PHILOSOPHY
TLC 2255 • 678-839-4848
http://www.westga.edu/~phil/
Professor, J. Donohoe; Associate Professor, R. Lane (Director); Assistant Professors,
W. Riker, M. Tietjen
The B.A. program in Philosophy offers courses that enable students to develop
skills in critical thinking, reasoning, and judging; to understand the role of premises
and inference in ordinary discourse as well as in philosophical argumentation;
to recognize and define different world views; and to comprehend the history of
Western philosophy in particular. As a cornerstone of the liberal arts education,
this discipline is pertinent to virtually all other undergraduate fields of study.
A minor in Philosophy is also available. The Philosophy major is designed for
those students who want a solid grounding in the discipline and can serve as
preparation for those who are interested in advancing into graduate studies in
Philosophy or related fields. The Religion track is designed for those interested in
theology and religious studies. It is suitable for those students wishing to go on to
graduate school in those disciplines. The Pre-Law track is designed for students
interested in law or the problems of justice. This track will prepare students for
the entrance exams and performance
standards of law school.
Learning Outcomes
Every graduate of the Philosophy Program should be able to:
• Discuss the general historical development of the discipline of philosophy
• Discuss three major historical figures of philosophy
• Ask philosophical questions and differentiate their types
• Incorporate a philosophical position in oral and written communications
• Critically outline and analyze a philosophical question
• Exhibit critical thinking skills
B.A. DEGREE WITH A MAJOR IN PHILOSOPHY
Hours
Core Areas A, B, C, D, E (see pages 128-134) 42
Core Area F 18
PHIL 2010 3
PHIL 2020 3
PHIL 2030 3
Additional Humanities Course 3
Foreign Language through 2002 3-6
Upper-Division Major Courses 15
PHIL 3100 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3
PHIL 3110 Modern Philosophy 3
PHIL 4300 Senior Seminar 3
Choose one (1) course from the following: 3
PHIL 3120 American Philosophy
PHIL 4150 Analytic Philosophy
Choose one (1) course from the following: 3
PHIL 3140 Existentialism
PHIL 4100 Phenomenology
Choose an additional six (6) courses, with a minimum of
one (1) course from each of the following areas: 18
A. PHIL 3120 American Philosophy
PHIL 3301 History and Philosophy of Science
PHIL 4150 Analytic Philosophy
PHIL 4160 Symbolic Logic
B. PHIL 3140 Existentialism
PHIL 3160 Philosophy in Literature and Film
PHIL 4100 Phenomenology
PHIL 4220 Hermeneutics
PHIL 4240 Philosophy of Friendship and Love
C. PHIL 4110 Philosophy of Law
PHIL 4115 Political Philosophy
PHIL 4120 Professional Ethics
PHIL 4130 Feminist Philosophy
D. PHIL 3170 Asian Philosophy
PHIL 3205 Religious Texts
PHIL 3220 Christian Thought
PHIL 4230 Philosophy of Religion
Minor (optional) and/or Electives 27
TOTAL 120
*No more than two variable-credit or independent-study courses may count toward the major.
B.A. Degree with a Major in Philosophy, Pre-Law Track
Hours
Core Areas A, B, C, D, E (see pages 128-134) 42
Core Area F 18
PHIL 2010 3
PHIL 2020 3
PHIL 2030 3
Additional Humanities Course 3
Foreign Language through 2002 3-6
Upper Division Major Courses 18
PHIL 3100 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3
PHIL 3110 Modern Philosophy 3
PHIL 4300 Senior Seminar 3
PHIL 4110 Philosophy of Law 3
PHIL 4115 Political Philosophy* 3
PHIL 4120 Professional Ethics 3
*POLS 4601 or POLS 4602 may be substituted for PHIL 4115
Upper Division Elective Courses 15
Choose 5 courses, with a minimum of 1 course
From each of the following areas:
A. PHIL 3120 American Philosophy
PHIL 3301 History and Philosophy of Science
PHIL 4150 Analytic Philosophy
PHIL 4160 Symbolic Logic*
*Because Symbolic Logic enhances one’s abilities in skills
necessary for the LSAT, pre-law students are encouraged
to take this course
B. PHIL 3140 Existentialism
PHIL 3160 Philosophy in Literature and Film
PHIL 4100 Phenomenology
PHIL 4220 Hermeneutics
PHIL 4240 Philosophy of Friendship and Love
C. PHIL 3170 Asian Philosophy
PHIL 3205 Religious Texts
PHIL 3220 Christian Thought
PHIL 4230 Philosophy of Religion
Minor (optional) and/or Electives 27
TOTAL 120
B.A. Degree with a Major in Philosophy, Religion Track
Hours
Core Areas A, B, C, D, E (see pages 128-134) 42
Core Area F 18
PHIL 2010 3
PHIL 2020 3
PHIL 2030 3
PHIL 2130 3
Foreign Language through 2002 3-6
Upper Division Major Courses 18
PHIL 3100 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3
PHIL 3110 Modern Philosophy 3
PHIL 4300 Senior Seminar 3
PHIL 3205 Religious Texts 3
PHIL 3220 Christian Thought* 3
PHIL 4230 Philosophy of Religion 3
*Students may take PHIL 3170 Asian Philosophy in place of PHIL 3220.
