PHIL 108 - Historical Survey-Contemporary Philosophy

Credits: 5
Introduces students to a survey of issues in philosophy from roughly the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Key figures include Frege, Russell, Moore, Wittgenstein, Quine, Davidson, Kripke, and Putnam. Key topics include Logical Atomism, Logical Positivism, Ordinary Language Philosophy, Truth, Meaning, Reference, and Interpretation. May also discuss reactions to contemporary philosophy in the form of phenomenology, pragmatism, and existentialism.

Prerequisite: Eligible for ENGL 099 or instructor’s permission.

Satisfies Requirement: Humanities/Fine Arts/English

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Demonstrate command of important philosophical terminology, themes, and arguments from roughly the beginning of the twentieth century to the present.
State and evaluate non-trivial theories and arguments from various sources related to contemporary philosophy.

Program Outcomes
Form, analyze, and assess beliefs while demonstrating intellectual humility and respect towards the beliefs of others.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.