Philosophy | USC Schedule of Classes

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Philosophy (PHIL)

http://dornsife.usc.edu/phil/
D class assignments for undergraduates available in MHP108; phone 740-4085.

PHIL 137gm: Social Ethics for Earthlings and Others (4.0 units)

A systematic study of contemporary issues in social and political philosophy engaging multimedia works of science fiction to illuminate classic Western moral and political theories.

General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
Diversity: This course satisfies the university's diversity requirement.
Note: Register for lecture, one discussion, lab and one section of WRIT 140 listed below (unless you have already satisfied the Writing Requirement)
Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus
49560R	Lecture	3:30-5:20pm	Mon, Wed	138 of 151	John Dreher	THH301	Word (55296 KB)
49561R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Monday	23 of 25	Aness Webster	SOSB41
49562R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Monday	22 of 25	Aness Webster	SOSB41
49563R	Discussion	2:00-2:50pm	Thursday	25 of 27	Samuel Shpall	GFS222
49564R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Wednesday	21 of 25	Kenneth Lee	SOSB41
49565R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Wednesday	25 of 25	Kenneth Lee	SOSB41
49566R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Friday	22 of 25	Samuel Shpall	MHP102

Concurrent Course
WRIT 140: Writing and Critical Reasoning (4.0 units)

Focuses on analytical and argumentative writing skills requisite to academic and professional writing. Emphasizes logical analysis of texts and other data, effective use of evidence, ethical argumentation, and stylistic and grammatical fluency. Requires concurrent enrollment with an affiliated General Education course in the Social Issues category. Students must achieve a satisfactory score on the verbal portion of the SAT, the USC Writing Examination, or credit for WRIT 120 or 121 bef

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
64305D	Lecture	9:00-9:50am	MWF	14 of 17	Andrew Eisenstein	GFS109
64310D	Lecture	9:00-9:50am	MWF	16 of 17	Stacy Gnall	VKC158
64455D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Allyson Ferrante	GFS204
64460D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Troy Johnson	GFS205
66998D	Lab	7:00-8:50pm	Wednesday	763 of 2000		BOV AUD

PHIL 140g: Contemporary Moral and Social Issues (4.0 units)

Application of philosophical theories in ethics to problems such as racial and sexual discrimination, I.Q., and social justice, rights of animals, law and morality, and privacy.

General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
Note: Register for lecture, one discussion, lab and one section of WRIT 140 listed below (unless you have already satisfied the Writing Requirement)
Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus
49314R	Lecture	2:00-3:20pm	Mon, Wed	151 of 152	Stephen Finlay	SGM124	PDF (65491 KB)
49316R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Monday	26 of 26	Benjamin Lennertz	ZHS360
49318R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Wednesday	25 of 25	Justin Snedegar	ZHS360
49319R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Friday	24 of 25	Matthew Lutz	MHP102
49320R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Tuesday	26 of 26	Benjamin Lennertz	SOSB47
49321R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Wednesday	26 of 26	Justin Snedegar	ZHS360
49322R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Monday	24 of 25	Matthew Lutz	ZHS360

Concurrent Course
WRIT 140: Writing and Critical Reasoning (4.0 units)

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
64315D	Lecture	9:00-9:50am	MWF	16 of 17	Eric Rawson	GFS228
64320D	Lecture	9:00-9:50am	MWF	17 of 17	Paul Blomeyer	VKC160
64470D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Eric Rawson	GFS212
64475D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Paul Blomeyer	GFS111
64480D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Eike Exner	GFS112
64485D	Lecture	12:00-12:50pm	MWF	17 of 17	Adam Fishbein	GFS113
66998D	Lab	7:00-8:50pm	Wednesday	763 of 2000		BOV AUD

PHIL 225g: Love and its Representations in Western Literature, Philosophy, and Film (4.0 units)

Key works that have shaped the European and American cultural inheritance, with a special focus on the nature of love (and marriage and domesticity).

General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
Note: Register for lecture and one discussion

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus
49356R	Lecture	3:30-4:45pm	Tue, Thu	150 of 151	Edwin Mc Cann	THH301	PDF (173790 KB)
49357R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Monday	23 of 25	Cecilia Stepp	VKC207
49358R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Monday	25 of 25	Cecilia Stepp	VKC207
49359R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Tuesday	26 of 26	Geoff Georgi	VKC258
49360R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Thursday	26 of 26	Geoff Georgi	MHP102
49361R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Friday	23 of 25	Gopal Nair	VKC157
49362R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Friday	27 of 27	Gopal Nair	VKC157

PHIL 250a: Elementary Formal Logic (2.0 units)

Critical reasoning skills and their many everyday applications; theory of logically correct reasoning and its associated formal techniques.

Note: Class begins 8/ 25 ends 10/13

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49368R	Lecture-Discussion	5:00-6:30pm	Tue, Thu	17 of 40	Marina Folescu	MHP105

PHIL 250b: Elementary Formal Logic (2.0 units)

Critical reasoning skills and their many everyday applications; theory of logically correct reasoning and its associated formal techniques.

