Philosophy (PHIL)

Explanation of Course Descriptions, Symbols, and Terms

PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy (Units: 3)

Reflection on basic aspects of human experience, thought, and activity inspired by the writings of philosophers.

Course Attributes:

C2: Humanities
C3 or C2: Humanities/Lit.

PHIL 105 Introduction to Philosophy and Religion (Units: 3)

The perennial quest for the sacred. Cosmological, psychological, and mystical teachings of the great Eastern and Western religious traditions.

Course Attributes:

C2: Humanities

PHIL 110 Introduction to Critical Thinking I (Units: 3)

Skills involved in understanding, criticizing, and constructing arguments. Provides the foundation for further work not only in philosophy but in other fields as well. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC allowed)

Course Attributes:

A3: Critical Thinking

PHIL 111 The Art(s) of Quantitative Reasoning (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: First-Year Math Advising Module. Students who elect to take additional support should concurrently enroll in MATH 111.

Introduction to issues in quantitative reasoning that have shaped the history of the arts. Covers the underpinning technical (i.e., mathematical) difficulties, as well as possible strategies to overcome such difficulties and the artistic, philosophical, and societal ramifications of attempting to solve such quantitative issues in the arts. (Plus-minus letter/NC, CR/NC allowed)

Course Attributes:

B4: Math/QR

PHIL 112 Quantitative Reasoning for Civic Engagement (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: First-Year Math Advising Module.

Participation in civic society requires not only understanding principles of governance, but also problem-solving. Develop the mathematical concepts and skills relevant to the challenges and issues facing individuals and societies. Enables both quantitative understanding and decision-making about aspects of work, life, and civic participation. (Plus-minus ABC/NC, CR/NC allowed)
(Note: For this course to satisfy General Education, students must earn a grade of C- or CR or better.)
(This course is offered as LCA 112/PHIL 112/PLSI 112/HIST 112/I R 112/MATH 112. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

B4: Math/QR
Social Justice

PHIL 130 Political and Social Philosophy (Units: 3)

Liberal democratic theories of decision making and social policy: their place in the world today, their place in the history of social and political philosophy, and in radical and conservative political criticism.

Course Attributes:

D1: Social Sciences
Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
Social Justice

PHIL 150 Contemporary Moral/Political Issues (Units: 3)

Theories of the good life, ethics, rights, and justice through the examination of contemporary moral issues including capital punishment, affirmative action, abortion, racial and sexual equality, privacy, pornography, and environmental protection.
(This course is offered as PHIL 150 and PLSI 150. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

C2: Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 160 Introduction to Philosophy of the Arts (Units: 3)

Art appreciation and criticism including the nature of beauty, artistic genius, and art as sign or symbol.

Course Attributes:

C1: Arts

PHIL 205 Formal Logic I (Units: 3)

Contemporary treatment of structure of arguments by means of sentential logic and quantifiers; comparison of axiomatic, natural deductive, and tree-method approaches.

PHIL 210 Great Thinkers: East and West (Units: 3)

Enduring philosophical questions about human nature and the cosmos as seen through the eyes of mankind's greatest and most influential thinkers, Eastern and Western.

Course Attributes:

C2: Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 300 Academic and Professional Pathways in Philosophy (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4 all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Determine the best pathway through the Philosophy major. Introduction to available academic and professional resources and extracurricular opportunities. Emphasis on how to conduct undergraduate research and find support for original research projects in preparation for a future career. (CR/NC grading only)

PHIL 301 Ancient Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Origins of Western philosophy in the Eastern Mediterranean region: from the Presocratics to the Stoics, Epicureans and Neo-Platonists, emphasizing Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Connections and contrasts between philosophy, natural science, myth, and religion.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 302 Medieval Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Medieval philosophy to the Renaissance - Augustine, Boethius, Aquinas, and related authors. Individuals, universals, community; personality, freedom, and nature; theory of signs, symbols, analogical models; labor and intellectual work; private property, law, and the common good.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 303 Modern Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Modern philosophy against the background of Protestantism, capitalism, the Enlightenment, and modern science to the end of the 19th century. Includes Descartes and continental Rationalism, British Empiricism, Kant; may include such topics as German and British idealism, positivism, and pragmatism.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 304 Ethics Bowl (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

The Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl (IEB) combines a competitive tournament with a valuable educational experience. The competition provides practice in applying moral theories and principles of argument in an interactive format. Case studies in the competition involve ethical issues in practical contexts, including engineering, law, medicine, personal relationships, education, and both domestic and international politics. Specific questions may concern a wide range of topics, including but not limited to plagiarism, dating and friendship, gun control, and environmental policy. May be repeated for a total of 12 units.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 315 Introduction to Global Peace Studies (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; one lower-division composition course; or permission of the instructor.

