Philosophy

Women's College and College of Adult Undergraduate Studies

Overview
Major
Minor
Four-Year plan
Course Descriptions

Maeve O'Donovan, Ph.D., Chair
Maria Kulp, Ph.D.
Desirée Melton, Ph.D.
Stephen Vicchio, Ph.D.

The philosophy department of the School of Arts and Sciences offers a major and minor in philosophy to students in the Women's College, and a minor to students in the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies. Philosophy courses are also offered in the university’s graduate programs. Philosophy, the oldest of the liberal arts, rests on Socrates' views that "all philosophy begins in wonder" and "the unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates promoted the practical uses of philosophy in everyday life and encouraged dialogue and vigorous debate as the most effective ways of discerning truth. In this Socratic spirit, the philosophy department seeks to assist the student in acquiring a fundamental and realistic understanding of herself and her world, to acquaint the student with the thinking of philosophers whose ideas have most influenced the development of our culture, and to engender in the student those habits of critical and systematic thinking that are necessary for a coherent view of the world. The philosophy department curriculum pays special attention to issues of social justice and diversity, providing courses in critical race theory, feminist philosophy, Islamic philosophy, and philosophy of disability.

Students with strong backgrounds in philosophy have chosen to attend graduate schools, including the Yale School of Divinity, American University, University of Chicago, University of Maryland School of Law, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, State University of New York at Binghamton, and University of Oklahoma. Others have accepted positions in the fields of education, business, law, politics and medicine.

Notre Dame's general education requirements include two courses in philosophy, one at the introductory 200-level and one at the 300-or 400-level.

To fulfill the general education requirement in values, a student may take PHL-322, 330, 334, 336, 339 or 471. PHL-323 fulfills the general education requirement in gender studies.

Students must earn of minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses taken to complete the requirements of the philosophy major.

Program of Study

Required Courses for the Major in Philosophy (Credits)

The major consists of a total of 33 credits to include:

One introductory course (3)
IDS-172 Honors: The Axial Age: Philosophy of East and West
PHL-201 Introduction to Philosophy

One course in religion and human nature (3)
PHL-302 Philosophy of Human Nature
PHL-305 Philosophy of Religion
PHL-306 Problem of Evil
IDS-479 Honors: Philosophy through Literature

One course in metaphysics and epistemology (3)
PHL-321 Epistemology
PHL-374 Metaphysics
PHL-310 Logic
PHL-301 Honors: The Mind-Body Problem

One course in ethics (3)
PHL-330 Ethics
PHL-334 Business Ethics
PHL-336 Environmental Ethics
PHL-339 Medical Ethics
PHL-471 Honors: Morals and Mortality: Ethics of Exiting

One course in value theory (3)
PHL-322 Social & Political Philosophy
PHL-324 Critical Theories of Race
PHL-323 Feminist Philosophy
PHL-320 Aesthetics

Two courses from the historical sequence (6)
PHL-303 Ancient Philosophy
PHL-304 Medieval Philosophy
PHL-307 History of Modern Philosophy
PHL-309 History of Contemporary Philosophy

One seminar (3)
PHL-422 Major Themes in Philosophy
PHL-424 Major Figures in Philosophy

Two electives at the 300- or 400-level (6)
PHL-411 Senior Thesis (3)

Minor in Philosophy

The philosophy department also offers a minor in philosophy that consists of 18 credit hours of course work in philosophy. Courses for the minor are chosen by the student and should be selected in consultation with a faculty member in the philosophy department.

