Philosophy

Contact Information

Website: www.uis.edu/philosophy/
Email: phi@uis.edu
Office Phone: (217) 206-8405
Office Location: BRK 377A

Bachelor of Arts
Minor

Areas of Study

Students must take a minimum of two classes in the following three areas: 1) core analytical philosophy, 2) history of philosophy, and 3) values.

In order to gain analytical skills, students must take at least two classes (eight hours) in the area of core philosophy, such as philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, and analytical metaphysics.
In order to gain a comprehensive outlook on the history of philosophy, students must take one class in ancient and medieval philosophy (such as PHI 421) and one class in the history of modern philosophy (such as PHI 425) or department approved comprehensive equivalents of at least seven credit hours.
In order to gain familiarity with value theory, students are required to take at least two classes (at least eight hours) in the areas of ethics, aesthetics, or political philosophy. This includes at least one course devoted specifically to ethics, satisfied by PHI 242 or PHI 341 or PHI 447 or an equivalent approved by the department.

Departmental Goals and Objectives

The Philosophy Department at UIS strives to be a national leader in offering advanced undergraduate education online while serving the entire UIS student population, undergraduate and graduate. The curriculum focuses on the areas of core analytic philosophy (metaphysics, epistemology, and related areas) and values (ethics, aesthetics, and political philosophy) while providing a sound background in the history of philosophy.

The objectives of the Philosophy major include providing students with basic knowledge in the main areas of philosophy (theory of knowledge, values, and history of philosophy); increasing their awareness of ethical issues; improving their analytical skills; and assisting them in developing problem-solving experience in at least one of the main areas of philosophy.

The Bachelor's Degree

Advising

Students should consult with their academic advisor for specific guidance regarding completion of general education requirements.

Area of Specialization

Currently, students may specialize in the area of core analytic philosophy or in the area of values. In addition to the eight hours required of all majors, students specializing in either core analytic philosophy (Area 1) or values (Area 3) must take one advanced class in the area of specialization and a senior seminar associated with the chosen area of specialization. Students should note that advanced courses have at least four hours of Area 1 or Area 3 courses as prerequisites.

Philosophy Electives

In order to gain a broad philosophical perspective, every student needs to take four hours of philosophy electives (an extra class in any area of philosophy, including topics not covered in the main major, such as continental, feminist, or Asian philosophy; American pragmatism; or philosophy of religion).

Program Learning Outcomes

Clarity: Students will learn to articulate a position, formulate an argument, and describe the views of other philosophers with a high degree of clarity and precision.
Argumentation: Students will learn to make well-articulated, cogent, reasoned and sustained arguments in defense of a philosophical thesis.
Reading: Students will learn to read with comprehension and to critically assess the works of other philosophers.
Dialog: Students will learn to engage each other, and their instructors, in meaningful philosophical dialog.
Competence: Students will develop competent knowledge in their field of specialization within the major.
Knowledge: Students will acquire adequate knowledge in the areas of History of Philosophy, Value Theory, and Core Analytic Philosophy.

Requirements

Core Courses
Matriculation Module ¹		0
Logic/Critical Thinking
PHI 301	Critical Thinking (or equivalent transfer course)	4
or PHI 401	Logic
Area 1 (Core Analytical Philosophy)
Select eight hours from the following:		8
PHI 353	Person, Identity, and Dignity
PHI 470	Topics In Analytic Philosophy
PHI 471	Philosophy of Science
PHI 472	Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology
PHI 473	Philosophy of Mind
PHI 481	Philosophy of Language
PHI 482	Metaphysics of Things
Area 2 (History of Philosophy)
Select two of the following:		8
PHI 421	Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHI 425	History of Modern Philosophy
PHI 480	Readings in the History of Philosophy
Area 3 (Values) ²
Select eight hours from the following:		8
PHI 242	Ethics, Love & Goals of Life
PHI 336	Contemporary American Political Philosophy
PHI 341	Ethics
PHI 432	Philosophy of Art
PHI 434	Aesthetics
PHI 441	Moral Theory
PHI 447	Rationality and Moral Choice
PHI 448	Moral Values in Political Philosophy
PHI 460	Topics in Normative Philosophy
PHI 485	Social Philosophy
Philosophy Elective		4
Any PHI Class
Advanced class in specialization
Select one of the following:		4
PHI 460	Topics in Normative Philosophy
PHI 470	Topics In Analytic Philosophy
PHI 480	Readings in the History of Philosophy
PHI 481	Philosophy of Language
PHI 482	Metaphysics of Things
PHI 485	Social Philosophy
Capstone		4
PHI 495	Senior Seminar in Philosophy
Total Hours		40

