Philosophy Requirements
Philosophy is the name given by the ancient Greeks to the love of wisdom and, specifically, to the reasoned search for wisdom. The perception that not everything seemed to fit together in a changing and increasingly complex world led the Greeks, as well as the ancient Indians and Chinese, to seek to make rational sense of things. They came to see that this involved asking such basic questions as “What is the nature of ultimate reality?” “How, if at all, is it possible to know the truth about the world, or about oneself?” “What is it that is genuinely valuable, and how should we act so as to attain it?” The world continues to change, of course, and to become
increasingly complex - partly in terms of available answers to these questions. Consequently,
questions about the very meaningfulness of life have been added to the loving search for wisdom.
The philosophy program aims at enabling students to better pursue their own paths to wisdom, the ones they are on just by being conscious and self-conscious beings and by being engaged in the study of the other liberal arts at Ripon College. They will learn to better identify what they don’t understand and what they find confusing, and to formulate their basic questions. They will develop strategies for answering those questions, and they will become more conscious of the principles of rationality so as to better formulate problems, articulate possible solutions, evaluate their own ideas and those of others, and develop concern for and abilities in placing things in coherent perspectives. They will encounter much of the best that has been thought and said about basic human concerns throughout civilization, and they will be encouraged to see the relevance of this thought to current concerns. Most importantly, they should be able to see the relevance of these ideas and to use the skills developed to respond to new problems that emerge as they continue on a lifelong pursuit of wisdom.
Reasoning is the key to the way the discipline of philosophy travels the path of wisdom. Consequently, the development of both critical and creative reasoning skills, as displayed in both written and oral form, will be a concern of courses at every level and of the program as a whole, becoming deeper and richer as the student moves through. The major in philosophy, in addition, should provide students with a sense of the scope of philosophical work, a coherent sense of the traditions of previous work, and a sense of fundamental alternatives in approaching those concerns which give rise to philosophical reflections.
Communicating Plus: Philosophy. Philosophy majors develop skills in the four Communicating Plus skills areas - written communication, oral communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The central activity of doing philosophy is solving philosophical problems - problems occurring when things don’t make sense because conflicting ideas seem equally reasonable. Developing an understanding of philosophy as a problem-solving activity is the main thrust of the introductory course, with other courses concentrating on particular domains of philosophical issues. Writing is given major attention in all classes, because it is especially valuable
for describing problems and showing how creative ideas might be applied to solve them. Since the structure of philosophical problems is the same as a dialogue, participation in dialogues is relied on and cultivated in the discussion format of virtually all classes. The philosophy program culminates in a capstone experience in which students develop their own philosophy and dialogue with others in a public presentation of part of that philosophy.
Requirements for a major in philosophy: Philosophy 324 and 326; Philosophy 342 or 344; Philosophy 491 and 492, and other courses for a total of 32 credits in philosophy.
Requirements for a minor in philosophy: Philosophy 324 or 326; at least one additional course in philosophy at the 300 level; and other courses for a total of 20 credits in philosophy.
Courses
120. Introduction to Philosophy (Staff)
Four credits.
Topics may vary from section to section. Sample topics: contemporary moral problems; the meaning of life; philosophy and technology. Consideration of the nature of philosophical thinking, especially with respect to philosophical problems and the role of reasoning in identifying
and responding to such problems. The relationship of these problems to one’s ideas of reality, knowledge and value is approached with a view to developing one’s skills in reading and writing arguments.
175. Introduction to Philosophy: Variable Topics (Staff)
Three credits.
A slightly abridged version of Philosophy 120 when taught as part of the First-Year Studies program. Topics and instructors for 2007-2008: Asia: Asia Through Texts (Cope-Kasten); Vices and Virtues: On the Construction & Deconstruction of Characters (Jeffries).
202. Business Ethics (Hannaford, Seligman)
Four credits.
Consideration of varying topics which involve philosophical questions arising in an economic context, such as: How does business serve individual freedom? Do pressures of economic competition
affect one’s freedom and responsibilities? The course will identify prominent alternative
ethical criteria and consideration of their role in moral reasoning, with application of this reasoning to case studies. Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors.
