Philosophy
Requirements for Philosophy Major
Bachelor of Arts Degree
In addition to completing the core curriculum requirements, outlined on pp. 14-15 of this catalog, philosophy majors must complete 30 credits in philosophy, which includes PHI 305: Ethics. The three courses in metaphysics (PHI 307, 308 and 309) are recommended, though not required, for philosophy majors.
Special Notes on Major Requirement
As graduation requirements, philosophy majors must pass in their senior year a comprehensive one-hour oral examination and write and deliver a graduation qualifying paper. The oral examination will concern a list of thematic questions provided by the philosophy faculty. The qualifying paper can be the result of an upper level (300+) philosophy course, or independently prepared by the student on another subject of interest. For information about guidelines for and scheduling of the oral examination and qualifying paper, a student should consult the department chair.
Political & Economic Philosophy
Department Chair: Thomas A. Michaud, Ph.D.
A trans-disciplinary major that integrates the knowledge gained by the study of economics, political science and philosophy. Students will be encouraged and guided in an exploration of each of these disciplines, to understand how their connections affect ethics, law and public policy.
Requirements for Political & Economic Philosophy Bachelor of Arts Degree
University Core-Fulfilling
PHI 105 Logic and Knowledge
PHI 205 Philosophy of the Human Person
PHI 305 Ethics
POS 110 American Political Process
PEP (Political & Economic Philosophy)
Core-Fulfilling
ECO 110 Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 121 Principles of Microeconomics
Major Requirements
(1) The student will take 4 courses from each of the following three areas:
a) philosophy (12 crs)
b) political science (12 crs)
c) economics (12 crs)
(2) PHI 485 Section Seminar in Political and
Economic Philosophy, interdisciplinary,
with faculty from each area participating (3 crs)
Total : 39 crs
Because political and economic philosophy is a dynamically changing field and because it involves three departments each committed to on-going improvement, students can expect the program to undergo change during their years at the University. As improvements are made, students will be given the option to fulfill the requirements that are in effect when they enter the program or to adapt to the changes as they are made.
Philosophy
Required (2 courses)
PHI 347 Medieval Political Thought
PHI 349 Contemporary Political Thought
Electives (Choose two from the following):
PHI 302 Society, Ethics and Technology
PHI 351 Business Ethics
PHI 240 Philosophy of Peace and Justice
PHI 246 Philosophical Foundations of Capitalism
PHI 254 Philosophy of Law
PHI 354 Environmental Ethics
Political Science
Required (2 courses)
POS 346 Ancient Political Thought
POS 348 Modern Political Thought
Electives (Choose two from the following):
POS 329 Civil Rights & Liberties
POS 330 Constitutional Law
POS 333 Global Economy
POS 211 Comparative Politics
POS 212 Global Politics
Economics
Required (2 courses)
ECO 321 History of Economic Thought
MGT 315 Conceptual Foundations of Business
Electives (Choose two from the following):
ECO 311 The Market Economy
ECO 312 Intermediate Microeconomics
ECO 313 Intermediate Macroeconomics
ECO 315 Managerial Economics and
Business Simulation (MBA 506)
ECO 318 International Economics
ECO 324 Contemporary Economic Issues
MGT 311 International Business
MGT 316 Business and Society
MGT 352 Business Through Literature
Required:
PHI 485 Senior Seminar in Political & Economic Philosophy – interdisciplinary, with faculty from each area participating.
Minor in Philosophy
A student may minor, by taking, with the approval of the department, four courses beyond PHI 205, at least one of which is to be a 300/400 course.
Core-Fulfilling Courses
PHI 105 Logic and Knowledge
PHI 205 Philosophy of the Human Person
PHI 305 Ethics (juniors and seniors only)
Course Descriptions
PHI 105 Logic and Knowledge (3 crs)
Introduction to the fundamentals of critical reasoning (e.g.: the structure of deductive and inductive arguments; fallacies; the square of opposition and categorical syllogisms) and the ways in which critical reasoning integrates with the basic questions and positions in the philosophy of knowledge.
