Philosophy :: PHL 130 -850

Section 001 (Hedrick)

Theories of knowledge, values, and reality. Topic such as objectivity, relativism and cultural diversity, moral responsibility, aesthetic values, the self, existence of God, free will, minds and machines.

Section 002 (Nelson)

Section 003

Section 004

PHL 130 - Logic and Reasoning

Deductive and inductive reasoning. Topics such as rational argumentation, fallacies, definition, meaning, truth and evidence. Techniques for critical reading and thinking.

PHL 211 - Modern Philosophy

Philosophy from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century, including Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche.

PHL 220 - Existentialism

Philosophical problems of existence, knowledge, and action as addressed in selected readings from the Presocratics, Plato, Aristotle, and Hellenistic philosophers.

PHL 330 - Formal Reasoning

Philosophy from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century, including Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche.

PHL 340 - Ethics

Inquiry through the writings of some important theorists, their critics and their contemporary followers. Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, Sidgwick.

PHL 344 - Ethical Issues in Health Care

Termination of treatment, truth-telling, informed consent, human experimentation, reproductive issues, allocation of scarce resources, justice and the health care system.

PHL 351 - African Philosophy

Debates about the nature of philosophy in Africa and specific controversies about knowledge, rationality, metaphysics, morality, and politics. African philosophy in a global context.

PHL 354 - Philosophy of Law

Legal concepts such as punishment, responsibility, rights and duties, and judicial decisions. Legal theories such as natural law, positivism and realism.

PHL 355 -Philosophy of Technology

Examination of the desirability of technology, its social forms, and its alternatives. Conventional productivist, ecological progressive, and radical humanist outlooks.

PHL 356 - Philosophical Aspects of Feminism

Conceptual and normative issues in feminist theory. Topics such as sexism, oppression, coercion, control, power, equality, personhood, respect and self-respect, rape, separatism, community, intimacy, and autonomy.

PHL 357 Philosophy of Karl Marx

Marx's philosophical thought and its bearing on science, religion, art and politics.

PHL 380 Nature of Science

Conflicting views about science and values. Such topics as scientific methodology; the objectivity and value neutrality of science; the presuppositions, goals, and limits of science; and science and decision making.

PHL 411 Aristotle Seminar

Aristotle's major works and his major contributions to the metaphysics, psychology, ethics, the arts, and politics. Variable by term in content.

PHL 421 Topics in Euro and Continental Philosophy

Discussion of movements, issues, or figures in Continental and European Philosophy. Variable by term in content.

PHL 440 Central Issues in Ethics

Twentieth-century discussions of universalization, utilitarianism, nature of a moral theory, moral language, relativism, skepticism, theory and practice, weakness of will, moral education, and justification.

PHL 442 ETHICS AND ANIMALS

Moral standing for non-human animals, basis for human moral obligations to animals, animal's cognitive abilities. Ethics of using animals in specific ways: Medical research, for food, in zoos, in the wild and in biotechnology.

PHL 453 Ethics in Global Health Care

Ethical issues about public health from a global perspective. Health and illness in the context of development, poverty, technological change, resource conflicts, the distribution of power, and social violence. Values and policy issues regarding resources, environment, and the distribution and quality of health care.

PHL 461 Metaphysics

Basic concepts employed in trying to understand the nature of things. Concepts include universals, particulars, things, kinds, properties, events, persons, change, causality, chance existence, possibility, necessity, space, and time.

PHL 492 Capstone for Majors

Advanced, variable topic seminar for undergraduate majors. Seminar presentations. Substantial paper.

PHL 499 Senior Thesis Research (W)

Individual research project supervised by a faculty member that demonstrates the student's ability to do independent research and submit or present a major paper.

PHL 840 Seminar in Value Theory

PHL 850 Seminar in Social and Political Philosophy

Major figures, themes, or periods in social and political philosophy. Topics vary.

PHL 860 Seminar in Metaphysics and Epistemology

PHL 880 Seminar in Philosophy of Science

Selected topics in the philosophy of the special sciences, in the metatheory of science, and in the social studies of science.

PHL 890 Independent Study

Special projects, directed reading, and research arranged by an individual graduate student and a faculty member in areas supplementing regular course offerings.

PHL 894 Pract Philosophy Health Care

Study of ethical and policy issues in hospital and governmental agency settings.

PHL 899 Master's Thesis Research

Directed research leading to a master's thesis partial fulfillment of Plan A master's degree requirements.

College of Arts and Letters Department Directory

Michigan State University | College of Arts and Letters

Future Semesters

SPRING 2016

PHL 130 - 850

PHL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy