USC Schedule of Classes

The philosophical foundations of modern political and economic thought, including economic rationality, neoclassical economics, free-market vs. socialist economies and behavioral economics.

Introduction to the central ideas of philosophy, science, politics and economics in western European history between 1450 and 1800.

Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 250a)

Techniques for constructing good arguments and for assessing and criticizing the arguments of others. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 250b)

Explores philosophical treatments of the problem of the meaning or purpose of human life. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 155)

Introduces symbolic logic and explores its application to the philosophy of language, plus meta-logical and philosophical results about its scope and limits.

A study of existentialist philosophy and its influence in 19th and 20th century culture, including both literature and film. Focus on works by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir, Dostoevsky, Godard, and others.

Exploration of the philosophical and religious implications of major scientific revolutions, such as those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin. (Duplicates credit in former PHIL 220g)

Explores formal tools for thinking about uncertainty. In an uncertain world, how is it rational to form our beliefs, make decisions, and interact with others?

Explores various conceptions of morality and what makes actions right or wrong, together with the implications of these views for concrete ethical issues.

Major figures in the history of Western philosophical thought from the presocratics to the Hellenistic period; emphasis on Plato and Aristotle.

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

Examination of problems in metaphysics and/or epistemology. Conducted at the intermediate level.

Philosophical investigation of sense perception as it relates to issues in epistemology, metaphysics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of science.

An historical and critical study of the great moral philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and the British moralists.

Principal theories of the nature of, and response to, art; examination of form and content in various arts; consideration of the role of criticism.

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.

Systematic study of the formal limits on what can be counted, expressed in language, systematically computed or rigorously proved, including Goedel's Incompleteness Theorems.

Systematic investigation of action, the mental states involved in action, the reasoning processes that lead to action, and related concepts including intentionality and free will.

Examination of contemporary accounts of the nature, scope, sources--and value--of human knowledge and justified belief.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

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.

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

Contemporary philosophical issues and literature.

Applications of logical theory to contemporary philosophical research. Elements of model theory, recursion theory; Goedel's Incompleteness results; modal logic and its interpretations. Recommended preparation: PHIL-350.

Advanced literature on selected topics in social and political philosophy, including the nature of law, man, and society; ideals such as justice and freedom.

Advanced topics and literature in ethical theory.

Philosophical issues in the empirical study of language concerning the relationship between linguistic meaning and the use of sentences to assert and convey information.

Advanced topics in epistemology.

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.

Basic principles of philosophical pedagogy, with emphasis on practical applications and the importance of career-long skill development. Required for first-semester teaching assistants in philosophy.

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

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

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

A focused environment in which to present and evaluate dissertation work-in-progress. Focus on peer and faculty feedback, developing professional presentation skills, improving critical communication skills. Graded CR/NC. Open only to Philosophy doctoral students.

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

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

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

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

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

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