University of Toronto at Scarborough 2003/2004 Calendar
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Philosophy
(B.A.)
W.C. Graham, M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto), Professor Emeritus
J.H. Sobel, M.A. (Iowa State), Ph.D. (Michigan), Professor Emeritus
W.E. Seager, M.A. (Alberta), Ph.D. (Toronto), Professor
R.P. Thompson, M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto), Professor
P. Kremer, B.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Pittsburg), Associate Professor
L. Lange, B.A., M.A. (Manitoba), Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor
S. Sedivy, B.A. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Pittsburgh), Associate Professor
J. Hawkins, B.A. (Reed), M.A., Ph.D. (Princeton), Assistant Professor
M. Lin, B.A. (NYU), Ph.D. (Chicago), Assistant Professor
Discipline Representative: P. Kremer
Philosophy is the study of the ideas that shape our thought and activity. While we do discuss controversial issues in politics, morality, science, religion, art, etc., philosophy is more concerned with the ideas that underlie all such debates. We consider what the role of government should be, what reasons there could be to describe anything as good or bad, what proves that something is true, whether there could be a reality beyond the physical world, and whether the only value of art is the pleasure it gives. Such questions have been answered in a variety of theories, and any study in philosophy begins with learning what others have thought; but our purpose is not primarily to be historians of ideas, and assignments focus on developing the intellectual abilities and techniques required to think effectively for oneself at this deeper level. So philosophy emphasizes interpretation and original thought, reasoning, discussion and assessment.
PHLA10 H and PHLA11H are a survey of the main topic-areas of philosophy. It is recommended both as a course of general interest and as an introduction to the Major Program.
B-level courses address specific topics such as art, feminism, politics, techniques of argument, and theories of mind. Since they have no prerequisites they also serve as entry-points to philosophy.
Seminars in Philosophy are advanced courses for students with at least two full-course equivalents in Philosophy. (Instructors will admit students whose courses in other disciplines have adequately prepared them for a seminar. Students must provide transcripts when requesting special permission to enrol in a seminar).
D-level independent study courses are intended for qualified students who wish to engage in advanced level work on a well-defined topic of their choice. These courses are only available with the prior agreement of an instructor.
Supervisor: W.Seager (until June 30), P. Kremer (from July 1, 2003)
Students must complete at least seven FCEs (full-credit equivalents) in Philosophy; at least 1.5 FCEs must be at the C- or D-level.
Supervisor: W.Seager (until June 30, 2003), P. Kremer (from July 1, 2003)
Students must complete 4.0 FCEs in Philosophy; at least 1.0 FCE must be at the C- or D-level.
NOTE:
For Co-op opportunities related to the Major Program in Philosophy, please see the Calendar entry for the Humanities Co-operative Program, page 124.
PHLA10H3 Reason and Truth
An introduction to philosophy focusing on issues of rationality, metaphysics and the theory of knowledge. Topics may include: the nature of mind, freedom, the existence of God, the nature and knowability of reality. These topics will generally be introduced through the study of key texts from the history of philosophy.
Exclusion: PHLA01Y
PHLA11H3 Value and Society
An introduction to philosophy focusing on issues of value, individual and social. Topics may include: the objectivity of value, moral relativism, the legitimacy of political authority, and the relation between state and individual. These topics will generally be introduced through the study of key texts from the history of philosophy.
Exclusion: PHLA01Y
A study of philosophical problems and theories of ethics. Ethics examines questions such as: what makes actions right or wrong, are ethical beliefs objectively true, or merely a matter of convention, are there moral rules. Topics may include: ethical relativism, the justification of morality and consideration of particular ethical theories.
PHLB03H3 Philosophy of Art
What is art? We will examine theories of the nature of art together with critiques of each of these theories. The course will then examine some issues specific to particular forms of art, such as literature, drama, film, dance and the visual arts.
PHLB05H3 Social Issues
An examination of contemporary or historical issues that force us to consider and articulate our values and commitments. The course will select issues from a range of possible topics, which may include globalization, medical ethics, war and terrorism, the role of government in a free society, equality and discrimination.
PHLB06H3 Business Ethics
An examination of philosophical issues in ethics, social theory, and theories of human nature as they bear on business. What moral obligations do businesses have? Can social or environmental costs and benefits be calculated in a way relevant to business decisions? Do political ideas have a role within business?
