Undergraduate Course Descriptions
| PHIL - Philosophy | ||
| Catalog Nbr. | Course Title/Course Topics | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 151 | Introduction To Philosophy | 3.00 |
| How do we become wise? What does it mean to be a lover of wisdom? How can human beings have knowledge of reality? In this course, we ask the question "what is philosophy?" with a special concern for the relationship between knowledge (or wisdom) and reality. This will include a beginning look at some key canonical figures in the history of philosophy such as Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Hegel. Next, we will consider the historical presence of European philosophy by reading several non-canonical movements in philosophy by reading several non-canonical movements in philosophy including: feminist , Latin American, and Japanese philosophy. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): World Lang, Culture, Philos | ||
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring Terms | ||
| PHIL 160 | Philosophy and Film | 3.00 |
| In this course we will view films with philosophical themes and pair them with readings that help us to consider those themes more deeply. Readings will be at the introductory level; and films will include everything from the artsy to the absurd. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): World Lang, Culture, Philos | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Only | ||
| PHIL 175 | Philosophy Of Religion | 3.00 |
| Examination of the religious dimension of human experience. Topics include the nature of religion as an aspect of human experience, an introductory study of the major religious traditions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and others), and traditional philosophical problems, such as the existence of God, the problem of evil, and the possibility of immortality. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): Non-Western | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Only | ||
| PHIL 189 | Philosophy Elective | 1.00 - 9.00 |
| Transfer credits ONLY from another accredited institution not equivalent to a UW-Superior course. | ||
| PHIL 211 | Contemporary Moral Problems | 3.00 |
| Are all acts inherently selfish? Should everyone follow the same moral laws? Do we need God to tell us how to behave? Why should we be good and what does that even mean? Should all living creatures be treated equally? In this course we will entertain questions like these as we apply moral theories to a selection of contemporary issues (for example, human rights, environmental ethics, the global sex trade, the death penalty). A key concern will be our ethical responsibilities in the diverse contemporary global theater. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): World Lang, Culture, Philos | ||
Typically Offered: Fall and Spring Terms | ||
| PHIL 212 | Critical Thinking | 3.00 |
| Basic elements and common patterns of argument. Inductive and deductive modes of thought are explored with emphasis on the concepts and principles of correct reasoning. Designed to assist students to understand and evaluate ordinary arguments and to develop skills in constructing arguments in the spoken and written word. Cross-listed PHIL/PSYC 212. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): World Lang, Culture, Philos | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Only | ||
| PHIL 250 | The Philosophy of Children | 3.00 |
| In this course, we will both cultivate our wonder about children, and their wonder about the world. This will be achieved by first considering children and childhood through a philosophical lens, and second, by exploring the manner in which children themselves philosophize. Our ultimate purpose will be to take this knowledge into local elementary classrooms and to engage children in philosophical thought, encouraging their inherent sense of wonder, and cultivating an appreciation for their unique perspectives on life. | ||
Prerequisites: Prerequisite for taking this course is completion of PHIL 151, or PHIL 211, or consent of instructor. | ||
Typically Offered: Fall Term Every Other Year | ||
| PHIL 262 | Introduction to Political Theory | 3.00 |
| This course exposes students to some of the classic pieces in this field of political theory and teaches them how to work with theoretical and philosophical texts that continue to shape, inform, and challenge the analysis of current political phenomena today. Through these texts, the course introduces questions about the nature of human beings, the roots of government authority, the best regime, and the circumstances of legitimate revolution as well as ideals such as liberty, equality, rights, and justice. Cross-listed as PHIL/POLS 262. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): World Lang, Culture, Philos | ||
Typically Offered: Fall Term Only | ||
| PHIL 289 | Philosophy Elective | 1.00 - 12.00 |
| Transfer credits ONLY from another accredited institution not equivalent to a UW-Superior course. | ||
| PHIL 300 | History and Philosophy of Science | 3.00 |
| Examines the nature of science, the history of science, and the nature and history of the impact of science on human life and thought. Provides some understanding of the methods of science, the difference between science and pseudo science, the political and ideological uses of science, and the moral responsibilities of scientists and science educators. Cross listed as PHIL/PHYS 300. | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Only | ||
| PHIL 301 | Study Abroad | 0.00 - 6.00 |
