Philosophy
Head: Douglas Lind
Professors: J. C. Klagge, J. C. Pitt, and D. Lind
Associate Professors: L. Patton and M. Moehler
Assistant Professors: B. Jantzen, K. Trogdon, S. Hirji, and D. Wodak
Visiting Assistant Professors: G. Novack, N. Rockwood, and T. Parent
Adjunct Professor: J. Garrison (School of Education)
Career Advisor: J. C. Pitt (231-4564)
Emeritus: R. Burian, H. B. Miller, P. Talbutt, and D. Mayo
Web: www.phil.vt.edu
Overview
Courses in philosophy aim at critical understanding and rigorous evaluation of the concepts underlying our views concerning the nature of reality, what sorts of things there are, what can be known, what is of value, and what people ought to do and to aim at. The department offers programs leading to the B.A. and to the M.A. Philosophy majors receive a strong liberal arts education and are prepared for careers that require a broad perspective and independent judgment. They are prepared for graduate work in a variety of scholarly and professional fields. An undergraduate philosophy major is especially appropriate for the student considering law school, medical school, or other professional schools. In addition, philosophy may be chosen as a minor.
Philosophy majors must complete the college core and the Curriculum for Liberal Education and successfully complete at least 30 hours in philosophy, including three courses in the history of philosophy, and 3505 (Symbolic Logic). At least 9 of the 30 hours must be at the 3000 level or above, with at least 3 of these hours at the 4000 level. In addition, a strong second area of concentration is chosen by each major student; it will consist of at least 18 credit hours [including courses as part of the Liberal Education requirements] in one discipline or in a set of closely related disciplines other than philosophy. At least 6 of these 18 hours must be at the 3000 level or above. Also, the department has recently added a new Pre-Medical Professions Option in Philosophy. See Philosophy Department web site for specific details. A double major is possible with any of several other curricula.
Philosophy minors must complete at least 18 hours of philosophy, including one of 1504 or 3505, 6 hours selected from courses at the 3000 or 4000 level and an additional 3 hours from either the 3000-4000 level or in the history sequence (2115, 2116, 2125, 2126).
Satisfactory Progress
University policy requires that students who are making satisfactory progress toward a degree meet minimum criteria toward the General Education (Curriculum for Liberal Education) (see "Academics") and toward the degree in philosophy.
Satisfactory progress requirements toward the B.A. in philosophy can be found on the major checksheet by visiting the University Registrar website at http://registrar.vt.edu/graduation-multi-brief/index1.html.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (PHIL)
1204: KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY
Examines the questions: What is the nature of reality?
How do I know what is real and what is misleading
appearance, error, or illusion? What is knowledge? How do
I find out who I am and how I relate to the world around
me?
(3H,3C)
1304: MORALITY AND JUSTICE
A critical survey of theories concerning human nature, the
meaningful life, and the moral evaluation of actions,
persons, and institutions. Theories will be applied to such
issues as abortion, justice, and moral problems faced by
professionals.
(3H,3C)
1504: LANGUAGE AND LOGIC
Basic concepts in logic and critical thinking: argument,
validity, deduction and induction, logical form, formal and
informal fallacies. Introduction to the logic of truth
functions and of categorical statements. Critical analysis
of arguments in ordinary language.
(3H,3C)
2115,2116: ANCIENT THROUGH MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
Western philosophical thought through the medieval period.
2115: ancient philosophy, including Presocratics, Socrates,
Plato, and Aristotle. 2116: main trends in
Post-Aristotelian Greek and Roman philosophy and medieval
philosophy, including Augustine, Aquinas, and Ockham.
(3H,3C)
2125,2126: HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY
Western philosophical thought from Descartes through Kant.
2125: 17th Century Philosophy, including Descartes,
Spinoza, Leibniz, and Locke. 2126: 18th century philosophy,
including Berkeley, Hume and Kant, with special attention
to significant predecessors.
(3H,3C)
2304: GLOBAL ETHICS
Ethical issues in international context. Application of the
principles of moral theory to such issues as the obligations
of richer nations toward poorer ones, cultural and other
forms of relativism, emigration and immigration,
nationalism, war, deterrence, intervention, environmental
degradation, preservation of natural diversity, and
responsibilities toward future generations.
(3H,3C)
2605,2606: REASON AND REVOLUTION IN SCIENCE
Study of philosophical approaches to understanding and
justifying modes of human reasoning both in science and
everyday life. 2605: nature of theory confirmation and
falsification; 2606: justifying changing paradigms of
human inquiry.
(3H,3C)
2894 (ECON 2894) (PSCI 2894): INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS
Integrated study of philosophy, politics, and economics.
Trains students to make decisions that are not only
economically sound, but also socially, ethically, and
politically informed. Topics include: models of human
nature, rational choice theory, social cooperation,
distributive justice, markets, and democracy.
(3H,3C)
2964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.
