Undergraduate Programs
The department offers a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy, which covers the major issues and areas in philosophy. It is intended to serve the needs of students who wish to pursue graduate studies in philosophy or emphasize philosophy while acquiring a broad liberal arts education. Majors in philosophy take courses in a variety of philosophical traditions and study logic, ethics, and social and political philosophy. With the skills of critical thinking, clear writing, and analytical reasoning that are the hallmark of philosophy majors, students are well-prepared for a wide range of careers including law, government service, or graduate study.
The philosophy program can complement other interests of students when they complete a second major in another field. Students who plan to pursue more than one undergraduate major should work out a program of study in consultation with advisors from both majors and be familiar with the relevant policies for completing more than one major. See Undergraduate Policies.
In addition to the general degree in philosophy, students can choose one of two concentrations. The concentration in philosophy and law offers philosophy majors the opportunity to focus their study of philosophy in a way that prepares them for the study of the law. The concentration in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) is a high credit concentration for students interested in a program that explores the interdisciplinary connections between philosophy, political science, and economics.
Minors
The department offers minors in ethics and AI, philosophy, philosophy and law, and philosophy for social change. These minors are available to students in any major. The department, in cooperation with the Schar School of Policy and Government, coordinates the interdisciplinary minor in political philosophy.
Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program
The department offers highly qualified undergraduate majors in philosophy the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in philosophy. If accepted, students will be able to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees after satisfactory completion of 139 credits, generally within five years.
Graduate Programs
The department offers a master of arts degree in traditional and contemporary philosophy as well as a specialized concentration in ethics and public affairs. The degree is designed for students who want to further their professional goals or foster their intellectual development. It provides a solid preparation for advanced work in philosophy or other fields such as women and gender studies, cultural studies, or law. The degree provides grounding in the history of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, contemporary continental thought, contemporary analytic philosophy, and philosophy of science.
The focus on traditional and contemporary philosophy of the master’s degree program provides students with a historical and pluralistic approach to philosophical questions. The concentration in ethics and public affairs gives students the opportunity to explore the ethical and philosophical issues that arise in such fields of study and work as business, health care, scientific research, biomedical technology, and public policy.
Students are encouraged to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom such as study abroad, professional internships, and research with faculty members.
Department Faculty
Distinguished University Professor
Professor
Emeritus Professors
Debra B Bergoffen
Martin J De Nys
Associate Professors
Claudia Cabello Hutt
Rose M Cherubin
Rachel Jones
Ted Kinnaman
Assistant Professors
Kurt Brandhorst
Wesley Buckwalter
Davis Kuykendall
Daniel J Nicholson
Andrew H Peterson
Research Associate Professor
Philosophy (PHIL)
100 Level Courses
PHIL 100: Introduction to Philosophy. 3 credits.
Introduction to the nature of philosophical reasoning and some of the main problems of philosophy. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 112: Ethics and the Cybersociety. 1 credit.
Examines ethical issues associated with new developments in information technology, including privacy rights, intellectual property rights, and the effect of information technology on society. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 151: Introduction to Ethics. 3 credits.
Considers some perennial issues in ethical theory. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 156: What Is Art?. 3 credits.
Introduction to philosophical reflection on the arts by looking at the critical issues in the history of aesthetics. Applies considerations to specific works and explores these works in terms of their historical contexts and influences. Concentrates on one form of art or one period and always emphasizes questions of critical evaluation and art historical analysis. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Arts
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 173: Logic and Critical Thinking. 3 credits.
Basic concepts and techniques of deduction, emphasizing the modern treatment of such topics as quantification and rules of inference, with study of the classical treatment. Basic principles of induction, informal fallacies, and uses of logic in everyday life. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
200 Level Courses
PHIL 241: Foundations of Ethics and AI. 3 credits.
Examines the relationship between ethics and Artificial Intelligence. Introduces several philosophical approaches, ethical theories, and methods for analyzing the stakes of Artificial Intelligence. Explores the foundations of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and big data, a range of AI applications and their attendant ethical concerns, and potential avenues towards resolving ethical dilemmas in Artificial Intelligence, while harnessing its potential benefits. Equips students to more effectively navigate the evolving AI-enabled technological landscape in our increasingly digital society. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 243: Global Environmental Ethics. 3 credits.
