Philosophy (PHIL) Courses

PHIL3015 History of Philosophy

This course is a survey of the development of Western philosophic thought. A clear sense is gained of the relative richness and poverty of philosophic interpretation of different periods. The thinking and works of outstanding philosophers of each period are considered, and the major schools of philosophic thought and their adherents are reviewed. Some of the major problems of philosophy are examined: appearance versus reality, determinism versus free will, knowledge and existence, body-mind relations, truth and error, good and evil, space and time, reality and what we can know.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1021 or ENG1027.
Offered at Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

PHIL3020 Crisis and Controversy: A Critical Thinking Approach

This course encourages students to use critical thinking skills in order to make decisions, solve problems, develop new ideas, evaluate arguments and tolerate ambiguity while exploring complex social questions. Emphasis is on understanding the elements of reasoning, imposing criteria and intellectual standards upon reasoning, and assessing individual thinking processes. Students hone critical thinking skills by actively engaging in the study of social conflicts and controversies that operate at individual, communal and global levels.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1020 or ENG1024 or English placement.
Offered at Providence
3 Semester Credits

PHIL3045 Honors Seminar: Ethics

This Honors Seminar examines central figures in the history of moral philosophy, such as Aristotle, Hobbes, Hume, Mill and Kant. While the primary focus will be on understanding these influential thinkers in their historical contexts and their distinctive approaches to ethics, we will also seek to show the relevance of their views to timeless questions. What is the best way to live? How do we distinguish good from evil? Should we be moral? We will discuss these thinkers' answers to these questions, and apply those answers to contemporary moral discourse, including public policy, environmental issues and business ethics.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1024 or English placement, honors or SHARP status.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

PHIL3240 Ethics: A Global Perspective

This course examines the basic principles of ethics and their philosophical foundations particularly as they apply to contemporary global issues. Students explore such important topics as business, labor conditions, war and refugee crises, gender and gender orientation inequality, environmental damage, and famine, poverty and the unequal distribution of wealth. Through the examination of philosophical texts and case studies, including case studies drawn from business organizations, students learn to identify ethical issues of global significance, analyze the causes of these problems, and propose practical, ethical solutions to these problems.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1020 or ENG1024 or English placement.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

PHIL3400 Death & Dying

This course explores the subjects of death and dying. It examines the meaning given to death, rituals associated with death and concepts of the afterlife in a variety of Western and non-Western cultures and religions. It explores the role that death plays in human life, examines the grieving process and considers ethical issues associated with death, such as the artificial prolongation of life.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1021 or ENG1027.
Offered at Providence
3 Semester Credits