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Social Sciences & Cultural Studies

Philosophy Course Descriptions

PHIL& 101: Introduction to Philosophy

Credits: 5.0

A critical study of the work of a few major philosophers, and the fundamental issues of philosophy; may include human nature, ethical theory, justice and political philosophy, the nature and extent of knowledge, and the nature of self and being.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define main branches of Philosophy: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Aesthetics.
  2. Define basic terms of: Metaphysics (being, reality), Epistemology (truth, knowledge), Ethics (right, wrong, good, evil), Aesthetics (the beautiful, the ugly).
  3. Identify and analyze different metaphysical theories: Monism, Dualism, Pluralism, Materialism, Spiritualism, Pantheism.
  4. Identify and analyze basic epistemological concepts: Empiricism, Rationalism, Realism, Idealism.
  5. Identify and analyze fundamental ethical theories: Objectivism, Relativism, Subjectivism, Naturalism, Intuitionism.
  6. Define and identify different modes of scientific inquiry: deduction (syllogism, mathematical reasoning, definitions), induction (generalization, analogy, causal inference).
  7. Identify the distinction and correlation between Ontology and Logic.

PHIL 110: Contemporary Moral Issues

Credits: 5.0

A philosophical consideration of contemporary moral issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, discrimination, war, and world hunger. Prerequisite(s): Placement in ENGL 99.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms concerning ethics or morality.
  2. Define the consequentialist and non-consequentialist views of morality.
  3. Describe and critically analyze the two main consequentialist theories: ethical egoism and utilitarianism.
  4. Describe and critically analyze act and rule non-consequentialism, Divine Command Theory, and Kant's Duty Ethics.
  5. Define such important terms and concepts as universalizability, categorical imperative, human beings as ends rather than means, and prima facie duties.
  6. Describe and critically analyze contemporary social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment and reverse discrimination.
  7. Identify the key ethical problems within each social issue, to apply the traditional ethical theories to the solution of these problems and to clarify and communicate a personal judgment about each issue.
  8. Differentiate psychological egoism from ethical egoism and explain both theories.
  9. Distinguish between the two types of utilitarianism.
  10. Describe non-consequentialist theories of morality, showing how they differ from consequentialist theories.
  11. Describe absolutism and relativism and distinguish between cultural and ethical relativism.

PHIL& 115: Critical Thinking

Credits: 5.0

An informal, nonsymbolic introduction to logic and critical thinking emphasizing real life examples, natural language applications, and the informal logical fallacies.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Explain and apply basic philosophic concepts relevant to critical thinking (e.g., truth, argument, deduction, induction, validity, soundness, strength, and cogency).
  2. Identify informal fallacies.
  3. Formulate and evaluate arguments.
  4. Evaluate and analyze arguments in analogical, causal, and scientific reasoning.
  5. Evaluate and analyze arguments in context.

PHIL& 120: Symbolic Logic

Credits: 5.0

An introduction to modern symbolic logic emphasizing sentence logic with translation and proofs and quantificational logic with translation and proofs. Prerequisite(s): MATH 87 with a minimum grade of 2.0.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Apply the basic vocabulary of logical theory: argument, deduction, induction, validity, soundness, consistency, etc.
  2. Reduce information to symbolic form by translating statements and arguments from English into the formal logical languages of both truth-functional and predicate logic.
  3. Apply truth tables to test single statements for logical status (tautology, self-contradiction, contingency), to test pairs of statements for the logical relations (equivalence, contradiction, consistency), and to test arguments for validity.
  4. Apply natural deduction in propositional logic, with rules of implication and replacement rules, to prove arguments valid.
  5. Apply natural deduction in predicate logic, with rules of inference and replacement rules, to prove arguments valid, including arguments containing relational predicates and multiple quantifiers.
  6. Select appropriate proof strategies when completing natural deduction proofs (Direct Proof, Conditional Proof and Indirect Proof).

PHIL 155: Special Topics in Philosophy

Credits: 5.0

Topics and seminars of current interest in philosophy.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.

PHIL 198: Individual Project in Philosophy

Credits: 1.0 - 5.0

Study of student-selected project or approved experiences in the field of philosophy. S/U grade option. Registration permitted first seven weeks (six in summer) as space is available.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.

PHIL 199: Special Project: Philosophy

Credits: 1.0 - 5.0

Special study to be arranged by student and supervising instructor. S/U grade option. Note: Credit available with approval. For information email: hss-division-staff@edmonds.edu.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.

PHIL 255: Special Topics in Philosophy

Credits: Maximum of 5.0 possible

Topics and seminars of current interest in philosophy.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.

PHIL 267: Comparison of Religions

Credits: 5.0

Historical and philosophical study of the major religious traditions of the world. Presentations, readings, discussion and self-reflection. Students compare and contrast religious traditions as avenues in the perennial search for meaning. Prerequisite(s): Placement in ENGL 99.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Identify and describe: Date, Geographical Location, Major Characteristics of: (some or all of these and others as appropriate) a. Religions of Ancient Civilizations, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Chinese b. Greek and Roman, Living Religions of Today, Native American, Vedantism, Judaism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Shinto, Parsis, Sikhism.
  2. Identify and describe the major academic approaches to religion: (some or all of these and others as appropriate) a. Religion from the inside, Theology, Interpretation of Scriptures, Ethics, Worship b. Religion from the outside, Anthropology, Sociology, History, Phenomenological Studies.
  3. Identify and describe the nature and role of myths, symbols, ritual (most notably that of the ritual of sacrifice), priesthood, oracles, temples and other monuments, magic, meditation, and scripture.
  4. Compare and contrast the major teachings of the living religions. Concerning Deity: Monism, Dualism, Pantheism, Polytheism, Monotheism, Atheism, Secularism. Concerning life after death: Reincarnation, heaven/hell. Concerning human responsibility: Sin, liberation, karma, enlightenment, ego, grace. Relation to other religions: Synthesis-dialogue-holy war.

PHIL 298: Individual Project in Philosophy

Credits: 1.0 to 5.0

Study of student-selected project or approved experiences in the field of philosophy. S/U grade option. Registration permitted first seven weeks as space is available. Prerequisite(s): Instructor permission.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.

PHIL 299: Special Project: Philosophy

Credits: 5.0

Special study to be arranged by student and supervising instructor. S/U grade option. Note: Credit available with approval. For information contact the division secretary at 425.640.1560. Prerequisite(s): Instructor permission.

Course Level Objectives

  1. Define key terms of philosophical themes explored.
  2. Describe and analyze basic theories within explored area of philosophical interest.
  3. Write an individual seminar (or individual project) essay, exploring and critically analyzing a specific area of philosophical interest.
  4. Participate in a well structured, meaningful conversational exchange, focused on continually improved understanding of philosophical theories and concepts explored.
  5. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key components of an individually written seminar (or individual project) essay through an oral presentation.
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