PHILOSOPHY

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION



Part I. Learning Goals for the Transformed Philosophy Major

Part II. Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion: Essential Ideas and Specific

Program Proposals





Part I. Learning Goals for the Transformed Philosophy Major



This Part I sets forth a number of goals faculty in the Department of Philosophy and Religion

aim to achieve through the transformation of the philosophy major.



1. To encourage students who major in philosophy as well as nonmajors to begin to look

at the foundations of and theories embraced by outside disciplines through the eyes of

a philosopher and, likewise, to begin to examine philosophy’s own foundations and

assumptions through the eyes of the historian, economist or poet.



Existing midlevel courses will be transformed and new courses added that will ask

students to identify and investigate critically an array of basic metaphysical, social and

ethical theories and assumptions embraced by outside disciplines, and to begin to notice

the many genuinely philosophical issues that arise in the most unexpected places,

including in science, history, social science, the arts and fine arts and the law. The

transformation will have the added advantage of directing students steeped in philosophy

toward outside disciplines, where they will find both ample and rich ground for the

testing of their own deeply held philosophical theories and assumptions as well as

genuine philosophical insight. The transformed courses will open philosophy up, and

refer more explicitly, to outside disciplines than they consistently have in the past, and

will include courses in the philosophy of law, philosophy of science, philosophy of fine

art, philosophy of literature and film, and, among the possible new courses, philosophy of

social science and philosophy of scientific methodology (focusing on induction and

confirmation and probability theory).



2. To help majors and nonmajors attain a more comprehensive, detailed and

sophisticated understanding of the history of philosophy.



To achieve this goal, the transformed major will require students to complete a more

defined and steeply progressive path within the history of philosophy. The history of

philosophy has always been the centerpiece of the philosophy major, serving to introduce

students to each of the four dominant areas within philosophy – metaphysics,

epistemology, logic and ethics – in historical context. The transformed major will require

students to complete a mid- to upper-level sequence consisting of at least two courses in

the history of philosophy, beginning with the Presocratics and ending in the 18th century.

Because the history sequence is now situated midlevel, students thus will have completed

one or more courses in philosophy before they begin the history sequence.



The advanced seminar (see part 6 below) will periodically focus on, and

constitute an opportunity for students to gain a corresponding level of expertise

Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion





regarding, a single philosophical figure or movement within philosophy. In addition, a

new advising program and documents will insure that students understand the importance

of taking specific courses outside the discipline of philosophy that will complement their

work in history of philosophy.



In addition, the Department plans to propose a new introductory level course that

introduces students to the history of philosophy. This single enhanced course will cover

important philosophers in both ancient and modern philosophy. It will be offered without

prerequisites and will be appropriate for majors and nonmajors alike.



Finally, history will receive more emphasis than it has in the past in other

philosophy courses. Thus, for example, the introductory to logic unit will itself have a

brief history unit, as will the advanced ethics courses.



3. To help majors and nonmajors attain a more comprehensive understanding of

contemporary, ongoing research in ethics and value theory and their importance and

application to “real world” issues that arise in the public and professional context as

well as in our own private lives, and to facilitate students’ critical investigation of the

relation of obligation that links the individual to members of his or her own

community (including the global community).



The transformed major will emphasize students’ completion of a more defined and

intensive sequence in ethics and value theory, including one mid- to upper-level course

(chosen from a transformed group of midlevel courses that is expected to included

courses in ethical theory, applied ethics, law and ethics, and aesthetics). Students in this

course thus will have already taken at least one other course in philosophy. A number of

courses in ethics will be retained at a slightly lower level for interested students. These

include Contemporary Moral Issues, Philosophy of Law, Political Philosophy and

Biomedical Ethics.



The Department recognizes that many students may want to take only a single

course in philosophy – but one that will introduce them to the discipline of philosophy as

a whole. In this connection, it is contemplated that the basic existing course in problems

in philosophy, which now focuses on metaphysics, epistemology and logic, will be

transformed to contain a more substantial unit on ethics.



4. To help majors and nonmajors gain a more in-depth understanding of contemporary

work in metaphysics and epistemology and, where appropriate, to see how that work,

which is often inherently interdisciplinary, relates to work in disciplines other than

philosophy, including, e.g., psychology and neurology.



Majors will be required to take a course from one of two important groups of upper-level

courses in the areas of metaphysics and epistemology. It is anticipated that the existing

upper-level seminars in metaphysics and epistemology will be transformed and included

in the new program. In addition, a number of other upper-level courses (for example,

transformed Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Science) may be taken to satisfy the







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new requirement. Prerequisites for these upper-level courses will be intensified.



5. To restructure as necessary the logic offerings so that the lower-level sections move

more consistently to a deeper and more comprehensive focus on formal systems and

proofs.



