PL 160 01

FALL 2007 - PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT ELECTIVES
PL16001	3	CHALLENGE OF JUSTICE	M W 3*	MULLANE
*ALTID	3	TH16001: CHALLENGE OF JUSTICE	M W 3*	MULLANE
PL16002	3	CHALLENGE OF JUSTICE	T TH 10 30*	POPE
*ALTID	3	TH16002: CHALLENGE OF JUSTICE	T TH 10 30*	POPE
PL19301	3	CHINESE CLASSICAL PHILOS	T TH 10 30*	SOO
			CULTURAL DIVERSITY
PL23301	3	VALUES/SOC SERV/HLTH CARE	TH 4 30-6 50	MANZO
PL25901	3	PERSP:WAR/AGGRESSION	T TH 12*	MULLANE
			TH 3
PL26101	3	TELLING TRUTHS I	W 3-4 50	HIRSCH
PL26401	3	LOGIC	M W F 11	MARTIN
PL26402	3	LOGIC	M W F 9	BOHORQUEZ
PL26403	3	LOGIC	M W F 3	PURCELL
PL26801	3	HIST AND DEVEL OF RACISM	T 3-6 30	MARCUS
PL28101	3	PHIL OF HUMAN EXISTNCE I	M W 3*	BLANCHETTE
PL29301	3	CULTURE/SOCIAL STRUCT/I	T 4 30-6 15	MC MENAMIN
PL29301	3	CULTURE/SOCIAL STRUCT/I	T 4 30-6 15	FLANAGAN
PL33801	3	HEIDEGGER PROJECT I	T TH 1 30*	OWENS
PL35801	3	CONFESSIONS/ST AUGUSTINE	M W F 1	O'BRIEN
PL39601	3	PERSPECTIVES SEMINAR	F 4-5 30	FLANAGAN
PL40501	3	GREEK PHILOSOPHY	M W F 2	CLEARY
PL40601	3	MODERN PHILOSOPHY	T TH 12*	SOLERE
PL42901	3	FREUD & PHILOSOPHY	T TH 10 30*	RUMBLE
PL43901	3	EXISTENTIALISM&LITERATURE	T TH 10 30*	KREEFT
PL45201	3	SCIENCE&RELIGION	T TH 1 30*	BYRNE
PL45501	3	KIERKEGAARD/NIETZSCHE	M W F 2	MARTIN
PL45601	3	HOLOCAUST:MORAL HISTORY	T TH 3*	BERNAUER
PL50801	3	DANTE'S DIVINE COM/TRANS	W 3-5 20	SHEPARD
*ALTID	3	TH55901: DANTE'S DIVINE COM/TRANS	W 3-5 20	SHEPARD
PL51501	3	LOVE&FRIEND ANCIENT WORLD	M W F 9	MC COY
PL51801	3	PHILOSOPHY OF IMAGINATION	T TH 3*	KEARNEY
PL55001	3	CAPSTONE:BUILDING A LIFE	M 3-5 20	MC MENAMIN
*ALTID	3	UN55001: CAPSTONE:BUILDING A LIFE	M 3-5 20	MC MENAMIN
PL57701	3	SYMBOLIC LOGIC	T TH 1 30*	ANDERSON
PL58401	3	C.S. LEWIS	T TH 3*	KREEFT
PL59301	3	PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE	T 4 30-6 50	ANDERSON
PL59501	3	KANT'S CRITIQUE	M W 3*	TACELLI
PL61101	3	GLOBAL JUSTICE&HUM RIGHTS	T TH 1 30*	RASMUSSEN
PL61601	3	ARISTOTLE ETHICS/PAIDEIA	M W 4 30*	CLEARY
PL62501	3	PROBLEM OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE	M W 4 30*	FLANAGAN
PL67001	3	TECHNOLOGY & CULTURE	W 4 30-6 50	GRIFFITH
PL70601	3	ADVANCED MEDIEVAL PHILOS	M W 2*	SOLERE
PL70701	3	HABERMAS:LAW&POLITICS	TH 4 30-6 15	RASMUSSEN
PL72301	3	FOUCAULT:HIS COURSES	W 4 30-6 15	BERNAUER
PL73301	3	LEVINAS	M 2-3 50	BLOECHL
PL74501	3	HERMENEUTICS OF DESIRE	T 6 30-8 15	KEARNEY
PL74801	3	VALUES AND THE GOOD	T 4 30-6 20	GARCIA
PL76501	3	MACHIAVELLI AND HOBBES	M 4 30-6 15	COBB-STEVENS
PL82001	3	HEGEL,KIERKEGAARD,BLONDEL	M 6 30-8 15	BLANCHETTE
PL85501	3	SEM:HEIDEGGER I	W 3-4 30	OWENS
PL99001	0	TEACHING SEMINAR	F 4 30-6	COBB-STEVENS

