XII. Course Descriptions
Philosophy
Department of Philosophy
Note:Specific descriptions of all courses to be offered in a given semester will be available from the Department of Philosophy
in each preceding semester. Students are advised to consult these descriptions. Different sections of a course often emphasize
different aspects of that course.
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All 2000 level philosophy courses are open to students who have completed 5.00 credits or who have completed one of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050.
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Unless otherwise noted, 3000 level philosophy courses are open to students who have completed at least 1.50 credits in philosophy
or 7.50 credits.
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For most 4000 level courses, students are expected to have completed at least 1.00 credits in philosophy at the 3000 level.
Some 4000 level credits have specific prerequisites, e.g. PHIL*4230, PHIL*4360 (see course descriptions in the following pages). If a student is taking several credits with such prerequisites, then the
number of other philosophy credits which need to be completed may exceed the general requirement of 1.00 credits at the 3000
level. PHIL*4310 is designed to be open to seventh and eighth semester students who have no previous philosophy credit. If in doubt about
being well prepared for a particular course, the student should consult with either the instructor or the chair of the department.
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Students may receive credit for PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010 and PHIL*1050, but only one may be counted towards the minimum number of philosophy credits required for a degree in philosophy. Students
intending to proceed in the discipline at the 2000 level are advised to take only 0.50 credits at the 1000 level.
| PHIL*1000 Introductory Philosophy: Major Texts F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course will deal with enduring philosophical questions through an exploration of primary texts in the history of philosophy.
Topics covered may include the nature of knowledge and the different types of knowledge, the relationship between the mind
and the body, and the nature of good and evil. Texts and topics will vary with the instructor; students are advised to consult
the Philosophy department's website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| PHIL*1050 Introductory Philosophy: Basic Problems F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course introduces students to philosophy through the exploration of basic perennial philosophical problems and questions,
such as whether there is free will, a God, objective right and wrong, genuine knowledge of the world, and other topics. The
readings for the course will consist primarily of 20th century philosophical writing.
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| PHIL*2030 Philosophy of Medicine F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Medicine is a philosophical, not merely a practical, empirical enterprise. This course covers philosophical concepts which
are widely used to evaluate health and health-practices include: autonomy, consent, mind, will, rights, harm, fairness, dignity,
truth and even `health' itself. Issues central to health and health care practice include: the nature of professional-client
relationships, genetic counseling, passive and active euthanasia, pharmacology and behaviour modification, resource allocation,
and the special set of issues raised by reproductive technologies.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2060 Philosophy of Feminism I W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course examines metaphysical, epistemological and ethical issues in feminist philosophy, including such topics as the
nature and consequences of patriarchy, human nature, sexual divisions of labour, women's studies, rationalizations of inequalities
and explorations into a contemporary feminist agenda for social, political and economic changes. (Also offered through Distance
Education format.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2070 Philosophy of the Environment W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Environmental Philosophy asks questions such as: How has `nature' been conceptualized in the Western philosophical tradition,
in aesthetics, science, and ethics? What arguments have been offered for the view that humans are superior among creatures?
What connections might there be between the ways that nature, humankind, and animals have been conceptualized and the ways
that humans have tended to act toward the non-human natural environment? This course may cover such topics as: climate change,
resource extraction and justice, biotechnology, obligations to future generations, risk assessment and discount rates, species
lost, conservation vs. preservation. (Also offered through Distance Education format.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2100 Critical Thinking F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is designed to develop clarity of thought and method in the analysis and construction of arguments. By contrast
to PHIL*2110, the emphasis here is upon informal principles of critical thinking and arguments stated in terms of ordinary language. Topics
include the nature and methods of arguing, classification, definition and fallacies.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2120 Ethics F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Philosophical ethics is the attempt to systematize, explain, and justify the standards by which we evaluate our conduct as
persons. The course may include treatment of controversial ethical issues such as abortion, euthanasia, war, and the treatment
of animals and will cover many of the following questions: can we expect to find a single, universal code of ethics that applies
to all human beings, or do such codes vary for each society or even for each individual? What are the roles of reason and
emotion in ethics? Is morality grounded on a principle, and if so, what is it? Are there any traits of character that one
must have to be a good person? Given that traditional ethical codes have been almost universally sexist, how must ethics be
refashioned in order for women to achieve equal recognition? (Also offered through Distance Education format.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2130 Philosophy of Religion F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course considers various philosophical questions concerning religion, such as arguments for the existence of God, the
problem of evil, the meaning of religious language, the significance of mystical experience and human immortality. (Offered
in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2140 History of Greek and Roman Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| A survey of the beginnings of Western philosophy, this course will focus on themes such as the nature of reality, the ways
we might come to have knowledge, and the good life for human beings. This course will typically consider such thinkers as
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Cicero and Seneca, although the specific course content will vary with the instructor.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2170 Existentialism W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Existentialism is a philosophy built around the experience of human freedom. This course focuses on the character of the subject
who makes choices, and on the personal and political responsibilities that attach to the making of decisions. The course will
examine this and other themes associated with Existentialism through nineteenth and twentieth century representatives, which
may include Kierkegaard, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Camus and others. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2180 Philosophy of Science F (3-0) [0.50] |
| As a system of knowledge pursuit, science develops laws and theories to explain, predict, understand, and control empirical
phenomena. This course introduces students to many of the challenging assumptions, foundations, and implications of science.
