Philosophy
OFFICE: 7002 H&SS, Muir College
Web site: http://philosophy.ucsd.edu
Professors
Courses
Introduction to the Department
Philosophy addresses some of the most basic questions humans ask
about the world. Some questions are very broad, such as how can
minds know about the external world, themselves, and other minds?
How can we arrive at reasonable answers to ethical questions about
right and wrong? What distinguishes science from other kinds of
knowledge and are there limits to science? What is the role of moral
choice and values in human life? Do standards of truth and logic
apply in areas such as religion, art, politics, and law?
Philosophy also seeks answers to particular problems in specific
areas of science, medicine, law, ethics, and technology. For example,
it explores the ways that modern physics impacts our notions of
space, time, causation, and nature itself. It considers the ways
that neuroscience and genetics impact the traditional ideas about
free will and responsibility. It debates the limits of democratic
governments in regulating individuals conduct. It wrestles
with problems about the right to die and the varied responsibilities
of medical professionals. It inquires into the relation between
science and religion. Related issues concern privacy, the limits
of private property, and who should have access to what information.
Career Guidance
Philosophy is a broad field with diverse subfields. Some students
may want to pursue a general course of study for the major, sampling
courses across several of these distinct subfields. This strategy
develops a solid foundation for graduate work in philosophy and
for any career that requires breadth of knowledge, intellectual
flexibility, as well as communicative and analytic skills.
Other students may wish to pursue a more specialized program of
studies. Below are descriptions of several areas of emphasis within
philosophy. These illustrate the possibilities of developing your
own coherent and focused set of courses that fulfill the requirements
for the major in ways that are tailored to your specific intellectual
and career interests. Philosophy is preparation for a wide range
of careersincluding science, law, medicine, teaching, business,
and public policy.
Choosing a philosophy major is an excellent way to follow a disciplined
and rigorous course of study that joins the breadth of a traditional
college education with specialization in a chosen area.
Undergraduate ProgramMajor
The Department of Philosophy offers the degree of bachelor of arts
(B.A.) in philosophy for the undergraduate major. A major in philosophy
requires a total of fifteen philosophy courses, at least twelve
of which must be upper-division (courses numbered 100 and above).
Up to two upper-division courses outside of philosophy can count
among the twelve required for the major if they are drawn from a
related field and contribute to the majors philosophical program;
such credit must be approved by the undergraduate adviser. Honors
and directed study courses (Philosophy 191199) may not be
used to satisfy the major requirement of fifteen philosophy courses.
Major requirements may be met by examination.
There is no standard or required introduction to philosophy or
the major. The department offers a variety of lower-division courses
and sequences (numbered 199), any of which could be a suitable
introduction to philosophy. The only required lower-division course
for majors is Philosophy 10, Introduction to Logic.
At the upper-division level, majors are encouraged to take courses
in the central areas of philosophical study:
Metaphysics and Epistemology
Law, Ethics, and Politics
Philosophy of Science and Logic
History of Philosophy
Though many upper-division courses have no prerequisite, any combination
of three lower-division courses would provide a good foundation
for taking most upper-division courses.
Core Requirements for the Major
- History of Philosophy. Majors must complete three courses
in the history of philosophy. At least one course must be in
ancient
philosophy (courses 31, 100103) and one course must be
in modern philosophy (courses 3233 and 104107).
This requirement can be met by taking the lower-division sequence
31,
32, 33 or by taking any suitable combination of courses from
the sequences 3133 and 100108.
- Logic. Philosophy 10 and Philosophy 120 are required of all
majors. Because Philosophy 120 is a prerequisite for a variety
of upper-division courses, prospective majors are strongly encouraged
to take it and Philosophy 10 as early as possible.
- Moral and Political Philosophy. Majors must take at least one
upper-division course in moral or political philosophy from among
Philosophy 160, 161, 166, or 167.
- Metaphysics and Epistemology. Majors must take at least one
upper-division course in traditional areas of analytic philosophy
metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, and philosophy
of mindfrom among Philosophy 130, 132, 134, or 136.