PL 160 01 Challenge of Justice

PL 160 02

Matthew Mullane M W 3*

Stephen Pope T Th 10:30*

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This course introduces the student to the principal understandings of justice that have developed in the Western philosophical and theological traditions. Care is taken to relate the theories to concrete, practical and political problems, and to develop good reasons for choosing one way of justice rather than another. The relationship of justice to the complementary notion of peace will also be examined. Special attention is paid to the contribution of Catholic theology in the contemporary public conversation about justice and peace. Select problems may include human rights, hunger and poverty, and ecological justice.

PL 193 01 Chinese Classical Philosophy: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism

Frank Soo T Th 10:30*

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Satisfies Cultural Diversity Core Requirement

Description:

Starting from the general introduction to Chinese culture & philosophy as a whole, the course will focus on three of the most important Chinese classical philosophies: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Emphasizing social harmony and order, Confucianism deals mainly with human relationships and human virtues. Centered on the balance and harmony among Nature, man, and society, Taoism teaches the most natural way to achieve this balance and harmony: Tao. Synthesized as soon as it arrived in China from India, Chinese Buddhism teaches that there is “Buddha-hood” in every one of us, and that the Buddhist Way is to have “infinite compassion” towards others.

Requirements:

Midterm
Final
One paper (and 5-6 small written assignments)
Participation that includes:

[a] Class attendance (obligatory)

[b] Group discussions

[c] Meditations

[d] Group-Project, etc.

Reading:

[1] Chan W.T, A Source of Chinese Philosophy

[2] Confucius, The Analects

[3] Lao Tzu, The Tao Te-ching

[4] John Koller and Patricia Koller, Asian Philosophies

[5] Carole Cusack, The Essence of Buddhism

[6] Christmas Humphreys, A Western Approach to Zen

PL 233 01 Values in Social Services and Health Care

David Manzo Th 4:30-6:50

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

"But you know, there are no children here. They've seen too much to be children."

LaJoe Rivers, There Are No Children Here
"Homelessness in America begins at home."

Kathleen Hirsch, Songs From The Alley

"We can degrade people by caring for them; and we can degrade people by not caring for them."

Steven Marcus, Doing Good

Through readings, lectures, discussions, field placements and written work, we will pursue some of the questions raised by the facts, philosophies, and statements listed above. We hope to do more, too. Among the objectives for Values in Social Services and Health Care are: (l) communicate an understanding of the social services and health care delivery systems and introduce you to experts who work in these fields; (2) explore ethical problems of allocations of limited resources; (3) discuss topics that include, violence prevention, gangs, homelessness, mental illness, innovative nursing initiatives, economic inequality, community wealth ventures, and the law; (4) consider possibilities for positive changes in the social service and health care system.

Students may take this course with 2 grading options. Option A includes an 8-hour per week field placement with PULSE. Option B includes a 4-hour per week placement with 4Boston or a similar commitment.

PL 259 01 Perspectives on War and Aggression

Matthew Mullane T Th 12*

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This course is the result of work by faculty and students interested in developing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Peace and War at Boston College. The Boston College Program for Study of Peace and War sponsors this course as its introductory offering in Peace Studies at the university. This course is centered around analyses of the causes of war and conflict in contemporary society.

Requirements: Take-home mid-term examination; conventional final examination.

Reading: David P. Barash, Approaches to Peace; Brian E. Fogarty, Peace and the Social Order

PL 261 01 Telling Truths: Writing for the Cause of Justice

Kathleen Hirsch W 3-4:50

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This PULSE elective will explore writing as a tool for social change. Students will read and experiment with a variety of written forms – fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and journalism – to tell the “truth” as they experience it in their own direct encounters with social injustice. This workshop is intended to provide a comprehensive introduction to the range of literary strategies that social prophets and witnesses have used, and are using today, to promote the cause of justice.