In addition to requiring majors to complete a lower level course in logic, the new

advising program and documents will also strongly recommend that majors complete the

transformed course in metalogic, a course that focuses on more sophisticated proof

techniques, the soundness and completeness of the formal systems and an incompleteness

theorem.



6. To insure that upper level students have the opportunity to work in an advanced

seminar setting with a faculty member in that faculty member’s own area of

specialization.



This transformation is designed to enhance students’ opportunity to do research at an

advanced level with a particular faculty member in an area of common interest to both

student and professor. Such a seminar would provide seniors with ample and rich

opportunities to talk with each other, read each other’s work and present and receive

comments on work-in-progress. The seminar would complement the senior capstone

requirement, and will include a component that prepares students for the capstone.



7. To revise the senior capstone requirement.



The existing major requires all students to complete a senior thesis. The expectation in

the transformed major will be that all students complete a substantial writing project their

senior year, working independently under the close direction of a faculty member on a

topic to which both agree. Students will present and discuss publicly their project toward

the end of their final semester. Students will also be given the option of completing a

more formal senior thesis, which will include, in addition to selecting an adviser,

establishing a committee and defending the thesis orally. Honors students in philosophy

would be required to complete the thesis.



8. To emphasize discernible outcomes, for majors and nonmajors, in the areas of

creativity, rigor and precision in disciplinary thinking, writing and speaking.



The design of the philosophy major itself, as well as of each course taught, strives to

imbue students with those ways of identifying, thinking about and analyzing problems

and constructing and assessing theories and counterexamples that can be found within the

best that philosophy has to offer. In particular, transformed courses will expressly ask

students to demonstrate the ability to identify philosophical issues as problems or puzzles

with respect to which there exist opposing solutions each of which requires investigation,

understanding and assessment. In addition, transformed courses will emphasize the

importance of the student’s making a genuine contribution to the discussion that is

presented by the assigned and recommended materials for the course in addition to







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Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion





simply demonstrating mastery of those materials. Third, transformed courses will

expressly place new emphasis on the process by which a good piece of philosophy is

finally produced, including, for example, the need for multiple drafts, with at least some

of those drafts being submitted for comment prior to the presentation of the final paper.



In support of these outcomes, as students advance through the curriculum from

the midlevel to the upper and seminar levels, faculty will place more emphasis on a

steeper rate of progressivity. Faculty will also continue to emphasize writing in the

former of shorter and longer papers and essay exams. In addition, faculty will continue

making it a practice to assign primary materials (books and articles), whenever possible

as whole works rather than in excerpted form. Faculty will continue to emphasize class

discussion, working with students in the classroom and beyond to focus on the need for

clear communication.



9. To emphasize clearly the role of the concentrations in philosophy for students with

special interests.



Existing concentrations in philosophy will be newly emphasized for students whose

interests in philosophy are particularly focused in the areas of ethics or law.



10. To retain a sufficient number of electives within the major.



The Department wants its majors to have ample opportunity to explore areas within

philosophy in which they have particular interest. In this ten-course major, the present

design will include three electives, at least one at the upper level. The very few students

who intend to apply to graduate school will be advised to take additional upper-level

courses.









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Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion









PART II. Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion: Essential Ideas and

Specific Program Proposals



This Part II sets forth the essential ideas of and specific proposals regarding the

transformation of several programs currently associated with the Department of Philosophy and

Religion. Part A below itemizes the essential ideas of the transformed Philosophy Major. Part B

sets forth the specific requirements for the transformed Philosophy Major. Part C describes the

transformed Philosophy Major in more detail, focusing on the implementation of the

departmental goal of increased progressivity within the major. Part D addresses the

Concentrations in Philosophy and the Philosophy Minor. Part E focuses on the Religion Minor,

setting forth essential ideas, specific courses required for the Religion Minor and a more detailed

description of the Religion Minor that reflects the departmental goal of increased progressivity.

Part F addresses the Classical Studies Minor, the contemplated Interdisciplinary Religion Minor

and other interdisciplinary programs currently associated with the Department of Philosophy and

Religion.



