Professors: Stephen Crites, Brian C. Fay, Joseph T. Rouse, Jr.

Associate Professor: Steven Horst (Chair), Sanford Shieh

Assistant Professors: Stephen Angle, Natalie Brender, Lori Gruen, Thomas Huhn, Mary-Hannah Jones

Departmental Advising Experts (2000-2001): Steven Horst, Brian Fay, Joseph Rouse

Introductory courses. The Philosophy Department offers a wide variety of introductory courses that focus on the various modes of inquiry characteristic of philosophy. They are, therefore, particularly well suited for students interested in philosophy as part of their general education as well as for prospective majors. PHIL101 is intended as a general introduction to philosophy, especially for those who do not plan major study in the field. PHIL107 is a course in philosophical reasoning and is appropriate both for general education and for students interested in the philosophy major. PHIL110 is writing intensive, limited to 20 students, and open only to frosh. PHIL150 and 160 are introductory-level courses on special topics that assume no previous background and are intended primarily for general education. PHIL201 and 202 serve as introductions to the subject by focusing on major thinkers of a particular period; these courses are of a somewhat more advanced level because they are required of all majors and so are most appropriate for those interested in doing more study in the subject. PHIL212, 233 and 255 presuppose no background in philosophy and can serve as good introductions to the subject for those who are particularly interested in ethical and political questions. PHIL205 and 206, though focusing on classical Chinese philosophy, also serve as appropriate introductions to philosophical thinking as such. PHIL230 is an introduction not to philosophy as such but to the study of a fundamental part of philosophy, namely, clarification and evaluation of arguments.

Major program. Majors in philosophy must take at least 10 courses in philosophy. Of these 10, at least eight must be offered by the Philosophy Department; as many as two may be given in other departments or programs (e.g., COL, religion) that are relevant to the student’s program of studies in philosophy and are approved as such by the philosophy faculty.

Each major is required to take

PHIL201 Philosophical Classics I: Ancient Philosophy

PHIL202 Philosophical Classics II: Early Modern Philosophy from Descartes through Kant

at least one course from Cluster A

PHIL233 Philosophy of Language

PHIL234 Philosophy of Science

PHIL241 Philosophy of Mind

PHIL243 Theory of Knowledge

PHIL255 Moral Psychology: Care of the Soul*

PHIL262 Phenomenology, Existentialism, Post-Structuralism

at least one course from Cluster B

PHIL205 Classical Chinese Philosophy

PHIL212 An Introduction to Ethical Theory

PHIL223 Political Philosophy

PHIL255 Moral Psychology: Care of the Soul*

PHIL291 Philosophy of Religion

PHIL258 Philosophy of the Arts: Theories of Painting and Mourning

*PHIL 255 may be counted towards Cluster A or Cluster B, but

not to both.

and two advanced departmental seminars. Some of these seminars focus on major figures, others focus on major issues, thus allowing students considerable flexibility in satisfying the seminar requirement. Finally, each major must successfully complete the mini-course

PHIL200 Philosophical Methods

that is offered every fall. It is recommended that each major satisfy this requirement during the first fall in which he/she is enrolled in the major. It is also recommended that PHIL201 and 202 be completed by each prospective major at the earliest opportunity, since a number of more advanced courses require either or both as prerequisites.

The department also offers a range of intermediate courses that do not fall within either Cluster A or Cluster B. Students are thus afforded the opportunity to shape a program of studies tailored to their individual goals and interests.

Because philosophy ranges over subjects in other disciplines, such as economics, government, mathematics, physics, psychology, and religion, proposals for interdisciplinary University major programs involving philosophy are welcomed, and special efforts will be made to accommodate double majors that include philosophy. For the same reason, moreover, students considering philosophy as a major field are strongly advised to choose a balanced combination of solid liberal arts courses conforming to Wesleyan expectations for generalization. Knowledge of foreign languages is particularly useful for the study of philosophy and indispensable for serious study of the history of philosophy. It is therefore strongly recommended that students achieve reading fluency in at least one foreign language.

Philosophy colloquium. Under this title, a series of public presentations of papers by visiting philosophers, and occasionally Wesleyan faculty or students, is arranged each year. This series is coordinated where possible with the topics of the Proseminar (PHIL392).

Departmental honors. To qualify for departmental honors in philosophy, a student must achieve an honors level of performance in courses in the department; must declare the intention to work for departmental honors at the beginning of the senior year; and must either register for a senior thesis tutorial and write a thesis at an honors level or submit a set of three honors-level philosophical essays, possibly reworked from essays previously submitted for courses. Theses and essays must be submitted in accordance with Honors College procedures and will be judged by a committee made up of members of the department.