAL THEORY Main philosophical and political-economic ideas of Karl Marx, and their reinterpretation by members of the twentieth-century "Frankfurt School."
PL256 NIETZSCHE Critical analysis of important themes and problems in the work of 19th-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Also considers the relevance of his thought for contemporary Western societies.
PL260 PLKR: AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY History of American philosophy as it develops as an ethnophilosophy and through the works of key figures of such trends as Puritanism, Enlightenment, transcendentalism, and pragmatism.
PL265 PLKR: EXISTENTIALISM AND PHENOMENOLOGY Main figures in the existential and phenomenological movements, such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty, and Marcel.
PL270 PLKR: ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY Study of some of the leading figures in British and American analytic philosophy, including Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, and Quine.
PL275 PLVS: RECENT AND CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY Exploration of themes and problems in philosophy since 1950, including an investigation of the very nature and definition of the philosophical enterprise. May include readings from analytic, Continental, post-modern, and neo-pragmatist philosophers.
PL280 PLVS: MAJOR MORAL PHILOSOPHERS Some of the most important contributions of philosophers to an understanding of the nature of morality and ethical reasoning. Readings of classic works in moral philosophy from the Greeks to the present.
PL285 PLKR: AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY Examination of the development, definition, and status of African philosophy, exploring both its unique cultural heritage and its relationship to themes of Western philosophy.
PL286 PLKR: ASIAN AND COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY Exploration of Asian philosophical traditions such as Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Japanese philosophy. Also includes readings by contemporary comparative philosophers who study the similarities and differences among Asian philosophi...
PL289 PLVS: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Nature and function of the state, the grounds of political obligation, and such related concepts as liberty, equality, and justice through an examination of major political thinkers in their historical context.
PL290 PLKR: MAJOR WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS Study of the philosophical contributions of women philosophers from ancient times to the present.
PL298 PLKR: KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY: SPECIAL TOPICS IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY In-depth historical study of specific philosophical theories and problems or of a particular philosopher’s work.
PL299 PLVS: VALUES AND SOCIETY: SPECIAL TOPICS IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY In-depth historical study of specific philosophical theories and problems or of a particular philosopher’s work.
PL300 METHODS IN PHILOSOPHY Study and use of a variety of methods implemented in the conduct and scholarship of philosophy. Methods include: reading and writing of philosophy at the major and minor level, citation norms, research strategies, conference and presentation practice...
PL302 PLVS: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS Investigation into the basic principles of morality and into the nature and methodology of moral judgments. Not open to students with credit in PL 280 or PL 368.
PL303 PLKR: PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE Implications of linguistic experience beginning with a survey of the main historical approaches to the meaning of language. Consideration of special problems such as sense and reference; thought and language; sign, symbol, and metaphor; linguistics a...
PL304 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Philosophical reflection on some fundamental and enduring questions about humans and their relationship to the universe. Includes readings from classical and contemporary sources. Offered at Borromeo Seminary.
PL305 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Philosophical problems in education, such as the nature of knowledge, ways of learning, ethical issues in teaching, and the social-political dimensions of education.
PL307 PLKR: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION Philosophical problems of religion, such as the nature and ground of religious beliefs, the nature of religious experience, the relation of religion and science, the existence of God, immortality, and evil.
PL308 PLKR: PHILOSOPHY OF GOD Exploration of the existence and attributes of God as knowable by reason alone. Includes discussion of religious experience, the relationship of faith and reason, and the problem of evil. Offered at Borromeo Seminary.
PL310 PLVS: CONTEMPORARY ETHICAL PROBLEMS The application of ethical concepts to some of the most pressing moral problems of today. Topics come from areas such as the environment, medicine, and law.
PL311 PLVS: BUSINESS ETHICS Application of ethical concepts to significant problems of business practice. Prerequisite: EC 201 and EC 202. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
PL312 PLVS: ETHICS IN SPORT Study of key ethical issues that arise in sports, starting with the fundamental concepts in sport philosophy and concluding with specific problems such as sportsmanship, gamesmanship, the nature of competition, and race and gender equality.
