Philosophy

PHIL 1560    Introduction to Philosophy    3 s.h.

The nature of philosophy and its relation to science, religion, and art; study of the philosophical approach and attitude, the basic problem areas in philosophy, and some typical philosophical viewpoints.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 1561    Technology and Human Values    3 s.h.

An examination of the impact of technology and science on contemporary human values and investigations of social and political perspectives on modern technocracy, based on case studies in science, medicine, and engineering.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 1565    Critical Thinking    3 s.h.

An examination of the logical skills needed for critical thinking in practical situations. Topics include procedures and guidelines for identifying and evaluating arguments, recognizing and eliminating informal fallacies, and writing and critiquing argumentative essays.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2610    Global Ethics    3 s.h.

Examination of morality and justice from a global perspective, including such topics as war, terrorism, and states; poverty and the global economy; religion, gender, and identity; globalization and the environment; and markets and intellectual property.
Cross-Listed:as REL 2610.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2612    Ancient & Medieval Philosophy    3 s.h.

An examination of philosophers and philosophical systems in Western civilization from the pre-Socratics until the Renaissance.

PHIL 2619    Introduction to Logic    3 s.h.

Introduction to syllogistic or classical logic, symbolic and inductive logic. Emphasis on the rules of syllogism, immediate inferences, propositional functions, classes, truth tables, Venn diagrams; the use of analogy, generalization, the verification of hypotheses, and scientific method.
Prereq.: MATH 1501 or at least Level 20 on the Mathematics Placement Test.
Gen Ed: Mathematics.

PHIL 2625    Introduction to Professional Ethics    3 s.h.

An examination of the ideals and virtues central to professionalism; study of selected codes of professional ethics and their roots in classical ethical traditions; and analysis of selected ethical issues and problems in a variety of professions.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2626    Engineering Ethics    3 s.h.

An examination of ethical problems in the major fields of engineering and an explanation of the methodology needed to address them; an analysis of the rights and duties of engineers in their relations to clients, employers, the public, and the engineering profession.
Prereq.: One 2600-level PHIL course, or PHIL 1560 or ENTC 1505 or ENGR 1550.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2627    Law and Criminal Justice Ethics    3 s.h.

Examination of major theories in philosophy of law and justice, and the study of ethical issues and professional standards in criminal justice practice.
Prereq.: Any 2600-level PHIL course or PHIL 1560 or CJFS 2601, CJFS 2602 or CJFS 2603.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2628    Business Ethics    3 s.h.

Examines ethical problems in business, ethical responsibilities of business professional, and business as a global institution. Topics include the corporation, at-will employment, unions, technology, privacy, advertising, whistle-blowing, globalization, environmental impact, human rights, just distribution, affirmative action and cultural diversity.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2629    Research Ethics in Science    3 s.h.

This course will focus on issues of ethics in scientific research. Topics covered include: ethical decisions with respect to appropriate and legitimate exploration pathways of scientific research; ethical standards for research publication and peer review procedures; research misconduct such as inaccuracy, misrepresentation data fabrication, data omission, negligence, and fraudulent enterprise; fair, unbiased objectivity in scientific research; obligation to human research subjects regarding rights and welfare; resulting in consequences for individuals influenced by scientific research.
Prereq.: None.

PHIL 2631    Environmental Ethics    3 s.h.

Application of ethical theories in evaluating human interaction with the natural environment, analysis of rights and duties regarding other species and future generations, the ethics of environmental activism, and philosophical and religious perspectives on environmental issues.
Gen Ed: Environmental Sustainability, Social and Personal Awareness.

PHIL 2635    Ethics of War and Peace    3 s.h.

Examines reasons for making war, for restraint on the conduct of war, and for rejecting war as an instrument of national policy as understood within a variety of moral traditions, both secular and religious.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 2698    Introductory Individual Study in Philosophy    1 s.h.