2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3015,3016 (PSCI 3015, 3016): POLITICAL THEORY
Analysis of the fundamental ideas in the history of
political theory. 3015: The thought and ethical
implications of philosophers from the ancient Greeks to
early modern times. Analysis of writings from Plato
through medieval theorists to those of the Seventeenth
Century. 3016: The thought and ethical implications
of philosophers from the late Seventeenth Century to
the present. Analysis of key concepts in the thought
of theorists from the early modern period until the
present.
Pre: PSCI 2014.
(3H,3C)
3024: PHILOSOPHICAL MOVEMENTS
This course focuses on the assumptions and methods of one or
more contemporary or historically important movements in
philosophy such as Existentialism, Feminism, Local
Positivism, Phenomenology, Pragmatism, or Naturalism.
Pre-requisite: 3 Philosophy credits required.
May be repeated twice for credit under different topics, up
to 9 hours total.
(3H,3C)
3314: ETHICAL THEORY
Careful examination of some important historical or
contemporary ethical theories. Includes coverage of such
topics as the assessment of character and action, the
foundations of ethical theories, their justification, their
relationship to scientific theories, and their objective or
subjective status. 3 Philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
3324: BIOMEDICAL ETHICS
Philosophical analysis of ethical issues in medicine and
biotechnology, such as problems arising in connection with
the relations between physicians and patients, the
challenges of cultural diversity, practices surrounding
human and animal research, decisions about end of life care,
embryonic stem cell research, genetic engineering,
biotechnological human enhancement, and social justice in
relation to health-care policy.
(3H,3C)
3414: AESTHETICS
Studies the basic concepts used in the analysis and
evaluation of art works; considers problems of art criticism
as treated within major types of aesthetic theory.
(3H,3C)
3454: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
A consideration of religious belief and its justification
with attention to such philosophical issues as the nature
and existence of God, the problem of evil, and the notion of
faith.
(3H,3C)
3505-3506: MODERN LOGIC AND ITS DEVELOPMENT
Logic and logical theory and the history of its development.
3505: Validity of arguments. Syllogistic logic from
Aristotle to modern times. Deductive methods in truth
functional and quantificational logic through the theory
of identity. Translation from English into symbolic form.
3506: Metalogic and the history and philosophy of modern
logical theory. Decidability and undecidability,
completeness and incompleteness of formal systems.
Developments from Cantor to Goedel.
Must have 3505 to take 3506.
(3H,3C)
4015,4016: SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY
Critical examination of special issues of current
philosophical interest. 3 Philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
4204: PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
Current issues in the philosophy of mind such as relation of
mind and body, status of the mental, knowledge of one's own
and other minds, personal identity, consciousness, mentality
of animals and machines, topics in the philosophy of
psychology. 3 Philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
4214: METAPHYSICS
Examination of some of the central problems of metaphysics.
Topics may include: existence, necessary truth, the problem
of universals, causation, the identity of the self through
time, free will. Attention will be given both to the
historical development of these problems and to contemporary
philosophical responses to them. 3 Philosophy credits
required.
(3H,3C)
4224: EPISTEMOLOGY
Theory of knowledge. Is all knowledge based on experience?
Does knowledge have a foundation? Can knowledge of the
present and the nearby give us reasons for beliefs about
the future, the past, or about events far away?
3 Philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
4304: TOPICS IN SOCIAL & POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Study of fundamental topics in political philosophy, such as
distributive justice, equality, individual rights,
constitutional government, and the justification of
political authority. 3 Philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
4324 (MGT 4324): BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
An inquiry into the fundamental norms of conduct in business
and other professions and their justification in relation to
the most important ethical theories. Special attention will
be given to moral problems such as the ethics of hiring and
firing, bribery, and professional responsibility to society.
(3H,3C)
4334: JURISPRUDENCE
An examination of the nature of law and legal systems with
attention to traditional theories of law and to such topics
as judicial decision and discretion, law and morality,
the justification of legal coercion. 3 Philosophy credits
required.
(3H,3C)
4514: SPECIAL TOPICS IN LOGIC
Topics that build upon a knowledge of classical deductive
logic: extensions of classical logic, alternatives to
classical logic, philosophy of logic, and philosophy of
language. Topics to be announced each semester course is
offered.
Pre: 3505.
(3H,3C)
4604: PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY
This course is designed primarily for students of biology
or philosophy students with a strong interest in biology.
Topics vary from year to year, but include the changing
character of biology as a science, the special character of
biological explanations and methods, and the place and value
of reduction (e.g., of Mendelian to molecular genetics) in
biology.
(3H,3C)
4614: PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
An examination of the structure and methodology of science
as well as key concepts such as explanation, confirmation,
realism, and instrumentalism. One year of science and
3 philosophy credits required.
(3H,3C)
4884 (ECON 4884) (PSCI 4884): ADVANCED TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS
Advanced topics at the intersection of philosophy, politics,
and economics. Core methods and concepts: utility theory,
game theory, social choice theory, public choice theory,
markets, justice, and democracy. Senior research project.
Advanced discourse. Pre: Senior standing.
Pre: 2894 or PSCI 2894 or ECON 2894.
(3H,3C)
4964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.
4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
4974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.
4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.