Requirements: A PULSE, 4-Boston or other voluntary involvement strongly recommended.

Readings: Selected works of contemporary fiction, urban poetry, rap music, oral history, memoir, and non-fiction.

PL 264 01 Logic

Stuart Martin MWF 11

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

Logic is the science of correct reasoning. The study of this science aims at perfecting the student’s practical ability for critical analysis and precise argumentation. This course will emphasize the elements of traditional logic but will also introduce the student to the field of modern symbolic notation.

Requirements: Working exercises are supplied for each unit of study, and class participation is encouraged. There will be two tests during the semester as well as a final examination.

Reading: Robert J. Kreyche, Logic for Undergraduates.

PL 268 01 History and Development of Racism

Paul Marcus T 3-6 30

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Satisfies Cultural Diversity Core Requirement

Description:

This course includes a discussion of major forces that have contributed to the development of racism in the United States, including Exploration & Evangelization, Anglo Attitudes, Colonial Laws, views of the Founding Fathers, the US Constitution, and African Enslavement. Periods of history which are explored will include the Abolition Movement and more modern movements of the twentieth century.

Requirements:

Five personal journals; two “directed” journals, one Book Reflection, an
individual project paper, a final exam

Reading:

Autobiography of Malcolm X, Haley; Lies My Teacher Taught Me, Loewen; Hard Road to Freedom, Horton; The Debt, Robinson; Selected articles

PL 281 01 Philosophy of Human Existence I

Oliva Blanchette MW 3*

Level - Core

Description:

A systematic reflection on the nature of human existence starting from an analysis of the body/soul structure and of community, with special attention given to the question of immortality and the questions of knowledge and freedom. The method will require personal reflection primarily, along with a research project on a particular theme or a particular author relevant to the subject matter of the course.

Requirements: bi-weekly reflection papers, research project and term paper, final oral exam

Readings: special course notes, individualized reading list to be worked out with the professor for research project

PL 293 01 Cultural and Social Structure I

Joseph Flanagan, S.J. T 4:30-6:15
David McMenamin

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Prerequisites: Limited to members of the PULSE Council

Description:

This course is one in the four semester cycle of courses designed for members of the Boston College PULSE Council. In this course we attempt to lay a foundation for understanding contemporary ways in which people choose to structure -- literally and figuratively -- the way they live together. Our study centers on questions about how our cultural and social structures are the concrete expression of what we value, of the things we consider meaningful and important.

The texts we have chosen to guide us in this pursuit will lead us to raise these questions in a way that will direct our focus somewhat to western, particularly North American ways of creating these cultural and social structures.

As the late Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, that distinguished Boston College alumnus whose name adorns our library, Thomas P. O’Neill was fond of saying: "All politics is local." No doubt he derived that from his reading of Aristotle's Ethics. Understanding that as a sort of underlying theme of all four semesters of this course, we hope to look closely at the origins and development of some of the guiding themes and ideas that ground those local politics: the structuring of the culture in which we find ourselves today.

Accordingly, we have selected texts from what might appear to be a broad range of disciplines. As usual for this seminar, some may initially appear to have little to do with what you think of when you hear the word ”philosophy." They all, however, have a great deal to do with what you might need to think about when trying to answer such questions as: "Is there a philosophy behind what it means to be a citizen of a particular country?" or "What does it mean to be a member of a particular society?"

Readings: Christian Norberg-Schulz, Genius Loci; Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden; Jane Jacobs, The Economy of Cities. A Gospel to be determined.

PL 338 01 Heidegger Project I

Thomas Owens T Th 1:30*

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This is a course designed to allow undergraduates an opportunity to work closely with the major texts of Martin Heidegger, one of the leading twentieth century philosophers. Students will be expected to participate in assessing Heidegger's relevance to contemporary issues and in developing their own philosophical views vis-a-vis Heidegger's. Some knowledge of traditional philosophy (Aristotle, Descartes, etc.) would be helpful, but is not an absolute prerequisite.

