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 Philosophy, in the broadest meaning of this term, is the attempt
to think clearly about the world and the place of human beings in
it. This activity is a response to questions which arise because the
various areas of human life, such as science, art, morality, and
religion, often do not seem to be intelligible in themselves or to
fit with one another. A philosophical world view, such as the
philosophy of Plato or the philosophy of Descartes, represents an
attempt to think through these difficulties and to arrive at a
single, coherent vision of how reality is and how human beings
should relate to it.
The study of philosophy is a noble and worthwhile activity in its
own right for the enlightenment which it can provide about questions
which should be of interest to everyone. It is important, however,
that the philosophy major also be effective at imparting those
general skills which are crucial for most professions.
The mission statement of Oglethorpe University states that
Oglethorpe graduates should be "humane generalists" with the
intellectual adaptability which is needed to function successfully
in changing and often unpredictable job situations. The philosophy
program at Oglethorpe accomplishes this goal by fostering those
abilities of critical thinking and intellectual flexibility required
in virtually any professional career. Philosophy students learn how
to read and understand abstract and often very difficult arguments.
They also learn to think critically and independently, to develop
their own views, and to express their insights in clear, articulate
spoken and written prose. Such skills are important for almost any
profession and are especially useful for business and law.
Philosophy courses need not be taken in a rigid sequence. Any
philosophy course should improve a student's overall philosophical
abilities and thereby strengthen the student's performance in any
subsequent philosophy course. The courses are, however, classified
by the difficulty of the reading involved and the amount of
philosophical training and background which is advisable.
Major
The philosophy major consists of 10 courses in philosophy which
must include the following courses: Logic; Plato; Aristotle;
Nietzsche; either Knowledge and Scepticism (Epistemology) or
Philosophy of Mind; one course in non-Western philosophy; and four
additional courses in philosophy.
Students majoring in philosophy are also required to take at
least one semester of a foreign language at the second semester
elementary-level or higher. Students who have attained some
proficiency in a foreign language may make use of this ability by
adding one semester hour of foreign language credit to certain
philosophy courses. For example, a student might add one semester
hour of credit to the Nietzsche course by reading some parts of
Nietzsche's writings in the original German, or add one semester
hour of credit to the Plato course by reading portions of Plato's
dialogues in Greek. Most philosophy courses at Oglethorpe are
suitable for such foreign language supplementation. Credit for such
extra study will be arranged between the student and the instructor.
The degree awarded is the Bachelor of Arts.
Minor
The philosophy minor consists of any five courses in philosophy,
which must include Logic; either Plato or Aristotle; and three
additional courses in philosophy.
Level I courses are suitable for students who have no
background in philosophy and may serve as an introduction to the
study of philosophy.
The following courses are offered in Philosophy:
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PHI 101. Significance of Human
Life - Western Responses |
4 hours |
This course introduces
the student to Western philosophy through the question of
whether human life as a whole has any ultimate meaning or
significance outside of individual desires. This question will
be considered by studying Ecclesiastes, The Book of Job, the
philosophy of Socrates in Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito,
Lucretius,' On the Nature of Things, and Hume's Dialogues
Concerning Natural Religion.
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PHI 102. Significance of Human
Life - Eastern Responses |
4 hours |
Here the student is
introduced to non-Western philosophy through a study of some
Asian responses to the question of human significance. Students
will study four thinkers who are different from one another but
who are all important in the Asian intellectual tradition. By
studying these four in some depth, students will be able to
contrast their own Western philosophical background with
something quite different from it. Students are encouraged but
not required to take PHI 101 and PHI 102 as a two-semester
sequence.
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PHI 103. Logic |
4 hours |
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This course is an
introduction to both logical thinking and thinking about logic.
It is divided into three parts: informal logic (a study of
logical fallacies in thinking), formal logic (a primer to
develop literacy in symbolic logic), and the philosophy of logic
(exactly what is logic?). |
Level II courses
are for students who have some philosophical background, to the
extent of at least one Level I course.
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PHI 202. Contemporary Ethical
Theory |
4 hours |
In this course, students will read several contemporary works
concerning the nature of the ethical. Works will be drawn from both
the analytic and the Continental traditions and an effort will be
made to put the two traditions into dialogues with each other.
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PHI 204. Plato |
4 hours |
This course is a study
of the philosophy of Plato through a reading of his major
dialogues. In addition to the "Socratic" dialogues, readings
will include the Phaedo, Phaedrus, Symposium,
Republic, and Timaeus.
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PHI 205. Aristotle |
4 hours |
This course is a study
of the philosophy of Aristotle through a reading of his major
works. Readings will include portions of the Logic, Physics,
DeAnima, Metaphysics, and Nicomachean Ethics.
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PHI 301. Philosophy of Art
(Aesthetics) |
4 hours |
This course will
attempt to trace the philosophic underpinnings of the movement
within art toward non-representational art. The course begins
with Kant's third Critique and includes readings by Hegel,
Heidegger, Derrida, and several others. Students will also read
several works by artists themselves, including Kandinsky,
Francis Bacon, and Anselm Kiefer.
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PHI 302. Knowledge and
Skepticism (Epistemology) |
4 hours |
This course will cover
various issues concerned with the nature and validity of human
knowledge. The topics studied will include the distinction
between knowledge and belief, arguments for and against
skepticism, perception and our knowledge of the physical world,
and the nature of truth.