Examines the global dimensions of environmental problems. Although environmental problems are global in reach, because different societies make different philosophical and ethical assumptions, they are understood in different ways. Examines several environmental problems, including climate change, population growth, and resource depletion, from a variety of scientific, policy, and cross-cultural perspectives. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Green Leaf Related Course, Mason Impact.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 251: Happiness and the Good Life. 3 credits.
Addresses the question "How do I live a happy life?" by drawing on 2,500 years of philosophy as well as the much more recent science of happiness. Encourages students to develop and live their own answer in light of some of the best available science and philosophy. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 253: Philosophy and Literature. 3 credits.
Examines differences and relations between literary and philosophical texts. Examines texts from a given period in the history of literature and philosophy. Topics include the presence of common issues in literary and philosophical writings, the influence of philosophical ideas on the production of literary texts and literary theory, and the development in literary texts of issues that are possible objects of philosophical inquiry. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Literature
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 271: How Science Works. 3 credits.
Introduction to the philosophy of science that examines a range of questions about what science is, how it works, and how it manages to be as successful as it is. Explores the goals, methods, principles and practices that characterize scientific enquiry. Surveys major milestones in the philosophy of science, and addresses such questions as: How are scientific claims justified? What constitutes a good explanation? How do we know if our scientific theories are true? How does scientific understanding change over time? What roles do social, political, and cultural factors play in the generation of scientific knowledge? Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Natural Science Overview
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
300 Level Courses
PHIL 301: History of Western Philosophy: Ancient. 3 credits.
Classical Greek philosophy, including pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 303: History of Western Philosophy: Modern. 3 credits.
Figures and problems of modern philosophy. Study of philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, and Hegel. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 305: Business Ethics. 3 credits.
Examines some moral problems that arise with regard to the responsibilities of various segments of the business community, including employers, management, stockholders; to one another; to the consumer; and to society at large. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 306: Philosophy Internship. 3-6 credits.
Gives students the opportunity to apply philosophical skills in real-world settings. Internships arranged and supervised by faculty in the Department of Philosophy. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Schedule Type: Internship
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 309: Bioethics. 3 credits.
Examines some major moral issues involved in practice and research in medicine and health care. Topics to be chosen from medical experimentation, definition of death, physician-assisted dying, genetics and human reproduction, distribution of scarce resources, fertility, and organ transplants. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Mason Apex
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 311: Philosophy of Law. 3 credits.
Investigation of theories of natural law, legal positivism, and legal realism as they pertain to some of the central philosophical questions about law. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 323: Classical Western Political Theory. 3 credits.
Exploration through lecture and discussion of developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the time of the Greek city-state to late medieval Christendom, focusing on such topics as the nature and purpose of politics, the relationship between the individual and the state, the political significance of religion and tradition, and the concept of natural law. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to GOVT 323.
Recommended Prerequisite: GOVT 101 or three credits of Philosophy.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 324: Modern Western Political Theory. 3 credits.
Exploration through lecture and discussion of developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the Renaissance to the middle of the 19th century, focusing on such topics as the rise of individualism in political theory, early developments in social contact theory, theories of radical popular sovereignty, and early criticisms of liberal theory. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to GOVT 324.
Recommended Prerequisite: GOVT 101 or three credits of philosophy.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 325: Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought. 3 credits.
Study and evaluation of Marx's social and political ideas based on writings selected from several phases of his career. Examination of relation of Marx's thought to post-Marxian socialist theory and practice. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 327: Contemporary Western Political Theory. 3 credits.
Exploration through lecture and discussion of recent developments in the Western tradition of political thought from the middle of the 19th century to today. Different sections focus on one or another of the various political theories that have been influential during this period such as liberal, libertarian, conservative, communitarian, Marxist, feminist, and postmodern thought. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits. Equivalent to GOVT 327.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: GOVT 101 or three credits of philosophy.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 329: Philosophy after Auschwitz. 3 credits.