Requirements: Class participations, oral exam

Reading: Being and Time, (Macquarrie and Robinson translation)

PL 358 01 The Confessions of St. Augustine

Gerard O’Brien, S.J. MWF 1

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This course will consist of a careful reading of Augustine's great spiritual classic, with a stress on the communication of Augustine's religious experience and the relation of his thought to Neoplatonic philosophy. Along with the text of Augustine, we will read selections from the Enneads of Plotinus and the conversion stories of two 20th century thinkers--C. S. Lewis and Thomas Merton-- relating these to Augustine's text.

Requirements: Classes will be partly lecture, partly discussion. There will be a take-home mid-term, a course paper, an essay final exam. Class participation counts positively toward the course grade.

PL 405 01 Greek Philosophy

John Cleary MWF 2

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

This course will explore the history of ancient Greek philosophy from the 6th to 4th centuries B.C. with particular attention to Plato and Aristotle. It will trace the emergence of natural philosophy with the Milesians, the beginnings of metaphysics with Heraclitus and Parmenides, along with the stirrings of political reflection among the Sophists. Finally, it will consider these seeds as coming to fruition in the multifaceted dialogues of Plato and the complex treatises of Aristotle, both of whom laid the groundwork for the subsequent development of philosophy. Thus the course will provide the student with a comprehensive

grounding in Greek philosophy that will lay foundations for further study in the history of philosophy.

Requirements: Active class participation, including brief presentations; mid-term and final examinations (essay questions); 1 research paper (10 pages approx.)

Reading:

S. Marc Cohen, P. Curd, and C.D.C. Reeve (eds.)

· Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy:

From Thales to Aristotle (Hackett)

PL 406 01 Modern Philosophy

Jean-Luc Solere T Th 12*

Level 1 – Undergraduate Elective

Description:

From Descartes to Kant, we will study the main philosophies which have punctuated the rise of the modern mind: a period where a conquering rationality affirmed its autonomy and led to the idea of Enlightenment, but at the same time reflected on its own limits. In relation with the development of scientific knowledge and the transformations of Western societies, the metaphysical, epistemological, ethical and political aspects of modern thought will be thoroughly considered.

Syllabus on http://www2.bc.edu/~solere/pl406.html

Requirements:

3 synthesis papers: 2 midterms and 1 final

Reading:

R. Ariew and E. Watkins: Modern Philosophy. An Anthology of Primary Sources plus J.-J. Rousseau’s On the Social Contract and I. Kant’s Groundings for the Metaphysics of Morals. Photocopies of some other texts will be provided.

PL 429 01 Freud and Philosophy

Vanessa Rumble T Th 10:30*

Level 1 - Undergraduate Elective

Description:

The first half of the semester will be dedicated to a chronological reading of Freudian texts. We will examine (1) Freud's and Breuer's first formulation of the nature and etiology of hysteria (Studies on Hysteria), (2) Freud's groundbreaking work in dream interpretation and the nature of unconscious processes (The Interpretation of Dreams and Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis), (3) Freud's attempt to apply his novel theory of unconscious mechanisms to cultural anthropology as well as individual psychology (Totem and Taboo), and (4) the implications of the ongoing revisions in Freud's classification of the instincts (The Ego and the Id, Beyond the Pleasure Principle, Civilization and Its Discontents).

In the second half of the semester, we will survey the developments which have taken place in psychoanalytic theory and practice since Freud's day, including some of the more creative and philosophically fruitful readings of Freud. We will work with primary sources selected from the following: Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, David Winnicott, Heinz Kohut, Herbert Marcuse, Paul Ricoeur, Jacques Lacan, Rene Girard, and Julia Kristeva.

Requirements:

Mid-term examination, five reflection papers--two pages, typed--final paper, 8-10 pages, final exam

Reading:

Sigmund Freud, selections from Studies on Hysteria, "Screen Memories" "The Psychical Mechanism of Forgetfulness," selections from Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis; Totem and Taboo; Mourning and Melancholia; Beyond the Pleasure Principle; Civilization and Its Discontents

Anna Freud, The Ego and The Mechanisms of Defense articles, essays, or chapters by Klein, Winnicott, Kohut, Ricoeur, Marcuse, Lacan, and Girard

PL 439 01 Existentialism and Literature