Philosophy Four-Year Plan

Sample program of study for the philosophy major. Students should select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

Fall		Spring
First year
ENG-101 College Writing	3	Foreign Language	3
IDS-100 Perspectives in Education	3	History	3
Natural Science	4	Mathematics	3
General Education	6	Social Science	3
[16 credits		PHL-201 Introduction to Philosophy	3
		[15 credits]
Second year
PHL Historical sequence course	3	PHL Ethics course	3
Fine Arts	3	PHL 300/400-level elective	3
RST-201 Introduction to Biblical Studies	3	Religious Studies (300/400 level)	3
COM-106 Fundamentals of Oral Communication	3	English Literature	3
General Education/Electives	3	General Education/Electives	3
Physical Education	1	[15 credits]
[16 credits]
Third year
PHL Religion and Human nature course	3	PHL Metaphysics and Epistemology course	3
PHL Historical sequence course	3	PHL Seminar course	3
General Education/Electives	9	General Education/Electives	9
[15 credits]		[15 credits]
Fourth year
PHL Value theory course	3	PHL-411 Senior Thesis	3
PHL 300/400-level elective	3	General Education/Electives	12
General Education/Electives	9	[15 credits]
[15 credits]

Courses

PHL-201 Introduction to Philosophy

Studies some of the major issues that have intrigued reflective people from time immemorial: How do we know? What is human nature? Is there life after death? Where did the universe originate? We will evaluate replies suggested from the time of Plato to the 20th century. Fulfills general education requirement for 200-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-301 Honors: The Mind-Body Problem

Introduces students to the problematic nature of the statement "our minds control our bodies." Identifies the philosophical and psychological assumptions underlying this statement. Examines the contradictions and unrecognized implications of these assumptions. Explores alternative accounts of what is known, in philosophy and psychology, as mind-body interaction, including accounts that deny the existence of mind, and/or provides alternative models. Prerequisites: IDS-172 or PHL-201 and PSY-101. Fulfills general education requirement in philosophy. [3 credits]

PHL-302 Philosophy of Human Nature

Explores the meaning and nature of human existence. Investigates both classic and contemporary answers to the following questions: Is the person a body or a mind? Are we free or determined? What grounds do we have for belief in God? On what principles do we judge things right or wrong? Why should citizens obey the law? What things do we call art? When can I say "I know"? What is the meaning of life? Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-303 Ancient Philosophy

Explores the major philosophical thinkers and movements in Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics to the works of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisites: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-304 Medieval Philosophy

Examines the major philosophical thinkers and movements in Western philosophy from St. Augustine in the fifth century to responses to Thomas Aquinas in the 14th and 15th centuries. Prerequisites: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-305 Philosophy of Religion

Investigates major thinkers and issues in the history of philosophy of religion, including: the attributes and existence of God, the problem of evil, the nature of miracles, survival after death, and other issues. Prerequisites: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-306 The Problem of Evil

Analyzes the Judeo-Christian tradition's responses to the problem of evil: If God is all good, all knowing and all powerful, then why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-307 History of Modern Philosophy

Explores Western philosophic thought from the 17th and 19th centuries through the works of select Continental Rationalists and British Empiricists. Special emphasis is placed on their metaphysical and epistemological views. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-309 History of Contemporary Philosophy

Considers the questions (and answers) that dominate 19th and 20th century Western philosophy. Investigates the origins and themes of American pragmatism, Anglo-American philosophy of language, existential-phenomenology, critical theory and postmodernism. Offers an opportunity to make sense of emerging issues and debates in 21st century philosophy. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-310 Logic

This course will address topics in both informal and formal logic, with an emphasis on formal logic. Topics covered will include argument identification and structure, the translation of English statements into propositional form, the use of truth tables, and natural deduction in propositional logic. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level philosophy. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-321 Epistemology

Analyzes the nature and scope of human knowledge. Focuses on the ways in which knowing, believing and having an opinion differ, and investigates the limitations of reason and the boundaries of human understanding. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-322 Social and Political Philosophy

Examines the origins and justifications of various social and political systems from ancient through contemporary times. Topics addressed may include: The moral justification of particular forms of government, the definition of community and the relationship of the individual to the community, and the importance of race and gender in society. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course and values. [3 credits]

PHL-323 Feminist Philosophy

Investigates the meaning and significance of lived, bodily experience in the formation of human consciousness. Evaluates the history of Western Philosophy from the perspective of those who were once seen as marginal to it, and in doing so elucidates the many debates within Feminist Philosophy about the nature and limits of the philosophical enterprise. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course and gender. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-324 Critical Theories of Race

