http://www.whitworth.edu/philosophy
The Whitworth Philosophy Department introduces students to the content and methodology of the discipline of philosophy. While emphasizing the history of philosophy and current philosophical issues, the department’s courses help develop logical-reasoning and critical-thinking skills. The program focuses on both the critical and the constructive aspects of philosophy while encouraging Christian character development and career preparation. The learning outcomes of this major include the following:
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate content mastery, including knowledge of the following:
- The history of philosophy, including key authors and texts
- Key issues, key questions and major alternatives
- Central issues relative to intersection of philosophy with other disciplines (e.g., philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind)
- Demonstrate critical thinking, including the ability to do the following:
- Develop analytical skills
- Ability to listen and analyze various modes of discourse
- Ability to read texts carefully
- Develop argumentation skills.
- Identify and follow arguments (including the ability to discern fallacies, detect assumptions, and identify presuppositions and implications of ideas)
- Construct arguments both orally and in writing – including the ability to assert, explain and justify a position.
- Demonstrate understanding of some of the main areas and questions in philosophy pertinent to the development of one’s worldview.
- Be able to identify and articulate and analyze competing answers to questions pertaining to one’s worldview.
- Be able to articulate how Christianity answers and argues for various worldview questions.
- Be able to develop, articulate and defend one’s own answers to worldview questions and explore how such answers influence how one should live.
- Articulate the framework of moral and intellectual virtues, in both discussion with faculty mentors and written work that evaluates their intellectual character and creates a plan for character growth.
- Articulate why and how Christian faith is a viable option for addressing various philosophical problems/questions, demonstrating this ability through oral and written philosophical argumentation.
- Prepare interested students for philosophy graduate programs, law school, seminary and other liberal arts graduate programs.
- For all students: Translate acquired skills into marketable professional competencies.
Courses
| PH 110 Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
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The great issues and ideas of philosophical,inquiry. Treatment of subjects such as logic,,metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political,philosophy and different world views. Emphasis on,both critical and constructive thinking. Meets the,FRCI requirement. Fall and spring semesters. |
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| PH 199H Philosophy in the Real World | 3 |
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The purpose of this class is to explicitly,explore how some of the most central areas of,philosophy interact with different disciplines.,In particular, we will be looking at how,philosophical concepts and theories may affect,one's understanding and handling of,non-philosophical problems. In addition, this,class will engage the various interdisciplinary,discussions within the context of trying to,develop various intellectual virtues. Periodic,Offering. |
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| PH 201 Logic | 3 |
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The formal nature of logical thought and the,informal, practical application of critical,thinking to the analysis of arguments. Includes,sections on arguments and fallacies in ordinary,language, syllogistic arguments and symbolic,logic. Fall and spring semester, odd years. |
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| PH 202 Hidd. Assump.: Phil. Behind Why You Do | 3 |
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This course examines how philosophy underlies our,deepest beliefs and everyday actions. It includes,topics ranging from crucial aspects of our,identities, like our moral responsibility or,gender or race, to how we evaluate art like the,movies we watch, to how we live out the body of,Christ. If the unexamined life isn't worth living,,then examining our hidden assumptions is one of,the best activities we can do. Fulfills the FRCI,shared curriculum requirement. Periodic offering. |
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| PH 205 Utopia: Social Order vs. Individual,Freedom? | 3 |
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What would an ideal society be like? Inevitably,experimental utopias have grappled with attention,between two social values: social order or,harmony on the one hand and individual freedom on,the other. This course explores questions about,the nature and value of freedom, the basis for,social order or harmony, and whether or how the,latter may justify limits to the former. Meets,FRCI requirement. Periodic Jan-term offering. |
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| PH 209 The Vices: Virtue and Evil | 3 |
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An examination of several prominent moral vices,,particularly the "seven deadly sins," with a view,to their apparent attractiveness and inherent,self-destructiveness. The investigation proceeds,through both theory and case studies in film and,short stories. Be aware: includes materials with,explicit content. Jan Term, even years. Meets the,Faith, Reason and Contemporary Issues requirement,of the shared curriculum. |
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| PH 210 The Ten Commandments as Moral Law | 3 |
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An investigation of how a set of 3000-year-old,rules can still have relevance and application for,our lives. Includes grounding the Decalogue in,divine-command theory and virtue theory,,understanding the rules' original context and,intent, and translating the rules to contemporary,daily life. Cross-listed with TH-210. Jan Term,,odd years. Meets the Faith, Reason and,Contemporary Issues requirement in the shared,curriculum. |
