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Minor

Required: 32 units as follows:
The following courses; plus
16 additional units selected (in consultation with the program coordinator) from the courses listed below and other related courses offered through various departments
PHIL 208    Logic: How to Think Accurately   
PHIL 317    Foundations of Western Thought: from the Greeks to the Middle Ages   
PHIL 318    Foundations of Western Thought: from Rationalism to Pragmaticism   
PHIL 319    Contemporary Thought: from Logical Positivism to Postmodernism
A student must receive a grade of C or better in order for a class to count as a prerequisite for ­another course. This applies to both individual and­ ­sequenced classes unless ­otherwise specified.
PHIL 105 The Western Intellectual Traditions:From the Greeks to the Postmoderns (4): An overview of Western worldviews, both popular and elite, from the ancient Greeks to the postmoderns. Includes a discussion of their ­social contexts and their interactions with the worldviews of other world civilizations. Cross-listed as HIST 105.
PHIL 204 Introduction to Philosophy (4): An introduction to the central questions and methods of philosophical inquiry, reviewing issues such as reality, knowledge, religion, morality, and human society.
PHIL 208 Logic: How to Think Accurately (4): Analysis of principles of deductive and inductive reasoning, using ­methods of classical and modern logic.
PHIL 317 Foundations of Western Thought: From the Greeks to the Middle Ages (4): From pre-Socratic philosophy through the late Middle Ages, with major emphasis on Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas.
Restriction: Upper-division standing PHIL 318 The Making of Modern Thought: From Rationalism to Pragmatism (4): From the 17th through the 19th centuries, with major emphasis on René Descartes, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and William James.
Restriction: Upper division standing
PHIL 319 Contemporary Thought: From Logical Positivism to Postmodernism (4): From process philosophy to postmodernism, with major emphasis on A.J. Ayer, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Thomas Kuhn, and Richard Rorty.
Restriction: Upper-division standing
PHIL 327 Asian Philosophical Traditions: India, China & Japan (4): An investigation of the major philosophical themes and movements among the civilizations of India, China, and Japan. Includes questions of knowledge, reality, the self, nature, society, and social ethics. Consideration is also given to issues of human rights, as well as to environmental and political philosophy, in connection with the so-called “Asian values” debate. Cross-listed as RELG 327.
Prerequisite: PHIL 204 with a minimum grade of C
PHIL 374 Cognition and Memory (4): An introduction to the psychological investigation of perceptual and cognitive processes, emphasizing pattern recognition, attention, memory, knowledge representation, problem solving, decision making, ­language, and intelligence. Offered alternate years. Cross-listed as PSYC 374.
PHIL 404 Foundations of Social Thought (4): Survey of social thought ranging from ancient worldviews to the ­modern social theories in anthropology and sociology. Cross-listed as SOCI 404.
PHIL 405 Moral Philosophy: Conduct and Character (3-4): A philosophical investigation of major moral theories associated with notions such as virtue, natural law, duty, and responsibility. Moral concepts (e.g. ‘the good’, ‘the right’, ‘the just’) will be studied, and their application to problems concerning the individual and society explored. Readings will include the works of moral philosophers, both ancient and modern. Cross-listed as RELE 405.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor
PHIL 436 Philosophy of Religion: God, Faith, and Reason (4): Reasons for belief in the reality and relevance of God for contemporary life and thought, and related issues. Cross-listed as RELT 436.
Restriction: Upper division standing or consent of the instructor.
PHIL 454 Applied Ethics and Social Issues (2-4): Implications of moral principles for selected problems in social policy. Cross-listed as RELE 454.
PHIL 474 Political Philosophy: Justice, Power & Community (4): Main currents of political philosophy from Plato to the present. ­Cross-listed as PLSC 474.
PHIL 485 American Political Thought (4): American political ideas from the colonial period to the present. ­Cross-listed as PLSC 485.
PHIL 487A Classical Rhetoric and Criticism (4): A consideration of the formative theories of persuasion and interpretation, dating from the Greek, Roman, and early Christian eras. Particular emphasis is given to the relevance of classical theory to contemporary rhetoric and literature. Offered alternate years. Cross-listed as COMM 487A and ENGL 487A.
PHIL 487B Contemporary Literary Criticism (4): An examination of modern and post-modern literary theory, including the schools of formalism, psychoanalysis, feminism, post-structuralism, and cultural criticism. Readings survey the writers, philosophers, and social commentators whose contributions shaped and continue to shape current methodologies of interpretation. Offered alternate years. Cross-listed as ENGL 487B.
PHIL 499 Directed Study (1-4): Upper division independent study in consultation with an advisor.

Degree Program

Philosophical Studies

Contact and Location

philosophy@lasierra.edu
(951) 785-2000
La Sierra Hall

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