Examines the philosophical questions that arise in the wake of the Nazi concentration camps concerning genocide, political modernity, and conceptions of the human. Investigates how the logic of the camp made possible systematic genocidal violence against the Jews and other groups, and the ways in which that logic manifests in other forms and on other bodies before and after Auschwitz. Draws on writers and philosophers such as Primo Levi, Giorgio Agamben, Hannah Arendt, Maurice Blanchot, and/or Adriana Cavarero to analyze the ethical and political questions posed by the camps, and uses literature, film and art to engage with the complexities of bearing witness to horror and the unrepresentable. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact., Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or Permission of Instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 332: Issues in Analytic Philosophy. 3 credits.
Explores figures, movements, and topics in analytic philosophy from its early days to the present. Examines attempts of philosophers working in the tradition of formal logic and empiricism to solve philosophical problems by an analysis of language. Possible figures and movements covered will include Frege, Russell, Moore, Carnap, Wittgenstein, Anscombe, Quine, Lewis, Kripke, logical positivism, and ordinary language philosophy. Possible topics include recent metaphysics and philosophy of language. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of logic and PHIL 303, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 333: American Philosophy: Pragmatism. 3 credits.
Examines the philosophical movement of American Pragmatism, with emphasis on its origin in the late nineteenth century. Figures covered include Peirce, James, Dewey, and Mead. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of the instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 335: Nineteenth-Century Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines nineteenth-century responses to and developments of the Kantian revolution in philosophy. Key themes such as Idealism, Romanticism, Naturphilosophie, Perspectivalism or Critical Anthropology will be explored through thinkers such as Fichte, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Feuerbach, Schelling, Kierkegaard or Nietzsche. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or Permission of Instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 336: Twentieth-Century Continental Thought: Existentialism. 3 credits.
Examines existential philosophy from its nineteenth-century origins to its twentieth-century expressions. Key themes will be explored through philosophical and literary works of thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Unamuno, Buber, Heidegger, Sartre, Camus, De Beauvoir, or Fanon. May also explore the influence of existentialist thought on social and political philosophy, including philosophies of race and gender and decolonial thought, and/or existentialism’s relation to non-Western philosophical traditions. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 337: Twentieth-Century Continental Thought: Phenomenology. 3 credits.
Examines the phenomenological movement in philosophy from its origins in Husserl through developments of twentieth-century practitioners such as Ingarden, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, de Beauvoir, or Schutz. May also examine contemporary developments and influences of the phenomenological tradition, such as critical phenomenology. Attends to the value of phenomenology for engaging in social analysis. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 338: Philosophy, Race, and Gender. 3 credits.
Examines how concepts of gender, sexual difference, and race structure key philosophical ideas and put such ideas into question. Analyzes the ways in which patriarchal, colonial and racialized structures intersect to produce concepts of the human, the subject, and the ‘Other’. Explores alternative approaches to subjectivity, sexuality, the body, and knowledge drawn from feminist philosophy, queer theory, and philosophies of race and decoloniality. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or Permission of Instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 339: Recent Continental Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines themes in continental philosophy from the late twentieth century to the present day. Particular themes will be explored through a variety of thinkers, such as Agamben, Cavarero, Deleuze, Derrida, Foucault, Irigaray, Kristeva, Lyotard, Nancy, Ranciere, or Stiegler, and approaches, such as postmodernist, poststructuralist, decolonial, or feminist. Possible themes will include temporality, alterity, language, history or technology. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 340: Hermeneutic Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines the development of hermeneutic philosophy (the philosophy of interpretation) from its nineteenth-century origins through its twentieth-century developments to contemporary practitioners. Key themes include the hermeneutic circle, historicity, textuality, autopoiesis and the event. Explores works by key thinkers such as Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer, Levinas, Ricoeur, or Derrida. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or Permission of Instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 343: Topics in Environmental Philosophy. 3 credits.
An in-depth examination of selected environmental issues from a philosophical perspective. Such issues might include the value of nature, the moral status of animals, duties to protect wilderness areas, economics and environmental protection, environmental justice, and environmental aesthetics. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Green Leaf Related Course, Mason Impact., Topic Varies
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 344: Ethical Issues in Global Health. 3 credits.
