Philosophy (PHIL) | University of Alaska Anchorage Academic Catalog

Courses

PHIL A101 Introduction to Logic 3 Credits

Develops formal and informal reasoning skills, introduces deductive logic via statement logic, analyzes arguments and introduces scientific and inductive reasoning, reviews common fallacies and methods for evaluating arguments.

Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A103 Introduction to World Philosophies and Religions 3 Credits

Introduces students to religious traditions and their views about reality, knowledge, and value. Surveys Eastern philosophies and religions, the Abrahamic monotheistic traditions, and Alaska Native and other Indigenous Traditions. Emphasizes beliefs, norms, practices, and contemporary issues.

Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A201 Introduction to Philosophy 3 Credits

Emphasizes problems of knowledge, reality, good and evil from a global philosophical perspective.

Attributes: UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A211 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy 3 Credits

Primarily surveys Western philosophy from the pre-Socratic era through the late Middle Ages. Traces development of scientific, metaphysical, epistemological and ethical thought with emphasis on pivotal historical figures and debates.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A212 Early Modern Philosophy 3 Credits

Surveys philosophy from the Scientific Revolution through German Idealism (Modern Period). Traces the development of scientific, metaphysical, epistemological and ethical thought with emphasis on historical texts.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A301 Ethics 3 Credits

Introduces major theories in metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics, and the arguments of important moral philosophers from Euro-American and non-Euro-American traditions. Emphasizes critical reasoning, as well as evaluation and analysis of arguments. Includes the application of ethical theory to contemporary moral issues, such as distributive justice, environmental and animal issues, abortion, terrorism, and euthanasia.

Prerequisites: WRTG A211 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A212 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A213 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A214 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A2W with a minimum grade of C.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A302 Biomedical Ethics 3 Credits

Explores current bioethical issues affecting the delivery of health care services in Alaska and beyond. Explores theories of ethics and related principles as a basis for professional decision-making and public policy determination. Focuses on the process of ethical inquiry and its relevance for contemporary health practices, research and education.

PHIL A303 Environmental Ethics 3 Credits

Critically examines central philosophical questions regarding human attitudes toward the environment, including non-human animals. Explores the ideas of nature in philosophy and the moral basis to preserve and protect environmental systems. Examines arguments and philosophical perspectives regarding the moral status of animals and concerns such as species extinction and wilderness management, anthropogenic climate change, sustainability, effects of environmental harms to people, deforestation, obligations to future generations, indigenous ecological philosophies, agricultural land development and use, food security and policy, contemporary technological interventions applied to nature, and human overpopulation. Considers local and global policy frameworks and institutions best suited to address these concerns.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing

PHIL A305 Professional Ethics 3 Credits

Focuses on the duties of professionals to their clients and society, and examines the dilemmas that are created when these duties come in conflict with one another and with the duties of general morality. Uses case studies highlighting issues in engineering, information technology, law, medicine, journalism and other professions.

Prerequisites: WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A1W with a minimum grade of C or EVIDENCE-BASED READ/WRIT SCORE with a score of 610 or Enhanced ACT English with a score of 30.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Humanities GER.

PHIL A309 Mind and Machines 3 Credits

Focuses on central philosophical questions about the mind, such as the nature of consciousness, mental causation, the location of perceptual qualities like color in the mind or the world, personal identity, and the mind/body problem. Examines the mind's intimate connection with contemporary psychology, biology, neuro- and cognitive sciences, and what these insights imply for human freedom. Includes topics in science and technology studies related to the agency of persons and of artificial beings, such as cognitive abilities of robots or computers, and the moral rights of artificial intelligent beings.
Registration Restrictions: Junior standing recommended.

Prerequisites: PHIL A101 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A201 with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A311 Truth and Reality 3 Credits

Focuses on the topics of existence, universals and particulars, individuals and classes, change and the persistence of objects and persons, knowledge and belief, internalism and externalism, perception, materialism, truth, and reality.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing

Prerequisites: PHIL A101 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A201 with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A313 Eastern Philosophy and Religion 3 Credits

Studies Eastern philosophical and religious traditions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. Includes studying basic concepts, tenets and practices of these traditions and related modern developments.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER.