Optional Areas of Emphasis in the Major
The Department of Philosophy offers four optional areas of emphasis
within the major, as described below. Students selecting an optional
area of emphasis for the major must take and pass five of the courses
listed under that area. Courses taken to complete an area of emphasis
are counted toward the fifteen courses required for the major. Particular
courses may be applied both to the completion of the area of emphasis
and in fulfillment of a core requirement for the major. Students
should be aware, as they plan their course of study, that only some
of the courses listed for an area of emphasis will be taught in
any given year.
The department encourages students considering a philosophy major
to consult with the assistant director of the philosophy undergraduate
program and the philosophy faculty undergraduate adviser to plan
a program of study that is suitable to their particular interests
and needs. The department Web site http://philosophy.ucsd.edu
provides additional information about courses falling within each
area of emphasis. The optional areas of emphasis are:
- Law, Ethics, and Society
This area targets the nature and source of our moral rights and
obligations, the authority of the state and law, the basis of
value and goodness. Several courses in this area target ethical
issues in medicine, the environment, technological change, economic
inequality, and matters concerning race, gender, class, ethnicity,
and nationality. In this area, students will learn how moral and
legal reasoning can reshape the political debates over abortion,
the death penalty, privacy on the Internet, genetic testing, religious
tolerance, free speech, affirmative action, and other issues.
This area is excellent preparation for law school as well as for
postgraduate study and careers in public policy.
125. Games and Decisions
148. Philosophy and the Environment
152. Philosophy of Social Science
160. Ethical Theory
161. Topics in the History of Ethics
162. Contemporary Moral Issues
163. Biomedical Ethics
164. Technology and Human Values
166. Classics in Political Philosophy
167. Contemporary Political Philosophy
168. Philosophy of Law
169. Feminism and Philosophy
170. Philosophy and Race
- Science, Technology, and Medicine
This emphasis focuses on the insights and challenges presented
by science. Modern science and technologies affect our view
of ourselves and of nature, introducing novel promises and problems.
For instance, how do we balance technical, economic, environmental,
and ethical values in making decisions concerning which technologies
or drugs to develop? Modern science has also changed our understanding
of nature. Quantum physics, the genetic revolution, and neuroscience
(to name a few) present problems and have important implications
for human life. Finally, there are questions about science itself.
What are the methods of modern science? Do they vary from one
science to another? Can the sciences be value free?
This area will appeal especially to those students interested in
pursuing careers in philosophy, science, clinical medicine, medical
research, the social sciences, science journalism, and public policy.
123. Philosophy of Logic
145. Philosophy of Science
146. Philosophy of Physics
147. Philosophy of Biology
148. Philosophy and the Environment
149. Philosophy of Psychology
150. Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences
151. Philosophy of Neuroscience
152. Philosophy of Social Science
153. Philosophy of History
163. Biomedical Ethics
164. Technology and Human Values
- Mind, Brain, and Cognitive Sciences
Traditional epistemology (the theory of how and what we know)
and philosophy of mind (the theory of that-which-perceives-and-thinks)
have recently been joined by several scientific disciplines
in a collective search for illuminating theories. Psychology,
cognitive neurobiology, computer science, and sociology have
all made explosive contributions to a tradition as old as Plato
and Aristotle. For example, our growing understanding of the
biological brain has given new life to our traditional attempts
to understand the nature of the mind. New accounts of the various
mechanisms of cognitionboth at the cellular and the social
levelshave provided entirely new perspectives on the nature
of consciousness, the self, knowledge and free will, and on
the nature of science itself.
This area is excellent preparation for careers in cognitive science,
neuroscience, artificial intelligence, science journalism, and philosophy.
