Course Descriptions: PHILOSOPHY

PHIL 100 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (CAN PHIL 2)

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: An introductory course in the examination of some of the classical philosophical problems in the areas of ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, and social and political philosophy. Selected philosophers of the respective areas are examined, analyzed, compared, and contrasted. The aim of this course is to study the ideas and theories of these areas, think critically, and observe the relevancy of these ideas in everyday life. A multicultural perspective is also integrated. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

PHIL 103 CRITICAL THINKING

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: A general overview of the principles and methods of reasoning skills is examined. Methods and techniques are introduced to identify arguments from various types of discourse. Students develop the skills to analyze the structure of an argument, types of argument; informal fallacies and evaluation of arguments. Some formal logic is introduced to facilitate understanding of logical reasoning. Students develop skills of constructing valid/sound argument in argumentative essays. Transfer: CSU: A3, UC.

PHIL 160 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY: ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL (CAN PHIL 8)

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: This course is an introduction to the history of Western philosophy from pre-Socratic to Renaissance. Selections from representative philosophers and/or schools--pre-Socratic, Plato, Aristotle, philosophy of the Roman world, and Christian and early rationalist thought--are studied. Analysis of attempts to resolve fundamental metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical questions is also included. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

PHIL 190 CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: A general survey of the philosophical developments in the 19th and 20th centuries and their ramifications on social, political, moral, and religious movements. Traditions of Idealism, existentialism, Marxism, logical positivism, pragmatism, utilitarianism, and linguistic analysis are examined. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

PHIL 200 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC (CAN PHIL 6)

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: This is an introductory course in the study of formal logic which includes the following: argument and types of arguments; language: meaning and definition; informal fallacies; syllogism; propositional logic; predicate logic; and induction. Also included is the critical study of the conditions of meaningful statements, analysis, and evaluation of arguments, skills in performing logical deduction and constructing logical proofs. Transfer: CSU: A3, UC.

PHIL 240 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS (CAN PHIL 4)

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: This course discusses the major ethical principles and theories in the world. How these principles apply to one’s ethical decision making and moral responsibility is examined. Classical and contemporary deontological and teleological theories and existential theory and others are studied. Contemporary ethical issues, abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, feminism, and terrorism are also examined. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

PHIL 246 ETHICS IN AMERICA

Telecourse: Units (Grade Option) 3; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: Examines contemporary ethical conflicts in journalism, government, medicine, law, business, and the criminal justice system. Provides a grounding in the language, concepts, and traditions of ethics. Transfer: CSU: C2.

PHIL 300 INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: An introduction to the study of great world religions; their religious and spiritual teachings; their rituals and literatures; their impact on the respective world views and culture; and finally their influence on the meaningfulness of human existence and their meaning in relation to the Transcendent. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

PHIL 320 ASIAN PHILOSOPHY

Units (Grade Option) 3; Class Hours: Minimum of 48 lecture hours/semester; Recommended: Eligibility for READ 836, and ENGL 836 or ESL 400; Prerequisite(s): None. Description: This course is a general survey of the philosophical developments in China, India, and Japan. Major philosophical theories of these countries are compared and evaluated. The philosophical impact on Asian perspective of purpose and meaningfulness of existence, human destiny, ethical, and metaphysical views is examined. Transfer: CSU: C2, UC. (IGETC: 3B)

Updated: 6/11/09