¹: Note: The Matriculation Module must be completed before the last 16 semester hours of philosophy courses are taken.
²: All majors must take PHI 242 or PHI 341 or PHI 447

NOTE: Students may have seven hours in any or all of Areas 1, 2, 3, and three hours in the elective, with additional hours in another area.

Online Degree

The online Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy allows students to participate in dynamic, diverse, and interactive online learning communities and to complete their degrees via the Internet. The online format enables them to complete course work using the latest networked information technologies for increased access to educational resources, advisors, and materials with no on-campus visits required. The online degree follows the same curriculum as the on-campus degree.

Philosophy

EHS HDC Admissions
Degree Program	Program Type	Dept Application Materials and Admission Criteria	Prerequisite Course Requirements	Department ADM Review	Dept Conditional Admits	Dept Appeal Process
Philosophy	BA	No additional admission requirements beyond the general UIS criteria	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Courses

PHI 101. Introduction to Philosophy. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to some of the basic issues, readings and methods of philosophy. We will cover such topics as right and wrong action, the nature and limits of human knowledge, the relation between mind and body, and the existence of God. Open to all undergraduates. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities (IAI Code: H4 900).

PHI 242. Ethics, Love & Goals of Life. 3 Hours.

Practical social and moral issues are discussed, looking for the solutions in ethical theory, moral psychology, science and literature. Discussion will be informed by considerations of life, death and the value of one's life as well as the issue of love. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

PHI 252. Science Fiction and Philosophy. 3 Hours.

Science fiction is used to introduce and explore diverse topics in contemporary philosophy. This advanced survey course most often uses primary sources to learn about the topic. We may include both historical and contemporary readings. Course Information: No prerequisites, but at least one previous philosophy course is strongly recommended. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the areas of Humanities.

PHI 301. Critical Thinking. 4 Hours.

Principles of logical analysis and argumentation, with special attention to common fallacies in informal reasoning, reasoning by analogy, and decision theory. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities (IAI Code: H4 906).

PHI 315. Comparative Philosophy of Religion. 3 Hours.

A survey of several topics in the philosophy of religion, such as arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, the problem of evil and religious pluralism. Topics examined are from a variety of religious perspectives: eastern and western, non-monotheistic and monotheistic. Primary source readings are used to raise a variety of philosophical issues. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

PHI 336. Contemporary American Political Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Focuses on four late 20th century political philosophies: liberalism, libertarianism, communitarianism, and conservatism. Considers left-wing vs right-wing approaches to social redistribution and individualistic vs. communitarian views of the person as the basis for political theories. Readings include selections from Rawls, Nozick, Walzer, Guttman, and Taylor. Course Information: Same as PSC 336. This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

PHI 341. Ethics. 3 Hours.

This class gives students the background in analytical moral theory, covering issues as the sources of moral obligation, objectivism and relativism, intuitionism, utilitarianism, deontology and virtue. It is recommended to follow this class with PHI 441 or a class in Applied Ethics. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

PHI 353. Person, Identity, and Dignity. 4 Hours.

Focuses on such questions as: What makes people different from other things in the world? What makes people identical with themselves over time? Do any moral considerations (questions of value) depend on our status as people? No prior familiarity with philosophy required. Combines elements of philosophical anthropology, moral philosophy, and philosophy of mind. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Humanities.

PHI 401. Logic. 4 Hours.