The field of peace studies and the integrative questions which must be answered to achieve a coherent perspective on world peace. National and international issues, the environment, philosophy, literature, arts, media, and education.
(This course is offered as GPS 315, I R 315, and PHIL 315. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Environmental Sustainability
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 320GW Philosophical Analysis - GWAR (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Analytic, interpretive, and expressive written communication skills essential for philosophical study. (ABC/NC grading only)

Course Attributes:

Graduation Writing Assessment

PHIL 321 Being and Knowing (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1, A2, and A3.

Introduction to some of the most important issues in metaphysics and epistemology through their treatment by classic and contemporary authors. E.g., mind and matter, thought, belief, perception, meaning, truth, knowledge, appearance, reality, freedom, and identity.

PHIL 330 Political Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

The forms, purposes, and justification of political orders; theories of human nature, value, and history. Foundations of political philosophy in the thought of such writers as Plato, Hobbes, Mill, and Marx.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 335 Law and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

The relation between law and society, developed through the analysis of court cases centered on topics (capital versus labor, the individual versus the state) in their historical setting. Legal research.

Course Attributes:

UD-D: Social Sciences
Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
Social Justice

PHIL 350 Philosophy of Science (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Philosophy of science with attention to contemporary formulations.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science

PHIL 351 Philosophy of Risk (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Philosophical issues about risk assessment and risk management, with attention to their scientific and ethical dimensions. Philosophical analyses of cases such as climate change, energy consumption, water-related environmental risks in California, allocation of scarce medical resources, and genetic testing.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science
Environmental Sustainability

PHIL 355 Politics and Ethics of the Consumer Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Politics and ethics of consumption-oriented society; nature of industrial society; its structures, values, and consumption practices.
(This course is offered as PLSI 355 and PHIL 355. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-D: Social Sciences
Environmental Sustainability
Social Justice

PHIL 373 The Ethics of Migration and Membership (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Restricted to sophomore standing or above; GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; or permission of the instructor.

Examine the ethical issues surrounding migration, citizenship, national identity, and cultural belonging. Philosophical attention to the following questions: Do states have a moral right to control migration? Or is freedom of movement a basic human right? Assuming states have a right to restrict immigration, do societies have a moral obligation to admit certain groups such as refugees fleeing war and persecution? What about so-called economic or environmental refugees? What can democratic states legitimately require of immigrants who wish to become citizens? What roles do gender and race play in the design and impact of immigration policies?

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 375 Peace Law and Human Rights in the U.S. (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better; one lower-division composition course; or permission of the instructor.

Law of peace from the local to the international level; international treaties, covenants, statutes of Congress, legislatures, and city councils, criminal indictments, court affidavits, judges' opinions, jury instructions, and relevant articles.
(This course is offered as GPS 375 and PHIL 375. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-D: Social Sciences
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 378 Philosophy of Criminal Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Philosophical examination of concepts and principles that are central to our criminal law, including investigation of whether there is a role for moral rationales.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 380 Philosophy of Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Relationship of law and morality. The basis for legal accountability. Who should be accountable? For what? Why?

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 383 Ethics in Medicine (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Ethical issues in medicine and nursing: treating dying patients, the right to healthcare, nurse/physician conflicts, health and basic values, freedom under new technology, and medical bureaucracy. Use of philosophical approaches to understand and help resolve these problems. [CSL may be available]

Course Attributes:

E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 384 Philosophy of Research Ethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Principles, practice, and philosophical foundations of research ethics, from the perspectives of researchers, subjects of research, and institutional research review board members. Includes a focus on ethical research design.

