Philosophy
http://www.uwgb.edu/philosophy/
Disciplinary Major or Minor
(Bachelor of Arts)
Professor – Derek Jeffreys
Associate Professors – Hye-Kyung Kim, Christopher Martin (chair)
The study of philosophy increases awareness and appreciation of the fundamental intellectual, aesthetic and ethical values of the world in which we live. Like mathematics, economics and chemistry, the discipline of philosophy embodies formal thought, structural relationships, abstract models, symbolic languages and deductive reasoning. Students who develop these skills gain perspective to meet problems squarely, improvise and devise solutions, and overcome unpredictable circumstances in life.
National studies of college graduate test scores attest to the success of philosophy students. They consistently score better than nearly all other majors on the Graduate Record Exam, GMAT and LSAT.
But the value of an education in philosophy extends beyond the domain of personal and academic skills.
As the global community continues to shrink and corporate America restructures, careers will increasingly demand employees who can think critically, disclose hidden assumptions and values, formulate problems clearly, and discern the impact of ideas. The flexibility provided by a background in philosophy can become a career asset.
The undergraduate program in Philosophy is excellent preparation for many other disciplines and professional programs, including teaching, fine arts, natural and social sciences, psychology, and business.
UW-Green Bay Philosophy graduates are actively working in many of those fields. Some have gone on to graduate or professional schools in law, philosophy, and other areas.
Courses
PHILOS 101. Introduction to Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Basic ideas and problems of philosophy: various disciplines and schools of philosophy; important philosophical issues and their relevance to the present.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 102. Contemporary Ethical Issues. 3 Credits.
Ethical problems which are significant to an individual in the contemporary world, including traditional issues and current issues in such areas as law, medicine, public policy, business and education.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 103. Logic and Reasoning. 3 Credits.
This course introduces the students to the basic concepts and skills of logical reasoning which is central to critical thinking. With the objective of constructing good arguments for successful persuasion and defending ourselves against the illogical and fallacious appeals that bombard us daily, this course examines formal and informal fallacies, rules of syllogisms, and propositional logic and applies these logical tools to samples of real-life situations.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 105. Justice and Citizenship in the Modern World. 3 Credits.
This course is a critical examination of some of the most fundamental issues facing citizens in the modern world. Topics covered may include the nature of justice, the distribution of wealth and power, the legitimacy of state authority, the nature of extent of political liberty, the obligations of the citizen to the state, and the proper balance of private rights and public goods in the community.
Spring.
PHILOS 198. First Year Seminar. 3 Credits.
Reserved for New Incoming Freshman.
PHILOS 208. Biomedical Ethics. 3 Credits.
Implication of the social and natural science for human values; study of the history of the distinction between fact and value in segments of human life such as politics, law and medical technology.
Fall Only.
PHILOS 211. Philosophy of Art. 3 Credits.
The nature and meaning of the various fine arts such as painting, literature, music and film, and their significance for human existence; the nature of the work of art and the creative activity of the artist.
Spring.
PHILOS 212. Philosophy, Religion, and Science. 3 Credits.
This course considers the relationship between science and religious beliefs, explores the value of knowledge, and asks if science needs a moral vision. After considering these theoretical questions, it then examines issues like religion and evolution, religion and natural laws, the mind-body relationship, genetic engineering, cloning, and euthanasia.
Spring.
PHILOS 213. Ancient Philosophy. 3 Credits.
The origins and early development of Western philosophy in the context of Classical Greek culture. Introduction to the thought of Plato, Aristotle, and selected pre-modern thinkers; clarification of enduring issues in the Western philosophical tradition.
P: none; REC: Philos 101 or 102.
Fall Only.
PHILOS 214. Early Modern Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Major thinkers and movements representative of philosophical thought from the 17th century to the present.
P: none; REC: Philos 213.
Spring.
PHILOS 216. Introduction to Asian Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Introduction to representative thinkers and major issues of Asian philosophy, including Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
Spring.
PHILOS 217. Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. 3 Credits.
Introduction to representative thinkers and major issues of the philosophy of religion.
Fall Only.
PHILOS 220. Environmental Ethics. 3 Credits.
The goal of this course is to acquaint ourselves with some of the major issues in environmental ethics. Specifically we'll be looking in to the health of our environment the value of individuals, animal consumption and testing, wilderness preservation, food issues, global population and geo-engineered solutions. The course will be inter-disciplinary.
Spring Odd.
PHILOS 299. Travel Course. 1-4 Credits.