Exclusions: MGTC59H, PHL295H
PHLB07H3 Well-Being and Autonomy
What is well-being? What is autonomy? These two notions are central in ethical theory, law, bioethics, and in the popular imagination. In this course we will explore well-being and autonomy in more depth, and then consider how our views about well-being and autonomy shape our views about ethics.
Limited enrolment: 50
PHLB08H3 Ethics and International Affairs
Ethics is concerned with right action - with questions of how we should treat one another. This course will focus on ethical questions that arise in the context of international, cross-cultural interactions with a particular focus on the interactions between the developed world and the developing world.
Limited enrolment: 50
PHLB10H3 Political Philosophy
A study of philosophical issues about the order and governance of human societies. Major political philosophies will be examined. Questions that may be considered include: What is justice? When is political authority legitimate? Do people choose the societies they want, or does society shape them? Are all people equal?
Exclusions: PHL265, POLB70H, POLB71H, (POLB70Y)
PHLB11H3 Topics in the Philosophy of Law
A discussion of right and rights, justice, legality, and related concepts. Particular topics may include: justifications for the legal enforcement of morality, particular ethical issues arising out of the intersection of law and morality, such as punishment, freedom of expression and censorship, autonomy and paternalism, constitutional protection of human rights.
Exclusion: PHL271
PHLB13H3 Philosophy and Feminism
What is feminism? What is a woman? Or a man? Are gender relations natural or inevitable? Why do gender relations exist in virtually every society? How do gender relations intersect with other social relations, such as economic class, culture, race, sexual orientation, etc.?
PHLB15H3 Philosophy of Education
A philosophical study of the nature, practice and value of education. Major philosophical accounts of education will be examined. Topics to be considered may include: the nature, aims, and content of education, education and indoctrination, the role and justification of educational institutions, authority and freedom in the school.
PHLB20H3 Belief, Knowledge, and Truth
An examination of the nature of knowledge, and our ability to achieve it. Topics may include the question of whether any of our beliefs can be certain, the problem of skepticism, the scope and limits of human knowledge, the nature of perception, rationality, and theories of truth.
Exclusion: PHL230
PHLB30H3 Existentialism
A study of the views and approaches pioneered by such writers as Kierkegaard, Husserl, Jaspers, Heidegger and Sartre. Existentialism has had influence beyond philosophy, impacting theology, literature and psychotherapy. Characteristic topics include the nature of the self and its relations to the world and society, self-deception, and freedom of choice.
Exclusion: PHL220
PHLB40H3 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
The course will be based on the study of three major traditions in Chinese thought: Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. Primary texts in translation and key areas of philosophy will be discussed. We put our emphasis on historical development of each tradition and textual analysis.
Exclusion: PHL237
PHLB41H3 Introduction to Asian Philosophy
This course is an introduction to philosophies in India, China and Japan. Historical and religious approaches will enhance our understanding of ancient philosophies, their modern development, and their significance in today's world. Selected texts to be discussed critically include such as Upanishads, Bhagvad Gita, Gotama's discourses, The Analects, as well as the ShÙbogenzo.
PHLB42H3 Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy
We make a historical approach to the main aspects of Buddhist philosophy. We seek understandings of what Gotama taught through his discourses and secondary interpretive literature. Following the development of Buddhism we will also study some aspects of Mahayana and Tantric Buddhist philosophy in China and Tibet.
PHLB50H3 Symbolic Logic I
An introduction to formal, symbolic techniques of reasoning. Sentential logic and quantification theory (or predicate logic), including identity will be covered. The emphasis is on appreciation of and practice in techniques, for example, the formal analysis of English statements and arguments, and for construction of clear and rigorous proofs.
Exclusion: PHL245
PHLB53H3 The Art of Thinking
A study of methods and techniques for developing effective reasoning and argumentation. This course aims to develop skill in identifying ambiguities, evaluating premises, constructing counter-examples, and reconstructing arguments. This course provides an important foundation for Philosophy students, while offering essential critical skills for all students, no matter what their Program.
Exclusions: PHL247, TRN200Y
PHLB60H3 Metaphysics
A consideration of problems in metaphysics: the attempt to understand 'how everything fits together' in the most general sense of this phrase. Some issues typically covered include: the existence of God, the nature of time and space, the nature of mind and the problem of the freedom of the will.
