Academics

Department of Philosophy > Course Descriptions

At most two courses from Philosophy 100 through Philosophy 119 can be taken for credit.

110 Introduction to Philosophy:  Classical Questions
Examination of perennial philosophical issues, such as questions about the nature of reality and how we can know it, discussions of human nature, the meaning of life, and our moral responsibilities. (Meets GEC First-Year Writing Requirement.)

112 Introduction to Philosophy:  Reason and the Irrational
The confrontation and dialogue between rationality and the powers of desire, will, spontaneity, and freedom. Discussion will focus on readings from Plato, Descartes, Spinoza, Nietzsche, Kafka, Sartre, and Buber. (Meets GEC First-Year Writing Requirement.)

114 Introduction to Philosophy:  Asian Thought
Introduction, through representative Asian thinkers from India, China, and Japan, to fundamental philosophical issues such as the nature and meaning of human existence, what true happiness is, and what is real. (Meets GEC First-Year Writing Requirement.)

115 Introduction to Philosophy:  War and the Challenge of Pacifism
The course will focus on the evolution of Western thinking about war, from the first musings about war among the Greeks, through the emergence of the Just War tradition in the Medieval era, through early modern and twentieth-century warfare, to the emerging twenty-first-century war on terrorism. The more contemporary discussions will focus on wars involving the United States. The goal will be to examine the strengths of claims for a moral sanction for war in contrast to arguments for a pacifist rejection of the morality of war. (Meets GEC First-Year Writing Requirement.)

117 Introduction to Philosophy:  Political Philosophy
By tracing the development of political philosophy from its roots in Greek philosphy through the social contract tradition to modern liberalism and critiques of colonialism, this course will examine a number of questions central to political philosophy. What is the state? What model of government is best? What is the nature of political rights? How do governments gain legitimate authority? Readings will include Socrates, Plato, Locke, Mill, Marx, Martin Luther King Jr., Rawls, Nozick, Chomsky, Churchill, and Galeano.

118 Introduction to Philosophy:  Labor, Property, and Value
The long-running MasterCard ad campaign claims that “There are some things money can’t buy: For everything else there’s MasterCard,” implying that certain meaningful experiences are “priceless,” and that paying for them is degrading: But it also implies that everything else in life can be bought and sold. What do these notions of price and pricelessness imply about our conceptions of human worth? Readings may include: Aristotle, Locke, Smith, Marx, Veblen, Weber, and Baudrillard.

156 Logic and Styles of Argument
Focus on the “rhyme and reason” of language. Examination of the reasons arguments are constructed in the ways they are. Investigation of informal, Aristotelian, and propositional logics, with readings from magazine articles, advertisements, and classical philosophers. (Meets GEC First-Year Writing Requirement.)

200 Philosophy and Gender
An investigation of whether and to what extent men and women think and behave differently and how such differences do or ought to change our theories of human existence and human good. A comparison of classical, modern, and postmodern treatments of the effect of gender on love, knowledge, and obligation. Reading may include Sappho, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau, Mary Shelley, Freud, Mead, de Beauvoir, Irigaray, and Gilligan. (Cross-listed as Women’s and Gender Studies 200. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

203 Business and Professional Ethics
Analysis and evaluation of ethical problems in business and the professions. Attention will be given to the moral foundations for and limits on business activities, the idea of professional responsibility, and the relationship between professional and business obligations and general moral obligations. (Not recommended for first-year students.)

205 Medical Ethics
The course will investigate the three primary strands of medical ethics: (1) issues of professional responsibility, such as confidentiality and informed consent, (2) moral dilemmas that arise in the course of treatment, such as decisions about euthanasia, and (3) public policy matters, such as universal health care.

210 Environmental Ethics
Examination of relationships between human beings and nature, drawing on literature, religion, and natural science as well as philosophy. What views have shaped our current perceptions, concerns, uses, and misuses of the natural world? What creative alternatives can we discover? How can these be applied to the practical problems of environmental ethics? (Cross-listed as Environmental Studies 210.)