132. Epistemology
134. Philosophy of Language
136. Philosophy of Mind
145. Philosophy of Science
147. Philosophy of Biology
149. Philosophy of Psychology
150. Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences
151. Philosophy of Neuroscience
180. Phenomenology
- Historical Perspectives on Philosophy, Science, and
Religion
Throughout its history, philosophy has developed in a complex
relationship with the natural sciences and religion. Philosophical
ideas have both contributed to and challenged our understanding
of nature and God, and developments in the sciences and religion
have posed new challenges for philosophical thinking. The historical
perspectives emphasis focuses on the fertile interplay between
philosophy, science, and religion in several key periods: ancient
Greece, the Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment
Europe. The aim is not simply to document the history of philosophical
ideas, but to use this history as a way of better understanding
contemporary debates about the basic questions of human life.
This area prepares students for postgraduate work in philosophy,
and for any career that requires breadth of knowledge, intellectual
flexibility, as well as communicative and analytical skills.
100. Plato
101. Aristotle
102. Hellenistic Philosophy
104. The Rationalists
105. The Empiricists
106. Kant
107. Hegel
108. Nineteenth-Century Philosophy
161. Topics in the History of Ethics
166. Classics in Political Philosophy
180. Phenomenology
181. Existentialism
183. Topics in Continental Philosophy
Grade Rules for Majors/Minors
All courses applied toward the major or minor must be completed
with a grade of C or higher. Further, a GPA of 2.0 must be
maintained in courses applied toward the major or minor. It should
be noted that courses taken under the Pass/Not-Pass (P/NP) grading
option cannot be applied toward the major or minor.
Honors Program
The philosophy department offers an honors program for outstanding
students in the major. Majors who have a 3.7 GPA in philosophy (3.25
overall) at the end of their junior year and who have taken at least
four upper-division philosophy courses are eligible to apply. Interested
students must consult with a faculty sponsor by the last day of
classes during the spring term of their junior year. Admission to
the honors program requires nomination by a faculty sponsor and
approval of the undergraduate adviser. Nominating Petitions can
be obtained from the philosophy department.
In addition to the usual major requirements, an honors student
is required to complete a senior honors thesis by the end of winter
quarter. During the fall and winter quarters, the student will be
registered for Philosophy 191 and 192 and will be engaged in thesis
research that will be supervised and evaluated by the students
faculty sponsor. A departmental committee will read and assess the
completed thesis and determine if philosophy honors are to be awarded.
Honors students are expected to maintain an average of 3.7 or better
for all work taken in the program. (Qualified students wishing to
participate in the honors program according to a different timetable
than the one described above can apply to do so by petitioning the
undergraduate adviser.)
Transfer Credit
Courses taken at other institutions may be applied toward the major
by petition only. Petitions should be submitted to the Department
of Philosophy main office, and must be accompanied by supporting
materials (transcripts, syllabi, course work, etc.). Students are
required to submit one petition per transfer course.
For specific regulations regarding transfer credit for Philosophy
10 (Introduction to Logic), please see the information on the department
Web site: http://philosophy.ucsd.edu.
It is important to note that seven of the twelve upper-division
courses in the major must be taken in the Department of Philosophy
at UCSD.
Note: All courses applied toward major must be taken for
a letter grade.
Undergraduate ProgramMinor
The Department of Philosophy offers a minor in philosophy. As
with the major, the minor is an attractive option for a wide range
of
career paths, including medicine, law, research in the natural
and social sciences, journalism, education, and government. A
minor
requires a total of seven philosophy courses, at least five of
which must be upper division. If choosing an area of emphasis,
at least
four upper-division courses must be from the chosen area of emphasis.
All courses must be taken for a letter grade, C– or better.
Advising Office
Students who desire additional information concerning our course
offerings or program may contact individual faculty or the assistant
director of the undergraduate program through the department main
office at 7002 H&SS, (858) 534-3070.
Graduate Program Requirements
The department offers programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. It
is the intention of the graduate program to enable the student to
obtain an understanding of diverse traditions and to develop as
a philosopher in his or her own right. To this end, the department
offers courses and seminars in the history of philosophy and in
traditional and contemporary philosophical issues, from a variety
of perspectives.
Masters Degree Program
To qualify for a master's degree in philosophy, a student must
pass eight of the distribution requirement seminars as described
below, under the subheading Distribution Requirements.
