Course Descriptions
Philosophy offerings at Hartwick include a popular introductory tour, "Classics of Philosophy," an historical sequence with in-depth explorations of Ancient and Modern thinkers, studies in key philosophical themes such as Logic and Philosophy of Mind, and a variety of special interest courses called "Topics In Philosophy". Some TIP courses are offered at the introductory level (as PHIL 150); intermediate topics courses (PHIL 250) are open to a broad range of students but demand some experience with analytical reading and reflective writing. Recent and upcoming TIP courses include Skepticism, Relativism, Personal Identity, Body and Gender, and Evolution and Ethics. With student input, the department also offers at least one "Major Philosopher" course each year. Recent courses have included Kant, Sartre, Nietzsche, Husserl and Wittgenstein.
Many students at Hartwick choose a philosophy major together with a major in another field. Connections between philosophy and other fields are the focus of a variety of elective courses, such as Philosophy of Mind, Values and Society, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy in Literature, Philosophy of Religion, Evolution and Ethics, and Body and Gender.
150 Topics in Philosophy
201 Classics of Philosophy
228 Philosophy of History
236 Logic
249 Existentialism
261 Philosophy in Literature
271 Values and Society
281 Ancient Philosophy
283 Modern Philosophy
332 Philosophy of Religion
336 Ethics
337 Philosophy of Art
339 Philosophy of Science
350 Topics in Philosophy
360 Freedom and Determinism
370 Philosophy of Mind
372 Seminar in Philosophy of Law
388 Foundations of Political Philosophy
389 Modern Political Philosophy
390 Pro-Seminar
150 Topics in Philosophy (3 credits) A course with varying content aimed to introduce perennial themes and problems in philosophy. The topic will be announced in advance each time the course is offered.
201 Classics of Philosophy (3 credits) An introduction to the methods, concepts and aims of philosophical inquiry through critical study of selected philosophical classics. (MWE) or (MWL)
228 Philosophy of History (3 credits) Analysis of history as systematic thinking and writing about the past. Can history as a sequence of events be explained in terms of general laws or principles? If so, what constitutes a plausible or confirmable hypothesis? If not, is historical reconstruction or prediction possible? Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and others.
236 Logic (3 credits) Principles of deductive inference; traditional syllogistic and basic modern symbolic logic. (MLC)
249 Existentialism ((3 credits) Critical reading and discussion of selected works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre and others. (MWL)
261 Philosophy in Literature (3 credits) (W) Philosophical questions concerning being and identity, self and others, and choice and limitation will be explored in existential and moral novels of authors such as Dostoyevsky, Kafka, Hesse, Camus, Sartre, Morrison and others. (MWL)
271 Values and Society (3 credits) A critical study of philosophical problems concerning friendship, justice, liberty, freedom, the common good, persons and other social values. (MWE) or (MWL)
281 Ancient Philosophy (4 credits) The Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. (MWE) Prerequisite: at least one college course in philosophy; PHIL 201 is recommended.
283 Modern Philosophy (4 credits) 17th and 18th century philosophy; Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant. (MWL) Prerequisite: at least on college course in philosophy; PHIL 201 is recommended.
332 Philosophy of Religion (3 credits) What is religion? Is there a God? What is the value of religious experience? Is it possible to be religious without being superstitious? Answers to these and related questions will be examined in the analytical manner appropriate to philosophy.
336 Ethics (3 credits) Critical study of the moral theories of major philosophers from the ancient Greeks to the present. Prerequisite: One term of philosophy. Offered alternate years.
337 Philosophy of Art (3 credits) Analysis of various points of view on such topics as the definition of art; aesthetic experience; the form, matter and content of art; emotion and expression; the psychological function of art; criticism; and evaluation. (CPA)
339 Philosophy of Science (3 credits) Analysis of scientific method, logic of scientific explanation, relations of science and society. Recommended preparation: two terms of laboratory science. Offered when there is sufficient demand.
350 Topics in Philosophy (3 or 4 credits) A course with varying content, concentrating on the thought of a single philosopher or school of philosophy, a major philosophical work or a specific problem in philosophy. The topic and the number of credits will be announced in advance, each time the course if offered. Permission of the instructor required.
360 Freedom and Determinism ( 4 credits) Is human behavior free or determined? When is a person morally responsible for his conduct? What are the relationships between freedom and responsibility? Recent answers to these age-old questions of moralists, lawyers and theologians are analyzed and assessed.
370 Philosophy of Mind (4 credits) What can a science such as psychology really tell us about the workings of the mind? What are the philosophies of some of the major psychological movements? While these topics constitute the broader context of the course, we also will explore issues such as the following: To what extent are we born with certain ideas, skills, or talents, and to what extent do these depend on one's environment? How does the mind represent the external world? Can computer models and simulations be useful in understanding the mind? How does our understanding of the brain affect our understanding of human psychology? To what extent is human intelligence like that of other animals? (SBA)
372 Seminar in Philosophy of Law (4 credits) (same as POSC 372). Philosophical questions about such topics as the nature of law; the function of legal systems, the meaning of legal terms; legal reasoning; justice, law and morality; theory of punishment. Some background in philosophy and/or political science is recommended. (SBA)
388 Foundations of Political Philosophy (3 credits) (same as POSC 388). An introductory survey of the leading political theorists of antiquity, Middle Ages and the Renaissance, from Plato to Machiavelli, with a view to illuminating Western contributions to the discussion of basic political concepts such as power, right, legitimacy, consent, obligation and human nature. (WHS) or (MWE)
389 Modern Political Philosophy (3 credits) (same as POSC 389). Continuation of PHIL388. From the 17th century to the present; Hobbes and Locke to Marx and Freud. (MWL) or (WHS)
390 Pro-Seminar (3 credits) Junior year thesis seminar which focuses on the techniques of thesis research, writing, and oral presentation.
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