Topics include the nature of scientific knowledge, the structure of scientific theories, the distinction between science and
pseudo-science, whether there is a scientific method, and how social and political processes influence the way science develops.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2220 Philosophy and Literary Art F (3-0) [0.50] |
| The course will engage with literary art forms (fiction, drama, poetry, and film) for philosophical goals. Possible emphases
include the use of literary works to express philosophical topics; philosophical investigations of the nature of literary
art forms; and philosophies of interpretation of such art forms (e.g., classical poetics, hermeneutics, deconstruction, analytical
aesthetics). (Offered in odd-numbered years.) (Also offered through Distance Education format.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2370 Introduction to Metaphysics W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course studies major theories of the nature of reality, and of issues and problems that arise in the investigation of
fundamental features of the world. Texts read may be either historical or contemporary. Among possible topics explored in
the course are materialism, free will, and determinism, the nature of time, and the position of consciousness in the world.
(Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*2600 Business and Professional Ethics W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course examines ethical and evaluative issues relating to business and professional practices, and is intended for students
registered in a science or professional program, but without a background in philosophy. Topics to be explored include the
nature of values and ethical systems, duties and rights, private and public goods, the consumer movement, social marketing,
corporate social accounting, private right and professional responsibility.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits or (1 of PHIL*1000, PHIL*1010, PHIL*1050)
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| PHIL*3040 Philosophy of Law F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an introduction to the main topics in the philosophy of law. It aims to give students a philosophical grounding
in such issues as the purpose and nature of law, the relationship between law and individual freedom and the question of international
law. Thinkers studied may include St. Thomas Aquinas, John Stuart Mill and H.L.A. Hart. The course may also include an examination
of the way in which controversial ethical and social issues are treated under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits or PHIL*2120 |
| PHIL*3050 Philosophy of Art W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course considers various philosophical questions concerning art such as the nature of a work of art, the nature of beauty,
the relationship between the artist and the audience, the task of the art critic, the social function of art. (Offered in
odd-numbered years.) (Also offered through Distance Education format.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3060 Medieval Philosophy W (3-0) [0.50] |
| The ideas of central figures in philosophy from the Patristic period (3rd century A.D.) to the early Renaissance (14th century) will be examined through original sources. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy |
| PHIL*3090 Philosophy of Kant W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Kant revolutionized the philosophical tradition of investigating objectivity (asking what the nature of reality is, in itself)
by investigating subjectivity (asking how knowledge is possible for us). This course will typically examine one of Kant's
Critiques and/or a central philosophical theme that appears in Kant's works. (Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy |
| PHIL*3130 Contemporary British and American Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| Ludwig Wittgenstein and other Vienna philosophers of the early 20th century believed that much of traditional philosophy was
meaningless word-play, and that the reason many people didn't see this is that it's difficult to distinguish the meaningless
from the meaningful. Their attempts to do so - taking what Richard Rorty called “the linguistic turn” - shaped much of 20th
century philosophy in English-speaking countries. This course will critically examine the original movement, some attempts
to apply its ideas in various areas such as epistemology, ethics and philosophy of mind, and some ideas that arose in reaction
to the original movement, e.g., so-called “ordinary language philosophy,” neopragmatism and naturalized philosophy.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3170 Critical Debates in the Philosophy of Science W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course studies specialized questions about science within a broad intellectual and social context. Contested issues regarding
the nature of science, its aims and methods, and science's relation to society will be critically examined. Past offerings
of the course have examined such topics as realism and antirealism, naturalized explanations, the unity/disunity of science,
and feminist approaches to science. (Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
PHIL*2180 |
| PHIL*3180 Philosophy of Mind W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is a survey of central issues and positions in contemporary philosophy of mind. Topics may include: the nature
of the mind and its relation with the brain; the puzzle of conscious experience; and the problem of mental content. (Offered
in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy |
| PHIL*3190 Theory of Knowledge I F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an advanced introduction to the central issues in epistemology, such as the nature of knowledge and how it
differs from mere true belief. Possible topics include skepticism, theories of justification and rationality, self-knowledge
and the sources of belief. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy |
| PHIL*3210 Women in the History of Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course will examine selected works of women philosophers and their contributions to the major philosophical debates of