212 Multicultural Approaches to the Environment
The central theme of this course is Humans and Nature. We will examine various motifs in the creation myths from different cultures, the images of man and woman, the theme of primeval flood or its absence, the alienation of humans from nature, and the beliefs (e.g., Chinese numerology) in the synchronicity between human affairs and natural events. We will search for answers to the following typical questions: What is the definition of environment? What is and ought to be the relation between humans and nature? What count as “environmental issues” and what are their possible solutions? (Cross-listed as Environmental Studies 212. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

214  Educational Reform in the U.S.
(Cross-listed as American Studies 212 and Education 212.)

220 Philosophy of Education
Survey of significant theories of education, introduction to philosophical analysis of educational concepts, and development of analytical skills applicable to clarifying and resolving  pedagogical and policy issues. (Cross-listed as Education 220.)

225 Philosophy of Science  (Offered Less Frequently)
Examination of issues such as the nature of  scientific knowledge, what counts as a “true” scientific theory, the basis of observation, and empirical knowledge. Consideration of ethical issues generated by scientific practice, the politics of technology, and current work on the sociology of scientific knowledge.

230 Philosophy and Literature
The question of meaning in and of literature. The philosophical study of works by Aeschylus, Euripides, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Kafka, Nabakov, Philip Roth, and Milan Kundera as well as the poetry of Dylan Thomas and Wallace Stevens. Critical theories of Nietzsche, Roland Barthes, and Jacques Derrida are used. (Not recommended for first-year students.)

240 Philosophy of Law
Survey of some main philosophical theories about the nature and justification of law, with intensive examination of several key philosophical problems as they arise in workings of the American legal system. Readings drawn from law and philosophy. (Not recommended for first-year students.)

248 Philosophical Issues in  Documentary Film
A case history approach using the documentary films of Frederick Wiseman, Claude Lanzmann, Erroll Morris, and others that investigates epistemic, moral, and aesthetic issues concerning the truth-value, ethical intent, and artistic significance of documentary film.

250 Philosophy of Religion
This course is an introduction to the philosophy of religion. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of religious experience, ritual, prayer, and sacred books in articulating the idea of God. Course includes a philosophical encounter with mysticism as well as the more traditional metaphysical formulations of the divine, in both the West and East. The critical concern of a variety of rational skepticisms will also be examined.

255 Philosophy and Film
This course explores the philosophical content of contemporary European, Asian, and American movies with special emphasis on metaphysical, ethical, and aesthetic ideas developed and visually presented by recognized filmmakers including Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut, DeSica, Erich Rohmer, Fellini, and Antonioni, and  special emphasis on Krzysztof Kieslowski. Prerequisite: Philosophy 110 or permission of the instructor.

260 Aesthetics: Reflections on Art  and Beauty
A consideration of the nature and purpose of art and aesthetic judgment through the theories of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Freud, and members of the Frankfurt School. Artworks in different media and historical periods will be used as occasions for reflection.

265 Symbolic Logic
(Cross-listed as Computer Science 260.)

270 American Philosophy: Principles  and Pragmatism
American philosophy has a rich and diverse  history. With the sometimes conflicting commitments to principles and pragmatism as a focus, the course will investigate topics such as (1) early debates over American political institutions: human rights and democracy versus aristocratic leanings to ensure good government; (2) eighteenth-century idealism (e.g., Royce) and transcendentalism (focusing on moral principle, as reflected in Emerson and Thoreau); (3) American pragmatism in its various forms (Pierce, James, and Dewey); (4) Whitehead and process philosophy; and (5) contemporary manifestations (e.g., human rights, environmental concerns, technology, and struggles with diversity). (Cross-listed as American Studies 271.)

272 Currents in Latin American Thought
Taking a historical perspective, the course will examine important themes in Latin American thought such as philosophical anthropology (race, the nature of the human being, and Latin American character), the study of values (subjectivism versus objectivism), and debates about philosophy and history (universalist versus culturalist approaches, free will versus determinist outlooks). (Cross-listed as Latin American Studies 272. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

275 Chinese Ethics: Ancient Chinese  Moral Thinking
This course offers a focused historical narrative of the development of Chinese moral thinking. It shows, at its early phase, how a particular moral philosopher’s thinking (such as Mencius and Xun-zi) is largely determined by his thinking on human nature. However, in later periods, particularly after the importation of Buddhism, the debates on human nature are replaced by an intense cognitive and metaphysical interest in the human mind. Moral cultivation begins to focus less on following moral rules but more on cultivating the mind. The effect of this nature-mind shift on Chinese moral thinking is both historically profound and theoretically surprising. Readings: Confucius, Mencius, Xun-zi, Lao zi, Zhuang zi, Zhang Zai, Chen Brothers, Zhu Xi and D. T. Suzuki.  (Cross-listed as Asian Studies 275.  Meets the GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

280 Dialogue
Examination of special topics not offered  in regular courses.

281 The Evolution of Institutional Vales: Lake Forest College, 1857-2007
Collaborative research project culminating in a report on the evolution of the College’s values from its inception to 2007.  Investigations will examine visions of what should be taught and why, who should be taught and why, the identity of the College, its relationship to changing visions of higher education, and its place in the values debates of the broader community.  Participation by invitation.