Exclusion: PHL231
PHLB70H3 Philosophy of Science
A study of philosophical questions raised by the natural and social sciences. Topics discussed may include: the nature of rationality and the role of values in science, the description of scientific methodology, the structure of scientific theory, and the question of how or in what sense science progresses.
Exclusion: (BJPC70H), (PHLB71), (BIOC70H), HPS250H
Prerequisite: One full or half credit course in Philosophy or in one of the Sciences
PHLB80H3 Philosophy of Language
An examination of philosophical issues about language. Philosophical questions to be covered include: what is the relation between mind and language, what is involved in linguistic communication, is language an innate biological feature of human beings, how do words manage to refer to things, and what is meaning.
PHLB81H3 Theories of Mind
An examination of questions concerning the nature of mind. Philosophical questions considered may include: what is consciousness, what is the relation between the mind and the brain, how did mind evolve and do animals have minds, what is thinking, what are feelings and emotions, and can machines have minds.
Exclusion: PHL240, (PHL242)
PHLB85H3 Philosophy and Culture
An examination of philosophical interpretations of culture. What do we mean by the word 'culture'? What intellectual tools do we need to understand culture? Is philosophical questioning, often thought to be universal, actually shaped by developments in the surrounding culture? Can philosophical reflection help resolve conflicts within, and between, cultures?
PHLB86H3 Foundations of Cognitive Science
A study of the hypotheses and theories that ground cognitive science. Fundamental questions include: what is a computational system and how can a physical system think and understand language? The course examines the functionalist theory of mind, the relationship between syntax and semantics, and the theory of interpretable formal systems.
Exclusion: (COGB01Y)
Major twentieth-century ethical theories. Topics studied may include, for example, G.E. Moore's non-naturalism, W.D. Ross' intuitionism, J.L. Mackie's moral skepticism, and R.M. Hare's universal prescriptivism.
Exclusions: (PHLC02), PHL375
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC03H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Aesthetics
An exploration of some current issues concerning the various forms of art: the role of the museum, the loss of beauty and the death of art.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC13H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Gender Theory
What is gender? Gender issues have animated discussion among feminist philosophers and social scientists, as well as among the public at large. Current approaches vary greatly. However, since ideas about gender differences have historically been used to subordinate women, the approaches discussed all share a commitment to social critique.
Prerequisite: This is a senior general interest course for philosophy students and others, with lectures, class discussion, and essays. Students should have completed at least 2.0 FCEs at the B- or C-level in any subject before beginning this course
PHLC40H3 The Nature of Buddhist Ethics
Buddhism is a response to what is fundamentally an ethical problem - the perennial problem of the best kind of life for us to lead. Gotama was driven to seek the solution to this problem and the associated ethical issues it raises. This course discusses the aspects of
sila,
ethics and psychology,
nirvana;
ethics in Mahayana; Buddhism, utilitarianism, and Aristotle.
Prerequisites:
PHLB40H or PHLB42H or permission of the instructor
PHLC42H3 Confucianism
Through studying Confucian classics in translation and related readings, this course discusses theories of philosophers and their debate. Gender roles, attitudes toward the natural environment and modern concept in business ethics reflecting in Confucian tenets will also be discussed.
PHLC51H3 Symbolic Logic II
A continuation of PHLB50. The natural deduction system studied in PHLB50 is extended to cover identity and definite descriptions. Special attention is paid to the restriction of the identity calculus to 'extensional' terms and formulas. Alternative treatments of definite descriptions, one following Frege, the other Russell, are developed and compared.
Exclusion: (JMPC51)
Prerequisite: (JMPB50) PHLB50
Symbolic Logic I deals with formal languages: you work inside formalproof systems, and also consider the "semantics", dealing with truth, of formal languages. Instead of working inside formal systems, Metalogic treats systems themselves as objects of study, from the outside.
Prerequisites: PHLB50H or a strong mathematical background, as determined by the instructor; or permission of the instructor.