Introductory study of a philosophical problem, movement, thinker, or the relationship of philosophy to problems in other disciplines. Intended to be an independent study course with subject matter dependent upon approval of the faculty member and student. May be repeated up to 3 s.h.

PHIL 3702    History of Modern Philosophy    3 s.h.

Study of major Western philosophical figures and movements from the Renaissance through the 19th century.
Prereq.: One 2600-level PHIL course or PHIL 1560.

PHIL 3708    Social and Political Philosophy    3 s.h.

A study of the philosophical foundations of democracy, dictatorship, and communism, especially their views of reality, knowledge, human nature, and morality, with attention to rights, duties, freedom, authority, dissent, censorship, crime and punishment, and religion.
Prereq.: PHIL 1560.

PHIL 3711    General Ethics    3 s.h.

Examination and evaluation of the major ethical theories in classical, dialectic, pragmatic and naturalistic, analytic and positivist, and existentialist thought.
Prereq.: PHIL 1560.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

PHIL 3712    Philosophy of Religion    3 s.h.

The philosophical investigation of religious questions such as existence and nature of the divine, the problem of evil, death and immortality, religion and science, and religious experience.
Prereq.: PHIL 1560 or REL 2601.
Cross-Listed: REL 3712.

PHIL 3713    Philosophy of the Family    3 s.h.

Examines the family from philosophical, political, and historical perspectives and considers issues of justice in familial relationships. Explores the relationship among parents, children, and the state, and reviews the evolving conceptions of childhood, child well-being, and children's rights.
Prereq.: ENGL 1551.

PHIL 3714    Language and Mind    3 s.h.

Introduction to the study of traditional philosophical problems in the analysis of linguistic structures and functions and of their implications for the nature of mind, including meaning, mental representation and causation, information processing, and psychological explanation.
Prereq.: One 2600-level PHIL course or PHIL 1560.

PHIL 3715    Philosophy of Science    3 s.h.

A philosophical consideration of some of the fundamental concepts and assumptions of the sciences: the nature of scientific knowledge; the relation of scientific to other kinds of knowledge and experience.
Prereq.: PHIL 1560.

PHIL 3719    Symbolic Logic    3 s.h.

The structure and properties of axiomatic systems; the theory of propositional and relational logic; the algebra of classes; related topics.
Prereq.: PHIL 2619.

PHIL 3723    Philosophy of Law    3 s.h.

Examination of the nature and limits of law, the justification of the legal system, the relationship between law and morality, state punishment of individuals, the justification for punishment, citizens' rights and issues of privacy, liberty, discrimination, and civil disobedience.
Prereq.: One 2600-level PHIL course or PHIL 1560.

PHIL 3725    Biomedical Ethics    3 s.h.

An examination of ethical issues posed by biomedical research and technology, including issues of informed consent, patients' rights, experimentation, genetic research and intervention, death and dying, and the allocation of scarce resources.
Prereq.: One 2600-level PHIL course or SOC 3703 or SOC 3745 or PSYC 3780 or admission to the NEOMED-YSU program or the BS in Nursing program.

PHIL 3740    Muslim Thinkers and Thinkers    3 s.h.

Examination of the theological, philosophical, legal, and political writings and ideas of major Muslim thinkers and mystics from the classical through the modern period, covering the continuities and differences.
Prereq.: any 2600-level REL course or PHIL 1560.
Cross-Listed: REL 3740.

PHIL 3745    Classical Asian Philosophy    3 s.h.

Focus is on selected classical philosophical texts in Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
Prereq.: Any lower division course in Philosophy or ASST 1550.

PHIL 3798    Intensive Individual Study of Philosophy    1 s.h.

Intensive study of a philosophical problem, movement, thinker, or the relationship of philosophy to problems in other disciplines. Intended to be an independent study course with subject matter dependent upon approval of the faculty member and student. May be repeated up to 3 s.h.
Prereq.: One 3700-level PHIL course.

PHIL 4801    Data Ethics    3 s.h.