Travel courses are conducted to various parts of the world and are led by one or more faculty members. May be repeated to different locations.
P: cons of instr & prior trip arr & financial deposit.
PHILOS 301. Ethical Theory. 3 Credits.
A variety of important ethical theories are studied comparatively, and critically evaluated in application to a contemporary moral concern.
P: none; REC: jr st and one philos cse.
Spring Even.
PHILOS 308. Philosophy and the Sciences. 3 Credits.
An in-depth introduction to the intersection between the practice of sicence and the practice of philosophy. We will pursue topics that underlie the content, practice and implications of sciences such as Physics, Chemistry, or Biology.
P: none; REC: Philos 213 and 214.
Spring Even.
PHILOS 309. Religion and Medieval Philosophy. 3 Credits.
An examination of philosophical questions and issues central to religion, coupled with a study of the approaches and answers developed in Medieval Philosophy.
P: none; REC: Philos 213 and 214.
Spring Odd.
PHILOS 323. Modern Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Course topics vary. In one iteration, this course will work its way through seminal thinkers in nineteenth century philosophy including (though not limited to) Hegel, Marx and Nietzsche. Our aim will be to both connect these thinkers to earlier ideas and trends in Philosophy and to see how they extend such ideas in radically different ways. In another iteration, this course will delve into a somewhat later historical movement in Philosophy - the existentialists. We will begin with the early influence of Russian authors before moving through later thinkers such as Heidegger, Camus and Sartre. The course will include literary and philosophical readings.
P: none; REC: Philos 213 and 214.
Fall Odd.
PHILOS 324. Contemporary Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Current philosophical movements in Europe and America, such as phenomenology, existentialism, analytic philosophy, intuitionism, pragmatism and Marxism.
Spring Odd.
PHILOS 326. Philosophy, Politics and Law. 3 Credits.
The nature of politics and law and their interrelations; general legal theory, legal rights, judicial reasoning; the problems of justice, property and morality law.
P: none; REC: philos cse.
Fall Even.
PHILOS 351. Happiness and the Good Life. 3 Credits.
This course examines the concept of a happy life through a study of the Asian philosophies of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism. We will be reading primary texts and secondary philosophical texts, and we will watch and examine influential movies and videos on the topic.
P: None REC: Philos 102.
PHILOS 401. Plato and Aristotle. 3 Credits.
This course is critical investigation of the first two comprehensive, philosophical systems of Western civilization. Plato and Aristotle each proposed and argued for a full metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of art. In this course students will be engaged in an in-depth study of their major works.
REC: Philos 213
Fall Odd.
PHILOS 403. Topics in Philosophy. 3 Credits.
Course topics vary. This will be an in-depth study of a current topic or a figure in philosophy and/or an area of research for one of our faculty members. The aim will be to include students in live and contemporary philosophical literature and debates.
P: upper level cse in Philos.
Fall Even.
PHILOS 420. Metaphysics. 3 Credits.
Metaphysics is the study of Being. It comprises some of the oldest and most difficult philosophical questions. In this class we'll investigate some of its major historica and contemporary themes. Topics might include universals, particulars, casuality, personal identity, free will, modality, Gd's existence, space & time, truth, and the challenge of anti-realism.
REC: Philos 101, 213, or 214
Spring Even.
PHILOS 478. Honors in the Major. 3 Credits.
P: min 3.50 all cses req for major and min gpa 3.75 all UL cses req for major.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 497. Internship. 1-12 Credits.
Supervised practical experience in an organization or activity appropriate to a student's career and educational interests. Internships are supervised by faculty members and require periodic student/faculty meetings.
P: jr st.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 498. Independent Study. 1-4 Credits.
Independent study is offered on an individual basis at the student's request and consists of a program of learning activities planned in consultation with a faculty member. A student wishing to study or conduct research in an area not represented in available scheduled courses should develop a preliminary proposal and seek the sponsorship of a faculty member. The student's advisor can direct him or her to instructors with appropriate interests. A written report or equivalent is required for evaluation, and a short title describing the program must be sent early inthe semester to the registrar for entry on the student's transcript.
P: fr or so st with cum gpa > or = 2.50; or jr or sr st with cum gpa > or = 2.00.
Fall and Spring.
PHILOS 499. Travel Course. 1-6 Credits.
Travel courses are conducted to various parts of the world and are led by one or more faculty members. May be repeated to different locations.
P: cons of instr & prior trip arr & financial deposit.
