Philosophy is the search for an understanding of how the world as a whole hangs together and of how we are to assume our place in the world. Philosophy pursues its goal first of all historically. It is the trustee of the heritage of great philosophical texts, and it engages those texts in conversation with contemporary problems. Second, philosophy turns to the contemporary world directly and tries to illuminate and advance its concerns with ethics and art, with science and technology, with ecology and feminism, with law and medicine. Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees are offered. More information is available online: www.cas.umt.edu/phil/.
Refer to graduation requirements listed previously in the catalog. See index.
The following requirements must be completed for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy: a minimum of 33 credits including PHIL 210, 215, 251Y and 252Y; at least 21 credits in courses numbered 300 and above, including PHIL 300E, 480 and one course from each of the following groups: History (PHIL 452, 453, 461, 463); Value Theory (PHIL 325, 340, 421, 422, 427, 429, 441, 444, 477); Continental (PHIL 465, 467); Logic and Analytic Philosophy (PHIL 410, 411, 469, 471). A PHIL 395 or 495 Special Topics course may be used to count as a course from any of the above four groups as its topic makes appropriate (consult the Department advisor). Majors are expected to complete lower-division requirements before beginning upper-division work. No credit toward the major will be awarded for any course (including required language courses) in which the student receives a grade less than a C-.
The Upper-division Writing Expectation must be met by successfully completing PHIL 300E and 480. All philosophy majors must complete at least three semesters of a foreign language (though four semesters are recommended) or certify equivalent competency. Recommended languages for philosophy are Greek, Latin, French, and German.
| First Year | A | S |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 100 Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | - |
| PHIL 210 Introduction to Logic | - | 3 |
| WRIT 101 (ENEX 101) Composition | 3 | - |
| Foreign language | 5 | 5 |
| HSTR 101H, 102H (HIST 104H, 105H) European Civilization |
4 | 4 |
| College mathematics course | - | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 15 |
| Second Year | A | S |
| PHIL 215 Philosophical Reasoning | 3 | - |
| PHIL 251Y History of Ancient Philosophy | 3 | - |
| PHIL 252Y History of Modern Philosophy | - | 3 |
| PHIL 300E Moral Philosophy | - | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4 | - |
| LS 151L and 152L Introduction to the Humanities. | 4 | 4 |
| Electives and General Education | - | 6 |
| Total | 14 | 16 |
Students should not neglect mathematics and the physical and biological sciences in choosing elective courses. Philosophy majors are encouraged to pursue a minor in another discipline.
To earn a minor in philosophy the student must complete: PHIL 210, 215, 251Y, 252Y, 300E, and an additional course numbered above 300.
U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the R. Credits beyond this maximum do not count toward a degree.
U 100 Introduction to Philosophy 3 cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. An introduction to philosophy through examination of the thought of selected great philosophers or of traditional positions on classical philosophical problems.
U 105 Topical Introduction to Philosophy 3 cr. Offered intermittently. An introduction to philosophy through examination of selected themes. Themes will vary; existentialism, technology and the good life, philosophy of religion, philosophy of film, and science and society are examples.
U 119 Philosophical Perspectives on Women in the Western Hemisphere 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Same as LS and WS 119H. Introduction to the discipline and scope of Western philosophy focusing on women as the subject rather than men. A chronological study following the ideological development in the West of social attitudes and scientific theses.
U 190 Supervised Internship 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department chair.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 198 Internship 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.
U 200E Ethics: The Great Traditions 3 cr. Offered every term. An examination of the Western vision of morality through the careful study of selected writings from Aristotle, Kant and Mill. Additional works in ethics may supplement primary readings.
U 201E Political Ethics 3 cr. Offered yearly. An examination of the issues of political ethics through the careful study of selected writings from the three great Western political traditions: classical natural law theory, modern individualism, and contemporary distributive justice.
U 202E Ethics: The Great Traditions and Environment 3 cr. Offered intermittently. An introductory-level ethics course with a special interest in the natural environment. The course will (a) introduce students to the three classical traditions in ethics - virtue, Kantianism, and utilitarianism, (b) ground these theories in questions about the moral status of non-humans and our moral duties to non-humans, (c) include an applied section of the course that will cover animal welfare, biotechnology, and other current topics.
U 210 Introduction to Logic: Deduction 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Understanding general principles of reasoning and the habits of clear and correct thinking. Emphasis on the analysis of the logical structure of claims in natural language and the skills of elementary deductive inference.
U 211 Introduction to Logic: Applied Logic 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., PHIL 210 or equivalent, or consent of instr. Elementary principles of reasoning from evidence. Emphasis on effective evaluation of information and argument in public discourse.
