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Dr. Carl Thameling, Department Head
Department of Communication
120 Stubbs Hall
401 Bayou Drive
Monroe, Louisiana 71209
(318) 342-1406

Minor in Philosophy

Minor Requirements (18 hrs.)
Course #	Course Title	hrs.
PHIL 201	Introduction	3
PHIL 203	Logic	3
PHIL Electives		12

Philosophy Courses

Courses for Undergraduates Only
Courses for Undergraduates and Graduates

Courses for Undergraduates Only

PHIL 201. Introduction. 3 cr.
The nature of philosophical inquiry and themes in the history of philosophy, including questions which deal with such topics as knowledge and truth, the nature of reality, metaphysics, faith and unbelief, meaning and value, the individual and society, and human nature.

PHIL 203. Logic. 3 cr.
The nature and limits of logic, informal critical reasoning, types of arguments, good reasoning and its relationship to truth, the traditional fallacies, and an introduction to formal logic with statement calculus.

PHIL 300. Directed Study. 3 cr.
Selected studies in Philosophy and Religion. Content varies. A. A Study of Religion. (Same as Religion 300A.); B. Ethics in America. C. The Examined Life.

PHIL 320-321. Religions of the World. 3 cr. each.
A systematic analysis of the origins, doctrines, and practices of the major world religions. Particular attention will be given to the philosophical foundations of each religion. (Same as Religion 320-321.)

PHIL 410. Environmental Philosophy. 3 cr.
Philosophical issues regarding the ethics, aesthetics and economics of the environment along with a meta-critique of the science of the environment.

Courses for Undergraduates and Graduates

PHIL 400. Intersections of Science and Religion. 3 cr.
This course will cover the issues that have arisen historically and also in the contemporary world in the dialogue of science and religion. Major focus should be given to how these issues and positions have affected our understanding of human nature. Topics that should be covered include: Darwin and Evolutionary Theory, Creationism, Design, the Origin of the Cosmos, the Big Bang, Quantum Theory and Chance, The Free Will, Miracles and Prayer, and Theories of Human Nature in Asian Religions and Christianity.

PHIL 401. Ancient and Medieval. 3 cr.
Philosophical thought from the Pre-Socratic to the sixteenth century, including Plato and Aristotle, the Epicureans and the Stoics, the Neo-Platonists, and Aquinas; the rise and fall of medieval scholasticism. (Formerly 301.)

PHIL 402. Modern. 3 cr.
Philosophical thought from the seventeenth century to the present, including rationalism, empiricism, idealism, pragmatism, logical positivism, and existentialism. (Formerly 302.)

PHIL 403. Ethics. 3 cr.
A study of the theoretical foundations of morality with reference to approaches to ethical thought, character, and action. Concepts include good and evil, right and wrong, obligations and rights, responsibility and freedom and the application of these concepts to the working out of particular ethical problems. (Same as POLS 403.)

PHIL 404. Controversial Issues in Bioethics. 3 cr.
The ethical significance of and ethical dilemmas that arise as a result of new cutting-edge biotechnologies. Ethical topics include: reproductive options, abortion, stem-cell research, human cloning, genetic discrimination and confidentiality, genetic engineering, regulation of human research, and euthanasia.

PHIL 405. Philosophy of Religion. 3 cr.
A study of attempts to bring rational justification and clarification to religious beliefs and practices, focusing primarily on the concepts of Christian theology. Topics will include the existence of nature of God, faith and reason, death and immortality, mysticism, the problem of evil, religious experience, and the impact of existentialism on contemporary religious thought.

PHIL 407. Theories of Human Nature. 3 cr.
This course will cover the theories of human nature that have arisen historically and also in the contemporary world. Major figures to be covered include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Darwin, Marx, Nietzche, Freud, Sartre, Maslow, and Contemporary Psychological theories. This course will answer questions like what is the human being?, what are human beings capable of?, what does it mean to live a fulfilled human life?, what is the purpose of human life?, is the human being basically aggressive or kind?, and how do human beings differ from animals?

PHIL 415. Theory of Knowledge. 3 cr.
A comparative and critical survey of the major theories which deal with the nature and extent of human knowledge and related notions,such as belief, justification, perception, and memory. Classical and contemporary philosophical positions will be covered representing a wide range of theories and their application to other disciplines of human inquiry, such as biology and psychology.

PHIL 491. Directed Study. 3 cr.
Directed study and/or research in selected areas of philosophy. A. Logic; B. Ethics; C. Ancient, Medieval, and Modern; D. Theory of Knowledge. Prerequisite: Advanced standing, approval of department head, and permission of the instructor.