222. Religion, Different Religions and the Truth (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
An examination of the nature of religion and the characteristic philosophical problems which emerge in trying to understand the nature and possible existence of the divine and the import of that for our lives. Critical insight and appreciation will be developed for at least one major Western and one major Eastern religious tradition, along with attention to the problems which result when we become aware of conflicting religious viewpoints. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
241. Ethics (Jeffries)
Four credits.
Examination and development of the major Western historical and contemporary ethical theories, with particular attention to the issues of ethical relativity, ethical motivation and reasoning about ways in which commitment to ethical norms can be supported. Examination
of those relationships of conflict and cooperation among individual human beings and between individuals and society that we call moral relationships. Attention will be paid to comparing major approaches in Western and Eastern ethical thought with regard to issues of motivation and evaluation of conduct, with opportunities to examine applications of ethical theory to actual moral issues and problems in contemporary life.
243. Philosophy and the Environment (Jeffries)
Four credits.
Exploration of the relationship of human beings to the natural world. Consideration of the conflicting claims about how we are interconnected with the rest of nature and also separate from it. An examination of such contested issues as what responsibilities, if any, we have to the rest of nature and how we can weigh wisely competing claims about natural resources. Same as Environmental Studies 243.
281. Human Nature (Cope-Kasten, Jeffries)
Four credits.
Exploration of fundamental ideas about ourselves. An examination of different ideas about the nature of the self (including its nonexistence) and the reasoning behind them. The course also will examine different viewpoints with respect to whether we are capable of genuinely free choice, whether we are basically good, whether there is a fixed and common human nature, and whether we are ultimately independent as individual persons.
284. Aesthetics Brown (Music)
Four credits.
An exploration of the nature and value of beauty, primarily through the objects and experiences
of the fine and performing arts (visual arts, architecture, music, dance, drama, film and poetry). Included is an investigation of aesthetic theories relating to the maker or creator of art, the viewer of audience, the object or event, and the circumstances or context. Students need not have previous direct experience with the fine or performing arts.
286. Sports, Religion, and the Arts (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
In many cultures, these three activities often are found together, despite the fact that they seem very different. In the contemporary world, we often talk and think about one in ways that were developed for one of the others. So do they have something in common? Or, perhaps,
should we think of them as contributing in complementary fashion to a larger process vital to meaningful human living.
290. Reality and Knowledge (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
An introduction to the ways in which philosophers have understood the fundamental nature of reality (metaphysics) and how, if at all, we might come to know about it (epistemology). Classical and contemporary efforts from Western and Asian traditions will be examined. Prerequisite: Four credits in philosophy.
300. Departmental Studies (Staff)
One to four credits.
Special subjects in philosophy not covered by regular courses. Some topics have included: Philosophy of Mind; Loneliness; The Philosophy of Conflict and Peace: The Philosophy of Hunting and Fishing. This course may be repeated for credit when topics change Prerequisites: Three hours of credit in philosophy and consent of the instructor.
308. Logic (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
Expansion of the logical techniques introduced in Philosophy 120 and an examination of philosophical issues associated with the development of logic, to include the relationships between ordinary language and logical symbolism, the development of inference rules and proof techniques, and the nature of the problems of consistency and completeness within a system of axioms. Prerequisite: Four credits in philosophy.
324. History of Philosophy: From Classical Thought Through
the Renaissance (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
An exploration of the history of philosophy from its currently known written beginnings to its initial attempts to come to grips with the legacy of the Renaissance in Europe and the beginnings
of modern natural science. Some key primary texts will be studied, along with attention to major issues, thinkers and ideas, as well as to the question, “What does it mean to say that philosophy has a history?” Offered in spring 2008 and alternate years.
326. History of Philosophy: From the Enlightenment to the
Present (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits.
An examination of the history of philosophy from the beginnings of the Enlightenment’s development of modern science and of individualism, to the present-day legacies of Anglo-American and Continental philosophy. Offered in the spring of 2009 and alternate years.
