Liberal Arts Division
William Rainey Harper College

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PHI 101 Critical Thinking (3-0) 3 hrs.
Arguments and their parts, Informal fallacies, Problem solving, Definitions, Evaluating media, Assessing credibility of sources, and Scientific reasoning. IAI H4 906

PHI 102 Symbolic Logic (3-0) 3 hrs.
The study of the formal structures of arguments. Topics include: Aristotelian logic & the basics of modern formal logic.

PHI 105 Introduction to Philosophy (3-0) 3 hrs.

Principles and problems of philosophy as seen in different schools of thought. Topics: validity of human knowledge; nature of reality; mind and body; free will and determinism; moral and aesthetic values; and religious belief. IAI H4 900

PHI 115 Ethics (3-0) 3 hrs.
Consideration of problems of value and conduct, including the question of the "good life" or happiness; and contemporary moral issues such as war, violence, drugs, racism, crime and punishment. IAI H4 904

PHI 120 Social and Political Philosophy (3-0) 3 hrs.
Focuses on the ideas of justice, liberty, equality, law and order, rights and privileges. This includes discussion of such issues as democracy, communism, nuclear war, capital punishment, sexual equality, hunger and drugs.

PHI 150 Business Ethics (3-0) 3 hrs.
Introduces philosophical ethical theory and its application to business decisions. Considers theories of economic justice, social responsibility, hiring practices and rights of employees and employers.

PHI 160 Non-Western Philosophy (3-0) 3 hrs.
Introduces selected philosophical concepts and value systems of several non-Western cultures. Gives attention to the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta and other Hindu texts, Confucius, the Tao Te Ching and other Chinese classics and key texts from at least two other traditions. IAI H4 903N

PHI 170 Environmental Ethics (3-0) 3 hrs.
Introduces philosophical ethical theory and its application to environmental issues. Explores the roots of Western ideas about nature (Biblical, Greek, early Modern), the American environmental discussion and current
positions including development, conservation, preservation and restoration. Considers issues including human-centered vs. life-centered views, whether species or habitats have value, appreciation vs. cost/benefit approaches, and bioregionalism.

PHI 180 Biomedical Ethics (3-0) 3 hrs.
Considers the ethics of the professional-patient relationship (confidentiality, informed consent, paternalism, truth-telling), the ethics of life and death (abortion, euthanasia, suicide), and the ethics of medicine on a social
scale (the right to health care, the distribution of medical resources).

PHI 190 Feminist Philosophy (3-0) 3 hrs.
Introduces philosophical thinking and its application to issues concerning women. Explores a variety of theories by and about women. Considers a number of issues including images of women, biological vs. social conditioning, the relation of gender to class and race, women's spirituality, education, family, work, violence and pornography. Men are welcome to take the course.

PHI 205 Religions of the World (3-0) 3 hrs.
Introduces the teachings, practices, social structures and histories of the religions of India (mainly Buddhism and Hinduism), and China and Japan (mainly Confucianism, Shinto and Taoism), and of the Middle East (mainly Christianity, Islam and Judaism). IAI H5 904N

PHI 210 Death and Dying (3-0) 3 hrs.
Presents an interdisciplinary approach to the meaning of death. Focuses on biological, psychological, legal, philosophical and religious aspects of the phenomena of death and dying.

PHI 220 Philosophy of Religion (3-0) 3 hrs.
Examines the nature and presuppositions of Western religions, especially the reasons which can be given for and against the existence of God. Selected further topics: the problem of evil, life after death, the nature of
religious experience, language, knowledge, and authority, religion and science, major philosophical theories on the nature of religion. IAI H4 905

PHI 231 History of Philosophy - Ancient and Medieval (3-0) 3 hrs.
Surveys the major figures and schools in Western philosophical tradition from the pre- Socratic Greeks through the 14th century. Emphasis on interpreting philosophical reflection in light of the social, political, religious and cultural context from which it arises. IAI H4 901 Prerequisite: A course in philosophy or consent of instructor.

PHI 232 History of Philosophy - Modern (3-0) 3 hrs.
Surveys the major figures and schools in Western philosophical tradition from the 15th to the 20th century. Emphasizes interpreting philosophical reflection in light of the social, political, religious and cultural context from
which it arises. IAI H4 90

 

 

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William Rainey Harper College
1200 W. Algonquin Rd.
Palatine, Il. 60067
847-925-6000