Examines the concept of race and the phenomenon of racism in the United States. Topics addressed may include: the concept of race as both constructed and real, the politics of racialized identity, theorizing multiple oppressions, white privilege, and epistemologies of ignorance. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-327 Philosophy of Mind: Robots, Disabilities, and Mental Life

Examines historical and contemporary conceptions of the mind and mental functions. Investigates the ways in which cognitive disabilities, technological advancements, and recent philosophical research are challenging traditional conceptions of mind and mental functioning. Topics to be addressed include: autism and the problem of other minds; artificial intelligence and the limitations of functionalism; epiphenomenalism and the phenomenal mind; modularity of mind and the limits of evolutionary psychology. By studying what a mind is, who and what kinds of things have minds, how minds work and how minds often fail to work, as well as whether it is minds that exist or merely mental content and activity, students develop a deep understanding of the ways science, technology, and philosophy are challenging traditional beliefs about human beings. Pre-requisite: IDS 172 or PHL 201. Fulfills general education requirement in 300-level philosophy.

PHL-330 Ethics

Introduces contemporary moral issues in light of systems suggested by major thinkers such as Aristotle, J. S. Mill and Kant. Includes considerations of topics such as abortion, euthanasia, cloning and capital punishment. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level and values. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-334 Business Ethics

Discusses ethics as a dimension of social responsibility, the role of corporate culture in business, and emerging issues in business ethics, such as the ways in which differences will affect ethical decision making. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course and values. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-336 Environmental Ethics

Addresses a variety of challenging issues in environmental ethics. Topics considered may include, among others: the status of non-human animals, farming and the environment, global climate change, inter-generational justice, issues of land use, the preservation of forests and wilderness, and the use and development of energy resources. Through an examination of some of these issues, the course also introduces students to a variety of moral theories, from both philosophical and religious perspectives. The social, gender, and environmental justice implications of ecological issues are a major concern of the course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level PHL and values. Crosslisted with ENV 336. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-339 Medical Ethics

Evaluates the traditional foundations of moral theory in the West, with special emphasis on issues in medical ethics. Prerequisites: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course and values. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-411 Philosophy Senior Thesis

Student designs a research project culminating in a thesis on a philosophical issue. At the end of the semester, the student will give an oral presentation of her thesis to department faculty and students. Prerequisite: philosophy major with senior status, or philosophy major with junior status and at least seven philosophy courses completed, or permission. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-422 Major Themes in Philosophy

Provides an in-depth exploration of a major theme, concept, framework, or idea central to the discipline of philosophy. May be taken twice on different themes. Past themes include: Philosophy of Mind & Disability, Virtue Theory & Anti-Theory. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course. [3 credits]

PHL-424 Major Figures in Philosophy

Provides an in-depth exploration of a major figure or group of figures, either historical or contemporary, central to the discipline of philosophy. Past themes include: Islamic Philosophy, Immanuel Kant, Simone de Beauvoir. May be taken twice on different figures. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level course. [3 credits]

PHL-427 Study Tour

A short-term, retreat style learning opportunity that takes place at Kylemore Abbey, the oldest of Irish Benedictine abbeys. Lectures on Ireland's history and geography, its poets and artists, are supplemented by readings in contemporary philosophy and Yoga contemplative practice. Participants will have daily opportunities to gather and reflect on the connections between philosophy, spirituality, and poetry, and are encouraged to bring supplies for expressing their thoughts more creatively (in drawings, paintings, and poetry). Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course or permission of instructor. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-463 Independent Study

Provides an opportunity for independent work on an approved topic in philosophy. Prerequisite: 200-level philosophy course; one 300-level course; and permission of instructor. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-465 Directed Readings in Philosophy

Provides an opportunity to explore an area of the student's particular interest under the guidance of a member of the department to permit intensive examination of the area of special interest. Prerequisite: one 200-level philosophy course; one 300-level philosophy course; permission of the instructor. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level course. [ 3 credits ]

PHL-471 Honors: Morals and Mortality: Ethics of Exiting

Considers the structure and foundations of morality with special emphasis on ethical problems related to death and dying. Prerequisite: PHL-201, Morrissy scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirement in philosophy and values. [3 credits]