UNCA Catalog: Courses of Instruction
UNCA Catalog: Table of Contents

Philosophy (PHIL)

Associate Professor Wilson (Chair); Associate Professor Grams; Assistant Professors Burchard, Butler, Davis

"Philosophy" once referred to the whole range of human thought about the universe and humanity's place in it. With the increase of specialization, philosophy has retained an interest in the fundamental assumptions, modes of thought, and human implications of other disciplines. It is especially interested in integrating different aspects of knowledge and assessing humanity's place in the universe.

A major in Philosophy should be attractive to students planning further study in law or religion, as well as to those interested in graduate work in philosophy. A second major in Philosophy should help students in other fields to better understand their own specialties and their broader implications.

Major in Philosophy

1. Required courses in the major--33 hours, including: PHIL 100, 101, 200, 250, 251, 303, 304, 307, 402; two additional courses at the 300 level or above. PHIL 402 may be waived for double majors with the consent of the department.
2. Required courses outside the major--12 hours in a single other department offering a major.
3. Other departmental requirements--Demonstration of major competency: senior comprehensive exam. Demonstration of oral competency: completion of PHIL 402.

Declaration of Major in Philosophy

Declaring a major in Philosophy requires the student to satisfy the LANG 102 and Library Research requirements and then to complete a Declaration of Major form that must be signed by the department chair.

Minor in Philosophy

18 hours in Philosophy: three hours at the 100 level; PHIL 250, 251; nine additional hours at the 300 level or above.

100 Introduction to Philosophy (3)

An introduction to the basic concepts, methods, and areas of philosophical inquiry. Fall and Spring.

101 Introduction to Logic (3)

Logic and language, ambiguity, fallacies, the logic of propositions and of classes, elementary symbolic logic. Fall.

200 Introduction to Ethics (3)

An introduction to problems in ethics. Considerations of specific moral problems and various accounts of the sources of human values. Fall.

213 The Human Religious Experience (3)

A philosophical assessment of the concepts and development of world religions, past and present. See department chair.

214 Philosophy of Human Rights (3)

An analytical introduction to the concept of human rights. Readings will be drawn from both historical and contemporary philosophical sources. Fall.

250 Ancient Philosophy (3)

An historical survey of philosophies, from ancient Pre-Socratics through the medieval Scholastics, with special emphasis on Plato, Aristotle and St. Augustine. Fall.

251 Modern Philosophy (3)

Introduction to the major movements of Western philosophy since the Renaissance: British empiricism, continental rationalism, German Idealism, logical positivism, linguistic analysis and phenomenology. Spring.

301 Media Ethics (3)

A study of ethical decision making for mass communication, emphasizing the development of skills in applying ethical theory and principles to contemporary problems in the media. Prerequisite: junior standing in any major. Spring.

302 Philosophy of Sex and Gender (3)

Problems of sex and gender, such as the link between sex and gender, ethics of sexuality, "naturalness" of sex and gender roles, feminism as it relates to issues in sexual and gender role assignment. See department chair.

303 Philosophy of Religion (3)

Questions concerning the existence of God, the problem of evil, revelation and faith, religious experience, immortality, etc. Even years Spring.

304 Social and Political Philosophy (3)

A critical study of the development of philosophical thought about social, political and legal issues. Odd years Fall.

305 Philosophy of Law (3)

Differing interpretations of the nature of law and justice, rationales for punishment, concepts of responsibility and causation in the law. Readings from both philosophical and legal sources. Even years Fall.

307 Philosophy of Science (3)

Philosophical examination of concepts, assumptions, methods and human implications of both the physical and social sciences. Even years Fall.

309 Medical Ethics (3)

Ethical problems in health care, such as patient autonomy, informed consent, death and dying, abortion, transplants, medical research and distribution of health care. See department chair.

310 Aesthetics (3)

A study of the nature and significance of beauty and various approaches to judging beauty, not only in art, but also in ethics, religion, mathematics and science. See department chair.

313 Oriental Philosophy (3)

A survey of the main philosophies/religions of the Orient: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. Their content, context and relevance to Western thought. Odd years Spring.

333 Existence and Meaning (3)

A philosophical analysis of various accounts of the meaning of human existence and of human nature. Special emphasis on theism, existentialism, humanistic naturalism and mysticism. See department chair.

350 Kant, Hegel and the 19th Century (3)

An historical survey of the history of philosophy from Kant to 1900, with emphasis on Kant, Hegel, Marx and the American Pragmatists. See department chair.

351 Kierkegaard and Nietzsche (3)

Nineteenth-century origins of existentialism in Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. See department chair.

352 Contemporary Philosophy (3)

A survey of the major traditions of 20th-century philosophy: process philosophy, pragmatism, positivism, analysis, phenomenology and existentialism. See department chair.

402 Senior Research Seminar (3)

Completion of a research project resulting in a bachelor's thesis in the context of a seminar in which the student's ideas, drafts and thesis are questioned and defended. This also fulfills the oral competency requirement. (IP grades are approved for this course.) Fall.

499 Undergraduate Research in Philosophy (1-6)

Independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor. An IP grade may be awarded at discretion of instructor. May be repeated for a total of 6 hours credit. See department chair.

171-3, 271-3, 371-3, 471-3 Special Topics in Philosophy (1-3)

Courses not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. See department chair.

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