Philosophy

PHIL 1100 – Critical Thinking

3 credits

This course is designed to improve the critical thinking skills associated with various forms of reasoning. The process of reasoning involves identifying, analyzing, evaluating, and constructing arguments. We will begin by learning to recognize and analyze simple and complex arguments, to distinguish matters of fact from issues of judgment or opinion, and to identify deductive and inductive logical processes. Once we have mastered these skills, we will learn how to evaluate arguments. We will learn formal methods for evaluating deductive and inductive arguments and develop an understanding of formal and informal fallacies of language and thought. Finally, we will learn to use these reasoning skills to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas, and to construct our own well-supported and well-written arguments. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the principles of critical thinking as they apply to several different forms of reasoning, and issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion.

*PHIL 1101 – Introduction to World Philosophy

3 credits | Prerequisite: ENGL 1101

This course is designed to acquaint students with the value and various methods of philosophically examining life experiences as well as to acquaint them with the basic philosophical beliefs of non-Western and Western cultures. Students are required to read short selections from the primary works of various philosophers, required to write short philosophical papers and are encouraged to raise philosophical questions about knowledge, reality, other cultures and values.

*PHIL 1102 – Introduction to Western Philosophy

3 credits | Prerequisite: ENGL 1101

This course is designed to acquaint students with the value and various methods of philosophically examining life experiences, as well as to acquaint them with the historical development of Western philosophy from the Greeks to the modern age. Students are required to read at least one primary work by a major Western philosopher as well as to write short philosophical papers. In addition, students will be encouraged to raise philosophical questions about knowledge, experience, value systems and so forth.

*PHIL 1107 – Ethics

3 credits | Prerequisite: ENGL 1101

This course is designed to acquaint students with the historical development of formal theories of ethics in Western culture as well as with many of the major ethical issues and moral questions that dominate contemporary life, both personal and professional.

A * preceding a course number indicates that the course is part of Ohio Transfer 36.