Prerequisite: PHIL 250a
Note: Class begins 10/15 ends 12/3

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49369R	Lecture-Discussion	5:00-6:30pm	Tue, Thu	4 of 35	Marina Folescu	MHP105

PHIL 262g: Mind and Self: Modern Conceptions (4.0 units)

Philosophical problems about the nature of mind associated with the rise of modern science; topics include the mind/body relation, personal identity, rationality and freedom.

General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
Note: Register for lecture and one discussion

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus
49370R	Lecture	12:30-1:50pm	Tue, Thu	197 of 201	Gideon Yaffe	THH201	PDF (64647 KB)
49371R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Monday	24 of 25	Yingying Tang	GFS105
49372R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Tuesday	24 of 25	Indrek Reiland	MHP102
49373R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Wednesday	24 of 25	Joshua Crabill	GFS105
49374R	Discussion	10:00-10:50am	Thursday	25 of 25	Alida Liberman	MHP102
49375R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Monday	25 of 26	Yingying Tang	GFS213
49376R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Tuesday	26 of 26	Indrek Reiland	MHP102
49377R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Wednesday	25 of 25	Joshua Crabill	GFS213
49378R	Discussion	11:00-11:50am	Friday	24 of 25	Alida Liberman	GFS213

PHIL 285Lg: Knowledge, Explanation, and the Cosmos (4.0 units)

Examination of philosophical problems related to modern cosmology, including knowledge of the unobservable, the nature of space and time, and the origin of the universe.

General Education: This course satisfies the university's general education requirement.
Note: Register for one lecture and one lab

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
49383R	Lecture	2:00-3:15pm	Tue, Thu	126 of 151	Jacob Ross	THH202
49571R	Lab	10:00-11:50am	Wednesday	17 of 20	Justin Dallmann	THHB10
49572R	Lab	10:00-11:50am	Friday	10 of 20	Tiffany Chang	THHB10
49573R	Lab	12:00-1:50pm	Friday	18 of 20	Tiffany Chang	VKC206
49574R	Lab	8:00-9:50am	Wednesday	9 of 20	Justin Dallmann	VKC206
49575R	Lab	10:00-11:50am	Monday	18 of 20	John Kwak	THHB10
49576R	Lab	8:00-9:50am	Monday	13 of 20	John Kwak	VKC206
49577R	Lab	8:00-9:50am	Thursday	9 of 20	John Kwak	WPH107
49578R	Lab	10:00-11:50am	Thursday	15 of 20	Justin Dallmann	VHE217
49579R	Lab	12:00-1:50pm	Wednesday	17 of 20	Tiffany Chang	SOSB37

PHIL 320: History of Western Philosophy: Modern Period (4.0 units)

The development of philosophy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries; emphasis on Continental Rationalism, British Empiricism, and the philosophy of Kant.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49401R	Lecture	12:00-1:50pm	Mon, Wed	48 of 49	Dallas Willard	SOSB44	Word (56320 KB)

PHIL 350: Symbolic Logic (4.0 units)

Introduction to formal logic through two formal systems: propositional calculus, quantification theory; consistency, completeness, other advanced topics. Especially for philosophy, mathematics, science, and engineering majors.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49421R	Lecture	9:00-9:50am	MWF	28 of 35	Zlatan Damnjanovic	THH112	PDF (25953 KB)

PHIL 422: British Empiricism (4.0 units)

Development of philosophy in Great Britain from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries; emphasis on Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49439R	Lecture	11:00-12:15pm	Tue, Thu	16 of 30	James Van Cleve	VKC154

PHIL 430: Philosophy of Law (4.0 units)

The nature of law, legal realism, legal positivism; concepts used in law, such as punishment, responsibility, insanity, negligence, strict liability; law and morality.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49455R	Lecture	4:00-5:15pm	Tue, Thu	55 of 55	Andrei Marmor	VKC102	Word (33280 KB)

PHIL 437: Social and Political Philosophy (4.0 units)

The nature of man and society, the nature and justification of state and government, political rights and political obligation, justice and equality.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49461R	Lecture	3:30-4:45pm	Tue, Thu	Canceled	Sharon Lloyd

PHIL 440: Contemporary Ethical Theory (4.0 units)

Ethical theories in the 20th century; contemporary theories of value and obligation; metaethical theories; intuitionism, naturalism, and non-cognitivism; concepts of justice, human right, and freedom.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49466R	Lecture	2:00-3:15pm	Mon, Wed	31 of 32	John Dreher	THH108	Word (53760 KB)

PHIL 446: Aesthetics and the Film (4.0 units)

Problems in the philosophy of art raised by film, such as the notion of "cinematic"; the nature of interpretation of films; criteria for evaluating films.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49474R	Lecture	4:00-5:15pm	Mon, Wed	12 of 30	George Wilson	THH108