Upper Division Elective Courses 15
Choose 5 courses, with a minimum of 1 course
From each of the following areas:
A. PHIL 3120 American Philosophy
PHIL 3301 History and Philosophy of Science
PHIL 4150 Analytic Philosophy
PHIL 4160 Symbolic Logic
B. PHIL 3140 Existentialism
PHIL 3160 Philosophy in Literature and Film
PHIL 4100 Phenomenology
PHIL 4220 Hermeneutics
PHIL 4240 Philosophy of Friendship and Love
C. PHIL 4110 Philosophy of Law
PHIL 4115 Political Philosophy
PHIL 4120 Professional Ethics
PHIL 4130 Feminist Philosophy
Minor (optional) and/or Electives 27
TOTAL 120
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN PHILOSOPHY
Eighteen (18) hours including PHIL 2010, 2020, 2030, plus three (3) additional
upper-division courses.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN RELIGION
Eighteen (18) hours including PHIL 2010, 2020, and 2130, plus three (3) courses
chosen from the following courses: Religious Texts, Hermeneutics, Philosophy
of Religion, Christian Thought, or Asian Philosophy.
PHILOSOPHY COURSES (PHIL)
PHIL 2010 Introduction to Philosophy 3/0/3
A historically framed introduction to philosophy, highlighting major developments
that have defined Western philosophical inquiry. Required for
Philosophy majors. May count for credit in Core Area C2.
PHIL 2020 Critical Thinking 3/0/3
An investigation of logical fallacies and patterns of valid reasoning in primarily
oral but also written discourse. Required for Philosophy majors. May count
for credit in Core Area B1.
PHIL 2030 Introduction to Ethics 3/0/3
An introduction to the central concepts in ethics and an exploration of such
contemporary ethical issues as abortion, genetic engineering, euthanasia, and
capital punishment. Required for Philosophy majors. May count for credit
in Core Area C2.
PHIL 2130 Introduction to World Religions 3/0/3
A comparative study of the beliefs and practices of several world religions
such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This course
not only explores the history of these faiths and their early doctrinal and
communal development but their place in today’s world. Required for
religion-track majors.
PHIL 3100 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
An exploration of such philosophers as the pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus,
Augustine, Aquinas, and Occam. Required for Philosophy majors.
PHIL 3110 Modern Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
An examination of such seventeenth- and eighteenth-century European
philosophers as Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant,
and Hegel with special attention to their metaphysical, epistemological, and
political theories. Required for Philosophy majors.
PHIL 3120 American Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
This course considers metaphysical and epistemological questions by examining
how they were treated by the thinkers who founded pragmatism, America’s
distinctive philosophical tradition. Philosophers covered may include classical
American pragmatists, such as Peirce, James, Dewey, and Mead, as well
as the contemporary American pragmatists, such as Rorty.
PHIL 3140 Existentialism 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
An examination of the historical development and representative themes of
existentialism, beginning with Kierkegaard and Nietzsche and continuing
through Sartre.
PHIL 3160 Philosophy in Literature and Film 3/0/3
Prerequisite: ENGL 1101 and 1102
An examination of significant philosophical, literary, and filmic texts in terms
of their thematic and/or conceptual interconnections. Same as ENGL 3160.
PHIL 3170 Asian Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
This course is designed to introduce students to an Eastern style of philosophical
thinking. The course will focus on non-duality and overcoming the
subject–object dichotomy.
PHIL 3205 Religious Texts 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
Through an exploration of both scriptural and non-scriptural religious literature,
this course considers many of the important themes of religion such as
the nature and activity of God, the function of religious community, and the
challenges of religious belief. Required for religion-track majors.