This course will consider ethical questions that arise in global health policy, practice and research. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 345: Topics in Philosophy of Technology. 3 credits.
Examines the philosophical implications of technology. Analyzes the relationship between technology and human beings and explores ethical issues raised by the uses of technology. Social, existential, human, post-human, ontological or political questions concerning technology will be explored through a variety of possible philosophical approaches and in relation to one or more kinds of technology. Topics will vary by section. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits in Philosophy or other relevant discipline.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 353: Theories of Justice. 3 credits.
A critical analysis of classical and contemporary theories of justice, with discussion of present-day applications, that develops an understanding of how philosophers approach questions related to justice, how they reach conclusions about justice within and outside of formal institutions, and how they argue for them. Examines questions about justice as a basic virtue of legal, political, and social institutions and invites students to critically examine their own views on controversies related to such issues as the distribution of economic resources, oppression, criminal justice reform, freedom, conflict, equality, democracy, and rights. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Three credits of philosophy or permission of the instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 355: Theories of Ethics. 3 credits.
A critical examination of a variety of different types of classical, modern, and contemporary ethical theories, including consequentialist theories, deontological theories, and virtue theories. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits in PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 356: Philosophy of Art. 3 credits.
Examines philosophical theories that inquire into the nature, role, and value of art and that offer differing accounts of human beings’ response to art. Key issues include what counts as art, representation and expression, museums and institutions, the role of technology, the sublime, and the art/craft distinction. Attention will be paid to the social, cultural and historical conditions of both the production of art and of theories about art and its role in human existence. Individual sections may focus on particular artforms such as the visual or performative arts, film, the digital arts, earth and land art, or music, and/or include cross-cultural comparative analysis. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 357: Philosophy of the Social Sciences. 3 credits.
Philosophical issues relating to competing methodologies for the social sciences. Analysis and critique of mainstream positivism and behaviorism; paradigm theory and scientific revolutions; interpretive understanding and hermeneutical science; phenomenology and the social construction of reality; ethnomethodology and situational meaning; analytic philosophy and action theory; the "idea" of a social science; sociology of knowledge and theory of ideology; and Western Marxism and critical theory. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 358: Ethics and Economics. 3 credits.
Examines issues at the intersection of ethics and economics. Looks at the different ways in which ethics and economics impact each other. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits in philosophy or permission of the instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 371: Philosophy of the Natural Sciences. 3 credits.
In-depth examination of selected topics and debates in contemporary philosophy of science. Studies the aims and methodology of science through the work of key thinkers in the field. Questions of concern may include: the demarcation of science from pseudo-science; the rationality of scientific change; problems of induction, prediction and evidence; objectivity, values and scientific practice; the unity of science; and the relation between scientific knowledge and truth. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: PHIL 271 or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 372: Conceptual Foundations of the Life Sciences. 3 credits.
Examines a range of philosophical issues arising from a close analysis of the conceptual foundations of the life sciences. Addresses fundamental questions pertaining to the nature of life and the structure of biological theories and explanations. Explores key concepts in the life sciences such as organism, gene, function, mechanism, and adaptation. Examines the relation of the life sciences to other disciplines and areas of inquiry. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 373: Theory of Knowledge. 3 credits.
Discussion of basic problems concerning the nature of knowledge, with study of the relation of knowledge to perception, belief, and language. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of philosophy or Permission of Instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 374: Philosophy of Mind. 3 credits.
Investigation of such theories as dualism, behaviorism, and materialism as they pertain to some of the central philosophical questions about mind. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 376: Symbolic Logic. 3 credits.
Study of predicate calculi by means of a step-by-step construction of artificial languages. Topics include procedures for constructing a calculus, proof techniques, significant properties of predicate calculi, and procedures for recognizing phrases. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 377: The Darwinian Revolution in Modern Thought. 3 credits.
Introduction to the theory of evolution and its philosophical foundations. Examines Darwin's theory of evolution as a scientific theory, considers its historical context and development, and surveys its wider cultural and societal impact. Focuses on the implications of Darwinism for core areas of philosophy (for example, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, or philosophy of mind) as well as for fields such as anthropology, sociology, politics, or religion. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 379: Perspectives on Time. 3 credits.