U 215 Philosophical Reasoning 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., philosophy major or minor, or consent of instr. Focus on basic skills essential to success in philosophy; careful reading, critical analysis, and well-structured writing. Emphasis on repeated practice in recognizing, reading, analyzing, and writing philosophical arguments. Intended primarily for philosophy majors and minors.
U 223E Business and Ethics 3 cr. Offered intermittently. An analysis of ethical conflicts that may arise in business.
U 240H History and Philosophy of Science 3cr. Offered intermittently. Same as HSTR 242H (HIST 240H). The epistemological and metaphysical developments of natural philosophy or science. The origins of science in ancient Greece, and its subsequent developments during the scientific revolution. Developments in biology, especially Darwinism and genetics, and developments in physics.
U 251Y History of Ancient Philosophy 3 cr. Offered autumn. Introduction to the central works of Plato and Aristotle, with an overview of Presocratic and Hellenistic philosophy.
U 252Y History of Modern Philosophy 3 cr. Offered spring. A survey of the history of philosophy from Descartes to Kant, which includes other continental rationalists and the British Empiricists.
U 290 Supervised Internship Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department chair.
U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 296 Independent Study 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently.
U 298 Internship Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office.. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.
U 300E Moral Philosophy 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., PHIL 215. Development of the fundamental principles grounding moral reasoning in the Western tradition. A more thorough treatment of the material offered in PHIL 200E intended for philosophy majors or prepared students who are interested in a rigorous introduction to the foundations of ethics.
U 325 Morality and the Law 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division course in Group VIII (E) or consent of instr. Analysis of moral reasoning in Anglo-American law, emphasizing certain ethical and legal concepts and the role of the Supreme Court.
UG 340 Aesthetics 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. This course examines the nature of aesthetic experience, the standards of art criticism, and the kinds of knowledge communicated by art. Readings from philosophers, artists, and art critics.
U 362 Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Same as MCLG 362 and LS 362. Examination of the thought of the philosophers of Greece and Rome as expressed in original works read in English translation. Ancient philosophy studied within its historical, linguistic and cultural setting.
U 390 Supervised Internship 1-12 cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department chair.
U 393 Omnibus Variable cr. ( R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Independent work under the University omnibus option. See index.
U 394 Seminar Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 396 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 397 Research Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 398 Internship 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.
UG 410 Formal Logic: Scope and Limits 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., PHIL 210 or equiv. A systematic study of first-order logic, including development of standard metatheory and the significance of modern formal methods.
UG 411 Philosophy of Science 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. A consideration of philosophical issues relating to the nature of modern physical science: method, explanation, theory, progress, space/time, causality, relation of science to philosophy.
UG 421 Medical Ethics 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing and lower-division course in Group VIII (E), or consent of instr. An examination of ethical problems raised by the practice of medicine and by recent developments in medically-related biological sciences.
UG 422 Contemporary Moral and Political Theory 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing and PHIL 200E or 201E, or consent of instr. Recent theories in ethics and their implications; recent work in political theory, emphasizing contemporary liberalism and its critics.
UG 427 Ethics and the Environment 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., PHIL 202E or PHIL300E. Same as EVST 427. Critical exploration of selected philosophical and literary texts pertinent to the ethics of human relationships with the natural environment.
UG 429 Feminist Philosophy 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division course in Group VIII (E) or consent of instr.; PHIL 200 strongly recommended. Same as WGS 429. Study of what distinguishes feminist from traditional approaches to selected areas of philosophy, including ethics, epistemology, political theory, philosophy of science and environment.
UG 430 Topics in the Philosophy of Religion 3 cr. Offered intermittently. An examination of one or more of the classic problems of Western philosophy of religion, such as the traditional arguments for and against the existence of God, the relationship of faith and reason, the status of religious experience, the problem of evil, and the problem of reconciling divine omniscience with human freedom.
UG 441 Philosophy in Literature 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing or consent of instr. Philosophical thought in selected works of literature.
UG 443 Ethics and Public Affairs 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., lower-division course in Group VIII (E) or consent of instr. Examination of morally relevant issues in government, journalism, education and other social institutions. Issues considered may include deception, confidentiality, conflict of interest, privacy, paternalism responsibilities in conflict with other institutions, and responsibilities across national boundaries, among others.
UG 444 Topics in the Philosophy of the Arts 3 cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Examination of philosophical problems related to the particular arts and discussion of the nature of the arts. Topics considered may include music, visual arts, literature, and film.
UG 452 Early Modern Philosophy 3 cr. (R-6) Offered autumn even-numbered years. Prereq., PHIL 252Y or consent of instr. Intensive reading of one or more of the major philosophers from the early modern period (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume).