PHI 205 Philosophy of the Human Person (3 crs)
A philosophical study of the human person as a being who, while embodied in nature, is capable of rationally knowing, freely choosing and creatively acting as a unique individual open to communion with others and with the Transcendent. Prerequisite: PHI 105.
PHI 305 Ethics (3 crs)
How ought human beings live in society? Study of the nature, types and criteria of values, with an in-depth study of ethical principles and their applications to certain contemporary moral problems, e.g., abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, war and peace. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and PHI 205.
THEMATIC AND HISTORICAL PHILOSOPHY
PHI 213 Aesthetics (3 crs)
Philosophical analysis of the aesthetic, its foundation in human experience, its role in works of art, its relation to imagination and conceptual thought as explicated in major philosophies of art. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 214 Philosophy of Religion (3 crs)
A philosophical investigation of religion, its language and concepts, especially as it has developed historically in the West, and has
been confronted by the phenomenon of contemporary atheism. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 225 Eastern Patterns of Thought (3 crs)
A study of the doctrines, ideals and practices advanced by Eastern traditions of thought such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 240 Philosophy of Peace and Justice (3 crs)
An introduction to the study of peace and justice in an age of conflict and widespread inequities. The course draws upon the enduring wisdom of philosophical reflection, the rich tradition of Jesuit education and the developing insights of contemporary thought to uncover the roots of peace, justice and their opposites. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 246 Philosophical Foundations of Capitalism (3 crs)
A philosophical study of capitalism in its historical roots, such as John Locke and Adam Smith; a critical evaluation as seen through the eyes of modern interpreters. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 250 Philosophy of Jesuit Education (3 crs)
An historical and philosophical overview of the Jesuit system of education; includes study of developmental theories of university-age students, a consideration of the characteristics and principles of the Ignatian world vision as applied to the academic process, and an evaluation of the authenticity of the Ignatian vision in Wheeling Jesuit University practice. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 251 Philosophy and Human Creativity (3 crs)
Study of the root, scope and fundamental role of human creativity as the means to intervene in the structure and direction of the world; the implications of this for education, laws, social arrangements. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 253 Philosophy and Personal Development (3 crs)
Study of the correlation between ethical theory and concepts of personal development, e.g., those of Erickson, Kohlberg and Fowler. The purpose of the course is to provide the students with a normative basis for evaluating the claims of the developmentalists, and to stimulate them to evaluate the direction of their own lives. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 254 Philosophy of Law (3 crs)
This course examines the meanings, bases, purposes, sources, implications and types of law. Questions addressed include: What is legal positivism and merepenalism? Are law and morality related? Are civil laws necessarily just? Can civil disobedience ever be justified? How are law and authority connected? Upon what conditions does the legislative process depend? Should judges make laws?
PHI 260 Reason and Faith (3 crs)
This course is intended to introduce students to philosophy and theology through a guided exploration of selected topics of philosophical and theological interest. With the help of Web resources, including the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, students will become familiar with several terms and concepts used in philosophical and theological discourse, and will have ample opportunity to employ them in on-line discussions of various important issues.
PHI 302 Society, Ethics and Technology (3 crs)
This course begins with a history of the philosophy of technology in order to understand the ethical values that characterize the development of technology. With this background, the course defines a model for the ethical assesment of technological invention and innovation, and then applies that model to evaluate specific issues relevant to the complex interrelationships between political economy, public policy and cultural change.
PHI 306 Philosophy and History of Sports (3 crs)
The philosophical and historical roots of organized sports are traced from the Greek and Roman civilizations through to sport in Western society. The course treats sport both as activity and as a phenomenon which assists in defining culture. Prerequisite: Second year standing.
PHI 307-309 Metaphysics
Claims, methods and limits of metaphysics. A study of the issues of transcendence, causality, the categories, space and time and the human condition, with emphasis on textual study.