PHIL 460: Metaphysics (4.0 units)

Systematic introduction to basic concepts, including identity, difference, existence, individuals, substance, quality, and relation; emphasis on idealism, materialism, and the ontology of intentionality.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49479R	Lecture	4:00-5:15pm	Mon, Wed	23 of 31	Dallas Willard	MHP105

PHIL 465: Philosophy of Language (4.0 units)

The nature of communication, meaning, reference, truth, necessity, speech acts, convention, and language.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49484R	Lecture	2:00-3:15pm	Mon, Wed	31 of 31	Robin Jeshion	KAP140	Word (130777 KB)

PHIL 485: Development of Physical Science (4.0 units)

Concepts central in the advance of physical science such as the concepts of space, time, mass, force; philosophical problems concerning quantum mechanics.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49488R	Lecture	10:00-11:50am	Wed, Fri	8 of 30	Zlatan Damnjanovic	VKC210	PDF (30812 KB)

PHIL 490x: Directed Research (2.0-8.0 units, max 8)

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Junior, Senior

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
49490D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5	Dallas Willard	OFFICE
49491D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Gary Watson	OFFICE
49492D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	James Van Cleve	OFFICE
49493D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE

PHIL 494: Senior Thesis (4.0 units)

Independent studies for philosophy majors, and guidance in the preparation of the senior thesis for students who wish to graduate with honors in philosophy. Not open to graduate students.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
49497D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	John Dreher	OFFICE
49498D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Dallas Willard	OFFICE
49499D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE

PHIL 500: Introduction to Contemporary Philosophical Literature (4.0 units)

Analysis of selected philosophical problems and theses of current interest; explication of major contemporary papers and/or books is emphasized.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49505R	Lecture	2:00-4:20pm	Wednesday	9 of 18	James Higginbotham	MHP102

PHIL 501: Seminar in Recent Philosophy (4.0 units, max 16)

Contemporary philosophical issues and literature.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49506R	Lecture	4:30-7:00pm	Wednesday	5 of 15	Gary Watson	MHP102	Word (31744 KB)

PHIL 520: Studies in Modern Philosophy (4.0 units, max 16)

Problems in research in selected portions of modern philosophy.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49508R	Lecture	2:00-4:20pm	Thursday	12 of 20	James Van Cleve,Gideon Yaffe	MHP102	Word (30208 KB)

PHIL 530: Seminar in Philosophy of Law (4.0 units)

Theories of the nature of law; emphasis on recent writing; legal concepts such as rights, powers, liability, legal responsibility, law, and morality.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49510R	Lecture	2:00-4:20pm	Monday	9 of 15	Andrei Marmor	MHP102	Word (35328 KB)

PHIL 540: Seminar in Ethics (4.0 units, max 16)

Advanced topics and literature in ethical theory.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49512R	Lecture	11:00-1:20pm	Wednesday	9 of 15	Stephen Finlay	THH219	Word (16773 KB)

PHIL 560: Seminar in Metaphysics (4.0 units, max 16)

Advanced topics in metaphysics.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49516R	Lecture	12:00-2:20pm	Friday	8 of 15	Kadri Vihvelin	VKC257

PHIL 585: Seminar in Philosophy of Science (4.0 units, max 16)

Advanced topics in the philosophy of science.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49518R	Lecture	4:30-7:00pm	Thursday	5 of 20	Kenneth Easwaran	MHP102

PHIL 590: Directed Research (1.0-12.0 units)

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
49519D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	2 of 5	Mark Schroeder	OFFICE
49520D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	2 of 5	Scott Soames	OFFICE
49522D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5	James Van Cleve	OFFICE
49523D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	3 of 5	Gary Watson	OFFICE
49524D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Stephen Finlay	OFFICE
49525D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49526D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49527D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49528D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49529D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49530D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE
49531D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE

PHIL 594a: Master's Thesis (2.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49534D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE

PHIL 594b: Master's Thesis (2.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: PHIL 594A
Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49535D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 5		OFFICE

PHIL 594z: Master's Thesis (0.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: PHIL 594B
Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
49536D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Gary Watson	OFFICE

PHIL 599: Special Topics (2.0-4.0 units, max 8)

Major trends of current thought; specific topics to be announced.

Section	Units	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
Meaning and Rule-following in Wittgenstein
49537R	4.0	Lecture	2:00-4:20pm	Tuesday	5 of 20	George Wilson	MHP102

PHIL 790: Research (1.0-12.0 units)

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Section	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
49539D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	James Van Cleve	OFFICE
49540D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Kenneth Easwaran	OFFICE
49541D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 5	Jacob Ross	OFFICE
49542D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	2 of 5	Scott Soames	OFFICE
49543D	Lecture	TBA	TBA	3 of 5	Gary Watson, Mark Schroeder	OFFICE