At least one of the seminars must be from the ethics and political
philosophy category, and no more than four seminars from any one
of the five areas may count toward the masters degree. The
student must also complete a masters research paper, under
the direction of a faculty member or his or her choice, and have
it approved by two members of the department faculty.
Although Ph.D. students sometimes elect to complete their studies
with a masters degree, we do not admit students to a masters
degree program.
Doctoral Degree Program
Course Work
During the first two years of residence the students work
will normally total thirty-six units (nine courses) per year. At
least twelve of these units in each year must be graduate philosophy
seminars (those numbered 201-285). The balance may be made up from
additional graduate courses in philosophy, upper-division courses
in philosophy (those numbered 100-199), approved upper-division
or graduate courses in related departments, and, if the student
is a teaching assistant, Philosophy 500 (Apprentice Teaching).
After consultation with the graduate adviser, each entering student
shall be assigned a faculty adviser. Students are encouraged to
meet with their faculty adviser periodically to plan their course
of study during their first two years and must meet once a year
in the spring to review progress in the program.
Logic Requirement
During the first term of residence, all entering graduate students
will take an examination designed to demonstrate their level of
proficiency in formal logic. The examination covers the predicate
calculus, up to and including functions, relations, and identity.
Students who pass the examination with a grade of B+ or better have
satisfied the first component of the logic requirement. Students
who do not score a B+ or better must take Philosophy 120 (Symbolic
Logic) during the first year of study and achieve a grade of B+
or better. By the end of the sixth term of residence, all students
must also pass an advanced logic course (Philosophy 121, 122, 221,
or another logic class approved by the graduate adviser) with at
least a grade of B+.
Proseminar
In fall quarter of their first year of residence, graduate students
shall take a proseminar designed to introduce them to philosophical
methods and improve their skills at writing and analysis. Enrollment
in the proseminar is limited to first-year students. The proseminar
is normally team-taught. The topics to be covered will address some
central area of areas of philosophy and will vary from year to year.
The proseminar is a regular four-unit seminar and as such may be
counted toward satisfaction of the distribution requirement.
Core Courses
In the following areas, the department shall offer core
or advanced introductory seminars: philosophy of mind, philosophy
of language, philosophy of science, the history of philosophy, epistemology,
metaphysics, and ethics. The department shall offer at least three
of these courses in each academic year. Students must take two of
these core courses by the end of their sixth quarter of residence.
Courses taken to satisfy this requirement may be applied toward
the distribution requirement. (A core course provides a point of
entry into a field that is suitable for graduate students with no
prior work in this area of philosophy as well as students with some
background knowledge. A core course need not be and normally should
not be a general survey of the field, but will take up some central
topic. A core course will normally offer students the option of
writing shorter papers rather than one long seminar paper; as an
alternative, a final examination may be offered.)
Distribution Requirements
By the end of the seventh quarter of residence, a student must
have completed ten graduate seminars in philosophy with a grade
of B+ or better. The seminars must be distributed as follows:
- Four seminars in the history of philosophy. At least one of
these courses must be in ancient philosophy; at least one must
be in modern philosophy.
- Six seminars in the four areas listed below. Students must
take at least one seminar in every area and two seminars in any
two of the areas.
- Philosophy of science and philosophy of logic
- Philosophy of mind and philosophy of language
- Ethics and political philosophy
- Metaphysics and epistemology
Courses used to satisfy a requirement in one category cannot be
used to satisfy a requirement in another category. The determination
as to what category or categories a particular seminar taught in
a given quarter may count toward is normally made by the seminar
instructor. The proseminar and courses used to satisfy the core
course requirement may be counted toward fulfillment of the distribution
requirement. At the end of the fifth quarter of residence, a student
must have completed eight of the required seminars. In order to
remain in the program, a student must have attained an average of
B+ or better in all philosophy seminars completed by this point.