285 Topics in Japanese Thought
The course focuses on the Japanese understanding of nature, life, and history. We will focus on the ideas of fragility, impermanence, and beauty. Students will learn the central ideas of Zen Buddhism. Topics to be covered may include artistic representations in Noh plays, Tea ceremonies, and the Samurai culture. Prerequisite: any course in Asian thought or permission of the instructor. (Cross-listed as Asian Studies 285. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement).

290 History of Western Philosophy:  Ancient Greece
The nature of reality, knowledge, goodness, and beauty traced from the pre-Socratics through Plato and Aristotle. Some attention will be given to questions of philosophical style and to the transition to the medieval period. (Cross-listed as Classical Studies 290.)

291 History of Western Philosophy: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century European philosophers, with a primary focus on epistemology and metaphysics. Readings may include Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, Hume, and Kant. Prerequisite: Philosophy 110, 290, or consent of the instructor.

292 History of Western Philosophy:  Hegel and the Nineteenth Century
Idealism, romanticism, existentialism, vitalism, and pragmatism. Intensive readings in Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Bergson, James, Husserl, and Freud. Prerequisites: Philosophy 110, 290, and/or 291, or consent of the instructor.

294 Philosophy of Language
No pre-requisite is required, but logic is strongly recommended as a gateway for this course.  The course will give a general survey of the main issues in philosophy of language of the twentieth century, including questions concerning the relations between meaning and truth, meaning and reference, language and thought, and meaning and meaningfulness. It will introduce some basic concepts and analytical apparatus in the three main branches of language study: semantics, syntax and pragmatics. Reading materials will cover writings by Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Austin, Quine, Davidson, and Kripke.

296  Philosophy of Mind
With the rise of Cognitive Science, Computer Science, and Neuroscience, questions about the nature of mind have become increasingly important, and in the last 40 years much work on philosophy of mind has been done in analytic philosophy.  The class will begin with an examination of some of the most influential texts in philosophy of mind from the last 50 years, and then proceed to current topics.  Central questions may include:  What is the relationship between the mind and the brain?  Is it possible to offer explanations of mental states by reducing them to biological, chemical, or physical states?  Can human consciousness be best explained in terms of a computer model?  Is it possible to describe the functioning of human thought in terms of a rule-based system of processing?

303 Gender and Character (Offered Less Frequently)
Studies of the effects of either femininity or masculinity on moral and aesthetic choices. Several philosophers of character, morality, and psychology, e.g., Aristotle, Nietzsche, Freud, MacIntyre, and Gilligan, will be examined in conjunction with various works of fiction and film. Prerequisite: One philosophy course or permission of the instructor. (Cross-listed as Women’s and Gender Studies 303. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

305 Comparative Philosophy: East and West
Comparative investigation of Eastern and Western philosophical sources; elucidation and critical examination of fundamental presuppositions, unique conceptual formulations, and alternative approaches to general philosophical issues. Prerequisite: One Western philosophy course and one Asian area course, or consent of the instructor. (Cross-listed as Asian Studies 305. Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

310 Communication Ethics
Examination of the ethical components at the heart of human communication. Discussions of practical issues, such as free speech, advertising, and privacy, will be based on theoretical investigations of both communication and ethics. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy or  permission of the instructor. (Cross-listed as Communications 310.)

315 The Social Ethics of Energy Production and Use
(Cross-listed as Environmental Studies 315 and Sociology and Anthropology 315.)

320 Twentieth Century: Phenomenology, Existentialism, Structuralism, and Deconstruction
Twentieth-century continental philosophy, moving from the primacy of lived existence to the problematics of texts. Readings in Husserl, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Buber, Barthes, Derrida, Levinas, Irigaray, and Leotard. Prerequisite: Two philosophy courses.