A. Essential ideas for the transformed philosophy major.



The most important elements of the major include the following:



● 10-course major



● using prerequisites, a restructuring of the major into four distinct levels to insure

increased progressivity within the major, particularly in the area of history of philosophy



● new attention to process toward the achievement of learning outcomes by introduction

of an advanced seminar requirement, a portion of which will be devoted to preparation

necessary to complete the senior capstone requirement



● new attention to lower level philosophy courses that connect to other disciplines,

including a new course in philosophy of social science, which courses may satisfy some

of the new liberal learning breadth requirements if enacted



● across the board writing requirements at the 200-, 300- and 400-level, which courses

may satisfy the new liberal learning midlevel writing requirement if enacted



B. Courses required for the major (total of ten 4-credit courses)



1. Introduction to Logic or Metalogic



2., 3. Two history of philosophy courses at the 300-level (History of Ancient

Philosophy and History of Modern Philosophy)



4. One ethics course at the 300-level (Ethical Theories or Law and Ethics

(formerly Equality, Ethics and the Law)i





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5. One epistemology course at the 400-level (Theory of Knowledge or

Philosophy of Science) or one metaphysics course at the 400-level (Metaphysics

or Philosophy of Language (formerly Language and Reality) or Philosophy of

Mind)



6. Advanced Seminar in Philosophy (400-level) – this seminar in designated

cases may be used to satisfy the 300- or 400-level ethics, epistemology or

metaphysics requirement



7. Senior Capstone (400-level) -- Senior Project or Senior Thesis



8., 9., 10. Three electives, at least one of which must be at 300- or 400-level



C. Structure of program (including major requirements and other courses)



[First Level -- stepping stones into the major]



There are no prerequisites for the following courses:



Courses at this level required for the major:



One logic course



Other courses:



Basic Philosophical Issues, Contemporary Moral Issues



First Year Seminars in variety of topicsii



[Second Level – courses that assume basic introduction to philosophy; except for

Metalogic, each will be designed to satisfy the proposed liberal learning midlevel writing

requirement]



Prerequisites: except for Metalogic, one course in philosophy or sophomore

standing or permission.



Courses at this level required for the major:



None.



Other courses:



Philosophy of Religion; Philosophical Issues in Science;

Philosophy of Social Scienceiii; Philosophy of Law; Political

Philosophy; Biomedical Ethics; Metalogic (additional prerequisite:







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Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion





Introduction to Logic or Principles or Foundations of Mathematics

or permission of the instructor); Chinese Philosophy; American

Philosophy; Existentialism; Aestheticsiv



[Third Level – courses that assume solid preparation in philosophy]



Prerequisites: one course in philosophy. Two courses strongly recommended.



Courses at this level required for the major:



History of Ancient Philosophy; History of Modern Philosophy;

Ethical Theories or Law and Ethics (formerly, Equality, Ethics and

the Law)



Other courses:



20th Century Philosophy, Philosophy and Literaturev



[Fourth Level – most intense courses]



Prerequisites: except for Philosophy of Science, two courses in philosophy or one

course in philosophy and junior standing. At least two 200- to 300-level courses

strongly recommended.



Courses at this level required for the major:



Theory of Knowledge or Philosophy of Science (additional

prerequisite: one course in science or permission of the instructor);

Metaphysics or Philosophy of Language (formerly Language and

Reality) or Philosophy of Mind



Advanced Seminar in Philosophy (new course)



This new course will constitute a focused, intensive

exploration of the specified topic and will require students

both to research and to write and present on that topic; the

course is particularly intended for seniors (and may be

taken twice) but will be open to juniors; topics will be

announced, whenever possible, a year in advance; the

course will be offered in the fall term and will include a 2-4

week component on preparation for the senior project,

including selection of adviser and/or committee,

assignment related to the senior project (e.g., definition of

topic, or annotated bibliography, to be turned in to the

adviser) and presentation on the topic of the senior project);

the 300- and 400-level requirements in ethics, epistemology







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Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion





and metaphysics may be satisfied by the Advanced Seminar

when the topic of the seminar is designated ethics,

epistemology or metaphysics, respectively.



Senior Capstone: Project or Thesis (formerly, Senior Thesis)



Students will be required to complete either a Senior

Project or a Senior Thesis. The Senior Project will

comprise a substantial writing project prepared under the

close advisement of a member of the philosophy faculty

and a presentation component.vi The Senior Thesis will

comprise a very substantial writing project prepared under

the advisement of a member of the philosophy faculty in

consultation with a committee consisting of at least two

additional faculty members and an oral defense before the

committee. Under both options, students will be required

to complete a substantial, carefully researched and written,

in-depth work in philosophy on a topic of significance in

philosophy, selected by the student in consultation with

faculty and written under the close supervision of a faculty

member who serves as adviser or such adviser and a

committee. All students completing the Philosophy Major

with Honors in Philosophy are required to complete the

Senior Thesis, with a grade of A or A-.



D. Concentrations; Minor in Philosophy



The Concentrations in Philosophy and Law and in Ethics should be retained, with students

satisfying the requirements by completing, respectively, (i) Philosophy of Law and Law and

Ethics, and (ii) Contemporary Moral Issues, Biomedical Ethics or Political Philosophy and

Ethical Theories. In each case, the senior capstone should be in the area of concentration.