An introduction to the use of symbolic methods in the evaluation and analysis of arguments. Topics covered will include Boolean logic, quantification, truth tables and formal proofs.

PHI 411. Feminist Theories. 4 Hours.

What would a good society be like? We will discuss a range of feminist theories with different views on the good society, including liberal, radical, socialist, post modern, and global feminisms. These theories offer different solutions to such social issues as the division of labor in the home and beyond, reproductive rights, and sexuality. Through the experience of the course, each student will work to develop his or her own view of a good society. Course Information: Same as PSC 433, SOA 408, and WGS 411. Prerequisite: WGS 301 is recommended but not required.

PHI 421. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Familiarizes students with the ancient and medieval traditions which gave rise to present-day philosophy. It consists of four units: A. Presocratics and Plato; B. Aristotle; C. Roman Philosophy, including St. Augustine; D. Medieval Philosophy, including von Bingen, Maimonides, and Aquinas.

PHI 425. History of Modern Philosophy. 4 Hours.

A survey, grounded in primary texts with secondary readings of western philosophical thought, from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. The course gives students background information in the history of modern philosophy necessary to understand contemporary philosophical debates.

PHI 428. Globalization and the Future of Democracy. 4 Hours.

Democracy means that national governments must respond to and represent their own national people (the American government represents the American people). But increasing "globalization" has created new "transnational" problems beyond the democratic control of any one government. We consider classic and contemporary theories of globalization and democracy in political philosophy. Course Information: Same as PSC 428.

PHI 432. Philosophy of Art. 2,4 Hours.

Nature and value of art, including such issues as: How is art distinguished from non-art? Can there be objective judgments about art? How is art related to science, religion, and politics? Survey of major philosophical writings about art in the Western tradition. Course Information: Same as ART 471.

PHI 434. Aesthetics. 4 Hours.

The course covers the major concepts and theories of analytic aesthetics, including beauty (the sensory beauty and the beauty of the abstract entities), aesthetic and artistic values, aesthetic experience, aesthetic attitude, aesthetic state of mind, and relations between aesthetics and art. Background in Philosophy or Art recommended but not required.

PHI 437. Marxist Philosophy: Past, Present, Future. 4 Hours.

We examine the origins and development of Marxist philosophy and consider its relevance today. We study essential works of Karl Marx, 18th and 19th century precursors in political theory, and contemporary Continental political philosophy dealing with the legacy of Marx's work. We analyze Marx in light of current events and debates. Course Information: Same as PSC 437.

PHI 438. Postmodern Theory: Politics and Possibility. 4 Hours.

By the 20th century, understandings of truth, reality, and history were shaken to their core. Philosophy had to come to terms with Marx, Nietzsche, and psychoanalysis. What does it mean to "be political" without certain knowledge of truth, reality, and history? What is politically possible in light of postmodernism? Course Information: Same as PSC 438.

PHI 441. Moral Theory. 2 Hours.

Familiarizes students with advanced analytical moral theory on the basis of contemporary readings, mostly anthologies. The issues include: internalism, externalism, impartiality and special obligations. Course Information: Prerequisites: PHI 341.

PHI 447. Rationality and Moral Choice. 3 Hours.

Ethical behavior is often the most rational approach to be pursued by groups. In this class you learn basic strategies of collaborative and competitive action within the theory of rationality and informal game theory. We focus on moral psychology, the social capital theory and their limitations. Students learn to factor in business ethics and environmental preservation within business rationality, strategy and globalization. The class involves cooperation with online students from the EU. Course Information: Same as LIS 467.

PHI 448. Moral Values in Political Philosophy. 4 Hours.

An advanced inquiry into the connections between ethics and political philosophy, the structure of political theories, and various attempts to justify political principles through moral principles. This course is intended primarily for philosophy majors, but others may enroll.

PHI 460. Topics in Normative Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Special topics in ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, and related areas. May be repeated if topics vary. Course Information: Counts toward the Advanced Course in Specialization and Area 3, Values requirements of the philosophy major.

