27 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.
3-F&S An overview of prominent approaches to moral philosophy, such as contractualism, consequentialism, and virtue theories. Consideration given to several applied topics, illustrating the strengths and limitations of the theories considered. Liberal Arts.
3-F&S Critical analysis of the contours of a world- and life-view coupled with more detailed critical analysis of perennial and foundational issues in epistemology (the nature of truth and knowledge), metaphysics (the nature of reality: persons, the world, and God), and ethics (the nature of goodness and the process of ethical decision-making with close attention to character – virtue and vice – and the foundations of morality). Liberal Arts.
3-S Examination of specific movements, problems, or themes in philosophy after 1450. Repeatable when topics are diverse. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Introduction to feminist contributions to contemporary ethical thought, including critiques of existing ethical theories, development of alternative ethical systems, and increased philosophical attention to neglected issues of particular interest to feminists, such as oppression or rape. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Exploration of the dominant tradition in the ethics of warfare, the Just War tradition. Topics include both the traditional criteria of jus ad bellum (just causes for going to war) and jus in bello (just behavior within a war) and critics – both pacifist and “realist” – of these criteria. Consideration given to how new technologies and new kinds of conflict challenge the application of the traditional criteria. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Philosophical analysis of debates in sexual ethics and the philosophy of love, using historical and contemporary readings. Topics discussed may include friendship, flirting, love, monogamy, marriage, homosexuality, pornography, and sexual assault. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Introduction to contemporary medical ethics, analyzing case studies and philosophical essays on a variety of dilemmas in contemporary medical practice, such as truth-telling and confidentiality, research ethics, reproductive technologies, abortion and embryonic stem- cell research, and euthanasia and physician- assisted suicide. Service in a local health-care setting is also possible as a supplement to the course (for additional credit). Liberal Arts.
3-WSP A philosophical study of art and aesthetic experience focusing on the value of art for human life rather than the narrower (and less useful) question of the definition of art. Explores the relative importance of a normative theory of art of such values as pleasure, beauty, expression of emotion, and understanding and examines how these values can be embodied by various art forms, such as visual art, music, literature, the performing arts (dance and theater), and architecture. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Introductory course in the philosophy of religion. A number of central topics are surveyed with special focus on religious epistemology, the relationship between faith and reason, and the rationality of religious belief. Also examined are major theistic arguments, the problem of evil, divine attributes, and providence. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Introductory course in philosophical theology focusing on the concept of God. Philosophical analysis of divine attributes (such as God’s power, knowledge, goodness, and relation to time). Liberal Arts.
3–4-WSP Introduces students to the tradition of Western political thought from the ancient to the modern world through a close reading of important thinkers. By considering problems of community, obligation, order, justice, liberty, and freedom, equips students for careful normative reflection on public life. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Introduction to fundamental issues surrounding the concept of law, such as the debate between natural law theorists (who maintain that there is a law above human law) and legal positivists (who deny this) as well as issues such as punishment and the basis of the legitimacy of legislative authority. Liberal Arts. PHIL 290, 390, 490 Special Topics 3-WSP Examination of specific movements or particular problems in philosophy or themes in the history of ideas. Liberal Arts.
PSY/BADM 309 Statistics 4 Total in major 51–55 Biology Major with Forestry Emphasis BA/BS (46 credits in major [taken at SUNY-ESF]; 33–37 prerequisite credits [taken at Houghton]) Because deforestation and other human activities affecting forested areas have significant ecological, aesthetic, and economic ramifications, gaining insight into our forest resources plays an important role in environmental stewardship. The Forestry emphasis allows interested students to develop a deeper understanding of these issues through a partnership with the State University of New York – College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). Both the Forestry minor and the Forestry emphasis are offered through coursework taken at the SUNY-ESF Ranger School (est. 1912) based at Wanakena in the Adirondack Park. The Ranger School offers a rigorous 46-credit Forestry Technology program over an extended school year. Houghton students can participate for a fall semester (Forestry minor) or an entire academic year (Forestry emphasis within the Biology major), depending on their educational and career goals. Those participating for the whole year also earn an AAS from SUNY-ESF. Note: This option is not limited to Biology majors. Non-Biology students who have the necessary prerequisites may also opt to take the fall courses (earning a Forestry minor) or the whole year offering (earning a Forestry minor, Biology minor, and AAS degree in Forest Technology). The SUNY-ESF website should be consulted for definitive information on their forestry program. SUNY-ESF Ranger School Required Prerequisites (courses taken at Houghton University) Credits ECON 210 Principles of Microeconomics or ECON 211 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
3-WSP Survey of topics at the intersection of psychology and ethics, requiring readings from both philosophers and psychologists. Topics may include moral motivation, moral character, moral development, and moral responsibility. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP In-depth exploration of philosophical thought on the question of whether and how belief in a good deity is compatible with the great evils we see in the world around us. Students study the history of the topic before turning to its treatment in contemporary philosophy of religion. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Seminar on the thought of Thomas Aquinas involving a close reading of Aquinas’ most important work, the Summa Theologiae, with occasional supplementation from other relevant primary and secondary literature. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Survey of the rise of Western science from its origins in antiquity to the present, addressing developments in both scientific content and method. Major historical figures considered include Aristotle, Copernicus, Galileo, Bacon, Descartes, and Darwin; the examination of present issues focuses on philosophical and sociological dimensions of scientific practice in our own day: How does science progress, what distinguishes science from non-science, and how does the scientific establishment deal with the threat of fraud? Liberal Arts.
3-WSP Analysis of traditional normative theories (formalism, consequentialism, and virtue ethics) through the reading of primary sources. Also explores developments in contemporary moral theory. Liberal Arts.
3-WSP In-depth study of the thought of one or more figures with an emphasis on critical analysis and evaluation of primary source material. Liberal Arts.
310
1-WSP A required seminar for Philosophy majors, expected during the junior year. Meets concurrently with PHIL 495 and helps prepare students for the Senior Capstone experience the following year. Repeatable. Liberal Arts.
4-S Liberal Arts.
Source: Houghton University's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 61
