Philosophy PHIL

PHIL 201 249 259 264 279 301 303 305 307 309 311 313 314 315 317 325 329 330 331 333 335 337 345 347 359 361 367 377 379 383 395 397 399 401 403 405 407 408 411 412 423 425 449 451 453 461 467 471 473 479 483 499 501 505 507 517 519 523 525 527 547 549 553 561 565 567 571 579 583 590 595 597 599 601 603 609 623 627 649 653 661 667 671 677 679 683 691 695 699 700

For more information about these courses, see the Department of Philosophy website: .

Junior Courses

Philosophy 201

Mind, Matter and God

An introduction to philosophy through discussion of selected topics such as skepticism, perception, personal identity, free will and determinism, God.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)

Philosophy 249

Morality, Virtue and Society

An introduction to philosophy through discussion of morality, virtue and the role of morality in society.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)

Philosophy 259

Sex, Love and Death

Topics to be addressed may include the nature of sex, love, and death, the relation between sex and love, sexual ethics, sexual perversion, sexual harassment and pornography, abortion, suicide, euthanasia and the value of life.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)

Philosophy 264

How Do We Know?

An investigation of belief, knowledge, and error in everyday life and the sciences, including discussion of the nature of knowledge; patterns of valid reasoning and sources of error; the influence of bias on belief and knowledge; scientific reasoning and theory building; the distinction between science and pseudo-science.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)

Philosophy 279

Logic I

Sentential and first-order logic from both deductive and semantic points of view. Some elementary metatheorems.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 279 and 377 will not be allowed.

Senior Courses

Philosophy 301

The Classical Period

The study of a selection of philosophers from the Pre-Socratics, through Plato and Aristotle, to the Hellenistic and Roman philosophers.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 303

The Medieval and Renaissance Period

The study of a selection of philosophers from Augustine to Montaigne, such as Boethius, Abelard, Ibn Rushd, Maimonides, Aquinas, Ockham, and Erasmus.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 305

The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

The study of a selection of philosophers from Descartes to Kant.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 307

Nineteenth- or Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy

A study of some major analytic philosophers, such as Frege, Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Carnap, Marcus, Kripke, and/or Quine.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 309

Hegel to Nietzsche

A study of nineteenth-century European philosophers, such as Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer and/or Nietzsche.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 309 and 369 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 311

Twentieth-Century Continental Philosophy

A study of twentieth-century Continental philosophers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Adorno, Marcuse, Habermas, Foucault, Derrida, Kristeva and/or Irigaray.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 311 and 469 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 313

Bioethics

A critical and analytical examination of ethical and legal problems arising in and about health care. May include euthanasia, abortion, the conditions for the withdrawal of treatment, the physician-patient relationship, research on human subjects, genetic engineering. The practical applications of ethical and legal theory are emphasized.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 314

Information Technology Ethics

A critical and analytical examination of ethical and legal problems arising in and about information technology. May include hacking, online privacy, intellectual property rights, artificial intelligence, globalization and regulation issues, cheating in online games, and others.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-1T) or (3-0)

Philosophy 315

Philosophy in Literature

Introduction to various philosophical problems, theories and points of view as found in works of literature from classical times to the present.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 317

Philosophy and Film

Introduction to various philosophical problems, theories and points of view as found in works of film.
Course Hours: 3 units; (2-3) or (3-0)

Philosophy 325

Law and Morality

An introduction to legal and political philosophy including the relation between law and morality, the nature of legal authority and political and social theory.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 325 and 319 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 329

Business Ethics

A critical and analytical examination of some central moral problems that arise in and for business with emphasis on the details of the particular problems studied and the conceptual and other tools needed to understand and resolve or solve such problems. May include the moral responsibilities and rights of corporations and their officers, codes of business ethics, and conflicts of responsibilities and rights.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 330

Philosophy of Money

An examination of the historical and contemporary philosophical issues surrounding money, such as metaphysics of value, the justice of wealth distribution, and the ethics of wealth and charity.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 330 and 399.02 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 331

Philosophy of Religion

A philosophical examination of the fundamental concepts of religious thinking.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 205 or 3 units of a course labelled Philosophy.