their day. The philosophers covered may be drawn from any period in the history of philosophy, up to, and including, the 20th century and topics covered have ranged across feminist issues, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. Because texts and topics
will vary with the instructor, students are advised to consult the departmental website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3230 Issues in Social and Political Philosophy W (3-0) [0.50] |
| Social or political philosophy is the area of philosophy concerned with the morality of major social institutions such as
the state, the economy, and the family. This course may engage in the detailed examination of one or more of the following
questions: what justifies the state's claim to authority? What are the proper dimensions of individual liberty? What levels
of material and social equality are required for a society to be just? These questions will be pursued through reading historical
and/or contemporary philosophical texts. (Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3240 Philosophy of Technology F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course examines the philosophical problems associated with technology. Topics may include the nature of technology, the
relation between technology and science, and the various critiques of technology - religious, political, ethical and existentialist
- in contemporary society. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits. |
| PHIL*3250 Philosophy of Language F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course will explore the relationship between human beings and language, and between language and the world. In particular,
it may address such fundamental questions as: What is it about the way in which we use words that gives them the meanings
they have? And what is the relationship between words and objects to which they refer? Authors studied may include representatives
from the analytic and/or continental traditions in philosophy. (Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3280 21st Century Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an introduction to the most current philosophical texts and movements developed since the beginning of the
21st Century. Students will be taught to understand and work creatively with the most recent ideas in the discipline. Material
covered will focus almost exclusively on the philosophical texts written in or after the year 2000.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy |
| PHIL*3350 Selected Topics in Philosophy II U (3-0) [0.50] |
| The topics for this course will vary from one offering to the next, and will deal with material, such as Philosophy of History,
Philosophy of Social Science and advanced Philosophy of Religion generally arising from the instructor's current research
interests. This course gives students a chance to explore topics and texts not usually covered in other courses at a more
advanced level than PHIL*2350. Students are encouraged to consult the departmental website for course content and availability:
http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3410 Major Texts in the History of Philosophy W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course will consider central and continuing philosophical issues through an exploration of primary texts in the history
of philosophy. The readings and periods stressed will vary from year to year, but could cover significant and enduring texts
from the ancient period right up to the 21st century. Texts and topics will vary with the instructor; students are advised to consult the Philosophy department's website:
http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3450 Ethics in the Life Sciences W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an advanced introduction to the ethical implications of values and practices guiding research in the life sciences.
Fields of discussion may include ethics in health care, genetics and human reproduction, environmental sciences, agriculture,
animal husbandry, animal welfare, and food technologies. Material covered will be drawn from current books and articles by
philosophers in this rapidly expanding area.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy. PHIL*2120, PHIL*2180 are recommended.
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| PHIL*3710 Directed Reading F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is intended as an intensive course of reading chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty member. |
| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| Restriction(s): |
Instructor consent required. |
| PHIL*3720 Directed Reading F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is intended as an intensive course of reading chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty member. |
| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| Restriction(s): |
Instructor consent required. |
| PHIL*3910 Indian Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course provides an analysis of selected primary sources of Indian philosophy in translation, from the Vedic Upanishads
to the "integral yoga" of Sri Aurobindo. Emphasis will be on the basic inspirational works of Hinduism and Buddhism, and their
respective views on the ultimate nature of reality, the self, suffering, freedom, ignorance and enlightenment. (Offered in
even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3920 Chinese Philosophy W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course analyzes selected primary sources of Chinese philosophy, in translation, from the Ching to Mao Tse-tung. Emphasis
will be on the foundational works of Confucianism, Taoism, Ch'an (or Zen) Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism, concerning such
issues as the ultimate nature of being, non-being and human destiny, proper government of the self, the family and society,
and the principles and practice of enlightenment. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*3930 African Philosophy F (3-0) [0.50] |
| An introduction to the philosophical traditions of Africa, part historical and part contemporary. The shorter historical section
will cover some themes from the thought of ancient Egypt, early Christian and Islamic philosophy in North Africa and precolonial
traditions from West Africa. The greater section of the course will deal with philosophical movements in Africa since the
1960's, as well as their implications for African American thought and philosophy generally. (Offered in even-numbered years.)