Examines the variety of ways time is conceptualized in different disciplines. Influential conceptions of time from the history of philosophy are studied in order to provide a comparative framework within which to consider specialist conceptions of time drawn from the sciences and humanities, including relativistic time, geological deep time, life cycles, and time in historical narrative. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Mason Apex
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of philosophy, or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 391: Special Topics in Philosophy. 1-3 credits.
Examines topics of current interest such as death and dying, rights of children, and philosophical controversies in modern physics. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 393: Humanities College to Career. 1 credit.
Focuses on career choices and effective self-presentation for soon-to-be graduating students with majors in the humanities. Explores how skills typically learned In humanities majors can be leveraged for a successful transition to post-graduation employment. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to ENGH 303, FRLN 309, HIST 385, UNIV 420.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 398: Study Abroad. 3 credits.
Study abroad under supervision of Mason faculty. Course topics, content and locations vary. Notes: A maximum of 6 credits may be applied to the BA in philosophy. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
400 Level Courses
PHIL 411: Theories of Decision. 3 credits.
Examines from a philosophical perspective descriptive and normative theories of individual decision, with particular focus on the strengths and weaknesses of theories of rational choice, and attempts to incorporate insights from psychology into theories of decision. Explores theoretical developments and a variety of applications. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Two previous courses in either Philosophy, Psychology, or Economics.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 421: Seminar. 3 credits.
Explores topics in current philosophical research in a seminar format. Topics vary. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 18 credits.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Mason Apex
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact., Writing Intensive in Major
Recommended Prerequisite: Nine credits in philosophy.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 422: Honors Seminar. 3 credits.
Seminar for students enrolled in the honors program in philosophy. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
Mason Core: Mason Core (All), Mason Apex
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact., Topic Varies, Writing Intensive in Major
Recommended Prerequisite: 9 credits in philosophy and acceptance to the honors program in philosophy.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 425: Independent Study. 1-3 credits.
Independent study under supervision of faculty member. Students and faculty agree on program of study to include at least a reading list and final written project. Students must arrange for independent study in the semester before they wish to enroll. Requires approval of department. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Sixty credits, including 15 credits in Philosophy and permission of the department.
Schedule Type: Independent Study
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 429: Advanced Topics in Social and Political Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines key social and political issues drawing on a range of philosophical thinkers, texts and approaches. Possible topics include: migration and immigration, biopolitics, climate change, health inequity, decision theory, democracy and citizenship, slavery and reparations, mass incarceration, or human rights. Emphasizes the ability to put philosophical concepts and theories to work to address questions and problems of social, political or global significance. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: PHIL/GOVT 323, or PHIL/GOVT 324, or PHIL/GOVT 327, or permission of the instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 441: Ethics and AI: Practice and Projects. 3 credits.
Integrates knowledge of ethical theories with ethical AI principles, ethical AI frameworks, and national strategies for ethical AI. Employs integrated knowledge to identify, analyze, and troubleshoot ethical issues in the research, design, development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Applies computational and humanistic thinking to case studies so as to identify, select, use, and appraise several methods and tools related to ethical AI, thereby generating probable solutions to theoretical and practical problems. Students design and execute a hands-on collaborative project that explores an original question, seeks a creative solution to a problem, applies knowledge to a professional challenge, or offers a unique perspective. Students will present their project to a public audience. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts.
Registration Restrictions:
Required Prerequisite: PHIL 241C.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
PHIL 460: Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. 3 credits.
Covers issues in the philosophy, economics, and political science of institutions, information, and collective action. Through case studies of existing legal and political institutions, applies the insights to problems in politics, policy making, social-choice theory, and social, moral, and political philosophy. (Specific content varies). Notes: Serves as the capstone course for the PPE program. Offered by Philosophy. Limited to three attempts. Equivalent to ECON 460, GOVT 469.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
600 Level Courses
PHIL 600: Proseminar in Philosophy. 1 credit.
