Faculty

Erin M. Cline, assistant professor (Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy, ethics). B.S., 2001, Belmont; M.A., 2003, Ph.D., 2006, Baylor. (2006)

Mark Johnson, Philip H. Knight Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences (philosophy of language, recent moral theory, cognitive science). B.A., 1971, Kansas; M.A., 1972, Ph.D., 1977, Chicago. (1994)

John T. Lysaker, associate professor (Continental philosophy, American philosophy, aesthetics). A.B., 1988, Kenyon; M.A., 1993, Ph.D., 1995, Vanderbilt. (1996)

Bonnie Mann, assistant professor (feminist, Continental). B.A., 1983, Portland State; Ph.D., 2002, State University of New York, Stony Brook. (2003)

Scott L. Pratt, associate professor (American philosophy, history of philosophy, epistemology). B.A., 1981, Beloit; Ph.D., 1995, Minnesota. (1995)

Cheyney C. Ryan, professor (political philosophy, philosophy of social science, philosophy of law). M.A., 1973, Ph.D., 1974, Boston. (1974)

Beata Stawarska, assistant professor (phenomenology, Continental, philosophy of psychoanalysis). B.A., 1992, M.A., 1994, Ph.D., 2000, Louvain. (2003)

Ted Toadvine, assistant professor (Continental, phenomenology, environmental). B.A., 1990, Salisbury, M.A., 1995, Ph.D., 1996, Memphis. (2003)

Peter Warnek, associate professor (ancient philosophy, 19th- and 20th-century Continental philosophy, Kant). B.A., 1986, Seattle; M.A., 1990, Villanova; Ph.D., 1998, Vanderbilt. (1999)

Naomi Zack, professor (17th-century philosophy, race and racial categories, feminism). B.A., 1966, New York University; Ph.D., 1970, Columbia. (2001)

Emeriti

William E. Davie, associate professor emeritus. B.A., 1964, Washington (Seattle); Ph.D., 1969, California, Irvine. (1968)

Don S. Levi, professor emeritus. B.A., 1956, Wisconsin, Madison; M.A., 1961, Ph.D., 1962, Harvard. (1964)

Arnulf Zweig, professor emeritus. B.A., 1952, Rochester; Ph.D., 1960, Stanford. (1956)

The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.

Undergraduate Studies [back to top]

Philosophy asks fundamental questions about human experience, from the nature of knowledge, the self, and the mind to concerns about human meaning and moral values. Through the study of primary texts, drawn from various historical periods and cultures, and of contemporary issues, philosophy provides a means for reflecting on one’s beliefs and values while developing critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Philosophy also refines the ability to reason and cultivates creative imagination and aesthetic sensitivity. A philosophical education thus offers excellent preparation for a broad range of careers that require critical intelligence as well as oral and written communication skills.

The department offers bachelor of arts (B.A.) and bachelor of science (B.S.) degree programs. University degree requirements are given in the Registration and Academic Policies section of this catalog and in the schedule of classes.

Students whose first or only major is philosophy must satisfy the university’s bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree requirements-including competence in a foreign language-to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Students who complete another first major and the bachelor of science (B.S.) degree requirements may fulfill philosophy requirements as a second major without completing the requirements for a B.A. degree.

Major Requirements

The minimum major requirement is 52 credits of course work in philosophy with grades of C– or better or P (pass), including 40 credits in upper-­division courses. No more than 8 credits may be taken pass/no pass. The 52 credits must include History of Philosophy: Ancient and Medieval, Modern, 19th Century (PHIL 310, 311, 312); one term of logic (PHIL 325 or equivalent); and 8 credits in courses on the works of specific philosophers (e.g., PHIL 421, 433, 453, or 463).

Honors in Philosophy

Any philosophy major may graduate with honors after fulfilling the requirements described below.

Grade Point Average. To enter the honors program, the student must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 in philosophy courses at the end of the junior year; to complete the program the student must have a GPA of at least 3.50 in philosophy courses at the end of the senior year.

Courses. Besides the courses required of majors, a candidate for departmental honors must take 16 of the 52 credits in philosophy at the 400 level.