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.50 credits in Philosophy or 7.50 credits |
| PHIL*4040 Advanced Philosophy of the Environment U (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an exploration in detail of central debates in environmental philosophy. Possible topics include: genetic modification
of plants and animals, duties to future generations, obligations to distant global others, the ethics of encounters, animal
welfare, trans-species communication, restoration and conservation projects, aesthetics, virtue ethics and stewardship.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level. PHIL*2070 recommended
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| PHIL*4060 Philosophy of Feminism II U (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is an advanced study of problems in feminist philosophy. The course may cover specific topics or the work of one
or more feminist philosophers. Topics may be drawn from feminist ethics, epistemology, and/or postmodernism. Texts and topics
will vary with the instructor; students are advised to consult the Philosophy department's website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level or PHIL*2060 |
| PHIL*4110 Symbolic Logic U (3-0) [0.50] |
| A study of issues and techniques beyond the level of elementary sentential logic and quantification. A consideration of some
topics in logical theory. An extension of material explored in PHIL*2110, with special focus on philosophical aspects or implications of formal logic.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
PHIL*2110, 1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level
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| PHIL*4160 Philosophy Field Course F (3-0) [1.00] |
| This variable content course addresses an issue which is relevant to the contemporary world from a range of philosophical
perspectives. The course is built on research into the issue, including material gathered during a 1-2 week field trip which
is held in the summer immediately preceding the semester in which the student takes the course. The field trip is a mandatory
component of the course, one for which the student assumes the costs of transportation, food and lodging.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
13.00 credits and a minimum cumulative average of 70%. |
| Restriction(s): |
Restricted to students in Philosophy major or minor, or Ethics in the Life Sciences minor. Instructor consent required. |
| PHIL*4270 Recent Philosophical Issues U (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course studies primary philosophical texts since 1965. The focus of the course will alternate between analytic texts
and issues and continental texts and issues. Texts and topics will vary with the instructor; students are advised to consult
the Philosophy department's website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
2.00 credits in Philosophy including 1.00 credits at the 3000 level |
| PHIL*4310 Applied Ethics U (3-0) [0.50] |
| An advanced study of specific problems in applied ethics. This is an intensive course designed for philosophy majors as well
as for seventh and eighth semester students who have had no previous philosophy course.
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| PHIL*4340 Advanced Ethics U (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course offers an advanced study of problems in ethical theory. This course will examine contemporary and perennial issues
in ethics through recent or historical texts. Texts and topics will vary with the instructor; students are advised to consult
the Philosophy department's website: http://www.uoguelph.ca/philosophy/.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
PHIL*2120, 1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level
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| PHIL*4390 Selected Topics in Philosophy III U (3-0) [0.50] |
| The topics for this seminar course will vary from one offering to the next, generally arising from the instructor's current
research interests. This course gives students a chance to explore topics and texts not usually covered in other courses,
and to become engaged with Philosophy department research. Students are encouraged to consult the Philosophy department website
for course content and availability.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level |
| PHIL*4500 Philosophy Honours Seminar U (3-0) [1.00] |
| This research seminar provides philosophy majors with an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in their previous studies
to an in-depth, independent research paper. This course permits deep engagement through time for high-level critical reflection.
Students will work closely with the instructor to prepare a conference-style and article-length paper. Topics or themes on
offer will vary according to the expertise of the faculty member who leads the seminar; students will develop their focus
in consultation with the instructor and through in-class presentations. This seminar is recommended for students who have
achieved a minimum 78% average in their philosophy courses.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level |
| Restriction(s): |
75% average in all Philosophy course attempts. Registration restricted to Philosophy majors. |
| PHIL*4550 Philosophy Honours Workshop U (3-0) [1.00] |
| This course trains upper level students in advanced methods of philosophical analysis. Through a workshop format, students
will hone their creative and critical skills. Students will learn to analyze and make use of such methods as phenomenology
and dialectics, hermeneutics and deconstruction, analytic philosophy and the use of formal logic in conceptual analysis, as
well as other methods (including classical methods in philosophy). Editing and peer-reviewing skills will also be developed.
Student projects include long and short written assignments, and various formats of oral presentation. This course is especially
recommended for students planning to pursue graduate studies in Philosophy.
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| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level |
| Restriction(s): |
75% average in all Philosophy course attempts. |
| PHIL*4710 Directed Reading F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is intended as an intensive course of reading chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty member. |
| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000-level. |
| Restriction(s): |
Instructor consent required. |
| PHIL*4720 Directed Reading F,W (3-0) [0.50] |
| This course is intended as an intensive course of reading chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty member. |
| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000-level. |
| Restriction(s): |
Instructor consent required. |
| PHIL*4800 Honours Philosophy Research Paper I U (3-0) [0.50] |
| The preparation of a major research paper under the supervision of a faculty member. Normally open only to 7th semester honours philosophy students.
|
| Prerequisite(s): |
1.00 credits in Philosophy at the 3000 level |
| Restriction(s): |
Instructor consent required. |