Course Attributes:

E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 385 Neuroethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Identify, examine, and attempt to resolve ethical, legal, social, and philosophical issues raised by developments in the neurosciences.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science

PHIL 392 Philosophy of Animals (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or consent of the instructor.

Examination of different methodologies and results from scientific studies of non-human animals. Analysis of one or more philosophical debates that address the differences and similarities between humans and animals. Critical analysis of the use of animals as experimental, physiological, psychological, or social models.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science
Environmental Sustainability

PHIL 395 Ethical Issues: Science and Technology (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Ethical issues arising from or intrinsic to the process of scientific research and development or from the implementation or commercialization of new technologies.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science
Social Justice

PHIL 410 Topics in the History of Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2.

Exploration and critique of one or more topics of historical significance in philosophy. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Hume and Kant
Classic Approaches to Memory and Perception
A History of Time
The Prophet and the Genius
Daoism
Early Modern Rationalism
Exploring the Early Modern Canon
Aristotle's Ethics and Politics
Cicero
Hume, Kant, Shepherd
German Idealism
Hellenistic Philosophy: Stoics Skeptics Epicureans

PHIL 415 The Hebrew Bible (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

The Hebrew Bible in English translation from historical, literary, and religious points of view; culture and religion of ancient Israel and the ancient Near East.
(This course is offered as JS 415 and PHIL 415. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 425 Existentialism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

An examination of the principal philosophical aims and theories of the Existential movement.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 432 Nietzsche and Postmodernism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Examine the most radical implications of Nietzsche's critique of western humanism. Close reading of major writings by Nietzsche and selected "postmodern" readings of Nietzsche.
(This course is offered as HUM 432 and PHIL 432. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 435 Human Rights in Global Perspective (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Law and philosophy of human rights; philosophical issues and controversies about rights, historical development, major problems in implementing rights, and the international human rights movement.
(This course is as PHIL 435 and I R 436. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 436 Islamic Political Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

There is a long and rich tradition of political philosophy in the Islamic cultures of the Middle East. A comprehensive introduction to Islamic political philosophy.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 450 Ethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Major problems in ethical theory with attention to their contemporary formulations.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 451 Feminist Moral Issues (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Moral or ethical issues of concern to the contemporary women's movement. These include abortion ("pro-choice" vs. "pro-life"), pornography and censorship, hetero- and homosexuality, marriage, motherhood, and affirmative action ("reverse discrimination").

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 455 Sex and the Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

A philosophical investigation of legal issues pertaining to sexuality. Legal enforcement of morals and specific cases and statutes regarding marriage, sex discrimination, abortion, rape, homosexuality, pornography, pedophilia, and other sex-related activities.
(This course is offered as PHIL 455 and SXS 569. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Social Justice

PHIL 460 Philosophy of Art (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Problems in aesthetics; contemporary formulations.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 464 Philosophy and Film (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Philosophical concepts as treated in films, and philosophical issues raised by the nature of film. Philosophical concepts in ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and aesthetics.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 470 Environmental Ethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Exploration of how different philosophers, religions, and cultures understand our relationships to the environment. Applying ethical paradigms to the analysis of environmental problems and proposals for solutions.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Environmental Sustainability
Social Justice

PHIL 494 Philosophy and Personal Development (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

For many philosophers, East and West, philosophy's basic task is to change our orientation to the world and, thus, how we live our lives. Study and explore different philosophical methods of personal development and enrichment.

Course Attributes:

E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 500 Philosophy of Religion (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

The nature and function of fundamental religious concepts and claims.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 501 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Beliefs, practices, social organization, and history of the three monotheistic religious traditions; the importance of these traditions for European and Middle Eastern civilizations.
(This course is offered as JS 501, PHIL 501, and HUM 501. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 502 World Religions (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Major religions of humanity, their history, and teachings: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
(This course is offered as PHIL 502 and PRSN 502. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 503 Religions in Iran (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Exploration of the major religious traditions of Iran from its inception to the present day over the span of three millennia including Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Mandaeism, Christianity, Manichaeism, Mazdakism, Islam (Sunni and Shia), Sufism, Yarsanism, and Bahai faith. Insight into not only Iranian identity, but also the way in which religious traditions grow, change, and influence one another through the spectrum of Greater Iranian history.
(This course is offered as PRSN 503 [formerly PRSN 450], PHIL 503, and RELS 503. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 509 The Buddhist Tradition (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