PHI 307 Metaphysics I: Ancient (3 crs)
Thinkers to be considered include the Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 308 Metaphysics II: Medieval (3 crs)
Thinkers to be considered include Plotinus, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 309 Metaphysics III: Modern (3 crs)
Thinkers to be considered include Descartes, Hume, Kant and Hegel. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 311 Epistemology (3 crs)
A critical examination of classical and contemporary theories and problems of knowledge, such as the possibility, origin, foundation, limits and validity of knowledge. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 347 (POS 347) Medieval Political Thought (3 crs)
A survey of influential Western political thinkers from the medieval world up to Machiavelli. Emphasis will be placed on the anthropological and metaphysical underpinnings of their political theories. Thinkers to be discussed will include St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Dante and Machiavelli.
PHI 349 (POS 349) Contemporary Political Thought (3 crs)
A critical survey of major contemporary political philosophies such as liberalism, conservatism and communitarianism and the ways in which they impact the law, the economy and principles of civil rights and civic responsibilities.
PHI 315 Philosophy of Science (3 crs)
A study of the historical and contemporary ontologies, epistemologies and axiologies of the physical, social and mathematical sciences. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 318 Symbolic Logic (3 crs)
A study of the formal systems of deductive proofs of validity and
the relationship between ordinary and symbolic languages. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 320 Bioethics (3 crs)
Philosophical study of the moral implications of situations, decisions and procedures that directly deal with human life in terms of its propagation, its health, its duration, its modification and its termination, as precipitated by the contemporary advances of biomedical technology. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 321 History of Economic Thought (3 crs)
A study of the development of economic theories from classical to contemporary times with emphasis on examining their philosophical bases and implications. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 337 19th Century European Thought (3 crs)
A study of the developing themes in European philosophy during the 19th century, with consideration of thinkers such as Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 338 Phenomenology and Existentialism (3 crs)
A study of the developing themes in European philosophy during the 20th century, with consideration of thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Camus, Sartre and Marcel. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 345 American Philosophy (3 crs)
A study of the developing themes in American philosophy during the 19th and 20th centuries, with consideration of thinkers such as Emerson, Peirce, James, Dewey and Whitehead. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 346 (POS 346) Ancient Political Thought (3 crs)
Selections from, e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon, Thucydides and Aristophanes, will be examined in this course. Special attention will be placed on the relationship between politics and philosophy.
PHI 348 (POS 348) Modern Political Thought (3 crs)
Selections from modern political thinkers, e.g., Machiavelli, Locke, Tocqueville, Rousseau and Nietzsche, will be examined in this couse. Special emphasis will be placed on the modern idea of rights, the relationship between politics and philosophy and the role and responsibilities of government in the modern world.
PHI 355 Business Ethics (3 crs)
An exploration of the relationship between the world of business and the values of the larger society in which business operates. An application of ethical principles to issues, such as hiring practices, quality of the work place, conflicts of interest, environmental and consumer issues and the social responsibility of business. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 356 Ethics and Public Policy (3 crs)
An application of the principles of ethics to contemporary American institutional structures and public policies, e.g., health care, prison systems, international finance, world trade, foreign policy, war and peace, world hunger, immigration, education and individual rights. Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 360 Great Thinkers in Philosophy (3 crs)
A close and critical textual examination of a major philosopher, (e.g., Aristotle, Plato, Kant, Heidegger and Marcel).
Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 365 Great Themes in Philosophy (3 crs)
A close and critical examination of a major and continuing theme in philosophy, (e.g., Philosophy of Time, Philosophy and Literature, Philosophy of Freedom, etc.). Prerequisites: PHI 105 and 205.
PHI 485 Senior Seminar in Political and Economic Philosophy (3 crs)
Interdisciplinary, with faculty from each area participating. Prerequisites: PHI 105, 205 and 305.
