Bachelor of Arts
Philosophy
Faculty
EDWARD GLOWIENKA, PH.D.
ERIC E. HALL, PH.D.
ELVIRA RONCALLI, PH.D.
WILLIAM MARK SMILLIE, PH.D., DEPT. CHAIR
Mission
The philosophy program develops student understanding of enduring philosophical issues, encourages student capacities for clear thought and critical reflection, and instills in students the love of wisdom. In the study of philosophy, and especially when considering the most fundamental and important questions of human existence, Carroll students become explicitly engaged in the discussion of ultimate truth and ultimate good, described in the Carroll College Mission Statement. Philosophy majors and minors study and evaluate major philosophical issues that have perennially occupied philosophers throughout its history, and will be introduced to the ideas of its major thinkers. Our program will prepare students for future graduate study in philosophy as well as many other disciplines, and students taking our course of studies acquire a deeper understanding of the complexity of the contemporary world and critically engage its challenges. Finally, the philosophy department and faculty provide sound and engaging courses to meet the needs of Carroll’s liberal arts core.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students majoring in philosophy will:
- Gain acquaintance with philosophical problems and major philosophical figures
- Present normative evaluations using ethical reasoning
- Read philosophical writing
- Engage in philosophical discussions
- Write philosophical papers
Degrees
Courses
PHIL-101: Perspectives in Philosophy
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. An introduction to philosophical thinking and writing with a focus on important philosophers and classical philosophical questions. Course readings are humanities-oriented literature from various historical periods. Though PHIL 101 is open to all students, the content is directed to those who have little or no acquaintance with philosophy.
PHIL-113: Formal Logic
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. The analysis of arguments and the rules which determine valid from fallacious reasoning. Mathematical notation is introduced as a part of course content. Subject matter is particularly useful to students majoring in computer science and political science (pre-law interests).
PHIL-114: Critical Thinking
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. A study of the informal logic of the use of language in everyday contexts. The course emphasizes factors such as ambiguity, generalization, and analogy operating in common argument situations.
PHIL-121: Philosophy of Human Being
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. An introduction to philosophy through a consideration of what constitutes humanity. The course examines such features as the existence of a soul, the nature of human knowing, and the possibility of human freedom. Subject matter is particularly useful to students in biology, psychology and the social sciences.
PHIL-131: Philosophy & Film
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. An introduction to philosophy through feature films. Philosophical issues such as the nature of personal identity, question of fate, the nature of right and wrong, are introduced and films analyzed that illustrate, develop, or even pose philosophical objections to, these issues. Course includes viewing of the films chosen. Course content is directed to those who have little or no acquaintance with philosophy and is a good choice for CORE.
Course will be offered every two years, in the fall semester.
PHIL-150: Philosophy in Love
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. An exploration of the experience of love in its many facets through classic philosophical texts from ancient to contemporary times. Students will engage fundamental questions about the relationship between love and reason, the notion of the self, the relevance of a virtuous character, the relationship between self-love and sacrifice, the different kinds of love and the role of forgiveness.
PHIL-161: Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. Course will explore philosophical issues related to Artificial Intelligence, such as the nature of mind and consciousness, thinking and intelligence itself. The course will also consider ethical issues raised by advances in AI.
PHIL-189: Special Topic
Credits 1 3Philosophical Reasoning. Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.
PHIL-200: Ancient Philosophy
Credits 3Philosophical Reasoning. An examination of the origins of philosophical speculation in Western culture. Special emphasis is given to the writings of Plato and Aristotle, the cultural setting for these writings, and their continued effect on Western civilization. PHIL 200 is the initial course in the History of Philosophy sequence.
PHIL-202: Medieval Philosophy
Credits 3Faith and Reason Philosophy. An examination of philosophical thought from early Christian times through the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Special emphasis is given to the period's neo-Platonic and neo-Aristotelian synthesis. Some acquaintance with Plato and Aristotle's work is advised. PHIL 202 is the second course in the History of Philosophy sequence.