An introduction to the basic teachings of Buddhism and the major Buddhist traditions in Asia. Among the topics to be discussed are ignorance, paths to enlightenment, meditation, morality, faith, and wisdom.
(This course is offered as PHIL 509 and PRSN 509. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 511 Chinese Philosophy and Religion (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Major philosophical and religious traditions of China. Topics include the I Ching, Confucianism, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 514 Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism, and Literature (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

A survey of Jewish mystical literatures from antiquity to the modern era. Focus on the foundational tropes, symbols, and narratives of Jewish kabbalistic experiences such as "the descent to the Merkavah," "the sefirot," "the collection of the sparks," and "tzimtzum" in order to contrast the tradition with modern cultural phenomena and kabbalah's representation in literature.
(This course is offered as JS 410 and PHIL 514. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities

PHIL 516 Islamic Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Examine three interrelated issues: the purpose of philosophy, the good life, and the limits of human reason. Also examined is Islamic philosophy's confrontation with the Islamic traditions of theology, jurisprudence, and mysticism.

Course Attributes:

UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 520 Philosophy and Mysticism (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Examine how "higher" or "mystical" states of consciousness have informed philosophy historically, and explore the implications of these views for epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and personal well-being.

Course Attributes:

E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives
Social Justice

PHIL 525 The Nature of Religious Experience (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Nature of religious experience drawn from different religions and academic disciplines within the humanities and social sciences; investigation of the meaning of religious commitment in a secular world.
(This course is offered as PHIL 525 and RELS 300. Students may not repeat the course under an alternate prefix.)

Course Attributes:

E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
Global Perspectives

PHIL 605 Metaphysics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Metaphysical problems such as those of substance, cause, space, time, and God.

PHIL 610 Theory of Knowledge (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.

Theories of knowledge with attention to their contemporary formulations.

PHIL 620 Philosophy of Mind (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2 or equivalent.

Conceptions of the mental and of its relation to the physical, with attention to their contemporary formulations.

PHIL 621 Minds, Brains, and Computers (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: GE Areas A1*, A2*, A3*, and B4* all with grades of C- or better or permission of the instructor.

Contemporary theories of the mind as a brain process and as a computational process. Foundations and approaches in the cognitive neurosciences.

Course Attributes:

UD-B: Physical Life Science

PHIL 630 Philosophy of Language (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: GE Area A2 or equivalent.

Philosophical problems associated with language and symbolism with attention to their contemporary formulations.

PHIL 680 Field Project in Philosophy (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor; may be taken with PHIL 699.

A variety of fieldwork projects related to student's philosophical studies. For service learning enrollment, see your undergraduate adviser; placement must be at an approved agency. May be repeated for a total of 24 units. (CR/NC grading only)

PHIL 685 Projects in the Teaching of Philosophy (Units: 1-4)

Prerequisite: Completion of course in which the student will assist with a minimum grade of B.

Training in teaching philosophy is provided both by discussion of pedagogy with the instructor of a target course and by mentoring and other appropriate activities. (Students may earn a maximum of 4 units toward the baccalaureate degree for any course(s) numbered 685 regardless of discipline.)

PHIL 696 Directed Reading: Learning Outcomes (Unit: 1)

Prerequisite: Senior standing and permission of the instructor.

Individualized course enables students, together with the faculty, to assess their learning outcomes. Students submit early and recent essays from previous classes and reflective essay on development of their own skills and knowledge. (CR/NC grading only)

PHIL 699 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

An advanced study of a selected philosophical problem under the direction of the instructor. May be repeated for a total of 9 units.

PHIL 700 Seminar in Selected Problems (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Articulate, explore, and assess proposed resolutions of one or more fundamental philosophical problems. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Philosophy and Prophecy
Embodied Cognition
Philosophy of Human Nature
Philosophical Problems of Classification and Kinds
Truth, Lies, and Bull
Knowing the Unknown
Pictorial Representation
Myth of the Given
The Basis of Equality
Philosophy of Education
Philosophy of Love
Moral Attitudes

PHIL 702 Philosophy of Culture, Language and Society (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Philosophy or permission of the instructor.