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| PH 211 The Philosophy of Forgiveness | 3 |
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Forgiveness is generally thought to be a morally,good response to a wrong-doing. This class will,examine the nature of forgiveness. What is the,relationship between forgiveness and justice? How,is forgiving a wrong-doing different from,condoning a wrong-doing? Is there such a thing as,unconditional forgiveness? Meets FRCI requirement.,Spring semester, even years. |
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| PH 221 Ethics | 3 |
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The nature of moral judgments and values.,Examination of the criteria upon which ethical,decision-making is based and the nature of the,good life. Cross-listed with TH 221. Fall,Semester. Fulfills FRCI for Shared Curriculum. |
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| PH 244 Reasons for Faith | 3 |
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An examination of the rational status of Christian,belief. Topics include the relationship between,faith and reason, the evidence for God's,existence, and the evidence for uniquely Christian,doctrines (e.g., the Christ's Resurrection). Also,listed as PH 344. Meets FRCI. Periodic Jan Term,offering. |
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| PH 245 Faith and Doubt | 3 |
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What is faith? What is doubt? Are the two,compatible, or do they conflict? In this class we,will explore the nature of religious faith, the,nature of religious doubt, and the relationship,between the two. After considering the concepts of,faith and doubt, we will consider a number of,modern doubts about the Christian faith. Topics,include: the lack of evidence for belief in God,,the problem of evil, the problem of divine,hiddenness, Marxist and Freudian objections to,religious belief, the intellectual significance of,religious disagreement, the problem of miracles in,relation to contemporary science, models of faith,and doubt, and strategies for living with doubt.,Meets FRCI. Periodic Jan-term offering. |
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| PH 255 Faith, Philosophy and Science | 3 |
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Are science and religion in conflict? Or is there,concord between them? What is the difference,between science and non-science, and why does it,matter? Does contemporary science rely on,philosophical assumptions? If so, what are these,assumptions, and in which worldviews can they find,a home? What might the history of science teach us,about the relationship between science and,theology? Do contemporary scientific theories,(e.g., evolution) make it irrational to believe in,God? Do religious miracle claims conflict with,science? Should belief in God be explained away as,a trick of the brain? What challenges might,contemporary science pose for atheism scientific,naturalism? And, how might learning about the,structure of scientific theories inform Christian,approaches to the problem of religious doubt? The,answers to these questions are central to,understanding and operating within contemporary,Western culture. This course is devoted to,addressing them. |
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| PH 255H Faith, Philosophy and Science | 3 |
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Are science and religion in conflict? Or is there,concord between them? What is the difference,between science and non-science, and why does it,matter? Does contemporary science rely on,philosophical assumptions? If so, what are these,assumptions, and in which worldviews can they find,a home? What might the history of science teach us,about the relationship between science and,theology? Do contemporary scientific theories,(e.g., evolution) make it irrational to believe in,God? Do religious miracle claims conflict with,science? Should belief in God be explained away as,a trick of the brain? What challenges might,contemporary science pose for atheism scientific,naturalism? And, how might learning about the,structure of scientific theories inform Christian,approaches to the problem of religious doubt? The,answers to these questions are central to,understanding and operating within contemporary,Western culture. This course is devoted to,addressing them. |
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| PH 256 Asian Philosophy | 3 |
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A study of the major schools of Asian philosophy,,with emphasis on Chinese thought. Spring,semester,,even years. Also listed as AS 256. |
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| PH 261 C.S. Lewis | 3 |
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The thought of C.S. Lewis, as found in his,philosophical, theological and imaginative works,,and the interconnections between those works.,Critical evaluation of Lewis's ideas and,application of those ideas to contemporary,issues. Also listed as TH 261. Fall semester. |
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| PH 299 The Meaning of Life | 3 |
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What's the meaning of life? Does human existence,have an overarching goal? What should I care most,about? How can I make sure I don't waste my life?,These are some of the most important questions,that anyone can ask, and in this course we will,explore them together. Meets FRCI requirement. ,Also listed as TH 299. Jan-term, periodic,offering. |
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| PH 301 Symbolic Logic | 3 |
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This course attempts to formalize the structure of,proper logical reasoning through the use of an,artificial symbolic language that assists in,recognizing proper from improper argumentation.,The main goal in this class is to begin mastering,this symbolic language with the goal of learning,to reason well. We will begin by looking at the,nature of propositional statements, the,truth-functional connectives they use, and,translating statements made in our natural,language to this artificial symbolic language.,Then we will turn to the construction of,arguments. We will learn to recognize valid from,invalid arguments by constructing truth-tables to,derive valid arguments using universal logical,truths. Fall semester, even years. |
