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Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009

 
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Philosophy: Courses

PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines general topics in various areas of philosophy showing different sides of issues; develops critical thought and philosophical method.

PHI 107 Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces value theory, good and bad, justification of obligations to others, relationship of free choice and determinism, and contemporary moral problems analyzed by ethical principles.

PHI 108 Knowledge and Reality

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces epistemology, metaphysics, knowledge as a reflection of the real world's properties and its relation to different viewpoints, the world as material objects, the mind and matter, and the role of scientific and technical knowledge in today's world.

PHI 110 Philosophy of Human Nature

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces philosophical views of being human and consequences of these for thought, action, and emotion.

PHI 115 Critical Thinking

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines techniques of problem solving, decision making, and evaluating pros and cons of an issue; organizing data; forming strategies and giving reasons; perceptual, cultural, emotional, intellectual, and expressive blocks to thinking; and simple inductive reasoning and statistical fallacies.

PHI 117 Professional Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces ethical issues encountered in such professions as medicine, engineering, public service, the media, business, social work, accounting, law, and manufacturing with an environmental impact, as well as the central concepts of professionalism.

PHI 129 Special Topics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.
Provides for the study of various philosophical topics not covered in other 100-level courses.

PHI 138 Topics in Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Studies selected issues of obligations and values: what are the bases of judgments of right, wrong, good and bad, and what are the applications of these?

PHI 154 Asian Wisdom

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores spirit, thought, and action of Asians culled from the contemporary relevance of classical readings. Texts include Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Zen.

PHI 162 Law, Morality, Authority

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Enforcement of morals by law, the proper authority of the state or society over the individual.

PHI 212 Introduction to Philosophy of Religion

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces issues and questions in religion, including existence of a deity, religion and science, and functions of religion in personal life.

PHI 213 World Religions

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Surveys major religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism.

PHI 215 Introduction to Deductive Logic

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Covers definitions, formal and informal errors of reasoning, and principles of deductive reasoning; also examines the Aristotelian tradition.

PHI 221 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores the philosophy and methodology of science, scientific experimentation, the problem of induction, nature of scientific explanation, basis of probability, and fundamental characteristics of scientific theories.

PHI 228 Topics in Philosophy of Language

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Studies selected issues of language's structure, meaning and reference.

PHI 236 Business Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines current ethical positions and their applications to problems in business.

PHI 238 Philosophy of Law

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
An introductory class in jurisprudence and legal theory, covering general issues such as legitimacy, authority, validity, obligation, interpretation, economics, and the relation to morality, and/or specific issues such as criminal responsibility, punishment, promises, privacy, civil rights, accidents, property, etc.

PHI 244 Topics in Aesthetics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Selected issues in aesthetics, appreciation and evaluation of art, literature and drama.

PHI 252 Topics in Eastern Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Examines selected philosophical views from China, Japan, India, or Southeast Asia; views may include classical or contemporary Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Taoism.

PHI 256 Topics in History of Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Studies a selected position, tradition or issue in the history of philosophy.

PHI 298 Special Topics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): N/A
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.
Provides for the study of various philosophical topics not covered in other 200-level courses.

PHI 314 Philosophy of Religion

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Analyzes selected concepts in religious thought.

PHI 315 Symbolic Logic

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces the formal techniques of deductive reasoning.

PHI 320 Philosophy of Mind

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduction to the philosophy of mind, emphasizing contemporary discussion of the relationship between mind and the material world. Considers a number of different positions concerning this relationship and assesses the relative merit of each. Addresses questions such as: Are minds non-material entities, or is having a mind simply a matter of being a material entity with a certain type of complex organization? If having a mind is simply a matter of being a material entity of this sort, why do events such as pains and experiences of colors seem so different in kind from other material events?

PHI 321 Philosophy of Natural Sciences

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines the nature of theories within the physical sciences and the family of philosophical issues that surround their characterization; also explores causation, explanation, and induction.

PHI 322 Philosophy of Social Sciences

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Considers theories within the social sciences and the issues of how, if at all, they are fundamentally different from the theories of physical sciences.

PHI 329 Metaphysics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores theories of reality; freedom and determinism; and the reality of the self, the mind, and the body.

PHI 333 Epistemology

Credits: 3
Semester(s): N/A
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Considers epistemology: The nature, sources, kind, scope, and certainty and validity of knowledge.

PHI 334 Environmental Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examination of how humans should interact with the environment, both as individuals and as members of groups or organizations.

PHI 335 Contemporary Ethical Theory

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines attempts in moral philosophy to find a justification for the basic ethical principles; also considers conception of an ethics based on natural law.

PHI 336 History of Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Studies the history of ethics from ancient times through the Enlightenment. Also covers ancient Hebrew, Greek, medieval, and modern moral theories.

PHI 337 Social and Ethical Values in Medicine

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines current ethical positions and their application to ethical and social questions in medicine.

PHI 338 Law and Morality

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores the moral status of legality and the legal status of morality, the status of unjust laws, and the role of moral judgments of lawmakers. Is a good law one that does good?

PHI 340 Law and Responsibility

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores the legal notion of liability for actions, events, or states of affairs. On what basis does the law assign blame? Does this notion of blame accord with our moral or scientific notions of responsibility?

