School of Humanities
School of Humanities
*images coming soon!*
PHI 151
Introduction to Philosophy
Online
Dr. Paula Smithka
Aristotle says, “For it is owing to their wonder that people both now begin and at
first began to philosophize”.
Philosophy begins in wonder. It’s about asking fundamental questions—questions like,
“Does God exist?”; “What is the nature of reality?”; “Is what I perceive really the
way things are?”; “What is a Self?”; “Am I the same person over time?”; “What makes
an action morally right?”
Study philosophy and unlock your mind!
PHI 151
Introduction to Philosophy
Online (2 sections)
Dr. Michael DeArmey
Introduction to philosophical problems and questions by examining major philosophers.
PHI 410/510 Classical Philosophy. A study of the origins of Western philosophy and
culture, from the Pre-Socratics through Aristotle.
PHI 151
Introduction to Philosophy
M/W 9:30-10:45
Dr. Paula Smithka
Aristotle says, “For it is owing to their wonder that people both now begin and at
first began to philosophize”.
Philosophy begins in wonder. It’s about asking fundamental questions—questions like,
“Does God exist?”; “What is the nature of reality?”; “Is what I perceive really the
way things are?”; “What is a Self?”; “Am I the same person over time?”; “What makes
an action morally right?”
Study philosophy and unlock your mind!
PHI 351
Critical Thinking
T/TH 11:00-12:15
Dr. Ian Dunkle
How is it possible to learn what you don’t already know; how do we acquire knowledge?
Sure, you could just find someone who does know and listen passively to what they
say. But how will you know that they know what they’re talking about? And even if
they do, is having the ability to parrot someone else’s knowledge the same as having
that knowledge yourself? Acquiring knowledge seems paradoxical.
The solution: we acquire knowledge by building on prior knowledge through logical
inference. The purpose of this course is to study and master the art of advancing
knowledge through inference. We will study formal logical inference, informal logical
rules and fallacies, statistical inference, and causal reasoning. Unlike in a logic
course, our focus will always be on applying these skills to actual questions we all
care about.
PHI 406/506
Philosophy of Human Nature
M/W 11:00-12:15
Dr. Paula Smithka
(ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE sections available for FULLY ONLINE students only)
‘Philosophy of Human Nature’ could be taken to mean a variety of things, given the
many facets of human existence and our nature (if there is such a thing). However,
in this class, we will focus on the nature of the self (if there is one), personal
identity, the nature of mind and its relation to the body, and the nature of consciousness,
all of which are central questions for our existence.
PHI 452/552
Health Care Ethics
T/TH 1:00-2:15
Dr. Ian Dunkle
This course introduces students to the dominant theory for making ethical decisions
in medical ethics, which has come to be called Principlism. We will begin by considering
(1) what Principlism is. Then we will take each of the four core ethical principles—namely,
Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Respect for Patient Autonomy, and Justice—and consider
both (2) their philosophical support and (3) the conceptual and practical issues that
emerge in applying these principles in medicine.
PHI 453
Philosophy of Law
T/TH 9:30 – 10:45
Dr. Sam Bruton
This class introduces students to pivotal issues in the philosophy of law: the nature
of legal authority, the relationship between law and morality, and debates about the
appropriate balance between legal regulation and individual liberty. There will be
two emphases in Fall 2023. First, we will examine in detail the justification of
punishment and ethical and legal questions about the U.S. criminal justice system.
Second, we will look closely at the Americans with Disabilities Act and related legislation
and court cases involving disabilities accommodations. This course satisfies a required
option for Philosophy majors in the Pre-law emphasis track, and it will be taught
in Fall 2023 as an approved Community Service Learning course. Also, it is cross-listed
as IDS 352 and as such, it counts towards the Disabilities Minor.
REL 335
The Life of Jesus
T/TH 1:00-2:15
Dr. Amy Slagle
This course is a cultural and historical exploration of the different portraits of
Jesus of Nazareth produced and circulated from the first to the twenty-first centuries.
Beginning with the political and religious context for the “historical Jesus,” we
will study how the authors of the New Testament, extra-canonical Christian literatures,
and church doctrine as well as modern scholarship responded to cultural expectations
and pressures in crafting their various, often conflicting, portrayals of Jesus. In
this course, special attention will be paid to the place of Jesus in non-Christian
religions as well the different Jesuses that appear in art and film.
REL 131
Comparative Religion
M/W 11:00-12:15; M/W 2:30-3:45
Dr. Timothy Gutmann
How can we talk about what matters most to people? How can we think about what is
sacred to us? How can we encounter strangers in space and time on their own terms?
For centuries, the term “religion” has been used to include ideas of what is sacred,
what is forbidden, what is out of this world, and what is everyday, and the stories
and ideas that inspire us to think these ways. This is a class for everyone curious
about religion, both the religion they know and what they want to know more about.
REL 490
Issues In Religion: Religion and Violence
M/W 9:30-10:45
Dr. Timothy Gutmann
Is religion a force for good or bad in the world? Does religious belief or belonging
justify the use of violence? Ours is a course that asks questions like these, which
have troubled people from diverse religious traditions for long periods in history.
In our class, we will think together about just and unjust wars, terrorism and freedom
fighting, and violence and nonviolence.