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| PH 302 Medical Ethics | 3 |
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Medicine and medical technologies present some of,the most difficult ethical questions and,scenarios. Given the prevalence and pressing,nature of these ethical issues, this course thinks,them through carefully and systematically, using,our best lenses of ethical theory. Meets the FRCI,requirement. |
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| PH 303 History of Ancient and Medieval,Philosophy | 3 |
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The development of philosophical ideas from the,Pre-Socratics through the late Medieval period in,Europe, using primary sources. Special emphasis in,Plato, Aristotle and Aquinas. Meets the Historical,Analysis shared curriculum requirement. Fall,semester, odd years. |
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| PH 304 History of Modern and Contemporary,Philosophy | 3 |
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The development of philosophical ideas from the,Descartes through the present day, using primary,sources. Special emphasis on Descartes, Hume and,Kant, Logical Positivism and others. Meets the,Historical Analysis shared curriculum requirement.,Spring semester, even years. |
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| PH 305 History of Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
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The development of philosophical ideas from the,Pre-Socratics to the Middle Ages, using primary,source readings. Special emphasis on Plato's and,Aristotle's ideas on the major issue of life. Fall,semester, even years. |
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| PH 306 History of Modern Philosophy | 3 |
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The development of philosophical ideas from,Descartes through the 18th century, using primary,source readings. Figures studied include:,Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz, Locke, Berkeley,,Hume, Kant. Spring semester, odd years. |
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| PH 307 History of Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
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The development of philosophical ideas in the,19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century Europe and America.,Both the Continental and Anglo-American traditions,will be explored. Fall semester, odd years. |
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| PH 319H Ethics Bowl | 1 |
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This course constitutes the research and practice,leading up to the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl,,Northwest Regional, in November; it also does so,for a National Ethics Bowl competition in March.,Course requirements include the competition. As a,team, students analyze, present on, and argue,complex ethical cases. Course can be taken,repeatedly for credit. Offered Fall and Spring,semesters. |
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| PH 320 Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
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The place of reason in faith. Issues addressed,include classical arguments for and against the,existence of God, the relationship of faith and,reason, and the nature of religious language,,miracles and immorality. Meets FRCI requirement.,Spring semester. |
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| PH 321W Ethics-Social/Behavioral Studies | 3 |
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This course focuses on four themes in moral,philosophy: The Foundations of morality, Moral,knowledge, Moral motivation, and Ethics in real,life. The course will apply these ethical themes,to topics in social and behavioral fields.,Satisfies the Writing-intensive requirement. For,continuing studies students only. |
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| PH 329H God, Knowledge, and Language | 3 |
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This course explores a number of issues at the,intersection of postmodern thought, theology, and,Anglo-American (analytic) philosophy. We'll begin,with the question, What is the nature of truth?,,a question that is sharply to be distinguished,from the following two: . Which claims or,propositions are true? . How do we know what is,true? After a detailed inquiry regarding the,nature of truth, we'll consider the extent to,which it's sensible to think that some,theological claims are true. In this connection,,we'll examine classical and contemporary views of,the Divine nature. We'll then proceed to consider,postmodern views of knowledge and interpretation,,taking Descartes' philosophical project as our,backdrop. During this part of the course, we'll,examine recent debates between postmodernists and,their critics (these debates take place both,within and outside of Christian circles).,Finally, we'll consider the question, Can,Christian belief be reasonable in today's,intellectual climate? This inquiry will require a,deep investigation of the nature of human,rationality and the prospective sources for,reasonable belief. Periodic Offering. |
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| PH 336 Social-Political Philosophy | 3 |
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An examination of the nature of justice and the,extents of our social obligations. Considers both,historical and contemporary sources, the latter,including feminist and multicultural thinkers.,Covers both theory and particular issues, like,just war, economics and justice, rights to free,expression, etc. Also counts as a PO elective.,Fall semester, even years. Fulfills the FRCI,requirement of Shared Curriculum. |
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| PH 340W Knowledge, Power & Propaganda:,Epistemology,Knowledge, Power, & Propaganda,(epistemology) | 3 |
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The nature and limits of knowledge. Focus on,contemporary issues raised in recent books and,journals. Recommended prerequisites: a History of,Philosophy course. Meets FRCI requirement. Fall,semester, odd years.,The nature and limits of knowledge. Focus on,contemporary issues raised in recent books and,journals. Recommended prerequisites: PH 305 or PH,306, or CO 250. Fall semester, odd years. |
