12 courses with the subject PHIL, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PHIL 1101Introduction to Philosophy3
An introduction to the study of philosophy, with emphasis on developing skills in philosophical modes of inquiry and analysis. Major content areas include epistemology, metaphysics, and value theory, and may also include topics in political philosophy, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of law, philosophy of religion, and philosophy of language. Readings will include both historical and contemporary texts. Offered: Fall, Spring.
This course is the study of the deductive analysis of arguments using the tools of contemporary symbolic logic. The course includes the examination of basic logical concepts (logical form, validity, logical truth, consistency), symbolization of arguments expressed in natural language, truth tables, formal proofs or truth trees, and elementary quantification theory. Spring.
This course is an introduction to the philosophical study of morality. It will examine several important ethical theories and perspectives concerning standards of value, the nature of right action and decision-making standards, virtue and vice, and conceptions of the good life. Contemporary moral issues will be critically examined in light of these theories and perspectives; such as LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of speech and civil liberties, criminal justice and punishment, racism and social justice, abortion, climate change, animal rights, globalization and global justice, among other issues. This course will help students to think analytically about the moral judgments we are tempted to make, with the goal of developing well- reasoned positions on important moral issues of personal and/or social concern. Offered: Fall, Spring.
Do animals have rights? Do we have moral obligations to preserve endangered species? What is sustainable development and do we have an ethical obligation to promote it? Do people, including future generations, have a right to environmental protection? What is environmental racism? Do we have a duty to preserve biodiversity? Does nature have value, and if so, what kind of value? These are just a few of the questions addressed in environmental ethics. Environmental ethics is the study of the moral relationship between humans and the rest of nature. In this course, we will examine various efforts to understand the nature and extent of our duties to the nonhuman world. After a general introduction to a few major ethical theories and concepts in moral philosophy, we will investigate a variety of environmental issues through the lens of these theories and concepts. At the same time, we will critically reflect on the shortcomings of traditional moral theories and investigate new concepts, theories, and perspectives as ways of understanding the moral relationship between humans and nature. Offered: Fall, Spring.
A comparative course which examines the fundamental beliefs, practices, and traditions of world religious traditions. The origins, major figures, sacred scriptures and
The study of the nature of art, the character of our experience of works of art, and standards for the interpretation and evaluation of works of art. May include examination of the nature of beauty, culturally bounded conceptions of art, the nature of artistic expressiveness and imagination, and the possibility that there are objective criteria for the evaluation of works of art. Readings will be primarily contemporary. Offered: Fall, Spring.
Should companies that employ sweatshop labor be boycotted? Who should take responsibility for the financial crisis of 2008? Is bribery morally acceptable if everyone is doing it? Is corporate downsizing morally wrong? Do corporations have any social responsibilities other than maximizing profits? Is capitalism an unjust economic system? These are just a few of the questions addressed in business ethics. In this course, we will examine various efforts to understand the ethical dimensions of capitalism and the conduct of business in society. After an introduction to several major ethical theories and concepts in moral philosophy, we will investigate a variety of ethical issues that arise in the conduct of business. Offered: Spring.
Big data and information technology impact all areas of life. Rapid advances in technologies such as AI and machine learning, as well as the evermore sophisticated advances in the collection, analysis, and use of data, have created opportunities for individual and social good. But ethical frameworks for assessing the impacts of these advances lag behind. Does the use of predictive analytics in health care, employment, and policing reinforce or reduce bias and discrimination? Is privacy dead -- and should we care? Are algorithms morally neutral? Should big tech be regulated? Does Facebook cause more harm than good? These are some of the questions we will address as we explore the ethical implications of data and information technology. Through understanding theories and concepts in moral philosophy, we will learn how to reason about and critically assess ethical issues in data and information technology. Offered: Fall, Spring.
Examination of a special topic in philosophy; intended for second-year students. Topics courses do not satisfy goals of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.