PHIL-203: Islam: Philosophy & Culture
Credits 3Cultural Diversity, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. A survey of the Islamic faith and its expression in a variety of cultures around the world. Because Islam is reality-defining for its adherents, the religion is examined by reviewing its philosophy, theology, history, and social dimension.
PHIL-205: Ethics
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. This course was formerly offered as PHIL 107; credit will not be allowed for both courses. An introduction to moral theories and an analysis of the moral concepts of goodness, right, and obligation, and the ways in which they operate in society, religion, and law. These concepts will be further enhanced in classroom discussions of contemporary moral issues.
PHIL-206: Environmental Ethics
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An ethical examination of human responsibilities and obligations to the environment and other species. The course includes a consideration of different environmental perspectives as well as applications to local issues like land use, wilderness protection, and food
PHIL-207: Business Ethics
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. The ethical investigation of business, business life, and their relationship to the good life. Course content includes an analysis of economic justice, corporate and personal responsibility, employee and consumer rights, and the meaning of work. Case studies give students practice in making rationally defensible moral judgments in accord with sound moral principles.
PHIL-208: Bioethics
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An examination of moral issues that arise in medicine and related fields. Course topics include the right to life, forgoing medical treatment, informed consent, confidentiality, medical experimentation, and reproductive control. Case studies give students practice in making rationally defensible moral judgments in accord with sound moral principles.
PHIL-213: Modern Philosophy
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Intermediate Writing. A study of the philosophical movements known as British empiricism, Continental rationalism, and German idealism. Course material will be developed by reviewing a selection of writings from the leading philosophers of the period. PHIL 303 is the third course in the History of Philosophy sequence.
PHIL-223: Asian Philosophy
Credits 3Cultural Diversity, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An historical overview of the principal philosophies of Eastern cultures, which may include Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and/or Taoism. Class lectures include an analysis of the philosophical status of Eastern thought.
PHIL-252: Philosophy & History of Science
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An exploration of the philosophical aspects of science and its methods. Central to this study is the influence of modern scientific inquiry on other disciplines, society, and religion.
PHIL-255: Philosophy of Art & Beauty
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning/Faith and Reason Philosophy. An analysis of concepts used in discussions of art and beauty and the application of this analysis to a variety of art forms. Class discussions develop the student's skills in art criticism and aesthetic recognition.
PHIL-256: Social & Political Philosophy
Credits 3Intermediate Writing, Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. A critical review of theories of political, social, and economic organizations that have shaped Western social and political thinking in the 19th and 20th centuries. The philosophical underpinnings of "political theory" will be explored through a close examination of historical events and the relationship between theory and practice.
PHIL-261: Philosophy & Gender
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Ethical Reasoning. An investigation of main concepts and key issues at the heart of gender feminist studies. Particular attention is devoted to the examination of major theories, their specific contribution, their critique, and the broad spectrum of perspectives at stake.
PHIL-289: Special Topic
Credits 1 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.
PHIL-289CD: Special Topic
Credits 1 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy & Cultural Diversity. Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.
PHIL-307: Philosophy of God & Religion
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An exploration of the philosophical reflection on God and other topics key to religious thinking and practice. Course material includes arguments for and against the existence of God, the relation between theology and philosophy, the problem of evil, and the nature of religious experience. This course would be of special interest to students in theology.
PHIL-310: Metaphysics
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. A critical consideration of metaphysical thinking and an attempt to speak about the nature of reality, of "being as being," and about the various categories of being.
PHIL-313: Epistemology
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Discussion of standard questions in the theory of knowledge. Course content explores such topics as the distinction of knowledge from belief, the sources of knowledge, the justification of knowledge claims, and the nature of evidence and truth.
PHIL-315: 20th Century European Philosophy
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An investigation of the most salient movements in philosophy that have developed in 20th century Europe. These include: Existentialism, Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism and Critical theory.