PHIL A314 Abrahamic Religions 3 Credits

Examines three monotheistic religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Covers basic tenets, practices and histories of the monotheisms. Examines the intersections of religion with contemporary concerns such as gender, ethnicity, and violence.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER.

PHIL A321 God, Self, and the Afterlife 3 Credits

Explores and examines current issues from global and Indigenous perspectives in philosophy of religion including topics such as the existence of God, the nature of divine attributes, the problem of evil, science and religion, the meaningfulness of religious language, the epistemology of religious experience with an emphasis on critical reasoning, argument evaluation, and analysis.

Prerequisites: PHIL A101 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A201 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A211 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A212 with a minimum grade of C or PHIL A301 with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A350 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy 3 Credits

Evaluates the philosophical merits of contemporary (20th Century to present) theories of justice, government, citizenship, culture, and society. Theories are explored in light of their foundations in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Topics include, but are not limited to, the justification of human rights, democracy, and critical theories of society.

Prerequisites: WRTG A111 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A1W with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A211 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A212 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A213 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A214 with a minimum grade of C or WRTG A2W with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A401 Aesthetics 3 Credits

Investigates the nature of art, beauty and the creative process from both an historical and theoretical perspective, utilizing Western and global philosophies of art and beauty. Issues concerning the relationship between art and ethics will be examined, including controversies regarding art and pornography, art and censorship, and art and ownership.

PHIL A406 Philosophy of Law 3 Credits

Considers various philosophical accounts of the nature of law and grounds of its authority; the relationship between law and morality; connections between law and political ideals such as liberty, equality, and economic well-being; and methods of constitutional interpretation. Addresses contemporary controversies in the law such as civil disobedience, criminal responsibility, capital punishment, property rights, religious freedom, freedom of speech, and affirmative action.

PHIL A415 Feminist Philosophy 3 Credits

Examines women's position in the writings of prominent thinkers in the Western philosophical canon; contemporary theories concerning the nature of gender and its intersection with race, class, and sexuality; and feminist contributions to philosophical inquiry in ethics, social/political philosophy, theories of knowledge, and/or the philosophy of science.
Registration Restrictions: WSGS A200 or 6 credits in philosophy, and junior standing.

PHIL A490 Topics in Contemporary Philosophy 3 Credits

An intensive and detailed study of a topic in contemporary philosophy in a seminar format.
Special Note: May be repeated twice with a change in subtitle.
Registration Restrictions: Junior or senior standing

Prerequisites: PHIL A211 with a minimum grade of C and PHIL A212 with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A490A Selected Topics in Ethics, Community, and Society 3 Credits

Integrates study of a selected topic on a global ethical issue and the interests and responsibilities of individuals, communities and societies. Topics may vary from semester to semester.
Special Note: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits with instructor approval.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of GER Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) courses and junior standing (at least 60 credit hours)

Prerequisites: PHIL A301 with a minimum grade of C.

Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Integrative Capstone GER.

PHIL A495 Service Learning in Applied Ethics 3 Credits

Work with a community partner in an area related to applied ethics. A service learning project will be identified and coordinated by a faculty committee in cooperation with a community partner, as related to the student's interests. Students will use the project as a means of applying and reflecting on relevant ethical concepts, decision-making, and practical reasoning skills.
Registration Restrictions: Junior standing.

Prerequisites: PHIL A101 with a minimum grade of C and PHIL A201 with a minimum grade of C and PHIL A211 with a minimum grade of C and PHIL A212 with a minimum grade of C and PHIL A301 with a minimum grade of C.

PHIL A498 Senior Research Project 3 Credits

Senior-level course in which the student will engage in independent research on a topic of his or her choosing under the supervision of a faculty member. The course culminates with the completion of a research paper of significant length prepared to publication standards.
Registration Restrictions: Senior standing, 9 credits of philosophy in addition to the prerequisites, and faculty permission.