Gannon University

MICHAEL LATZER, PH.D., Chairperson

FACULTY: Professor: Thomas Upton. Associate Professors: William Haggerty, Michael Latzer

Aims and Objectives:
Philosophy is the love and pursuit of wisdom. An essential part of a person’s education should be the serious and personal exploration of the “ultimate questions”—issues of human nature and human destiny, of how we should live, of the nature of the world around us, and of the being and nature of God on whom we are dependent for our existence

Human beings cannot be satisfied with merely knowing the “what” of things happening around them; they want to understand the “why” of the human condition. In studying philosophy students not only experience major philosophers at work on these important human issues, but they also participate in this activity by developing their own skills for creative thinking, rational argument, and responsible judgment.

Philosophy is studied for its own intrinsic value, since, as Socrates said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Nevertheless, the study of philosophy can also lead to successful careers as well. It is very suitable preparation for careers in law, journalism, government, politics, teaching, religion, and counseling.

Students who are majoring in philosophy are obliged to take a minimum of ten upper level course (30 credits). The following nine courses are obligatory: (a) the entire history of philosophy cycle – PHIL 271: Ancient Philosophy; PHIL 273: Medieval Philosophy; PHIL 280: Modern Philosophy; PHIL 286: Contemporary Philosophy; (b) PHIL 210/212: Logic; (c) PHIL 231: Human Nature; (d) PHIL 233: Philosophy of God; (e) PHIL 237: Ethics; (f) PHIL 400: Honors Seminar. The tenth required course may be chosen with the advice of the department among the other upper level philosophical courses. Those majoring in philosophy are encouraged to take more than the minimum ten courses, especially if they are intending to continue to work in philosophy in graduate school.

Those who are majoring in philosophy, of course, must take the requirements of the Core of Discovery Program. Thus if they take LPHI 233, 235, 237, 239, they are fulfilling what above was designated as the required courses: PHIL 233, 235, 237, and 239 respectively.

A major in philosophy at Gannon University is obliged to take eight prescribed cognates (24 credits).

Students may have to take beginning and/or intermediate language courses depending on their background. Students will also be encouraged to take a course in a classical language.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:

LPHI 131: Invitation to Philosophy is a prerequisite for all Philosophy Courses.

PHIL 131: Introduction to Philosophy
An introduction to the study of philosophy.  Beginning with the dawn of philosophical awareness among the ancient Greek philosophers the course surveys both traditional and modern approaches to the philosophical understanding of the human condition.
3 credits

PHIL 210: Logic
An introduction to the theory and practice of good reasoning. Students learn practical techniques for constructing and evaluating arguments, based on both traditional Aristotelian logic and modern formal logic. Some attention is also paid to the logical techniques needed for succeeding in the standard graduate admission tests, as well as to the principles of scientific reasoning.
3 credits

PHIL 212: Contemporary Symbolic Logic
An introductory course in deductive reasoning using the methods of symbolic formal logic.
3 credits

PHIL 233: Philosophy of God (also listed as LPHI 233)
An introduction to the philosophical study of religion, based largely on the tradition of Christian philosophy. Some of the topics include: the concept of God; the evidence for God's existence; the meaningfulness of religious language; analysis of God's attributes, such as omnipotence and omniscience; the possibility of miracles; life after death; the problem of reconciling divine foreknowledge and human freedom; and the problem of reconciling the existence of a loving God with the world's evils.
3 credits

PHIL 235: Philosophy of Knowledge, Certitude and Truth (also listed as LPHI 235)
A study of the possibility and validity of human knowledge, together with the criteria of truth.
3 credits

PHIL 237: Philosophy of Ethical Responsibility (also listed as LPHI 237)
The subject matter of ethics is “the good life and how to live it.” Students will examine a variety of influential approaches to ethics, and will gain skill in applying ethical theory both to practical ethical issues in daily life, and to some of the urgent ethical issues in contemporary society.
3 credits

