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Philosophy
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Ethics in the Information Age |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 9 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
An introduction to ethical issues associated with the Information Age. A description of what the Information Age is, how it came to be, and what makes it different from the previous age. Students will study new ethical issues arising from, or given increased prominence by, the Information Age, advances in information collection, storage, retrieval, processing, and dispersion.
Ethical issues to be covered include privacy, surveillance, accuracy, free speech, intellectual property, Internet crime, identity theft, spam, information access, information dispersion, and some consequences of data mining and emerging technologies.
A significant portion of the assignments in the course require both formal and informal writing. It is critical that learners can express themselves in writing, expressing their views on ethical issues that continue to develop as new technologies emerge.
Since the course is online, written work will be emphasized as shown:
• Weekly written discussions using an online discussion forum and our class wiki (4-5 discussions per week). You are required to respond to at least one other posting from a member of your group for EACH discussion.
• Weekly “polls” (3 per week – an article related to current technological developments will be posted, and a reflection about the ethical considerations will be required.)
• Persuasive Paper (Each week, one of the required sections of the paper will be handed in as a draft. Feedback will be provided on each draft. The revised (complete) paper is due the last week of the course.
Cross listed with CSIS 316 MnTC Goal 9 |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Professional Ethics |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
The course explores the special ethical challenges that arise in professional life. The course is organized around issues common to many professions, such as competing rights, informed consent, professional obligation, and confidentiality. The course provides an overview of different normative theories and applies them to areas of concern that frequently arise in professional decision making. Case studies illustrate these issues. This course develops critical thinking and writing competencies. MnTC Goal 9. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Ethics in the Professions |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
The course explores the special ethical challenges that arise in professional life. The course is organized around issues common to many professions, such as competing rights, informed consent, professional obligation, and confidentiality. The course provides an overview of different normative theories and applies them to areas of concern that frequently arise in professional decision making. Case studies illustrate these issues. This course develops critical thinking and communication competencies. MnTC Goals 6 and 9. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Philosophy of the Arts |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 6 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
A consideration of philosophical questions relating to the fine arts. Representative topics include the nature of art, aesthetic experience, criticism in the arts, representation, symbolism, and evaluation. Same as ART 320. MnTC Goal 6. |
| Course Code |
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| Title |
Religious Traditions in our Global Society |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Examination of how the five major world religious traditions-Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam-interact with each other in our contemporary pluricultural world. Emphasis on how they diversely, and divergently, influence and inspire their practitioners in our 21st century global society. MnTC Goal 6 and 8. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Death and Dying |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Everybody dies. But is that a bad thing? Going back to Epicurus, philosophers have argued about this question. The implications should be obvious: if death isn’t a bad thing, then what do we say about murder, war, suicide, and end of life issues? On the other hand, if death is bad, what makes it so? In this class, we will consider questions about what life is and what death is, what impact on life’s meaning death has, whether death is bad or not, and how our answers to these questions will impact our thinking about procreation, suicide, and killing others. MnTC Goal 6 and 9. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Symbolic Logic |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 4 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
A survey of deductive logic, emphasizing the use of symbolism to interpret and evaluate arguments. Includes propositional and predicate logic. MnTC Goal 4. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Existentialism |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
An examination of writings--both philosophical and literary-- of representative existentialists, such as Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Social and Political Philosophy |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Investigation of major issues of contemporary social and political philosophy. Topics may include the justification of the state, rights, equality and liberty, the major political ideologies, feminist politics, and critical theory. Listed prerequisites may be waived by prior completion of a 200 or 300 level philosophy course. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Peace and War |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
War affects people around the globe, both when their nation is at war and when allies of their nation are at war. By studying the writings of people from different cultures and nations, we will examine both the causes of war and alternatives. During this class we will have occasion to question whether war is ever moral and whether there are any viable alternatives to war that might allow for more peaceful resolutions of conflict. We will finish the semester with a discussion of terrorism and how it should affect our beliefs about some of these issues. MnTC Goal 6 and 8. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Topics in Philosophy |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Topics will be announced in semester class schedules. Students may repeat course when content varies. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Theory of Knowledge |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Study of basic problems of theory of knowledge (epistemology) and discussion of contemporary epistemological theories. Topics will include the analysis of knowledge, epistemic justification, foundationalism, coherentism, reliabilism, traditional versus naturalistic epistemology, and skepticism. Course requires an oral presentation. Students should have taken at least two courses in philosophy or obtain the consent of the instructor. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Metaphysics |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Study of major issues of contemporary metaphysics. Cover topics such as substance and properties, identity and persistence, necessity and possibility, essence and essentialism, causation and determinism, and ontology. Course requires an oral presentation. Students should have taken at least two courses in philosophy or obtain the consent of the instructor. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Major Philosophers |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Intensive study of some important figure in the history of philosophy. Students may register more than once when content varies. Students should have taken at least two courses in philosophy or obtain the consent of the instructor. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Topics in Philosophy |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Study of a selected philosophical problem or philosophical movement. Students may register more than once when topic varies. Specific topics will be announced in class schedules. Students should have taken at least two courses in philosophy or obtain the consent of the instructor. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Senior Project |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
As a capstone requirement for the major, students will complete a research paper with departmental presentation or submit a portfolio. A portfolio containing (1) four or five papers they have written for philosophy courses; (2) a philosophical self-assessment. See Department Chair for details. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Topics in Feminist Theory |
| Prerequisite |
PHIL 101 OR PHIL 215 OR PHIL 105 PHIL 100 OR PHIL 110 OR PHIL 102 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Courses offered under this title will focus on feminist theories as frameworks for work on feminist issues. For specific topic see class schedule. Topics may include Knowledge, Ethics, Ecology, Reproductive Rights and Issues, Self-images and Identity, and Sexuality. Students may register more than once when content varies, but may not repeat the course for more than 6 credits. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Independent Study |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Intensive independent study of a philosophical problem, major philosopher, or philosophical movement, under the direction and supervision of one or more members of the department. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 credits. No more than 3 credits may be used to fulfill the major requirements. |
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