In the very early days of computing, there is an expression that is generally attributed to William Mellin: “garbage in, garbage out”. As many are aware the phrase loosely denotes that what comes out of the computer process is only as good as what goes into the machine. While some outputs may be seen as trivially bad, others carry with them substantial moral harm. The way data is collected and processed has real-world ethical implications. In this course, we examine the ways data can have unintended moral consequences in the hopes of avoiding these errors in the future.
Prereq.: None.

PHIL 4805    Direct Readings in Philosophy    3 s.h.

Independent study course with subject matter dependent upon approval of the faculty member in consultation with student.
Prereq.: Any 3700 level PHIL course.

PHIL 4820    Seminar in Philosophy    3 s.h.

Study in depth of a particular philosopher, topic, or area in philosophy, as determined by the instructor; may be repeated with different course content.
Prereq.: One 3700-level PHIL course.
Gen Ed: Capstone.

PHIL 4820U    Seminar: How to Live Good Life    3 s.h.

PHIL 4861    Senior Capstone Project    3 s.h.

Research and writing of a paper, or other committee approved project, on a philosophical topic, under the supervision of a full-time faculty member and in consultation with a committee of at least two other members of the department.
Prereq.: Philosophy major with senior standing and completion of at least 21 s.h. of PHIL courses.
Gen Ed: Capstone.

PHIL 4870    Internship in Ethical Practice    1-3 s.h.

Students work with professionals in a local organization, thereby gaining direct access to the ethical issues involved in such an environment. Students will be supervised by an appropriate working professional and either a faculty member of the Dr. James Dale Ethics Center or another faculty member in the department selected for this purpose. The course grade shall be assigned by the YSU supervisor, based on the project journal, an evaluation of the student's on-site work by the participating professional and the YSU supervisor, and a final project paper. Registration by permit only. 1 s.h., repeatable to a total of.
Prereq.: One 3700-level PHIL or REL course.

REL 2601    Introduction to World Religions    3 s.h.

A survey of the major world religions exploring their distinctive features and common threads. A study of their founders, systems of thought, symbols, and sacred literatures.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities, International Perspectives, Social and Personal Awareness.

REL 2602    Introduction to Religious Studies    3 s.h.

Examines the religious features of doctrines, myths or practices and surveys various methods by which religion is explored and scrutinized.

REL 2605    Myth, Symbol, and Ritual    3 s.h.

An introduction to the nature and function of myth, symbol, and ritual. Myth interpretation, the relationship between societies and their myths, and the cultural use of myths, symbols, and rituals in religious and spiritual contexts.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

REL 2610    Global Ethics    3 s.h.

Examination of morality and justice from a global perspective, including such topics as war, terrorism, and states; poverty and the global economy; religion, gender, and identity; globalization and the environment; and markets and intellectual property.
Cross-Listed:as PHIL 2610.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

REL 2611    Judaism Christianity and Islam    3 s.h.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Examines the origins, foundational texts, beliefs and practices, intellectual and spiritual dimensions, and cultural norms and values of each religion, as well as the structures of authority in the community founded by each religion and the factors that have promoted the survival of each.

REL 2617    Introduction to Asian Religions    3 s.h.

A survey of the religions of India, China, and Japan, their systems of thought, moral values, and methods of personal transformation.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities, International Perspectives, Social and Personal Awareness.

REL 2621    Religion and Moral Issues    3 s.h.

The relation of specific religious and moral issues to questions of personal conduct and social policy.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

REL 2621H    Honors Religion and Moral Issues    3 s.h.

The relation of specific religious and moral issues to questions of personal conduct and social policy.
Gen Ed: Arts and Humanities.

REL 2623    Introduction to Christianity    3 s.h.

Introduction to the Christian religion, exploring its origins, emergence as the official religion of the Roman Empire, and global expansion into one of the largest religions of the world. Attention is given to core beliefs, events, and persons of significant impact, to the diversity of approaches available within the Christian tradition, and to such contemporary issues as gender, the environment, and war. No familiarity is presupposed with the Bible, Christianity, or the academic study of religion.