322 Religious Existentialism
(Cross-listed as Religion 322.)

325 Major Ethical Theories
Investigation of principal Western theories of ethics. Issues include the foundation of morality in reason or sentiments, the fundamental principles of morality, the relationship of morality to character, and the demands of morality on human action. Readings from philosophers such as Aristotle, Mill, Kant, Noddings, and MacIntyre. Prerequisite: Two philosophy courses.

355 Analytic Philosophy
This course will provide students with a background in the analytic tradition, the philosophical outlook that has dominated Anglo-American schools for much of the twentieth century. Readings may include authors: Frege, Moore, Russell, Ayer, Wittgenstein, Strawson, Grice, Austin, Davidson, Kripke, Ryle, Quine, and Searle. Prerequisite: Philosophy 292 is strongly recommended.

360 Identity and Dreams
In this course we will explore philosophical issues of personal identity arising particularly from the phenomenon of dreaming. We will focus on the issue of how different dream interpreting techniques help give rise to different perceptions of personhood and one’s relation to the world at large. We will read the Bible, Herodotus, Plato, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Freud, Jung, and some ancient Chinese documents. (Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

365 The Metaphysics of Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation
In this class we will examine a number of questions concerning the reality, or metaphysics, of social identities.  When people speak of race, are they referring to something biological or something social?  Are the gender roles of men and women shaped more by genetic forces or social forces?  Is there a “gay gene”?  Does sexual orientation have a genetic basis?  After examining recent literature on the metaphysics of social kinds, we will examine the recent debates surrounding the nature of race, gender, and sexual orientation.  Possible readings will include: Foucault, Searle, Hacking, DuBois, Appiah, Taylor, Sundstrom, Butler, and Longino.  Prerequisite: at least one philosophy class or instructor’s permission.  (Meets GEC Cultural Diversity Requirement.)

380  Special Topics Seminar
Advanced discussion of special topics not offered elsewhere in the curriculum.  Prerequisite: one course in Philosophy or permission of the instructor.

380  Philosophical Erotics
Topic for Fall 2008.
A philosophical look a the character, mood, and meaning of the life of the erotic, the expression of desire in private imagination and public illusion. Using a descriptive/phenomenological method, the seminar will explores a variety of topics and materials, including erotic icons, the erotic body image,   films, clothing, fashion photography,   Picasso, and Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.”  Questions about erotic perception, seduction, pornography, art, and the connection/disconnection of love and sex will be taken up in the course. Theoretical perspectives will include Plato, Stendhal,   Nietzsche, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Roland Barthes, Anne Hollander, and Jean Baudrillard. The seminar will not address ideological ethical or moral issues. The phenomenological approach in the seminar seeks to separate aesthetic issues from ethics.

380 The Past: History, Philosophy, Literature, Film
Topic for Spring 2009.
(Cross-listed as History 380.)

410 Major Philosophers
Detailed investigation of works by a great philosopher. Seminar designed for students with a background in philosophy. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Three philosophy courses or two such courses and permission of the instructor. Topic for Spring 2009: Foucault, see below.

410  Major Philosophers:  Foucault
Spring 2009
Since the writings of Descartes in the 1620’s, philosophy has given a privileged place to the experiencing subject; yet, in introducing his archeological approach, Michel Foucault has introduced a conception of philosophy that denies the central importance of the subject.  In doing so, Foucault’s work has influenced a number of disciplines, including history, sociology, and anthropology and has established his role as one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century. In this course, we will examine writings from both from Foucault’s early archeological period and from his later genealogical period.  We will close the class by looking at number of philosophers whose work is inspired by Foucault in various ways.

420 Topics in Philosophy
Seminar designed for students with a background in philosophy. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Three philosophy courses or two such courses and permission of the instructor.
Topic for 2007-2008: Plato: Love, Sexuality, and Moderation.

490 Senior Symposium and Research Project
Independent research plus discussions of that research in meetings of seniors and faculty. (Students undertaking a research project over two semesters would register for regular research project credit in the semester without the symposium.) Open to senior majors and others with permission of the department chair.

495 Senior Symposium and Thesis
Senior thesis project plus discussions of that research in meetings of seniors and faculty. (Students writing a thesis over two semesters would register for regular thesis credit in the semester without the symposium.) Open to  senior majors.