2007-2008 Undergraduate Academic Catalog - Plymouth State ...

philosophical opinion among some majorthinkers in the Western tradition, and they tootry to work out for themselves some answersto some of our ultimate questions. Falls andSprings. (PHIL)(GACO)PY 1030 Thinking for Yourself 3 creditsAll educated people rightly value being ableto think for themselves. This requires someunderstanding of the principles of good reasoningas well as the courage and confidenceto question authority and the “received opinions”of the group. Builds on the skills of theFirst Year Seminar to help students becomeaware of themselves as critical thinkers in asociety where critical thinking is crucial forus as informed citizens and responsible participantsin the business of the community.Students apply the principles of good reasoning--includingfallacy-spotting and assessmentof evidence--to the arguments and persuasivetechniques of political leaders, advertisers, talkshow hosts, news analysts, entertainers andothers. Through short papers, oral reports,class discussions and debates, students applythe lessons of good critical thinking to someof the most important issues of the day. Fallsand Springs. (PHIL)PYDI 1050 Building a Civil Society 3 creditsFocuses on the role of the individual in creatinga civil society leading toward the advancementof peace, human rights and democracy. Amain premise is that the individual and societyhave a reciprocal influence: societies nurtureand shape the individuals that comprise it;but individuals also have the power to changesociety in significant ways. The dynamic ofsocial change from the point of view of boththe society and the individual are explored,and ways are suggested for individuals to contributeto this social dynamic. Special topicsinclude nonviolent societal transformation,institutional barriers to growth and change,and revolutionary techniques for the resolutionof conflict. Falls. (SSDI)PY 1120 Doing Right andBeing Good3 creditsExplores various answers to the main questionsof ethics, including: What is good? Whatactions are morally right? What is the good lifefor human beings? Students are encouraged toapply these theories in working out their ownanswers to such contemporary social issuesas gay rights and our attitudes toward othersocieties and sub-cultural groups. Falls andSprings. (PHIL)(DICO)PYDI 1200 Introduction to God 3 creditsExamines the many faces of God that humanityhas used to understand the concept ofa Supreme Being. Looks carefully into thekey events and beliefs of each system. Falls.(PPDI)PY 1500 Women and Religion 3 creditsExamines the contributions of women in religionfrom mainstream to evangelical to NativeAmerican spirituality, and attempts to see whytheir contributions have been, and continue tobe, so important in what many would describeas “patriarchal” religious institutions. Studentsare presented with ‘raw’ material: the voices ofwomen in religion over the course of Americanhistory. Includes most religious movements aswell as traditional Christian, Jewish, Muslimand alternative religious institutions. Studentshear women ‘in their own words’ and criticallyreflect on their contributions past and present.Springs. (DICO)PY 2000 Basic Argumentationand Debate3 creditsAn introduction to the principles of debateand the forms of argumentation it employs.Includes the procedures of formal debate, theresearching of debate topics, the types and testsof evidence, the questions of presumption andthe burden of proof, analysis of issues, refutationand rebuttal. Falls.PY 2010 Debate Team 1.5 creditsA directed activity involving participation withthe University Debate Team. Actual debateexperience on and off campus. Usually takenin the same semester with PY 2000, but maybe a separate activity. May be repeated for upto six credits. Offered for credit at student’srequest. Prerequisite(s): permission of theinstructor.PY 2200 Ideas of the OldTestament3 creditsAn examination of the main themes and ideasin the Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) fromcreation accounts to the major and minorProphets. Seeks to increase awareness of thismajor influence on people, religions and traditionsthroughout the world as well as in ourown society, concentrating on the foundationalrelevance of the story of the Biblical peopleof Israel and their journeys. Looks closely atthe creation of a people and the stories whichinspired them: stories that continue to inspiremany. Fall of odd years. (GACO)PY 2210 New Testament Thought 3 creditsAn introduction to the sources and formationof the New Testament dealing in particularwith the philosophical dimensions of the basicteachings of the historical Jesus and the variousideas formed by the early Christian community.Also relates these ideas to contemporary valuesand settings, while exploring their influenceon different parts of the world and the way inwhich both Jesus and Paul became the formativethinkers for many. Spring of even years.(GACO)PY 2290 Religion in America 3 creditsAn exploration of the diverse theological andreligious elements in America. Deals withmovements within the major religions asthey have occurred in America and the UnitedStates, while providing insight into the newerforms of American theological expression.Focuses on the large numbers of religiousexperiments in this society and the modernday rise of new religious groups. Spring of oddyears. (DICO)PY 2310 Elements of Logic 3 creditsAn introduction to the structure of correct reasoning,the problems of language, informal fallaciesand the need for systematic and criticalthinking. Includes both traditional logic andthe methods of modern symbolic logic. Fallsand Springs. (PHIL)(QRCO)PY 2610 Eastern Philosophy 3 creditsA study of central philosophical concepts andissues from the point of view of some of themajor sources of Eastern thought, such as theVedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, Tao teChing and Buddhist writings. Fall of odd years.Prerequisite(s): any other philosophy course.PY 2630 The Concept of Death 3 creditsAnalysis and evaluation of various perspectiveson death. Readings cover philosophical,psychological, sociological, practical andartistic aspects of death and different modesof response to human mortality. Spring ofodd years. Prerequisite(s): any other philosophycourse.PY 2650 Mind and Machine 3 creditsDiscussion and critical examination of philosophicalissues relating to the nature of themind and to the possibility of artificial mindsand artificial persons. Topics to be coveredinclude thought, perception and intentionality,consciousness, the nature and theoretical limitsof computation, animal minds, affect andemotion, freedom and mechanism, personalidentity, function, teleology and the natureof interpersonal relationships. Readings willinclude both philosophical writings and fictionalexplorations of some of the philosophicalthemes covered. Springs. (TECO)PY 3010 Topics in Philosophy 3 creditsExplores in-depth some philosophical topicof the instructor’s choosing. May be repeatedfor credit with a different topic. Unscheduled.Prerequisite(s): three credits in Philosophy.PY 3110 History of Philosophy I:Ancient3 creditsAn introductory study of the beginning ofthe philosophic tradition in ancient Greece.Examines the concepts and theories of the Pre-Socratic philosophers, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,CoursesPlymouth State University Academic Catalog 2007–2008 301