Philosophy 333

Aesthetics

An examination of the criteria and concepts employed in aesthetic evaluation.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 335

Asian Philosophy

Considers traditional philosophical topics such as metaphysics, epistemology, logic, ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, and environmental philosophy as they are dealt with in Asian traditions or texts, as well as topics that are more specific to Asian traditions, such as actionless action, sagehood, karma, rebirth, enlightenment/liberation, egoism, and attachment.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 337

Philosophy, Feminism and Gender

Study of social and political issues arising from philosophical considerations of gender including the intersection of gender and race with attention to feminist analyses of gender. May include feminist methodology as well as gender issues in such areas as knowledge and science, language, ethics and political theory.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 345

Issues in Environmental Ethics

A philosophical examination of how humans conduct themselves in relation to other living species and the natural environment. May include: obligations to future generations; animal liberation theories; population policy; pollution; the value of species diversity and species preservation; biocentric and holistic ethical theories of environment; ethical dimension of environmental policy formation.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 345 and 447 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 347

Contemporary Moral Problems

A critical and analytical examination of current moral issues, such as authority, religion in society, suicide, sexual morality, abortion, the legal enforcement of morality, justice.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 359

Existentialism

An investigation of existentialist treatments of agency, religion, subjecthood, death, and despair. May include Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Dostoevsky, Camus, Kafka, Sartre, and de Beauvoir.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 361

Evidence

An investigation of philosophical perspectives on evidence, such as the nature of evidence, whether and how much evidence is required for reasonable belief and action, what sort of evidence might be required for moral, scientific, religious, or mathematical belief, and the role of evidence in medical, legal, political, and social contexts.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 367

Science and Philosophy

Examination of the fundamental principles of scientific enquiry, such as scientific explanation, theory, prediction and confirmation.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)

Philosophy 377

Elementary Formal Logic

Sentential and first-order logic, with identity and descriptions, from both deductive and semantic points of view. Completeness, compactness, decidability for sentential logic.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 377 and 279 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 379

Logic II

Introduction to the metatheory of logical systems. Completeness, compactness, L枚wenheim-Skolem, and undecidability theorems for first-order logic. Preview of non-standard models, second-order logic, and G枚edel's first incompleteness theorem.

Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377.

Philosophy 383

Philosophy and Psychology

A study of topics such as: thought, emotions, action and the will, mind-body identity, personal identity, and theories about the nature of mind.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 383 and 381 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 395

Mind and World

An intensive study of selected topics in philosophy of mind, metaphysics and epistemology. Intended for philosophy majors, including students in the history and philosophy of science program.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA or BA Honours in Philosophy and consent of the Department.

Philosophy 397

Value Theory

An intensive study of selected topics in value theory.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the BA or BA Honours in Philosophy or in Religious Studies and Applied Ethics and consent of the Department.

Philosophy 399

Topics in Philosophy

A detailed examination of a topic or tradition in European or Anglo-American philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 401

Topics: A Classical Philosopher

A study of the writings of a philosopher from the classical period.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy including 3 units from Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 403

Topics: A Medieval or Renaissance Philosopher

A study of the writings of a philosopher from the medieval or renaissance period.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy including 3 units from Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 405

Topics: A Seventeenth- or Eighteenth-Century Philosopher

A study of the writings of a seventeenth- or eighteenth-century philosopher.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy including 3 units from Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 407

Topics: A Nineteenth- or Twentieth-Century Philosopher

A study of the writings of a nineteenth- or twentieth-century philosopher.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy including 3 units from Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 408

Topics: A Philosopher in the Continental Tradition - Nineteenth Century to Present

A study of the writings of a philosopher from the European tradition, emphasizing the influences of and on other philosophers and movements within the tradition.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 3 units from Philosophy 309, 311, 333, 359, Religious Studies 363; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 411

Topics in the History of Philosophy

An investigation of a historical theme or movement in philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy including 3 units from Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 412

Contemporary Continental Philosophy

An investigation of contemporary themes or movements in Continental philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 3 units from Philosophy 309, 311, 333, 359, Religious Studies 363; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy.

Philosophy 423

Metaphysics

An examination of some central topics in metaphysics.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201 or 395; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 423 and 421 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 425

Philosophy of Law

An investigation of philosophical accounts of the nature of law and legal systems including central positions in jurisprudence, such as natural law, legal realism and legal positivism; and relations between law and morality.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 3 units from Philosophy 249, 325, 397; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 425 and 319 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 449

Contemporary Meta-Ethics

A study of recent theories about the meaning of moral terms, the nature of moral reasoning, and the relations between facts and values. May include naturalism, intuitionism, emotivism, prescriptivism, and nihilism.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 249 or 397; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.

Philosophy 451

Contemporary Ethical Theories

A detailed investigation of some central normative ethical theories, including utilitarian, contractarian, and deontological theories.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 249 or 397; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 451 and 349 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 453

Social and Political Philosophy

A study of fundamental issues in social and political thought, such as rights, justice, authority, equality, freedom, democracy, property, liberalism, communitarianism, socialism, and Marxism.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 249 or 397; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.

Philosophy 461

Epistemology

An examination of some central topics in the theory of knowledge.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201 or 395; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 461 and 463 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 467

Problems in the Philosophy of Science

An examination of the central methodological and foundational issues arising in the sciences.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units from Philosophy 201, 264, 275, 279, 361, 367, 377, 395.