The Minor in Philosophy should be retained, with students satisfying the requirements for the

Minor by completing 5 courses, including Introduction to Logic or Metalogic; History of

Ancient Philosophy or History of Modern Philosophy; and three electives, one of which must

be at the 300- or 400-level. The Minor Concentrations in Philosophy and Law and in Ethics

should be retained, with students satisfying the requirements by completing, respectively, (i)

Philosophy of Law and Law and Ethics, and (ii) Contemporary Moral Issues, Biomedical

Ethics or Political Philosophy and Ethical Theories.









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E. Minor in Religion



It is contemplated that an Interdisciplinary Religion Minor will be designed and proposed (see

Part F below). Once that program becomes available to students, it is possible that the

Department and the College may decide to terminate the more traditional minor in religion.

However, it may also happen that good arguments emerge to retain the more traditional minor,

although in a transformed form. Thus, students who have a special interest in studying religion

per se may be better served by such a traditional program rather than by an interdisciplinary

program.



In this connection, the existing Religion Minor should be should be transformed – to serve at

least on an interim basis – to reflect the following essential ideas:



● using prerequisites, a restructuring of the religion minor into three distinct

levels to insure steep progressivity within the minor



● across the board writing requirements at the 200-, 300- and 400-level, which

courses may satisfy the new liberal learning midlevel writing requirement if

enacted



● explicitly stated learning outcomes for each transformed course



● survey courses, Basis Issues in Religion and World Religions, will be omitted



● distinction between Western and NonWestern Religion and Religious Thought

will be omitted



● the program will insure an introduction to a variety of religious cultures and

traditions



Students satisfy the requirements for the Minor by completing 5 courses, three of which must be

at the second level.



[First level – no prerequisites]



Buddhism (formerly, Religion and Religious Thought)

Hinduism (formerly, Religion and Religious Thought)

Islam (formerly, Religion and Religious Thought)

Judaism (formerly, Religion and Religious Thought)

Christianity (formerly, Religion and Religious Thought)

Science and Religion (formerly, Scientific Study of Religion)



[Second level – one course in religion or sophomore standing or permission]



History of Jewish and Christian Thought







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Transformed Programs in Philosophy and Religion





Philosophy of Religion (cross-listed)

Problems of Religious Thought

Contemporary Theory of Religion (formerly, Contemporary Religious Issues)

Special Topics in Religion



F. Interdisciplinary programs



Classical Studies Minor



The transformation and selection of the specific courses that will be part of the transformed

Classical Studies Minor will be made by interested faculty members drawn from the

philosophy faculty as well as from several different disciplines.



Interdisciplinary Religion Minor



This program would reflect the goals listed in Part V above for the Religion Minor –

including, for example, steep progressivity and a focus on writing – but would also require

students to take courses outside the religion program per se to begin to examine religion from

a variety of perspectives, including perspectives in philosophy, sociology and anthropology.

Selection of the specific courses that would become part of the Interdisciplinary Religion

Minor would be made by interested faculty members drawn from the philosophy faculty as

well as from several different disciplines.



Politics, Law and Philosophy



It is anticipated that philosophy faculty will continue to participate in a transformed

interdisciplinary minor that helps students investigate the law from a variety of disciplines

that lie outside the law. Philosophy faculty will work with faculty from other disciplines to

transform and select the specific courses that will be part of the transformed interdisciplinary

minor.



Other. The philosophy faculty will work with interested faculty from other disciplines to

initiate an interdisciplinary program in Environmental Studies.



[revised MR -- 1.27.03]









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i

It is contemplated that Reason, Ethics and Human Nature, which would have satisfied the ethics requirement, will

be dropped from the transformed curriculum. It is also contemplated that one to two new courses may be added to

the curriculum that would satisfy this requirement, such as courses in social and political philosophy or in

biomedical ethics.

ii

The Department contemplates retaining, in a transformed form, both Basic Philosophical Issues and

Contemporary Moral Issues. Other courses will be eliminated or transformed as First Year Seminars. In that

connection, First Year Seminars might be offered in such topics as film and fiction, history of philosophy, equality,

meaning and interpretation, rights of animals, future persons, aesthetics, etc.

iii

Philosophy of Social Science is a new course that has not yet been proposed.

iv

As part of the transformation , this course might be renamed “Philosophy of Art.” In addition, it is contemplated

that a new course in scientific methodology will be added to the curriculum at this level.

v

It is contemplated that Philosophy of Biology will be dropped from the transformed curriculum due to the special

staffing needs that that course has.

vi

Presentations might be made, upon consultation between the adviser and student, in specific classes, or in

connection with the Philosophical Society, or before other faculty members









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