Philosophical examination of culture, language, and society, drawing on both continental and analytic traditions. Ontology and ideology as explored by, for example, Kant, Hegel, Adorno, Althusser, Austin, Butler, Foucault, Habermas, Horkheimer, Searle, and others.

PHIL 715 Seminar in Philosophical Writing (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Philosophy.

Advanced analytic, interpretive, and expressive skills essential to the writing, reading, and study of philosophy. Cannot be used to satisfy the "four-seminar" requirement.

PHIL 717 Projects in the Teaching of Philosophy (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisites: Two semester courses in the history of philosophy, a course in ethics, a course in symbolic logic, and an advanced course in epistemology or philosophy of science.

Individual projects under faculty supervision undertaken in conjunction with teaching assignments in undergraduate courses. Research and reports of research on the aims and methods of teaching philosophy to undergraduates. May be repeated for a total of 6 units.

PHIL 718 Teaching Philosophy (Unit: 1)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Workshops and individual conferences prepare students to teach Philosophy in the Graduate Teaching Associate program. May be repeated for a total of 5 units. (CR/NC only)

PHIL 720 Professional Development for Philosophers (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to Philosophy graduate students or permission of the instructor.

Survey of professional development strategies including preparing applications to Ph.D. programs, standardized test preparation, professional engagement through conferences and publications, and applying philosophical skills to a variety of workplaces.

PHIL 725 Philosophical Foundations of Law (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

What is the nature of law? How is law different from mere coercion, and from morality? What place if any do moral considerations have in the workings of a legal system?

PHIL 760 Seminar in Philosophy of Art (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Problems and theories in contemporary philosophy of art, or aesthetics.

PHIL 770 Seminar in a Classical Author (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Understanding and assessment of the philosophical positions of one or a pair of highly influential philosophers. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Kant and Sellars
Philosophy of Hegel
Plato and Platonism
Philosophy of David Hume
Kant
Foucault on Care of the Self
Du Bois and Democracy
Plato & Aristotle: Categories/Conceptions of Being
Descartes
Heidegger's Being and Time
Aristotle's Ethics
Wittgenstein
Aristotle
Sellars
Hume and Shepherd
Socrates
Avicenna and Islamic Philosophical Allegory
Avicenna and Islamic Political Spirituality
Marx

PHIL 772 Seminar in a Classical School (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Exploration and critique of one or more influential method(s) or school(s) of philosophical thought. Topics to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Confucian and Buddhist Philosophy
Seminar in Cartesianism
Hellenistic Philosophy
Spinoza and Rationalism
Daoism
Stoicism
Desire, Pleasure, and Virtue in Greece and China
Virtue and Law in Ancient China and Ancient Greece
20th-Century Analytic Philosophy
Avicenna and the Persian Schools of Philosophy

PHIL 795 Early Modern Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Restricted to graduate Philosophy students or permission of the instructor.

Analysis of two or more early modern philosophers, ranging from the canonical (e.g. Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Hume) to the newly recovered (e.g. Astell, Reid). Attention to one or more particular themes: individuation, perception, science, faith, morality, women, and similar topics. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Mysticism and Modern Philosophy
Early Modern Individuation
Exploring the Canon
Cambridge Platonism
Early Modern Philosophy and European Colonialism

PHIL 796 Late Modern Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Analysis of two or more Late Modern philosophers. Readings from Early Modern philosophers and post-Kantians may also be included. Attention to one or more particular themes: mental representation, individuation, perception, science, and similar topics.

PHIL 805 Seminar in Metaphysics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

How to do metaphysics. Approach or topic to be specified in the class schedule. May be repeated when different approaches to or topics in metaphysics are studied.

Topics:

Social Ontology
Grad. Seminar on Essentially Indexical Information
Cognitive Perspectives on Space and Time

PHIL 810 Seminar in the Theory of Knowledge (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Problems in epistemology.