PHI 341 Social Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines conceptions of the good society and programs for improving contemporary societies; also explores democracy, equality, discrimination, civil disobedience, revolution, liberalism, conservatism, communism, capitalism.

PHI 342 Political Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Surveys political theories in a systematic or historical way.

PHI 344 Aesthetic Theory and Criticism

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Surveys theories of art and their evaluation of works of art.

PHI 345 Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Surveys historically or systematically various concepts of beauty and art.

PHI 346 Philosophy in Literature

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Introduces philosophy through literature, such as Voltaire's Candide and Sartre's Nausea, which present philosophical issues in vivid forms.

PHI 347 Gender and Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): N/A
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
To what degree are the fundamental concepts that lead philosophical investigation warped by gender prejudice, and perhaps also by other cultural blinders such as those related to race or nationality? This course introduces students to critical examination of philosophical concepts where gender assumptions arguably skew theories, such as the definition of "human" as "rational animal", the split between emotion and reason, the distinction between mind and body, the location of ethics in ideals of public justice, and ideas about what constitutes gender, sex, and the values associated with "masculinity" and "femininity." Both historical and contemporary texts will be studied.

PHI 352 Eastern Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): N/A
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines selected views, traditions or issues in Chinese, Japanese, Indian or Southeast Asian philosophies.

PHI 356 Special Topics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu

The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

Critically considers a selected philosophical issue.

PHI 359 American Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines early development of American philosophical thought; considers leading movements and thinkers, such as idealism, pragmatism (Peirce, James, Dewey), and realism.

PHI 360 Ancient Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Reviews the history of Greek philosophy from Pre-Socratic philosophers to the Hellenistics.

PHI 366 Medieval Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Studies the history of philosophy from Plotinus to the end of the Middle Ages.

PHI 370 Early Modern Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Reviews the history of metaphysics and epistemology from the Renaissance to Kant.

PHI 380 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy, Kant to Nietzsche

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Considers philosophy from Kant to the twentieth century; including idealism, post-Hegelian philosophies, positivism, utilitarianism, evolutionism, and intellectual movements at the close of the nineteenth century.

PHI 388 Twentieth-Century Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines representative movements and issues in present-day philosophy in Europe and America.

PHI 389 Contemporary Latin American Thought

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Surveys principal positions and traditions in contemporary philosophy in Latin America.

PHI 398 Special Topics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.

The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

Provides for the study of various philosophical topics not covered in other 300-level courses.

PHI 412 Philosophy of Religion

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Performs advanced critical analysis of selected issues in religious belief.

PHI 415 Logical Theory I

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Reviews modern studies in propositional logic, formal techniques that can be used to analyze inferences, and philosophical topics and problems related to propositional logic. Some acquaintance with logic desirable.

PHI 416 Logical Theory II

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: PHI 315
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Continuation of PHI 415. Considers predicate logic, generalization, and related philosophical issues.

PHI 417 Modal Logic

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Studies logical systems designed to express concepts of necessity and possibility. Develops semantic accounts employing systems of possible worlds. Examines philosophical topics and problems related to necessity and possibility.

PHI 418 Philosophy of Mathematics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Explores philosophical topics and problems of mathematics and its logical foundations.

PHI 419 Philosophy of Logic

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Reviews philosophical topics and issues of logic, both historical and contemporary.

PHI 420 Topics in Philosophy of Science

Credits: 3
Semester(s): N/A
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Involves an in-depth critical examination of selected issues in philosophy of the natural or social sciences.

PHI 438 Topics in Ethics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Addresses selected issues in ethics from a historical, contemporary, or thematic perspective.

PHI 442 Contemporary Issues of Social Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines strengths and weaknesses of current social philosophy positions.

PHI 443 Topics in Legal Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.
Considers philosophical issues in law, including theories of law, evidence, argument, punishment and penalties.

PHI 444 Aesthetics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Considers in-depth selected theories of art.

PHI 452 Eastern Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines selected views, traditions or issues in Chinese, Japanese, Indian, or Southeast Asian philosophies.

PHI 454 Chinese Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines selected views, traditions or issues in Chinese philosophy.

PHI 462 Plato

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Involves detailed consideration of central issues in Plato's philosophy.

PHI 463 Aristotle

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Involves detailed consideration of central issues in Aristotle's philosophy.

PHI 465 Ancient Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Considers selected issues in ancient philosophy, including comparison of major positions.

PHI 469 Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy

Credits: 3
Semester(s): Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Examines selected traditions or issues in philosophy from 500 to 1600 AD.

PHI 489 Special Topics

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: SEM
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu.

The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

Provides for the study of various philosophical topics not covered in other 400-level courses.

PHI 490 Introduction to Wittgenstein

Credits: 3
Semester(s): F
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
Studies Wittgenstein's philosophical development and positions.

PHI 497 Honors Thesis or Project

Credits: 1 - 8
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: TUT
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu

The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

PHI 498 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

Credits: 1 - 8
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: TUT
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu
The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

PHI 499 Independent Study

Credits: 1 - 8
Semester(s): F Sp
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: TUT
See the Philosophy Department website for details, at http://www.philosophy.buffalo.edu

The content of this course is variable and therefore it is repeatable for credit. The University Grade Repeat Policy does not apply.

Updated: May 8, 2008 3:36:33 PM