PHIL 3220 Christian Thought 3/0/3
This course examines the development of Christian thought from the New
Testament to present day (e.g. feminist and liberation theologies). A sample
of thinkers to be considered includes Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin,
Schleiermacher, Barth, and Bultmann. Required for religion-track majors.
PHIL 3301 History and Philosophy of Science 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
A study of the historical development of science and a philosophical examination
of scientific reasoning. Same as HIST 3301.
PHIL 4100 Phenomenology 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
A historical examination of such twentieth-century phenomenologists as
Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Marcel, and Ricoeur.
PHIL 4110 Philosophy of Law 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of the instructor
An exploration of the major philosophical concepts that underlie our idea of
law as well as application of these to issues in moral, legal, criminological,
and social philosophies. Required for Pre-law-track majors.
PHIL 4115 Political Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
An examination of significant themes in political philosophy, highlighting the
way in which major concepts of political thought have evolved from ancient
Greece to contemporary western society. By critically examining the works
of classical and modern political theorists (such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes,
Locke, Mill, Rawls and Nozick), we will explore such topics as the nature of
the state, the justification of political authority, and distributive justice.
Required for Pre-law-track majors.
PHIL 4120 Professional Ethics 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
This course examines ethical questions that can arise in the professions and
occupations, such as: Is my privacy violated when my job requires that I be
tested for drugs? What should I do if I know that my employer is making an
unsafe product? Should physicians ever lie to their patients? Do corporations
have any responsibilities beyond making a profi t for their shareholders? The
course also examines more theoretical issues concerning professionalism and
the professions, such as the nature of the relationship between professionals
and clients and the connection between ordinary and professional morality.
Required for Pre-law-track majors.
PHIL 4130 Feminist Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
The aim in this course is to examine critically the central arguments of various
feminist theories; to explore what it means to have a feminist approach
to philosophical problems of epistemology, identity, morality, freedom, and
human nature; to identify the presuppositions of theories; and to recognize the
problematic principles of essentialism and exclusion from a more informed
standpoint.
PHIL 4150 Analytic Philosophy 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
This course is an introduction to analytic philosophy, the predominant tradition
of philosophy in America and England during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Areas of philosophy to be covered may include the philosophy of language,
metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, and ethics. Philosophers
covered may include Frege, Moore, Wittgenstein, Russell, Ayer, Ryle, Austin,
Quine, and Putnam.
PHIL 4160 Symbolic Logic 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2020 or permission of instructor
An intensive introduction to the elements of deductive logic essential to
scientific reasoning, computer programming, mathematics, and everyday
problem-solving.
PHIL 4220 Hermeneutics 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
Hermeneutics is the philosophical discipline investigating the process of
textual interpretation. How do we know how to interpret what we read? Is
the meaning of a text what the author intended? How would we know what
an author intended? Should we understand a text within a historical context?
This course addresses the development of the hermeneutic tradition through
the primary texts of such influential philosophers as Friedrich Schleiermacher,
Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Paul Ricoeur.
PHIL 4230 Philosophy of Religion 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
An examination of philosophical arguments about such religious questions
as the existence of God, the problem of evil, the relationship between faith
and reason, and the concept of human destiny. Required for Religion-track
majors.
PHIL 4240 Philosophy of Friendship and Love 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
The aim of this course is to examine critically the historical theories of friendship
and love through examining important primary philosophical texts; to
explore what it means to love and how such notions of love and friendship
have changed throughout the centuries; to grasp the value and meaning of
friendship and love as social and personal elements; and to recognize the
historical nature of definitions and questions of friendship and love.
PHIL 4300 Senior Seminar 3/0/3
Prerequisite: Senior level standing
The aim of this course is to examine current theoretical and practical issues
about the discipline of philosophy; to reflect upon and analyze implications
of students’ course of study; to read and discuss the debates surrounding the
topic of the seminar; to develop, research, and execute a rigorous philosophical
argument relating to the topic of the seminar; and to develop the skills
of leading class discussion and presenting an academic paper. Required for
Philosophy majors.
PHIL 4381 Independent Study var. 1-3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010 or permission of instructor
Guided investigation of a topic not addressed by regularly scheduled courses.
Students must propose a detailed plan of readings, articulating precise learning
objectives, and secure the written consent of both a supervising instructor
and the department chair. Not more than two (2) Independent Study courses
may count toward the major in Philosophy without the chair’s permission.
PHIL 4385 Special Topics 3/0/3
Prerequisite: PHIL 2010
An examination of a topic in philosophy that transcends the boundaries of the
fixed curriculum. Requires permission of the department chair to repeat.