PL316 PLVS: BIOETHICS Examination of current theoretical and practical implications of medical care and biotechnology. Specific topics include death and end-of-life care; organ transplantation; genetic mapping and testing; aging and dementia; fertility and reproduction; a...
PL320 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF LAW Exploration of theories concerning the nature of law. Special emphasis on the distinction between law and coercion and the relationship between law and morality. Elements of legal reasoning in case law, statutory interpretation, and constitutional ad...
PL330 PLVS: FEMINIST PHILOSOPHIES Philosophical examination of the experiences and status of women, feminist movements in the world, the construction of gender, and the intersections between feminism, race, class, ability, age, and sexual orientation. Readings from feminist philosoph...
PL350 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF BEAUTY AND ART Philosophical investigation of beauty and questions raised by art works, e.g., what is a work of art and what are aesthetic judgments?
PL368 PLVS: ETHICAL THEORY Detailed examination of some of the major philosophical theories about the nature and justification of moral principles of rightness, obligation, and value. Special emphasis is given to the contemporary developments of such theories.
PL375 PLKR: PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Major philosophical problems raised by science: the nature of scientific inference, the structure of scientific theories, causality, explanation, scientific change, and the role of values in science.
PL379 PLKR: PHILOSOPHY OF MIND The nature of mind and its role in our understanding of persons and their actions. Topics include the mind-body problem, artificial intelligence, consciousness, animal minds, personal identity, and free will.
PL387 PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE The philosophical principles of nature, including finality, change, time, and the nature of life. Includes discussion of the relationship of natural philosophy to natural science and theology. Offered at Borromeo Seminary.
PL388 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE AND SEX Critical exploration of how we think, speak, and practice the concepts of "love" and "sex" in our daily lives. Course readings are informed by feminist theory, queer theory, postcolonial theory, and/or critical race theory. Topics include media portr...
PL389 PLVS: PRISONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS This course analyzes U.S. prisons from a human rights perspective, contrasts the U.S. with prison systems of other countries, and evaluates arguments favoring prison abolition.
PL390 PLVS: PHILOSOPHY OF RACE AND RACISM Study of classical and contemporary formulations of the concept of race, the nature of modern and contemporary racism, and contemporary constructions and experiences of racial identity in the U.S.
PL391 PLKR: WHAT DOES SCIENCE PROVE? Considers the alleged conflict between science and religion, including the origins of the universe, cognitive psychology of religious belief, human uniqueness and immortality, artificial intelligence, moral responsibility and neuroscience, and the hi...
PL395 PLKR: METAPHYSICS (THEORIES OF REALITY) Attempt to understand what kinds of things there are in the world through the question of Being and related concepts of existence, thing, property, event, matter, mind, space, time, and causality.
PL396 PLKR: EPISTEMOLOGY (THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE) Examination of the nature and sources of knowledge and the means for establishing knowledge claims. Readings from classic works and contemporary writers.
PL398 PLKR: KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY: SPECIAL TOPICS In-depth study of specific philosophical theories and problems or of a particular philosopher’s work.
PL399 PLVS: VALUES AND SOCIETY: SPECIAL TOPICS In-depth study of specific philosophical theories and problems of a particular philosopher’s work.
PL450 SEMINAR Specific questions on important topics or philosophers. Prerequisite: EN 125 (or equivalent). Prerequisite or corequisite: PL 300. Offered: Fall.
PL495 SENIOR THESIS Individual research project developed and written in consultation with appropriate faculty member. Ordinarily, topic approval will be secured during the spring semester of the student’s junior year, and the thesis will be written during the fall seme...
PL499 DIRECTED READINGS Individual assignment and guidance in source materials relating to specific philosophical problems. A maximum of 3 credit hours can be used to satisfy major requirements. Permission of instructor and Department Chair.
PL499A DIRECTED READINGS Individual assignment and guidance in source materials relating to specific philosophical problems. A maximum of 3 hours can be used to satisfy major requirements.
PL499B DIRECTED READINGS Individual assignment and guidance in source materials relating to specific philosophical problems. A maximum of 3 hours can be used to satisfy major requirements.
PL499C DIRECTED READINGS Individual assignment and guidance in source materials relating to specific philosophical problems. A maximum of 3 hours can be used to satisfy major requirements.