Senior Thesis. The candidate must write an honors thesis under the guidance of a member of the philosophy faculty chosen as thesis adviser. The thesis must be a substantial piece of work, and it may be a revised and expanded version of a term paper. The thesis must be approved by a thesis committee consisting of two faculty members from the philosophy department. Approval of the thesis depends in part on a public defense attended by the committee.

Upon fulfilling these requirements, the candidate is approved to receive a bachelor’s degree with honors in philosophy.

Minor Requirements

The minimum requirement for a philosophy minor is 24 credits in philosophy with grades of P (pass) or C- or better, including 16 upper-division credits. No more than 8 credits of the required 24 may be taken pass/no pass. The 16 credits must include History of Philosophy: Ancient and Medieval, Modern, 19th Century (PHIL 310, 311, 312) and 4 credits in a course on the work of a specific philosopher.

Graduate Studies [back to top]

The department offers a graduate program leading to the master of arts (M.A.) and the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. The program, which is pluralistic in orientation, requires students to develop a broad knowledge of the history of philosophy, major fields, and various approaches and methods. Students are urged to concentrate in a specific area at the advanced level. In addition to the major periods in the history of philosophy, concentrations are supported in American philosophy, Continental philosophy, social and political philosophy, feminist philosophy, ethics, philosophy of language, philosophy of race, environmental philosophy, aesthetics, and philosophical psychology.

Each student designs a program in consultation with the graduate adviser. Two or more years are typically required to complete the master’s degree and four or more years for the doctorate. A complete and detailed list of the university and department requirements for graduate degrees is available online through the department website.

Master of Arts

The master’s program is designed to provide a broad knowledge of the history of philosophy and of recent developments in the basic fields of philosophy. It requires 48 credits of graduate course work, satisfaction of the second-language requirement, and either the completion of three distribution requirements or the acceptance of a master’s thesis by a thesis adviser.

The distribution requirements can be satisfied by receiving a mid-B or better in (1) three courses in each of three subdisciplinary fields; (2) one course from each of three historical periods; and (3) two courses from each of the four philosophical traditions that ground the diverse philosophical perspectives of the department. Each course taken may be used to satisfy up to two distribution requirements.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 81 credits of graduate-level course work, of which 18 must be in Dissertation (PHIL 603). Students must demonstrate proficiency in a second language, complete three course distribution requirements, and pass two comprehensive examinations-one in history and one in the student’s area of specialization.

The distribution requirements may be satisfied by receiving a mid-B or better in (1) three courses in each of three subdisciplinary fields; (2) one course from each of four historical periods; and (3) two courses from each of the four traditions that ground the diverse philosophical perspectives of the department. Each course taken may be used to satisfy up to two distribution requirements.

The comprehensive examinations are passed by completing two substantial research papers under the supervision of faculty. Students are advanced to candidacy upon completion of the comprehensives. A dissertation prospectus must be accepted by the candidate’s committee after a preliminary oral examination. The written dissertation must receive the approval of the dissertation committee after a final oral examination.

Admission

Applicants for admission to graduate studies are asked to write a brief letter explaining their philosophical background and their specific philosophical interests. This helps the department’s admissions committee decide whether this is an appropriate philosophy department for the ­applicant’s goals. They should also submit a writing sample, a college transcript, and a notification of their scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). International students must provide proof of competence in English. A score of at least 600 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or at least 61 on the Internet-based TOEFL is required of international students unless the native language is English.

In addition to general university regulations governing graduate admission (see the Graduate School section of this catalog), the Department of Philosophy requires applicants to submit three confidential report forms completed by teachers (preferably philosophy teachers) familiar with the applicant’s academic background.

The application process is exclusively online; a link to the application guidelines are posted on the department website. Applicants who are unable to make the application fee payment online with Visa or MasterCard may print a PDF version of their application and send the application and payment by mail. Applicants without Internet access may request the Graduate Admission Application from the philosophy department graduate secretary. The first copy and one complete set of transcripts, together with the $50 application fee, should be sent to the Office of Admissions, 1217 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1217. A second copy of the application, along with another set of transcripts, should be forwarded to the Department of Philosophy. Confidential report forms should be sent directly to the department by the faculty members recommending the applicant.

Graduate teaching fellowships are the only form of financial aid available in the philosophy department; the application deadline is January 15 for the following academic year. An application form is provided upon request.

Philosophy Courses (PHIL) [back to top]

101 Philosophical Problems (4) Introduction to philosophy based on classical and modern texts from Plato through the 20th century. Sample topics include free will, the mind-body problem, the existence of an external world.

102 Ethics (4) Philosophical study of morality (e.g., ethical relativism; justification of moral judgments; concepts of duty, right, and wrong).

103 Critical Reasoning (4) Introduction to thinking and reasoning critically. How to recognize, analyze, criticize, and construct arguments.

110 Human Nature (4) Consideration of various physiological, cultural, psychological, and personal forces that characterize human beings, taking into account issues of class, gender, race, and sexual orientation.

120 Ethics of Enterprise and Exchange (4) Moral examination of business by considering the nature of enterprise and exchange. Topics include corporate and consumer responsibility, meaningful work, and leadership.

170 Love and Sex (4) Philosophical study of love, relationships, marriage, sex, sexuality, sexual identity, and sexual representation.

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

211 Existentialism (4) Basic ideas of the Christian and atheistic divisions of the existentialist movement; some attention to the philosophical situation that generated the existentialist rebellion.

213 Asian Philosophy (4) Introduction to classic writings in the Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and other Asian philosophical traditions.

216 Philosophy and Cultural Diversity (4) Philosophical investigation of the implications of cultural diversity for identity, knowledge, and community, from the perspectives of several American cultures.

307, 308 Social and Political Philosophy (4,4) Major social and political theorists from Plato through Marx. Inquiry into such ideas as justice, natural law, natural rights, and the social contract.

310 History of Philosophy: Ancient and Medieval (4) Focuses primarily on Plato and Aristotle. Examines their roots in pre-Socratic philosophy and their influence on medieval philosophers such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.

311 History of Philosophy: Modern (4) Survey of European philosophy through Hume, including the work of Descartes, Locke, and Spinoza.

312 History of Philosophy: 19th Century (4) Traces Kant’s influence on such philosophers as Hegel, Nietzsche, and Marx.

315 Introduction to Feminist Philosophy (4) Introduces basic questions of philosophy through topics central to feminism.

320 Philosophy of Religion (4) Philosophical investigation of the nature of “religion” (e.g., the nature of the sacred, spirituality, and transcendence). Prereq: one philosophy course.

322 Philosophy of the Arts (4) Survey of classical and contemporary theories of art and aesthetic experience, with examples from various arts. Prereq: one philosophy course.

323 Moral Theory (4) Study of the most important traditional ethical theories; modern philosophical analysis of moral terms and statements. Prereq: one philosophy course.

325 Logic, Inquiry, and Argumentation (4) Explores the means and ends of argumentation and inquiry by considering deductive reason, argumentation and emotion, and ethical and social dilemmas in inquiry.

332 Philosophy of Film (4) Explores questions about the aesthetic dimensions of film, its relation to the other arts, and the treatment of philosophical questions in films.

339 Introduction to Philosophy of Science (4) Examines theories of scientific practice, rationality, objectivity, values in science, and the role of science in society. Prereq: one philosophy course.

340 Environmental Philosophy (4) Considers the nature and morality of human relationships with the environment (e.g., the nature of value, the moral standing of nonhuman life).

344 Introduction to Philosophy of Law (4) Introduces central problems in the law; examines the nature of legal reasoning.

350 Metaphysics (4) Traditional issues in metaphysics selected from among such topics as substance, existence, time, causation, God, the nature of individuals, and the meaningfulness of metaphysics. Prereq: one philosophy course.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–21R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–21R)

407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) Recent topics include Eastern Philosophy, Feminist Theory, Nonviolence. Prereq: one 300-level PHIL course.

410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

415 Continental Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Survey of significant areas in the Continental tradition (e.g., phenomenology, critical social theory, deconstruction, feminism, and hermeneutics). Prereq: junior standing. R when topic changes.

420 American Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Survey of significant areas in the American tradition (e.g., 19th- and 20th-century thought, African and Native American thought, feminism, recent pragmatism, the self, and pluralism). Prereq: junior standing. R when topic changes.

421/521 Ancient Philosophers: [Topic] (4R) Concentrates on the work of a single philosopher, typically Plato or Aristotle. Prereq for 421: PHIL 310. R when philosopher changes.

425 Philosophy of Language (4) Philosophical theories of language and meaning, with special attention to the nature of concepts and reasoning. Prereq: junior standing.

430 Chinese Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Survey of significant traditions, thinkers, or topics in Chinese philosophy. Prereq: PHIL 213 or REL 302. R when topic changes. Offered alternate years.

433/533 17th- and 18th-Century Philosophers: [Topic] (4R) Concentrates on the work of a single philosopher, typically Descartes, Locke, Hume, Leibniz, Berkeley, or Kant. Prereq for 433: PHIL 310, 311. R when philosopher changes.

440 Environmental Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Pursues advanced questions in environmental philosophy concentrating on a particular tradition or problem area. Prereq: PHIL 340. R once for a maximum of 8 credits

441 Philosophy of the Arts: [Topic] (4) Systematic study of the meaning and value of aesthetic experience in everyday life and in the arts: painting, music, literature. Prereq: junior standing.

443 Feminist Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Examines contemporary feminist contributions to philosophy. Prereq: one 300-level PHIL course. R once with instructor’s consent for maximum of 8 credits.

452 Philosophy and Race (4) Surveys the philosophical contribution to studies of race including intellectual history, philosophy of science, racism and its remedies, media studies, and cultural criticism. Prereq: one philosophy course at the 300 level.

453/553 19th-Century Philosophers: [Topic] (4R) Concentrates on the work of a single philosopher, typically Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, or Kierkegaard. Prereq: PHIL 312. R when philosopher changes.

463/563 20th-Century Philosophers: [Topic] (4R) Concentrates on the work of a single philosopher (e.g., Wittgenstein, Dewey, Quine, Merleau-Ponty, C. I. Lewis, or Foucault). Prereq: junior standing. R when philosopher changes.

503 Thesis (1–16R)

601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

602 Supervised College Teaching (1–16R)

603 Dissertation (1–16R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) Recent topics include Emerson, Philosophy of Race, Schelling.

610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

614 Issues in Ethics (4) Examination of ethical theory. Prereq: major standing.

615 Continental Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Explores philosophical problems and traditions in contemporary European philosophy. Prereq: major standing. R when topic changes.

620 American Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Treats issues in classical and contemporary American philosophy. Prereq: major standing. R when topic changes.

625 Philosophy of Language (4) Philosophical theories of language and meaning, with special attention to the nature of concepts and reasoning. Prereq: major standing.

630 Chinese Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Pursues advanced questions in Chinese philosophy by concentrating on a particular tradition, thinker, or topic. R when topic changes Offered alternate years.

641 Social and Political Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Examination of classical and current problems in social and political philosophy including the nature of justice, legitimacy of the state, conditions of war and peace. R when topic changes.

643 Feminist Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Explores contemporary feminist philosophy. Prereq: major standing. R when topic changes.

644 Feminist Ethics (4) Treats feminist ethical theory. Prereq: major standing.

645 Environmental Philosophy: [Topic] (4R) Pursues advanced questions in environmental philosophy regarding a particular tradition or problem area. Prereq: major standing. R when topic changes.

646 Philosophy of the Arts: [Topic] (4R) Concerns the meaning and value of art and aesthetic experience. R when topic changes.

657 Philosophy and Race: Contemporary Issues (4) Examination of contemporary discussions regarding race including biology and race, race in medicine, reparations, perspectives on race in Continental and American philosophy.

658 Philosophy of Mind (4) Analyzes basic concepts and problems in psychology. Prereq: major standing.
670 Issues in Metaphysics (4) Discussion of current controversies in metaphysics (e.g., essentialism, identity, future contingency). Prereq: major standing.