342. Chinese Philosophical Traditions (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits. Offered in 2008-09 and alternate years.
An introduction to main currents in Chinese philosophical thought from ancient times to the present. Particular attention will be given to how the concerns of leadership are addressed and eventually problematized from the codification of prehistoric wisdom in the Yijing (The Book of Changes) to post-Maoist thought and “Third Wave” Confucianism. Sunzi’s The Art of War will be examined, along with classical Confucian and Daoist texts. The emergence of philosophy itself in Chinese culture will be considered, along with the distinctively Chinese fusions of indigenous philosophy and Buddhism. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement. Prerequisite: Four credits in philosophy.
344. Indian Philosophical Traditions (Cope-Kasten)
Four credits. Offered in 2007-08 and alternate years.
An overview of the major philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent and their historical
development. A comparison of these traditions and the mainstream Western tradition in terms of ideas about reality, value and knowledge, including logic. Particular attention will be given to thinking about the nature of the self and the meaning of life, including contemporary Indian philosophical reflection on these matters. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement. Prerequisite: Four credits in philosophy.
353. Human Rights (Jeffries)
Four credits.
An examination of the concept of human rights in historical perspective in both Western and Eastern thought. Also, an exploration of some contemporary issues in human rights, including the rights of minority peoples and the relationship between human rights and the natural environment. Prerequisite: Four credits in philosophy.
355. The Philosophy of Evolution (Staff)
Four credits.
An examination of the philosophical idea of evolutionary change and its particular application
to the subject of the origins and development of biological species. Particular attention will be given to Darwinian and pre-Darwinian theories of species evolution, to the criticisms of evolutionary theory from within and without the scientific community, including “punctuated equilibrium” and creationism, and to other non-biological applications of evolutionary theory. Prerequisite: Philosophy 120 or 175, or Biology 121, or Anthropology 110.
388. Guided Readings in the History of Philosophy (Staff)
Two to four credits.
Focusing on a topic of interest to the student, students will read works from the history of philosophy in order to gain a sense of how that topic emerges and how the thought of major thinkers is relevant to it. In the process, they also should gain a history of philosophy. Readings
will be selected by or with the approval of the instructor. Prerequisite: Open to all majors with junior or senior standing.
390. Tutorial for Philosophy Majors and Minors (Staff)
Two to four credits.
Student-selected topics. Students select a staff member under whom they wish to complete an individualized reading program and discuss weekly or biweekly papers, perhaps culminating in a large paper, on assigned readings. Prerequisite: Open to all philosophy majors of junior or senior standing.
391. Tutorial in Epistemology (Staff)
Three or four credits.
Students are guided through readings in the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy to learn of the major issues and major positions with respect the nature and possibility of knowledge. Prerequisite: Open to all philosophy majors of junior or senior standing.
392. Tutorial in Metaphysics (Staff)
Three or four credits.
Students are guided through readings in the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy to learn of the major issues and positions with respect to the fundamental nature of reality. Prerequisite: Open to all philosophy majors of junior or senior standing.
491. Senior Statement I (Staff)
Two credits. Fall semester.
Students work at articulating their own systematic philosophy, with special attention to how it relates to a specific problem. Attention will be given to consistency and coherence, the latter in the sense of an integration of the various aspects of philosophy. Reflective critiques of alternative positions will be expected, as well as an awareness of historical roots of ones ideas. Prerequisite: 12 credits in philosophy and senior standing.
492. Senior Statement II (Staff)
Two credits. Spring semester.
Students will build upon the work begun in the Fall semester, developing a presentation to be delivered publicly to the Ripon College community at the end of the semester. Prerequisite: Philosophy 491: Senior Statement I.
540. Independent Study (Staff)
Two to four credits.
Open to majors who have a 3.0 or better average in philosophy. To enroll, students first must submit an outline of a study project and research plans acceptable to the instructor with whom they intend to work. Such study normally results in a substantial research paper. Prerequisites:
Junior or senior standing, 12 credits in philosophy and consent of the department chair.
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