Philosophy 471

Philosophy of Language

An examination of some central topics in the philosophy of language.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 471 and 371 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 473

Philosophy of Logic

An examination of some central topics in the philosophy of logic.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377.

Philosophy 479

Logic III

Advanced metatheory for logical systems. G枚del's incompleteness theorems, models of arithmetic, and definability.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 379.

Philosophy 483

Philosophy of Mind

An examination of some central topics in the philosophy of mind.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 201 or 395; and 3 units in a course labelled Philosophy at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 483 and 481 will not be allowed.

Philosophy 499

Topics in Philosophy

An intensive study of a selected topic in Philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy with 3 units at the 300 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for聽 Philosophy 499 and 409 will not be allowed.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 501

Advanced Topics in Ancient or Medieval Philosophy

An investigation into central issues in ancient or medieval philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be in History of Philosophy (Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311, 401, 403, 405, 407, 408, 411, 505, 507) and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 505

Advanced Topics in Modern Philosophy

An investigation of central issues in modern philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be in History of Philosophy (Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311, 401, 403, 405, 407, 408, 411, 505, 507) and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 507

Advanced Topics in Nineteenth- or Twentieth-Century Philosophy

An investigation of central issues in nineteenth- and twentieth-century philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be in the History of Philosophy (Philosophy 301, 303, 305, 307, 309, 311, 401, 403, 405, 407, 408, 411, 501, 505) and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 517

Advanced Topics in the History and Philosophy of Science

An intensive investigation of one or more issues in the history and philosophy of science.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be Philosophy 201, 395, 421, 423, 461, 463, 467, 481 or 483 and 3 units must be at the 400 level, or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 519

Formal Semantics of Natural Language

Central issues in the logical semantics of natural language, focusing on topics such as quantification, scope, and the interpretation of pronouns.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 519 and Linguistics 509 will not be allowed.
Also known as: (Linguistics 519)

Philosophy 523

Advanced Topics in Metaphysics

An investigation of one or more issues in metaphysics.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 201, 395, 421, 423, 461, 463, 467, 481, 483 and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 525

Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Law

An intensive investigation of one or more issues in the philosophy of law.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units of courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 249, 325, 397, 425, 449, 453 and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 527

Advanced Topics in the Philosophy of Religion

An investigation of one or more issues in the philosophy of religion.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy with 3 units at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 547

Advanced Topics in Applied Ethics

An intensive investigation of one or more issues in applied ethics.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units of courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 249, 397, 425, 449, 453 and 3 units of which must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 549

Advanced Topics in Ethics

An intensive investigation of one or more issues in normative ethical theory or meta-ethics.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units of courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 249, 397, 425, 449, 453 and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 553

Advanced Topics in Political Philosophy

An intensive investigation of one or more issues in political philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units of courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 249, 397, 425, 449, 453 and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 561

Advanced Topics in Epistemology

An investigation of one or more issues in epistemology
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 201, 264, 395, 421, 423, 461, 463, 467, 481, 483 and 3 units must be at the 400 level.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 565

Philosophical Topics in the Sciences

A study of philosophical issues arising in a particular area of science, such as biology, a social science, or physics, intended for students who have already done advanced work either in philosophy or in one of the sciences.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 567

Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Science

An intensive study of one or more issues in the philosophy of science.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units of courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from 201, 264, 367, 395, 421, 423, 461, 463, 467, 481, 483 and 3 units must be at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 571

Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Logic and Philosophy of Language

An intensive study of one or more issues in the philosophy of logic or language
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377; and 3 additional units in courses labelled Philosophy at the 400 level or above.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 579

Advanced Topics in Logic

An investigation of one or more issues in logic.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Philosophy 279 or 377.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 583

Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Mind

An investigation of one or more issues in philosophy of mind
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy, of which, 3 units must be from Philosophy 201, 395, 421, 423, 461, 463, 467, 481, 483 and 3 units must be at the 400 level.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 590

Honours Thesis

A year-long development of the honours thesis, under close supervision of a faculty member.
Course Hours: 6 units; (0-3)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honours program and consent of the Department.

Philosophy 595

Directed Reading

Directed reading for students in their third or fourth years.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Department.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Philosophy 597

Honours Seminar

An introduction to the writing of the honours thesis, in which all those enrolled in the Philosophy 590 share their work with each other.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3S-0)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Department.
Corequisite(s): Philosophy 590.

Philosophy 599

Advanced Topics in Philosophy

An in-depth investigation into a selected topic in Philosophy.
Course Hours: 3 units; (3-0)
Prerequisite(s): 6 units in courses labelled Philosophy with 3 units at the 400 level or above.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for Philosophy 599 and 589 will not be allowed.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT

Graduate Courses

Philosophy 601

Seminar in Selected Problems