PHIL-324: Ethical Theory
Credits 3Ethical Reasoning, Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An intensive exploration of enduring theoretical issues in ethics such as relative and absolute moral laws, subjective and objective components of moral knowledge, the relation of facts in nature to human values, and the place of reason in ethical decisions.
PHIL-370: Philosophy of God & Religion
Credits 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. An exploration of the philosophical reflection on God and other topics key to religious thinking and practice. Course material includes arguments for and against the existence of God, the relation between theology and philosophy, the problem of evil, and the nature of religious experience. This course would be of special interest to students in theology.
PHIL-389: Special Topic
Credits 1 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.
PHIL-425: Internship
Credits 1 6Internship Experiences recognize that learning can take place outside the classroom. Carroll College allows its students to participate in opportunities that relate to their area of study. This opportunity must relate directly a student's program of study in order to qualify for an internship. Close cooperation among Carroll and the participating organizations ensures an experience that contributes significantly to the student's overall growth and professional development. Juniors and seniors in any major area may participate with the approval of faculty internship advisor and/or department chair, Career Services, and a site supervisor. Students will receive academic credit and may or may not receive monetary compensation for an internship. A student may apply a maximum of 12 semester hours to degree requirements; academic departments will determine the number of credits that may count toward the major (most majors accept 6 hours total). Enrollment in the course must be during the same semester in which the experience takes place. Interested students should contact their academic advisor and Career Services prior to the start of an experience.
PHIL-485: Independent Study
Credits 1 3Independent study is open to junior and senior students only. At the time of application, a student must have earned a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. A student may register for no more than three (3) semester hours of independent study in any one term. In all cases, registration for independent study must be approved by the appropriate department chairperson and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
PHIL-489: Special Topics:
Credits 1 3Faith & Reason-Philosophy. Special Topics courses include ad-hoc courses on various selected topics that are not part of the regular curriculum, however they may still fulfill certain curricular requirements. Special topics courses are offered at the discretion of each department and will be published as part of the semester course schedule - view available sections for more information. Questions about special topics classes can be directed to the instructor or department chair.
PHIL-495: Philosophy Seminar
Credits 3Faith and Reason: Philosophy. Advanced Writing. In a seminar setting, a discussion of pre-selected philosophical issues or important texts (seminar topics change from year to year). Required of all philosophy majors and minors, but open to any student who had a previous philosophy course and who has obtained the permission of the Philosophy Department.
PHIL-497: Senior Paper
Credits 1The senior paper is an original work a student prepares under the guidance of a professor in the Philosophy Department. It must provide evidence of scholarship in any of the major philosophical areas and is approved by the Department Chair.
PHIL-499: Senior Thesis
Credits 1 3The senior thesis is designed to encourage creative thinking and to stimulate individual research. A student may undertake a thesis in an area in which s/he has the necessary background. Ordinarily a thesis topic is chosen in the student's major or minor. It is also possible to choose an interdisciplinary topic. Interested students should decide upon a thesis topic as early as possible in the junior year so that adequate attention may be given to the project. In order to be eligible to apply to write a thesis, a student must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 based upon all courses attempted at Carroll College. The thesis committee consists of a director and two readers. The thesis director is a full-time Carroll College faculty member from the student's major discipline or approved by the department chair of the student's major. At least one reader must be from outside the student's major. The thesis director and the appropriate department chair must approve all readers. The thesis committee should assist and mentor the student during the entire project. For any projects involving human participants, each student and his or her director must follow the guidelines published by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students must submit a copy of their IRB approval letter with their thesis application. As part of the IRB approval process, each student and his or her director must also complete training by the National Cancer Institute Protection of Human Participants. The thesis is typically to be completed for three (3) credits in the discipline that best matches the content of the thesis. Departments with a designated thesis research/writing course may award credits differently with approval of the Curriculum Committee. If the thesis credits exceed the full-time tuition credit limit for students, the charge for additional credits will be waived. Applications and further information are available in the Registrar's Office.