| Field trips designed by the department faculty to give students direct experiences in foreign countries. Each program includes preparatory reading, orientation meetings, a faculty-supervised study tour, and a detailed written evaluation of learning situations associated with the course. With consent of the relevant program and content adaptation, programs provided by other agencies can be considered for this credit. Students must obtain approval for taking these courses prior to participation. Otherwise the course may not count. Also, for specific degree requirements, please consult your advisor. Course can be repeated only if the content is different. | ||
Typically Offered: Occasional by Demand | ||
| PHIL 330 | Teaching for Social Justice | 3.00 |
| Students will investigate what it means to be a teacher who is concerned with social justice. Central concerns will include: identifying and addressing inequalities of power within the classroom; making the classroom a liberating (rather than oppressive) place; the self-reflective classroom; and how to respond to students' (latent and manifest) sexism, racism, classism and homophobia. This course will be relevant to those with interests in philosophy, women's and gender studies, and for those planning to work in education, social service, non-profits, or community activism. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): Diversity | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Only | ||
| PHIL 340 | Enlightenment, Freedom and Alienation (19th Century Philosophy) | 3.00 |
| In this course we will read philosophers who are concerned with our liberation from inherited, imprisoning beliefs systems. As such, special attention will be given to the philosophical question of freedom, its limits, and its use as a basis for rationality, morality, and politics. This course will focus primarily on philosophers from the Enlightenment (Kant) through German Idealism (Hegel) and Marxism. | ||
Prerequisites: Prerequisite for taking this course is completion of PHIL 151, or POLS 262, or instructor consent. | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Every Other Year | ||
| PHIL 350 | The Self-Unconcealed (20th Century Philosophy) | 3.00 |
| "Know thyself" seems like good advice. But what does it mean to know yourself? Aren't some aspects of ourselves hidden from us? Do others know us in ways that we can never know ourselves? This course is an exploration of (mostly 20th Century Continental) philosophers notions of the self/subjectivity. Interestingly, they consider the self as something fundamentally concealed/hidden/absent from oneself. Our ongoing question will be; how can we have any self-knowledge in light of these ideas? Philosophers we will consider may include: Husserl, Sartre,Levinas, and Derrida. | ||
Prerequisites: Prerequisite for taking this course is completion of PHIL 151, or PHIL 211, or consent of instructor. | ||
Typically Offered: Fall Term Every Other Year | ||
| PHIL 351 | Selected Topics | 3.00 |
| In-depth study of a particular problem, philosopher or period of current interest. May be repeated for up to nine credits provided topics are different. | ||
Typically Offered: Occasional by Demand | ||
| PHIL 365 | Philosophy of Love and Sex | 3.00 |
| In this course we will begin with the assumption that love and sex cannot be reduced to "a commotion of one's anatomy." Instead we will consider them as two of the most meaningful aspects of human existence, as our most intimate and profound ways of relating to others and to ourselves. Cross-listed as PHIL/WST 365. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): Diversity | ||
Typically Offered: Fall Term Only | ||
| PHIL 389 | Philosophy Elective | 1.00 - 12.00 |
| Transfer credits ONLY from another accredited institution not equivalent to a UW-Superior course. | ||
| PHIL 456 | Feminist Theory and Action | 3.00 |
| Seminar course providing a deeper look at feminist thought, building on the introduction provided in WST 150. Through readings and films, examines conversations, controversies, and connections among a range of feminist thinkers. Students explore the intersections of feminist thought and action, reading a variety of calls to action and articulating their own. Cross-listed as PHIL/WST 456. | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Every Other Year | ||
| PHIL 459 | Philosophies of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Mothering | 3.00 |
| This course will explore pregnancy, childbirth, and mothering from two perspectives-the embodied experience of women and its political-social context. We will consider how women's firsthand experiences of motherhood are responses to a broader social milieu. This approach will enable us to think about a variety of philosophical themes and questions with regard to our topic including: philosophical method, embodiment, sex and gender, the origins of ethics, moral obligation, virtue, moral luck, intersubjectivity, and oppression. Cross-listed as PHIL/WST 459. | ||
General Education Requirements (2016-17 and Prior Catalogs): Diversity | ||
Typically Offered: Spring Term Every Other Year | ||
| PHIL 489 | Philosophy Elective | 1.00 - 9.00 |
| Transfer credits ONLY from another accredited institution not equivalent to a UW-Superior course. | ||
| PHIL 490 | Independent Study | 1.00 - 3.00 |
| Individually supervised reading and study of a topic or problem of student interest. A paper is required. | ||
Prerequisites: Consent of cooperating Instructor and Department Chair. | ||
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms | ||