2011-12 General Catalog

Cowell College
(831) 459-2070
http://philosophy.ucsc.edu

Faculty | Course Descriptions

Program Description

Philosophy inquires into assumptions about and theories of the most basic facets of rational thought, e.g., what to believe (epistemology), what is (metaphysics), what to value (morality). Such questions can be studied by looking at answers that contemporary philosophers propose, by investigating the principles that other disciplines use to legitimate claims, or by learning how, historically, philosophers approached these issues. In this respect, “philosophy” names not only a historically defined subject matter, but also inquiry into any of the fundamental determinants of all forms of rational thought. Thus, students of philosophy can pursue a broad range of topics of the greatest historical, intellectual, and personal interest.

The department offers courses that relate these traditional philosophical questions to contemporary work in literature and the social and natural sciences. In addition, the department offers several courses that make a careful study of the classic texts in philosophy, ancient and modern. Moreover, the curriculum covers all the dominant contemporary schools of philosophy in the Anglo-American and European traditions.

The study of philosophy enables students to expand their abilities in critical thinking and reasoning as well as to improve their skills in verbal and written communication. Students may major or minor in philosophy.

Philosophy prepares students for many careers as well as for most professional schools, including law. Students who wish to go to graduate school in philosophy are encouraged to study logic at both the introductory and intermediate levels and any languages that are necessary for advanced scholarship in the different historical eras of philosophy.

Major Requirements

Courses

Eleven courses are required: two at the introductory level, two in the history of philosophy sequence (100A, 100B, 100C), and seven additional upper-division courses (including one advanced seminar). For some of the lower-division required courses, students may petition to substitute courses taken at other institutions. These 11 courses must meet the following distribution requirements:

Introductory. Course 9 and at least one of courses 11, 22 or 24;

History of philosophy. Two of 100A, 100B, or 100C (all three strongly recommended for students who anticipate graduate work in philosophy). Taking any two from the sequence Philosophy 100A, 100B, and 100C will satisfy the Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement.

At least seven additional courses numbered 100A and above, one of which must be an advanced seminar numbered 190. Note that the two courses counted toward fulfilling the history of philosophy requirement cannot be counted among these seven additional courses. Courses 195A, 195B, and 199 also cannot be counted among these seven additional courses. All upper-division courses must be completed at UCSC unless a petition for an exception is approved by the undergraduate program adviser.

Courses must be satisfied in the following sequence. Before being eligible to enroll in any course in the history sequence (Philosophy 100A-100C), a student must have completed all required introductory courses, e.g., Philosophy 9 and at least one from Philosophy 11, 22, 24. Before being eligible to enroll in any philosophy course above Philosophy 100C, prospective majors must have taken at least one of the required history of philosophy courses (e.g., either Philosophy 100A, 100B, or 100C). Transfer students wishing to major in philosophy should consult with the Philosophy Department undergraduate adviser as soon as possible.

Disciplinary Communication Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC Requirement in philosophy is met by completing any two from the sequence Philosophy 100A, 100B, and 100C.

Comprehensive Requirement

In the fourth year, students satisfy the comprehensive (exit) requirement by taking one course numbered 190. This advanced seminar meets the standards of the senior-year level of achievement in philosophy. Students who do superior work in an advanced seminar can be awarded a notation of Honors in the evaluation for that course. In addition to Honors in an advanced seminar, graduating seniors with a distinguished record of achievement in their philosophy courses may be awarded Honors or Highest Honors in the philosophy major.

Graduation with Honors in Philosophy requires at least a 3.7 average in all philosophy courses taken at UCSC. Graduation with Highest Honors in Philosophy requires at least a 3.9 average in all philosophy courses taken at UCSC. Students with an average between 3.8 and 3.9 may be awarded Highest Honors by vote of the Philosophy Department.

Minor Requirements

A minor in philosophy consists of any nine of the 11 courses required for the major. At least five of these must be upper-division. There is no senior exit requirement for the minor.

Program Planning Notes

When a faculty member thinks that a student has done exceptional work that could be carried to a more advanced level, the student may be given the option of writing a senior essay (course 195A). Normally, the senior essay is completed in one quarter; in unusual circumstances, it can be continued for a second quarter (course 195B), but only if the writing requirements for course 195A are completed successfully and on time. The senior essay, like individual studies more generally, does not count toward the 11 courses required for the major.

After undergraduates have taken the requisite introductory courses, they have a wide range of upper-division courses from which to choose. Those who are considering advanced study are encouraged to consult regularly with any member of the philosophy faculty about the courses that would best prepare them for graduate work. Preparation for graduate work ought to begin before senior year. The Philosophy Department sponsors workshops in the fall quarter for students contemplating graduate school in philosophy.

Course Requirements

Fourteen courses are required: two introductory philosophy courses; two in the history of philosophy sequence; six upper-division philosophy courses; and four courses in the area of religious thought.

These 14 courses must meet the following distribution requirements:

• Introductory. Course 9 and at least one of 11, 22, 24.
• History of Philosophy. Philosophy 100A (Ancient Greek Philosophy) and either Philosophy 100B (The Rationalists) or Philosophy 100C (The Empiricists).
• Upper-Division and/or Graduate Courses. Six five-credit philosophy courses at UCSC, including one advanced seminar, and excluding Philosophy 199. These courses must include three advanced courses in philosophy of religion: either Philosophy 170 (Interpretation of Religion) or Philosophy 171 (Faith and Reason), and two other upper-division or graduate courses that involve philosophy of religion. The director of the concentration in religious thought will determine which philosophy courses count as involving philosophy of religion.
• Transfer Students. Students can petition the department for credit in the major for coursework done elsewhere. In general, equivalent introductory courses in philosophy may be substituted for UCSC philosophy introductory courses. One upper-division course taken at another four-year university may also be substituted by petition—submit a syllabus and supporting material from the class to the Philosophy Department office (Cowell 220). Only courses for which the student has received a B or better grade will be accepted for the major. The requirement of three upper-division or graduate philosophy of religion courses cannot be substituted with courses taken elsewhere; they must be taken at UCSC.

Graduate Program

The Department of Philosophy conceives of philosophy as a broad and inherently cross-disciplinary enterprise. The department has a particular emphasis in philosophy of science, broadly conceived. This embraces a wide range of topics, including those questions of value and normativity that naturally arise in connection with policies and applications of science and technology. Graduate students are able as well to take advantage of a wide range of courses in the history of philosophy, including ancient, early modern, Kantian, 19th-century, continental, American, and the history of 20th-century philosophy (analytic, continental, and combined). In addition to philosophical questions concerning science and in the history of philosophy, faculty research has also focused recently on metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of language, moral philosophy, moral psychology, environmental ethics, the philosophy of religion, philosophical logic, and the philosophy of history.

Both the master of arts (M.A.) and the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) programs encourage interaction with other fields.

Graduate Program Requirements

Breadth Requirements in the First Year

During their first year, all graduate students are expected to fulfill a set of breadth requirements. These requirements are designed to provide both a common experience on which students can build their individual projects and a shared framework within which they can exchange ideas. In addition to Philosophy 201, First Year Seminar, students must take at least one course in the area of metaphysics and epistemology and one course in the area of value theory according to a list determined annually by the graduate committee. During their first year of study all students must pass a logic competency examination with a grade of B or better. This examination will cover material typically taught in a first course in formal logic. For further details, see the graduate program statement on the department’s web page or consult with the department’s graduate adviser.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program provides students with closely monitored training in philosophy. The program is designed to be completed in six years or less. Graduate work in philosophy can lead to careers both inside and outside academia. Because most doctoral students will be preparing for a career that involves teaching philosophy, they are encouraged to be teaching assistants for at least three quarters.

Courses. A minimum of 12 graduate courses. Up to two courses may be taken from the offerings of other departments, and up to two courses may be independent studies.

Language requirement. The foreign language will be individually determined based on the relevance of such linguistic skills to the research interests of the student. Proficiency can be demonstrated either by passing a written examination administered by the department or by successfully completing a language course approved by the graduate committee.

Qualifying examination. Near the end of the required coursework, doctoral students will develop a research project. The qualifying examination, normally taken during the third year of enrollment, is centered on a qualifying essay that demonstrates the candidate's ability to do extended, dissertation-level research and analysis relevant to the proposed thesis topic and dissertation plan. The examination focuses on the student's research project and on the fields of scholarship it presupposes.

Dissertation. The final requirement for the Ph.D. degree is a dissertation representing a contribution to philosophical research.

M.A. Program

Applications to the M.A. program are welcomed from talented students with diverse academic backgrounds. The program is open not only to applicants who majored in philosophy as undergraduates, but also to applicants from other disciplines, who have a significant background in philosophy and who now want to study philosophy more intensively. The program is designed to be completed in one or two years.

Courses. A minimum of nine graduate courses. Up to two courses may be taken from the offerings of other departments, and up to two courses may be independent studies. 

Languages. There is no foreign language requirement for M.A. students.

Master's paper. By the end of the second year of study and the completion of 45 credits, M.A. students will submit a master's paper, which will normally be defended orally before a committee of two faculty members.

Relationship of the M.A. and Ph.D. Programs

Students in the M.A. and Ph.D. programs will be in the same classes and work on the same course distribution requirements. Enrollment in the M.A. program confers no advantage for admission to the Ph.D. program.

Applications and Admissions

Application materials are available online at http://graddiv.ucsc.edu. Further information regarding the program may be requested from the Department of Philosophy at (831) 459-4578, fax: (831) 459-2650. Visit the web site at http://philosophy.ucsc.edu.

Revised: 8/13/12