Introduces MA students to the areas and methods of philosophical scholarship. Notes: Graduate students outside of the philosophy program may take this course with permission of the department. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment limited to students in the LA-MA-PHIL program.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.
PHIL 603: Aristotle: Selected Works. 3 credits.
Close study of Aristotle's work and its place and future in history of philosophy. Topics vary by semester and include Aristotle's metaphysics, natural sciences, ethics, political thought, logic, epistemology, and psychology. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 608: Hegel's Phenomenology of the Spirit. 3 credits.
A study of the philosophy of Hegel through a reading of the text that presents an introduction to his system. Special attention is paid to Hegel's background in the work of Kant and the German Idealists. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 615: Postmodernist Thought. 3 credits.
In recent decades, the term "postmodern," first used by art critics in the late 19th century, has been taken up by prominent contributors to the arts, social thinkers, and philosophers, to describe developments as well as the current period. Examines three thematic concerns found in work that is identified with postmodern issues: what modernity defines itself in contrast to or against, the status of "man," and status of "subjectivity." Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 616: Phenomenology. 3 credits.
This major approach in philosophy is studied in regard to its basic features, the tasks to which it has been set by major contributors, certain findings of phenomenology in practice, as well as crucial problems that develop as phenomenology proceeds and how they are addressed by phenomenologists. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 617: Movements and Issues in the History of Political Philosophy. 3 credits.
Explores themes, movements, and periods in the history of political theory. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 640: History of Ethical Theory. 3 credits.
Examines history of Western ethical theory from ancient Greece to the present day, including virtue theory, consequentialism, deontological theory and contemporary feminism. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 642: Biomedical Ethics. 3 credits.
Explores the application of ethical theories and principles to issues in contemporary health care. Cases central to the development of the field will be examined. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 643: Environmental Ethics. 3 credits.
An examination of human interactions with the natural environment from an ethical perspective. Emphasis will be placed on the strengths and weaknesses of various ethical theories and the different conceptions of the proper relationship between humans and their environment. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 644: Business and Organizational Ethics. 3 credits.
Examines the application of ethics in business and organizational settings, and the necessity for ethical development wihin organizational culture. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 645: Research Ethics. 3 credits.
Examines how ethical theories, concepts, and principles shape research guidelines. Students learn to identify ethical issues in research, to reflect on them critically, and to respond effectively. Designed for students in the humanities, social sciences, life sciences, and health sciences. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 654: Critical Philosophies of Race. 3 credits.
Explores the nature of race by investigating the development of the concept of race and the implications of its use. Inquires into philosophical questions raised by race and racism; intersections of race with class, nationality, and gender; the role of philosophy in forming modern notions of race and the potential role of philosophy in addressing them with an eye to making our ways of thinking more just. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program in philosophy or related discipline, or permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 658: Feminist Theory. 3 credits.
Analysis of the critique of patriarchy offered by contemporary continental feminist philosophers. Examines contemporary moral, political, and epistemological issues in feminist theory. Offered by Philosophy. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program or permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 681: Figures and Topics in Ancient Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines major philosophical authors, texts, and topics of the ancient period and their influence on philosophical thought. May cover Plato, Aristotle, or the pre-Socratic philosophers. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 682: Figures and Topics in Early Modern Philosophy. 3 credits.
Examines major philosophical authors, texts, and topics of the early modern period and their influence on philosophical thought. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 683: Contemporary Philosophical Figures. 3 credits.
Examines major recent philosophical authors, texts, and topics, and their influence on philosophical thought. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 693: Directed Readings in Philosophy. 3 credits.
Directed readings and research on a specific topic in philosophy chosen by student and instructor. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Independent Study
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 694: Special Topics in Contemporary Philosophy. 3 credits.
Topics vary. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 18 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
700 Level Courses
PHIL 721: Advanced Seminar in Philosophy. 3 credits.
Close study of selected topics in current philosophical discourse. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the term.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
PHIL 799: Thesis. 1-6 credits.
Develop research and write an original thesis under the direction of their thesis director. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 24 credits, approval of thesis proposal, and permission of instructor (thesis director).
Registration Restrictions:
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.
Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.
Schedule Type: Thesis
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.