PHIL 819 Seminar: Philosophy of Risk (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Philosophical investigation of the concept of risk (e.g., is it essentially related to decision making, is it a thick concept, what kind of value judgment does it involve); critical examination of the methodologies for risk management including their scientific reliability and ethical implications (in particular with respect to social justice); philosophical exploration of the concept of ethical risk; discussion of issues raised by new kinds of risks (e.g. self-driving cars: who is responsible?). Other issues to be addressed: e.g., Are all risks created equal? Is risk imposition a harm in itself?

PHIL 820 Seminar in the Philosophy of Mind (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

In-depth study of important issues in the philosophy of mind, such as intentionality, mind/body relation, consciousness, thought, and perception.

PHIL 827 Philosophy and Current Applications of Artificial Intelligence (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Exploration and analysis of the philosophical implications of current and emerging developments in artificial intelligence (A.I.). Learn what A.I. is and what distinguishes it from other computational processes and capacities, what tasks it can currently accomplish, what tasks it is likely to be able to accomplish in the future, and what issues AI raises for moral standing, epistemology, consciousness, law, social organization, public policy, economics, and labor.

PHIL 828 Philosophical Issues in Artificial Intelligence (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Focus on the implications of artificial intelligence for policy, industry, and society at large. Analyze current challenges including the use of AI in surveillance, the military, and the police force; the socially problematic implications of using negatively biased AI in the health industry; the relation between AI companies and governments; the epistemic and moral standing of AI as well as the legal consequences of this alleged standing. Study issues that involve some potential harm, but which in the long term may produce good consequences, including optimized social decision-making and labor.

PHIL 846 Seminar on the Philosophy of Mathematics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

A study of the nature, applicability, and significance of mathematics based on the philosophical investigation of its fundamental methods and concepts.

PHIL 850 Seminar in the Philosophy of Science (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Problems of philosophy of science.

PHIL 851 Feminist Ethics and Political Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Central themes, developments, and debates in feminist ethics and political philosophy and their critiques of the mainstream canon. Relationship between feminist philosophy and current issues.

PHIL 855 Bioethics (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Ethical values and philosophical frames relating to research about and application to artificial intelligence, data acquisition and application, human nervous system and computer interfaces, genomics, human enhancement, and other areas of STEM research that bear on diagnostic and therapeutic theory and practice.

PHIL 858 Contemporary Political Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Investigation of salient issues in contemporary political philosophy.

PHIL 881 Advanced Philosophy Publishing (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Philosophy or permission of the instructor.

Supervised experience in various components of publishing philosophy journals and books; may focus on publishing journal articles/book chapters, editing volumes/special journal issues, book review editing, or publishing translations. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. (CR/NC only)

PHIL 890 Seminar: Current Issues in Philosophy (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Study of one or more philosophical issues that currently stimulate excitement and debate in the field. Topics to be specified in the Class Schedule. May be repeated when topics vary.

Topics:

Virtue Ethics
Science and the Self
Evidence and Reliability
Philosophy of Moral Psychology
Epistemology of Simulation
Issues in Political and Social Philosophy
Learning from Error
Virtue Epistemology
Environmental Ethics
Philosophy of Experimentation
Well-Being
Idealism Then and Now
Innateness Then and Now
Realism and Naturalism
Moral Possibility
Animals and Humans
Formal Epistemology
Probabilistic Reasoning
Consciousness
Science and Animal Cognition
Public Philosophy
Political Representation
Feminist Moral Psychology
Moral Responsibility

PHIL 891 Graduate Reading Circle (Unit: 1)

Prerequisites: 6 units of graduate level Philosophy courses and permission of the instructor.

Close reading of an important and difficult philosophical text, which pays attention to place of text in history of philosophy and to issues of interpretation. May be repeated for a total of 3 units. (CR/NC grading only)

PHIL 896 Directed Reading in Fundamental Philosophical Texts (Units: 3)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

Directed reading in depth and detail of fundamental philosophical texts. Course culminates in a written examination after end of semester but before beginning of subsequent semester. (CR/NC, RP grading only)

PHIL 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 3)

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy (ATC) for the Master of Arts in Philosophy. Permission of the instructor and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.

(CR/NC, RP grading only)

PHIL 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)

Prerequisite: Permission of the graduate major adviser and the supervising faculty member.

Study is planned, developed, and completed under the direction of a member of the faculty. Open only to graduate students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition. May be repeated.