Philosophy Writing Workshop
In fall term of their third year of study, graduate students shall
enroll in the Philosophy Writing Workshop, a one- to three- unit
course depending on the expected enrollment. This course is graded
on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. In this workshop each student
shall produce a polished original philosophical essay (this may
be based on a paper written for a seminar), criticize the essays
produced by other workshop participants, and present the essay as
a talk to an audience of workshop participants, the faculty instructor,
and other interested graduate students and faculty.
Independent Study Courses
Philosophy 290 (Directed Independent Study) is appropriate
for a graduate student still in the process of fulfilling course
requirements for the degree.
Philosophy 295 (Research Topics) is an appropriate course
for a student in the process of coming up with a dissertation prospectus.
Philosophy 299 (Thesis Research) is appropriate for a student
working on his or her dissertation.
Language Requirement
Before advancing to candidacy, all students must demonstrate reading
proficiency in one of the following languages:
German
French
Latin
Classical Greek
If a students chosen dissertation topic requires competence
in a second language from the above list, then the students
dissertation adviser can require a suitable demonstration of competence.
In special circumstances students may be permitted to substitute
a different language or a special competency (such as advanced work
in mathematics or in one of the sciences) if educationally compelling
reasons can be given for doing so. These exceptions will be decided
on a case-by-case basis. The language requirement must be met before
the student can be advanced to candidacy.
Third-Year Advising
At the end of the students sixth quarter of study, the department
appoints a three-member faculty committee for that student. The
composition of the committee will reflect the students preferences
and the area of philosophy in which the student is inclined to do
dissertation work. The committees task is to help the student
to develop a sound dissertation project and advance to candidacy
in a timely manner. There is no expectation that the members of
this third-year committee necessarily will serve on the dissertation
committee.
Dissertation Prospectus and Oral Candidacy Exam
Some time after completing the distribution requirements, the student
must submit a dissertation prospectus to his or her doctoral committee.
The committee will then orally examine the student on the intended
subject and plan of research. The examination will seek to establish
that the thesis proposed is a satisfactory subject of research and
that the student has the preparation and the abilities necessary
to complete that research. This oral qualifying exam must be passed
before the end of the twelfth quarter of residence. Students who
are passed and have met the other requirements will be advanced
to candidacy for the Ph.D.
Teaching Requirements
Participation in undergraduate teaching is one of the requirements
for a Ph.D. In philosophy. The student is required to serve as a
teaching assistant for the equivalent of one-quarter time for three
academic quarters. The duties of a teaching assistant normally entail
grading papers and examinations, conducting discussion sections,
and related activities, including attendance at lectures in the
course for which he or she is assisting.
Doctoral Dissertation
Under the supervision of a doctoral committee, each candidate will
write a dissertation demonstrating a capacity to engage in original
and independent research. The candidate will defend the thesis in
an oral examination by the doctoral committee. (See Graduate
Studies: The Doctor of Philosophy Degree.)
Application Request
For information regarding the graduate program call (858) 534-6809
or write to:
University of California, San Diego
Graduate Adviser; Philosophy, 0119
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla CA 92093-0119
Email: casmann@ucsd.edu
Interdisciplinary Degree Programs
The philosophy department at UCSD participates in two interdisciplinary
programs, the requirements for which are outlined below.
Interdisciplinary Degree Program in Cognitive Science
The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Cognitive Science includes
faculty from a number of UCSD departments including anthropology,
biology and neurobiology, cognitive science, communication, computer
science and engineering, linguistics, music, neurosciences, philosophy,
psychiatry, psychology, and sociology. This group includes many
outstanding figures in contemporary cognitive science.
Students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. InPhilosophy and Cognitive
Science register in the philosophy program in the normal fashion,
but pursue a significant portion of their studies with faculty in
the several departments participating in the interdisciplinary program.
Students may apply for admission to the interdisciplinary program
at the same time that they apply to the Department of Philosophy,
or at some point after entering UCSD, (All students wishing to transfer
into any interdisciplinary program must do so prior to the end of
the fifth quarter of residency.)