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PHI 303. Space, Time, and God |
4 hours |
This course examines
our conception of the universe as a totality, both in its own
nature and in relation to an external cause. We will consider
whether space and time are "absolute" realities or only systems
of relations among objects, whether they are finite or infinite,
and whether or not there logically could exist space-time
universes in addition to our own. The course will conclude with
the question of whether our space-time universe is
self-sufficient or requires an ultimate cause or explanation
(God) outside of itself.
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PHI 304. Philosophy of Mind |
4 hours |
This course involves
the study of philosophical questions about the nature of human
persons. Students will examine: 1) The mind-body problem - the
nature of the mind and consciousness, and the relation of
consciousness to physical processes within the body; 2) Personal
identity - what makes a person one mind or subject both at a
single moment and over time; and 3) Free will - the status of a
person as a free agent and the relation of this freedom to the
causally determined processes in the person's body.
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PHI 305. Nietzsche |
4 hours |
In this course students
will study the philosophy of Nietzsche through a reading of his
major works, including The Birth of Tragedy, The Uses and Abuses
of History for Life, Thus Spake Zarathustra, Beyond Good and
Evil, Twilight of the Idols, and The Anti-Christ. Students will
also study some contemporary and influential readings of
Nietzsche.
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PHI 306. African Philosophy |
4 hours |
Taking African
philosophy as a case study of post-colonial thought, students
will study the African critique of traditional modes of
philosophizing. The authors read will include Cesaire, Senghor,
Sartre, Mudimbe, Appiah, Achebe, Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and
Victor Turner.
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PHI 320. Special Topics in
Philosophy: Philosophers |
4 hours |
Intensive study of the
thought of a single important philosopher or group of
philosophers.
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PHI 321. Special Topics in
Philosophy: Philosophical Issues and Problems |
4 hours |
Studies of selected
philosophical questions usually of special relevance to the
present day have included courses such as Philosophy of History,
War and Its Justification, and Philosophical Issues in Women's
Rights.
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PHI 322. Independent Study in
Philosophy |
1-4 hours |
Supervised research on a selected topic. Prerequisite: Submission of
a proposed outline of study that includes a schedule of meetings and
assignments approved by the instructor, the division chair, and the
Provost and Senior Vice President prior to registration.
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PHI 323. Internship in
Philosophy |
1-4 hours |
An internship is designed to provide a formalized experiential
learning opportunity to qualified students. The internship generally
requires the student to obtain a faculty supervisor in the relevant
field of study, submit a learning agreement, work 30 hours for every
hour of academic credit, keep a written journal of the work
experience, have regularly scheduled meetings with the faculty
supervisor, and write a research paper dealing with some aspect of
the internship. Written work should total five pages of academic
writing for every hour of credit. An extensive list of internships
is maintained by the Career Services Office, including opportunities
at the American Civil Liberties Union, the Georgia Attorney
General's Office, and Georgia Justice Project. Graded on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisites: Permission of the
faculty supervisor and qualification for the internship program.
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POL 341. Political Philosophy I:
Ancient and Medieval |
4 hours |
This is an examination
of the origins of philosophical reflection on the fundamental
issues of politics, which is designed to lead to the critical
consideration of the political views of our time. Among the
topics discussed are the relationship between knowledge and
political power and the character of political justice. Portions
of the works of Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and
Alfarabi are examined. Prerequisite: COR 201 or permission of
the instructor.
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POL 342. Political Philosophy
II: Modern |
4 hours |
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This is a critical
examination of the peculiarly modern political and philosophical
stance beginning where Political Philosophy I concludes. Among
the authors discussed are Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Kant,
and Kojeve. Prerequisite: POL 341 or permission of the
instructor. |
Level III courses are the most difficult and challenging
and are for students who have significant philosophical
background, to the extent of at least one or two Level II
courses.
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PHI 401. The Philosophical
Response to the Scientific Revolution |
4 hours |
This course is a study
of the philosophical systems of Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza and
Leibniz. Each of these philosophies is an attempt to come to
terms with the scientific picture of the world which had been
given to the West by Copernicus and Galileo. The course begins
with the materialist philosophy of Hobbes, followed by
Descartes' dualistic (between mind and matter) view of the
created world, and then considers Spinoza's pantheistic monism
and Leibniz's idealistic atomism as responses to the
difficulties in the Cartesian philosophy.
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PHI 402. Kant's Critique of Pure
Reason |
4 hours |
A study of Kant's
theoretical philosophy, his "metaphysics of experience," through
a reading and analysis of his major work. An attempt will be
made to discover which portions of Kant's philosophy can be
accepted as valid and true in the light of present-day
philosophy and science.
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PHI 403. Heidegger's Being and
Time |
4 hours |
This course involves a
close and patient reading of one of the most important and
difficult works of Continental philosophy. An effort will be
made to avoid speaking "heideggerianese" and to translate the
dense language of the text into a way of speaking accessible to
students.
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PHI 404. Contemporary French
Philosophy |
4 hours |
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It has been argued that
the most provocative developments in the current development of
German philosophy have been the French readings of now classic
German writers such as Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, and
Heidegger, to name a few. Students will attempt to test this
thesis by reading some representative and challenging texts. The
authors studied may include Bataille, Foucault, Deleuze,
Derrida, Althusser, Blanchot, and others. |