PHIL 238: Business Ethics
Business dealings are subject to the same norms and criteria which govern other human activities. This course analyzes the ethical dimensions of business transactions and consumerism, addressing itself to such problems as profits, advertising, free enterprise, discrimination, trade secrets, union, and bribery.
Prerequisites: LPHI 131 and PHIL 237
3 credits

PHIL 239: Philosophy of Science (also listed as LPHI 239)
A historical and philosophical survey of the various understandings of science and scientific method from ancient times to the present. Students will examine the role philosophy has played in formulating and critiquing models of scientific investigation, and will pay attention to the impact science has had in each historical period on religion, society, and views of human nature.
3 credits

PHIL 240: Philosophy of Education
A critical examination of the goals and methods of education, especially as they relate to ethics and politics. Readings will be drawn from historical philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau and Dewey as well as contemporary philosophical analysis of educational institutions.
3 credits

History of Philosophy Cycle
Attention should be paid to the fact that the history of philosophy is expounded systematically in a four semester cycle with one of the histories of philosophy being offered in each semester.

PHIL 271: History of Ancient Philosophy
A critical presentation of the rise of Western Philosophy in Greece in the seventh century before Christ and its development in the fourth century; B.C. up to the third century of the Christian era.
3 credits

PHIL 273: History of Medieval Philosophy
A study of Augustine and the great synthesis of Thomas Aquinas, analyzed in the context of the philosophic-theological intellectual atmosphere of the thirteenth century. Non-Thomistic syntheses of Bacon, Bonaventure, and Duns Scotus are evaluated. Then the decline of scholasticism is studied with emphasis on Ockham, Suarez and the Electives.
3 credits

PHIL 280: History of Modern Philosophy
A critical presentation of philosophers and philosophical trends from the Italian Renaissance of the XV century to the end of the XIX century.
3 credits

PHIL 286: History of Contemporary Philosophy
A survey of some of the most important philosophical movements and thinkers of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, both in the Anglo-American and the Continental traditions.
3 credits

PHIL 290: Philosophy & Law
A discussion of the philosophical foundations of law and an investigation into the scope of legal philosophy. Questions such as: what is law? what is a legal system in a society? do the criteria for the existence of law include a moral element? how shall legal obligations be understood? will be discussed. In addition, the relationship between law and morality, and the common good must be reviewed.
3 credits

PHIL 295: Oriental Philosophy
The philosophies of the East are attempts to answer ultimate questions about the universe & human life. The primary aim of the course is an exposition of the various schools/systems & their inherent disciplines i.e. metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, & social philosophy. We will also compare Eastern & Western thinking by way of tradition & contemporary thinkers.
3 credits

PHIL 345: Philosophy of History
Critical examination of the philosophers of history and their concern with the nature of history and the meaning of historical knowledge. Selected authors are Augustine, Vico, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Dilthey, Spengler, Freud, Jaspers, and Toynbee.
3 credits

PHIL 350: Introduction to Metaphysics
The nature of metaphysics as the study of being is examined in the philosophy of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. The study of essence and existence, potency and act, substance and accident, matter and form, is developed systematically.
3 credits

PHIL 365: Modern Existentialism
Critical analysis of nineteenth and twentieth century thinkers. Concentration will be upon the following themes: The Individual, Dehumanization and Alienation, Authenticity and Inauthenticity, Communication and Structures. Authors studied will include: Kierkegaard, Sartre, Camus, Jaspers, and Marcel.
3 credits

PHIL 383: American Philosophy
An investigation of the contributions made by American thinkers to traditional philosophical problems and the interrelationship of American ideas and American life.
3 credits

PHIL 390-394: Special Topics in Philosophy
1-3 credits

PHIL 395-399: Independent Study in Philosophy
1-3 credits

PHIL 400: Honors Seminar in Philosophy
Each spring semester, a member of the philosophy department conducts a special seminar on an individual philosopher or philosophic trend or theme in depth, using primary sources and allowing time for deeper discussion and analysis that enhances an intellectual insight. The specific topics is announced prior to registration for the coming semester.
3 credits, Spring