Students in philosophy/cognitive science are required to do the
following:
- Complete all requirements for the philosophy Ph.D. except that
the distribution requirement is amended. By the end of the ninth
quarter of residence, a philosophy/cognitive science degree student
must have completed ten graduate seminars in philosophy with a
grade of B+ or better in each course distributed across the areas
of (A) philosophy of science and philosophy of logic, (B) philosophy
of mind and philosophy of language, (C) ethics and political philosophy,
(D), epistemology and metaphysics, and (E) history of philosophy.
Students must take at least one seminar from each of these five
areas and at least two seminars form any four of these areas.
- The equivalent of one years course work (usually in six
courses) in one or more of the other departments affiliated with
the Department of Cognitive Science. (It should be noted that
a philosophy graduate student who completes this requirement is
deemed thereby to have satisfied the philosophy language requirement
by gaining an approved special competency.)
- Six quarters of Cognitive Science 200
A plan detailing the course of study must be approved by the Cognitive
Science Program Committee. The dissertation should be interdisciplinary,
reflecting the two areas of specialization.
Science Studies Program
The Science Studies Program at UCSD is committed to interdisciplinary
investigations. Understanding, interpreting, and explaining the
scientific enterprise demand a systematic integration of the perspectives
developed within the history, sociology, and philosophy of science.
The program offers students an opportunity to work towards such
integration, while receiving a thorough training at the professional
level in one of the component disciplines.
Students enrolled in the program choose one of the component disciplines
for their major field of specialist studies, and are required to
complete minor field requirements in the others. The core of the
program, however, is a year-long seminar in science studies, led
by faculty from all participating departments.
To obtain a Ph.D. InPhilosophy/Science Studies, students
must take a total of eighteen courses, including:
- Nine seminars in philosophy with a grade of B+ or better, distributed
across the areas of (A) philosophy of science and philosophy of
logic, (B) philosophy of mind and philosophy of language, (C)
ethics and political philosophy, (D) metaphysics and epistemology,
and (E) history of philosophy. Students must take at least one
seminar from each of these five areas and at least two seminars
from any three of these areas. This requirement must be completed
by the end of the seventh quarter of residence. By the end of
the fifth quarter of residence, a student must have taken at least
five Philosophy seminars (distributed across at least three areas),
and must have achieved an average B+ or better in all philosophy
seminars taken up to that point. Failure to take a sufficient
number of seminars or to achieve a B+ average means that the student
may not continue in the program after the fifth quarter.
- The Introduction to Science Studies 209A, plus the Seminar
in Science Studies 209B, to be taken twice with changed content,
plus Colloquium in Science Studies 209C, to be taken once on a
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis and once for a letter grade.
- Two additional Science Studies courses outside philosophy drawn
from a list of approved courses available each year from the Science
Studies Program office. (One course in one of the sciences may
be substituted for one of these courses as part of an approved
program of study.)
The students program of study must be approved by the philosophy
faculty adviser for Science Studies.
Students may apply for admission to the interdisciplinary program
at the same time that they apply to the Department of Philosophy,
or at some point after entering UCSD. (All students wishing to transfer
into any interdisciplinary program must do so prior to the end of
the fifth quarter of residency.)
Ph.D. Time Limit Policies
Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of four years.
Total university support cannot exceed seven years. Total registered
time at UCSD cannot exceed eight years.
Financial Aid
Almost all philosophy graduate students are supported by some form
of financial aid. Most work as teaching assistants at 50 percent
time (approximately $14,143 for nine months). Typically this involves
running discussion sections and grading papers for lecture and introductory
courses in philosophy, humanities, and writing programs. An assistantship
is also regarded as a full-credit course, so teaching assistants
usually take two graduate classes each quarter.
In addition, some Regents fellowships are available for first-year
students, and the department usually awards one or more dissertation
fellowships a year for its advanced graduate students. Various fee
scholarships, tuition and tuition/fee scholarships are also available,
as are San Diego fellowships.
Advanced graduate students who have just completed or nearly completed
their dissertations are sometimes hired by the department as teaching
associates or visiting lecturers. Under these titles advanced graduate
students autonomously plan and teach their own courses.
Philosophy
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