UG 453 Kant 3 cr. Offered spring even numbered years. Prereq., PHIL 252Y or PHIL 452 or consent of instr. Reading and interpretation of selected works.
UG 461 Plato 3 cr. Offered every other spring. Prereq., PHIL 251Y. General introduction to the philosophy of Plato emphasizing dialogues of the Early and Middle periods.
UG 463 Aristotle 3 cr. Offered every other spring. Prereq., PHIL 251Y. General introduction to Aristotle. Early biological writings, Categories, De Interpretatione, Nicomachean Ethics, selections from Physics, De Anima and Metaphysics.
UG 465 19th Century Continental Philosophy 3 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., PHIL 252Y or consent of instr. Intensive study of the work of one or more 19th century continental philosophers (Hegel, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Marx, Nietzsche, etc.).
UG 467 20th Century Continental Philosophy 3 cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. Intensive study of the work of one philosopher (Heidegger, Husserl, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Ricoeur, Derrida, etc.) or several texts representing a major movement in 20th century continental thought (Phenomenology, Existentialism, Hermeneutics, Post-structuralism, etc.).
UG 469 20th Century Analytic Philosophy 3 cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper division standing and PHIL 210, or consent of instr. Intensive study of the work of one or more philosophers (Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, etc.) or historical introduction to the major issues and figures of 20th century philosophy in the analytic tradition (with readings from Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Quine and others).
UG 471 Contemporary Issues in Analytic Philosophy 3 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing and PHIL 210, or consent of instr. Examination of contemporary issues in analytic philosophy focusing on one or more of the following topics: philosophy of language, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind.
UG 477 Philosophy of Society and Culture 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Prereq., upper-division standing. A philosophical examination of cultural forces shaping modern society, forces such as science, technology, or domesticity.
UG 480 Senior Seminar 3 cr. (R-9) Offered spring. Prereq., senior standing. Research in problems in philosophy.
U 490 Supervised Internship Variable cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department chair.
U 493 Omnibus Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Independent work under the University omnibus option. See index.
UG 494 Seminar Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 496 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 497 Research Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
U 498 Internship 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (198, 298, 398, 498) may count toward graduation.
G 501 Topics in Epistemology, Philosophy of Technology and Philosophy of Science 3 cr. (R-6) Offered every year.
G 502 Topics in Value Theory 3 cr. (R-6) Offered every year.
G 503 Topics in the History of Philosophy 3 cr. (R-6) Offered every year.
G 504 Topics in Environmental Philosophy 3 cr. (R-9) Offered autumn and spring. Same as EVST 504. Critical study/discussion of current (as well as benchmark) texts and issues in environmental ethics, environmental politics, and the philosophy of ecology. Interdisciplinary; open to concerned students from all disciplines.
G 505 Topics in Contemporary Philosophy 3 cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently.
G 506 Nature, Language and Politics 3 cr. Offered intermittently. Same as LIT 524 (ENLT 524). Investigation of environmental, social and political thought from the perspective of contemporary language theory.
G 510 Philosophy Forum Colloquium 1 cr. (R-3) Offered intermittently. Prereq., graduate standing. Discussion and further exploration of issues presented at the weekly Philosophy Forum.
G 520 Seminar in Foundations of Ethics 4 cr. Offered summer. Major traditions in Western moral philosophy along with feminist and non-Western critiques.
G 521 Theory and Skills for Teaching Ethics 3 cr. Offered every summer. Exploration and critical reflection of concepts and significant issues in the teaching of practical ethics in classroom and corporate settings.
G 523 Practicum in Teaching Ethics 4 cr. Prereq., M.A. teaching ethics emphasis candidates. Field experience in a postsecondary classroom or off campus learning environment. Field work includes lesson planning, teaching, and evaluation.
G 530 Research Ethics Online 1 cr. Offered every term. Online asynchronous instruction in ethical issues in research; interpersonal, institutional, and professional responsibility; research with animals and human participants. Interactive case studies in biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences.
G 581 Thesis Proposal Preparation Variable cr. (R-2) Offered intermittently.
G 590 Supervised Internship 1-12 cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and department chair.
G 593 Professional Paper Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. For students in the M.A. in Teaching Ethics and AGS options.
G 594 Seminar Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently.
G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr.
G 597 Research Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Directed individual research and study appropriate to the background and objectives of the student.
G 598 Internship 1-12 cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus.
G 599 Thesis Variable cr. (R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., approval of a thesis proposal by the student's thesis committee.
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Lommasson Center 201
Phone: (406) 243-2995
Fax: (406) 243-4807