PHI 470. Topics In Analytic Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Special topics in metaphysics, epistemology, and related areas. May be repeated if topics vary. Course Information: Counts toward the Advanced Course in Specialization and Area I, Core Analytic Philosophy requirements of the philosophy major.

PHI 471. Philosophy of Science. 4 Hours.

Introduces students to many of the philosophical issues involved in modern science. Topics include: What is science? What is the nature of scientific explanation? How are scientific hypotheses justified? Students also learn about social and moral implications of science and how major discoveries in physical and biological science pertain to creating the new image of the world.

PHI 472. Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology. 4 Hours.

Explores a selection of topics from core analytic philosophy, both classical and contemporary, such as knowledge of the external world, the rationality of science, mental content, free will, and private languages. Course Information:.

PHI 473. Philosophy of Mind. 4 Hours.

What is the mind, and how does it relate to the body? This course surveys the major philosophical issues and perspectives on the mind and its place in the natural world, with special focus on subjective experience (consciousness) and mental representation (intentionality).

PHI 480. Readings in the History of Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Guided readings in a period of the history of philosophy or a particular philosophical tradition or figure.

PHI 481. Philosophy of Language. 4 Hours.

What is it for words to mean something? What is the connection between language and reality? We will survey the major topics in the philosophy of language, focusing primarily on the concept of meaning, and will read works by Frege, Russell, Quine, Kripke, and others. Course Information: Prerequisites: PHI 353, PHI 495, or any of PHI 470 through PHI 489 (or instructor's permission).

PHI 482. Metaphysics of Things. 4 Hours.

This advanced course in metaphysics tackles some ongoing puzzles regarding the metaphysics of ordinary things in our world. We engage in active contemporary analytical debates on topics such as identity, constitution, and persistence. Course Information: Prerequisite: At least one upper level philosophy course outside of value theory. Logic strongly recommended.

PHI 485. Social Philosophy. 4 Hours.

Theory of interactions among people that lie at the level of generality between individual life and state politics. We shall discuss overlapping consensus v free market of ideas, and the equality without egalitarianism in a global society. Topics: pornography, freedom of expression, welfare, and the role of the internet. Meant primarily for PHI and PSC majors. Course Information: Prerequisites: PHI 336, or PHI 447, 448, 495, 537, PSC 325, 435, 514, 537, 580.

PHI 495. Senior Seminar in Philosophy. 2,4 Hours.

This capstone class includes a two credit hour seminar (open to all students) and a two credit hour senior overview (for Philosophy majors) which includes a research paper. The seminar covers an advanced issue in analytic philosophy (selected by the program each semester). The overview for majors involves senior assessment. Those who write on a non-seminar topic complete a seminar examination. Non-majors take the seminar only, with examination. Graduate students will also write a seminar related paper.

PHI 499. Tutorial. 1-12 Hours.

Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary.

PHI 512. Feminist Theories II. 4 Hours.

This seminar offers close readings of major theories and accompanying methodology such as socialist, postmodernist, queer and postcolonial feminism. Our analysis will draw on political studies, communications, history, anthropology, sociology and literary criticism. Topics can include sexuality, race/ethnicity, labor and subjectivity. Course Information: Same as PSC 533, SOA 501, or WGS 501. Prerequisites: WGS 411, or SOA 408, or PSC 433, or PHI 411.

PHI 535. Philosophy of Education. 4 Hours.

Major philosophical views of aims and processes of education. Considerations given to the educational ideas of such thinkers as Plato, Augustine, Rousseau, and Dewey, as well as to assumptions underlying current reform proposals. Course Information: Same as EDL 535.

PHI 537. Social Capital and Values. 4 Hours.

Examines various definitions of social capital and the role it plays in business and politics. The class integrates topics in business ethics, strategy and political philosophy with a research component. Course Information: Same as PSC 537.

PHI 580. Advanced Topics in Philosophy. 4 Hours.

This graduate level seminar in philosophy offers a sustained critical exploration of one special topic per term. The course mainly uses primary sources, most often contemporary, though historical material is not excluded. No prerequisites for graduate students, but undergraduates should have taken at least one upper level philosophy course.