PHLC82H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Stoicism
An investigation and discussion of stoicism, ancient and modern. Stoicism involves principles such as: living more closely with nature, reducing ones needs to essentials, appreciating beauty and accepting pain. We will examine the thought of such ancient Stoic philosophers as Zeno, Cleanthes, Diogenes, Epactetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs. in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC83H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Logic and Theism
A study of theistic belief using logical arguments. The course will take up all major arguments for and against the existence of, and beliefs in, God. Aspects of logic will be explained and related to these arguments. Other likely topics include God and morality, and divine omniscience and freedom.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC84H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Postcolonial Studies in Philosophy
A critical postcolonial examination of some aspects of western European philosophy. How has western philosophy been shaped by the colonization of other parts of the globe? We will examine modern western philosophy's ideals of rationality, universality, and progress in this light.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in Philosophy or permission of the instructor
PHLC85H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Cultural Criticism
A detailed examination of philosophical issues about culture. This course will pursue theoretical concerns about interpretation, dialogue, identity and authenticity relating to cultural formations, including minority cultures, sub-cultures and popular culture. The role of ideology, the construction of cultural consensus, and the influence of the media is also considered.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs. in PHL or permission of the instructor.
PHLC86H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Minds and Machines
An examination of arguments for and against the idea that machines can be conscious, can think, or can feel. Topics may include: Turing's test of machine intelligence, the argument based on Gˆdel's theorem that there is an unbridgeable gulf between human minds and machine capabilities, Searle's Chinese Room thought experiment.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in PHL or permission of the instructor.
PHLC87H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Collaborative Consciousness and the Open Society
An exploration of the conditions of democracy as a free organization of personal and social life involving processes for resolving differences. Topics include freedom, equality, peace, individuality, education and negotiation. We will discuss philosophical and cultural texts, ancient and modern.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs. in PHL or permission of the instructor.
PHLC88H3 Seminar in Philosophy: An inclusive review of Early Modern Philosophy
We will read philosophical commentaries and treatises of the early modern period. We study works by Margaret Cavendish, Damaris Cudworth Masham, Mary Astell and Lady Mary Shepherd in conjunction with Descartes, Leibniz, Locke and Hume.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs.. in PHL or permission of the instructor.
PHLC89H3 Contemporary Analytic Philosophy
An examination of contemporary developments in theories of the mind, meaning and truth. Contemporary issues will be set up by tracing their development. Our main concern will be the opposition between internalism/externalism and realism/anti-realism in current understanding of mind and meaning.
Prerequisite: 1.0 FCE in philosophy or permission of the instructor
PHLC91H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Theories of Human Nature
An exploration of theories which provide answers to the question 'What is a human being?', investigating catch-phrase definitions such as: 'Man is a rational animal,' 'Man is a political animal,' 'Man is inherently individual,' 'Man is inherently social,' etc. Authors studied include: Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau, Darwin, Marx and Freud.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs. in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC92H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Political Philosophy in the Twentieth Century
An examination of some central philosophical problems of contemporary political philosophy.
Prerequisite: Two B-level half-credit courses in Philosophy.
PHLC93H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Justice
A discussion of the question 'What is justice?' The question has been asked since the time of Plato, but seems to resist definitive answers. This course will examine debates about justice in recent political philosophy. Authors discussed may include: John Rawls, Robert Nozick, Bruce Ackerman, Michale Sandel, Iris Young.
Prerequisite: Two B-level half-credit courses in Philosophy or permission of the instructor
PHLC94H3 Seminar in Philosophy: French Political Thought
A study of contemporary political thought from France.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLC95H3 Seminar in Philosophy: Consciousness
An exploration of philosophical problems and theories of consciousness. Topics to be examined may include: the nature of consciousness and 'qualitative experience', the existence and nature of animal consciousness, the relation between consciousness and intentionality, as well as various philosophical theories of consciousness.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs.. in PHL including PHLB81 or permission of the instructor
PHLC99H3 Seminar in Continental Philosophy: Ethics and The Other
Kant makes the startling discovery that if morality is based in a free will, then morality can have no objective criteria in the world. But if this is the case, then what is the nature of my ethical obligation, if any? Authors studied include Kant, Hegel, and Levinas.
Prerequisite: 2.0 FCEs. in PHL or permission of the instructor
PHLD95H3-D99H3 Independent Study
These courses are intended for qualified students who wish to engage in advanced level work on a well-defined topic of their choice. These courses are only available with the prior arrangement of an instructor.
University of Toronto at Scarborough 2003/2004 Calendar
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