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| PH 340W Knowledge, Power & Propaganda:,Epistemology,Knowledge, Power, & Propaganda,(epistemology) | 3 |
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The nature and limits of knowledge. Focus on,contemporary issues raised in recent books and,journals. Recommended prerequisites: a History of,Philosophy course. Meets FRCI requirement. Fall,semester, odd years.,The nature and limits of knowledge. Focus on,contemporary issues raised in recent books and,journals. Recommended prerequisites: PH 305 or PH,306, or CO 250. Fall semester, odd years. |
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| PH 341 Metaphysics: the Study of Ultimate,Reality | 3 |
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Metaphysics is the study of ultimate reality-the,study of what is really real. It concerns,questions like the following. What is truth, and,is it objective? What is the mind or soul-is it a,physical thing or is it non-physical? Do we have,free will? Is free will compatible with causal,determinism? Does God exist? If God exists, how,might God's providence relate to human actions? If,God exists, how can we understand God's,attributes? Is it coherent to think of God as a,Trinity? Is it coherent to think that God became,incarnate? |
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| PH 344 Reasons for Faith | 3 |
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An examination of the rational status of Christian,belief. Topics include the relationship between,faith and reason, the evidence for God's,existence, and the evidence for uniquely Christian,doctrines (e.g., the Christ's Resurrection). Meets,FRCI requirement. Also listed as PH 244. Periodic,Jan Term. |
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| PH 350 Social and Ethical Issues in Business,and Economics | 3 |
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Contemporary social, political, environmental and,ethical forces affecting today's business and,economic world. Meets FRCI requirement. Fall and,spring semesters. Cross-listed as BU 302. |
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| PH 355H Feminist and Multicultural Philosophy,Honors | 3 |
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Mainstream Western philosophy faces significant,challenges from both feminist and multicultural,critics. Those challenges range from exposure of,bias in methodology, to critiques of injustice in,ethics and politics, to presentation of new,theories to rival or replace longstanding,conceptions. This course will examine some of the,historical development of these critiques and will,survey a number of issues covered by those,critiques. Satisfies the Culture and Diversity,requirement for the shared curriculum, and,provides a "U" tag. Strongly recommended prior,courses: Core 250 or a History of Philosophy,course. |
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| PH 368 Aesthetics | 3 |
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The nature of art, including purposes and,theories of art, connections to beauty and truth,and practical life, and moral implications of,artworks. Suggested prerequisites: PH 110 or any,of AR 260-264. Periodic Offering. |
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| PH 421 Philosophy of Science | 3 |
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An examination of various issues related to,scientific methodology. Topics covered include the,demarcation of science from pseudoscience, the,rationality of induction, scientific explanation,and confirmation, scientific laws, the,realism/anti-realism debate, rationality and,objectivity in science, and the relationship,between science and faith. Spring semester, even,years. |
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| PH 423W Marxism and the Socialist World | 3 |
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Focus on Marx's critique of capitalism. Later,interpretations and application of Marx's theories,in a variety of revolutions, from those of the,Soviet Union, China, Yugoslavia and Cuba to,current upheavals in the socialist world. Also,listed as PO 423W. Periodic offering. |
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| PH 425 Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
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An exploration of one of the most actively debated,and contentious issues in contemporary philosophy:,What is the nature of the human mind? Examines,current theories and the relationship to the,claims of artificial intelligence, neuropsychology,and Christian understandings of human nature, as,well as the question of determinism versus free,will. Periodic offering. |
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| PH 498 Senior Capstone | 1 |
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Writing and discussion intended to give senior,students an opportunity to integrate the various,strands of their philosophical education and,reflect on their future. Fall semester, senior,year. |
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Requirements for a Philosophy Minor (15) |
|---|
| 12 |
| 3 |
| History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy | |
| History of Modern and Contemporary Philosophy | |
Requirements for an Ethics Minor (15) |
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| PH 221 | Ethics | 3 |
| 6 |
| Medical Ethics | |
| Business Ethics: Social and Ethical Issues in Business & Economics,Social and Ethical Issues in Business and Economics | |
| Ethic, Soc & Leg Issues in CS | |
| Media Ethics | |
| Communication Ethics | |
| International Development,Justice and Difference in Contemporary Political Theory | |
| Environmental Ethics | |
| 3 |
| Philosophy in the Real World | |
| Utopia: Social Order vs. Individual Freedom? | |
| The Vices: Virtue and Evil | |
| The Ten Commandments as Moral Law | |
| The Philosophy of Forgiveness | |
| The Meaning of Life | |
| * | 3 |
| Ethics Bowl | |
| Social-Political Philosophy | |
| ,Feminist and Multicultural Philosophy | |
*Additional upper-division courses on the applied ethics list may also count toward this requirement.
Dean of Arts & Sciences
JOHN PELL
Chair
JOSHUE OROZCO
Professors
NATHAN KINGJOSHUE OROZCOKEITH WYMA