Philosophy Undergraduate Course Descriptions
Spring 2024
PHI 151
Introduction to Philosophy
ONLINE (multiple sections)
Dr. Michael DeArmey
Introduction to Philosophy, is an examination of the thinking of the great philosophers
concerning major questions about the nature of reality and the human condition and
values.
PHI 151
Introduction to Philosophy
M/W 2:30 – 3:45 PM
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?” “What is justice?”
Study philosophy and unlock your mind!
PHI 171
Ethics and Good Living
ONLINE (multiple sections)
Dr. Ian Dunkle
What is it to live well? This is one of the oldest and most foundational questions
in philosophy, and for good reason: what could be more important than understanding
how to live well?—Maybe, actually living well!—Granted. But how can we hope to live
well unless we have at least some idea of what that is?
Answering this question is hard, though, for several reasons, including these: First,
it seems to be ambiguous (to live uprightly? to maximize self-interest?). Second,
common answers are ambiguous; there are different senses in which something might
be good for you. Third, popular opinions on the good life contradict one another (consider
what your parents tell you about the importance and non-importance of pursuing a lucrative
career). But where else can we get a footing on the question except in popular opinions?
This course explores the central philosophical puzzles and controversies regarding
the good life and introduces students to major accounts offered in both the history
of philosophy and in contemporary value-theory. Throughout the course students will
also develop skills of critical thinking and argument analysis.
PHI 171
Ethics and Good Living
M/W 11:00 – 12:15 PM
Dr. Susan Mullican
**GULF PARK CAMPUS**
PHI 253
Logic
M/W 11:00AM - 12:15 PM
Paula Smithka
Developing good critical thinking skills is useful for clarity of reasoning and evaluating
the views of others both in philosophical studies and everyday life. In Logic, you
will learn the importance of having evidence or reasons to support one’s views, how
to evaluate arguments for their strength and cogency, and how to construct good arguments.
In addition, you will not only learn what constitutes a good/strong argument but we
will examine common mistakes in reasoning. The reasoning skills that you begin to
develop by taking a logic course will aid you in whatever academic or professional
directions you choose to take. This course will make you a detail person! “Logic is
the beginning of wisdom, not the end.”—Spock
HON 303
Virtue or Vengeance: Ethical Dimensions of Criminal Punishment and the Death Penalty
M/W 2:30 – 3:45 PM
Dr. Sam Bruton
Why and how should crimes be punished by the state? Should the state execute persons
guilty of the most serious crimes? Did you know that Mississippi now leads the world
in mass incarceration? In this Honors Seminar, we will explore these and other issues
regarding the ethical, historical, political and empirical dimensions of the criminal
justice system in Mississippi and the U.S. We will examine the evolution of criminal
punishment in the U.S., the effectiveness and discriminatory impact of mass incarceration,
the personal and political effects of wrongful convictions and ongoing controversies
regarding the death penalty. The class will feature a variety of distinguished guest
speakers and a wide range of reading materials drawn from philosophy, criminal justice,
history, and sociology. Students will participate in an empirical research project
on contemporary attitudes towards the death penalty and a new digital humanities project
on Mississippi’s death row.
PHI 320
Contemporary Moral Issues: Environmental Feminism
T/TH 9:30 – 10:45 AM ONLINE CHAT
Dr. Susan Mullican
PHI 351
Critical Thinking
Tues. 6:00 – 9:00 PM ONLINE CHAT
Dr. Susan Mullican
PHI 356
Ethics
ONLINE
Dr. Sam Bruton
PHI 440/540
American Philosophy
ONLINE
Dr. Michael DeArmey
American Philosophy, examines the thinking of significant Americans from the Colonial
Period through the development of Pragmatism, as found in the writings of Charles
Peirce, William James, John Dewey, and others.
REL 131
Comparative Religion
MW 9:30-10:45
MW 11:00-12:15
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 131
Comparative Religion
ONLINE or T/TH 9:30 – 10:45 AM
Dr. Amy Slagle
REL 304
Survey of Islamic History
MW 2:30-3:45
Dr. Timothy Gutmann
The Muslim world today is an intriguing and complex place. This course introduces
Islamic traditions, worship, art, and intellectual and social history. We will study
the structure and development of Muslim communities and traditions from the early
period to the present. We will focus on the importance of the life of the prophet
Muḥammad, Islamic law, theology, philosophy, mysticism and literature in Muslim societies
in the past and today. We will try to understand the effects of modernizing processes
on the Muslim world and Muslims’ understanding of their traditions in the present
moment.
REL 340
Beyond the Grave: Religion & the Afterlife
ONLINE
Dr. Amy Slagle