REL 3712    Philosophy of Religion    3 s.h.

The philosophical investigation of religious questions such as existence and nature of the divine, the problem of evil, death and immortality, religion and science, and religious experience.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.
Cross-Listed: PHIL 3712.

REL 3720    The World of Islam    3 s.h.

The study of the origins and development of classical and modern Islam, including the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran, and Muslims in America.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3722    Popes Saints and Rebels    3 s.h.

The origin and development of Christianity; examination of the life and teachings of Jesus; Christian theology, liturgy, and symbolism; and divisions of contemporary Christianity.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3726    Buddhist Beliefs Practices and Debate    3 s.h.

An Introduction to Buddhist traditions, their historical development in countries like India, China, Tibet and Thailand, and Buddhist positions on contemporary issues. Special attention to practices, beliefs, and ethics.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3728    Hindu Traditions    3 s.h.

Examines Yoga, meditation, karma, reincarnation, and major devotional and ceremonial traditions that have developed around Shiva, Vishnu, and the Goddess. A central part of the course is the study of the dynamics between popular worship and the contemplative traditions of Hindu culture.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3731    Hebrew Scriptures    3 s.h.

A critical analysis of the Hebrew scriptures in terms of historical background, textual development, and religious and ethical themes.
Prereq.: One 2600-level REL course or HIST 2600.

REL 3732    Jesus and the Gospels    3 s.h.

The life and teachings of Jesus in their historical context. Examination of the ways in which Jesus is interpreted within the synoptic gospels. Prereq.: One 2600-level REL or PHIL course 3740. Muslim Thinkers. Examination of the theological, philosophical, legal, and political writings and ideas of major Muslim thinkers from the classical through the modern period, covering the continuities and differences.
Prereq.: any 2600-level REL course or PHIL 1560.
Cross-Listed: REL 3740.

REL 3733    Women And the Bible    3 s.h.

A study of Biblical interpretation utilizing narratives that portray women in Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Students will learn analytical skills required for narrative interpretation and exegetical analysis.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3740    Muslim Thinkers and Mystics    3 s.h.

Examination of the theological, philosophical, legal, and political writings and ideas of major Muslim thinkers and mystics from the classical through the modern period, covering the continuities and differences.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.
Cross-Listed: PHIL 3740.

REL 3743    Reform, Revolt, or Revolution in Islam    3 s.h.

Critical examination of the movements of change in Islam intended to (1) reassert the primacy of Islamic religious norms in society (reform); (2) challenge the dominant political structures (revolt); or (3) bring about a radical societal change (revolution). The course examines in depth the use of Islamic motifs and symbols in all these movements.
Prereq.: REL 2601 or POL 1550 or permission of instructor.

REL 3744    Islamic Culture and Literature    3 s.h.

Introduction to the diversity of Muslim culture and literature across the world. Emphasis on classical and premodern literature, art and architecture.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3748    Islam and the West    3 s.h.

Examination of the historical relationship between the and Islamic and Western worlds, as well as their interaction in modern contexts.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 3760    Sex and Religion    3 s.h.

Explores the tensions between religion and sex through the Western and non-Western lens. Divided into sections, this course covers attitudes toward sex by early modern Christians, a few non-Western religious traditions and contemporary Western religion.
Prereq.: 12 credits of undergraduate coursework.

REL 4825    Methods and Study of Religion    3 s.h.

This course explores the principal methodological issues in the scholarly study of religion and enables students to expand and synthesize disciplinary knowledge.
Prereq.: REL 2602.

REL 4871    Senior Capstone Project    3 s.h.

Research and writing of a paper, or other committee approved project, on a topic in religious studies, under the supervision of a full-time faculty member and in consultation with a committee of at least two other members of the department.
Prereq.: Religious Studies major with senior standing and completion of at least 21 s.h. of REL courses.
Gen Ed: Capstone.