Note that, for Philosophy programs, the list of courses that fulfills each group is an open list. Other PHIL courses may be able to be used to fulfill each group. Topics courses, Major Philosophers, and Seminars (600-level) can often count for different groups, from year to year, depending on course content. Consult a Philosophy advisor if you want to count such courses towards specific groups in your program (they will need to document the course on an audit sheet for you, but note that courses cannot double-count).
Please note that many courses offered by the Department of Philosophy have limited enrolment.
For courses cross-listed with other departments, see the menu item "Cross-listed Courses".
You can access the class schedule for 2024-25 now on Minerva.
Please note:
Due to recent changes to course numbering in the Department of Philosophy, former 500 level courses are now being offered as 600 level courses. These courses will fulfill the 500-level credit requirements. Please note the following policy regarding enrolment of undergraduate students in 600-level courses (Graduate courses).
Policy: An undergraduate student will be permitted to take 600-level courses subject to the following conditions:
- The student has a minimum CGPA of 3.3.
- The student is in U3 or higher.
- The professor of the course and the program adviser or the director of the undergraduate program provide written approval supporting the request.
- A maximum of 6 credits of 600-level courses are allowed toward the degree.
- The actual course number appears on the transcript.
- The course evaluation methods and grading standards are the same for all students, whether graduate or undergraduate.
- The regulations and practices of the Faculty of Arts are also applied to such a course.
See full policy for enrolment of undergraduate students in 600-level courses.
A copy of the application form is available at the Arts OASIS counter.
PHIL 210
Intro to Deductive Logic 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to propositional and predicate logic; formalization of arguments, truth tables, systems of deduction, elementary metaresults, and related topics.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken MATH 318
PHIL 237
Contemporary Moral Issues
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introductory discussion of central ethical questions (the value of persons, or the relationship of rights and utilities, for example) through the investigation of currently disputed social and political issues. Specific issues to be discussed may include pornography and censorship, affirmative action, civil disobedience, punishment, abortion, and euthanasia.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
phil_237-summer_2023.pdf
PHIL 375
Existentialism
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: This course will examine the nature of existentialist thought as represented in various philosophical and literary texts. Particular themes to be examined include freedom, alienation, responsibility and choice, and the nature of self.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one course in philosophy
PHIL 375 Summer 2023 Course Syllabus
PHIL 197
FYS: Right and Wrong
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Reading and discussion of classic and contemporary philosophical texts on morality: its nature, status, and importance.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Open only to newly admitted students in U0 or U1 who may take only one FYS
- Enrollment limit 25. Open only to newly admitted students in U0 or U1, who may take only one First Year Seminar. Students who register for more than one will be obliged to withdraw from all but one of them. Language of instruction is English.
- Register for AFYR 101/102 and a foundation seminar OR a writing seminar (not both).
- Available only to registered participants in the Bachelor of Arts Foundation Year Program Pilot (https://www.mcgill.ca/arts-foundation-pilot/).
PHIL 297 course description
PHIL 202
The Good Life
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Explores how philosophers from Socrates to Sartre wrestle with the question of how we should live, including ancient philosophers who present their teachings as pathways to happiness, virtue, and peace of mind; medieval philosophers who seek to understand God’s will; and modern philosophers who grapple with the
tension between community and freedom. Analyzes debates of fundamental moral and existential questions: What things really matter? Does it pay to be good? What constitutes the best society? Can we escape the roller coaster of our emotions? Examines how answers are intertwined with beliefs about God, nature, knowledge, the soul, and politics.
Offered by: Philosophy
phil_202_the_good_life_2024_syllabus.pdf
PHIL 210
Intro to Deductive Logic 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to propositional and predicate logic; formalization of arguments, truth tables, systems of deduction, elementary metaresults, and related topics.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken MATH 318
PHIL 210 course description
PHIL 221
Intro to Hist & Phil of Sci 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of the development of modern science since the Eighteenth Century.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 221 course description
PHIL 230
Intro to Moral Philosophy 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of a number of historically important and influential theories. Philosophers to be discussed may include Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Bentham, Mill, and Moore.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Christopher M Howard, Oran Magal
PHIL 230 course outline
PHIL 242
Intro to Feminist Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to feminist theory as political theory. Emphasis is placed on the plurality of analyses and proposals that constitute contemporary feminist thought. Some of the following are considered: liberal feminism, marxist and socialist feminism, radical feminism, postmodern feminism, francophone feminism, and the contributions to feminist theory by women of colour and lesbians.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Note: Since this course is being taught abroad, the Victoria Day statutory holiday will not be taken into consideration. Therefore, students are expected to attend their lecture on Monday, May 19, 2014.
PHIL 242 course description
PHIL 301
Philosophical Fundamentals
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An intensive study of basic philosophical skills; reading, writing, analysis, and argumentation.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisites: two previous courses in philosophy, one of which must be PHIL 210 or written consent of the Department
- Restriction: Open only to and required of Philosophy Honours and Joint Honours students
PHIL 301 course description
PHIL 306
Philosophy of Mind
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of major positions of the mind-body problem, focusing on such questions as: Do we have minds and bodies? Can minds affect bodies? Is mind identical to body? If so, in what sense "identical"? Can physical bodies be conscious.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 306 course description
PHIL 311
Philosophy of Mathematics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: This course provides an historically informed introduction to philosophy of mathematics. It gives the student an overview of prominent issues and arguments, to enable her to follow and discuss contemporary research in philosophy of mathematics.
Offered by: Philosophy
phil_311_fall_2024_syllabus_v2.pdf
PHIL 327
Philosophy of Race
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to issues in the philosophy of race, for example: the metaphysical status of race; the biology of racial categories; the social construction of race; the relationship between race and racism; the phenomenology of racialized subjectivity; or, intersections of race, gender, and other identity categories.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 327 course description
PHIL 336
Aesthetics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to issues central to aesthetic theory; the nature of aesthetic judgment, perception of the aesthetic object, the nature of the art object.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 336 course description
PHIL 341
Philosophy of Science 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A discussion of philosophical problems as they arise in the context of scientific practice and enquiry. Such issues as the philosophical presuppositions of the physical and social sciences, the nature of scientific method and its epistemological implications will be addressed.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 341 course description
PHIL 343
Biomedical Ethics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An investigation of ethical issues as they arise in the practice of medicine (informed consent, e.g.) or in the application of medical technology (in vitro fertilization, euthanasia, e.g.)
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 343 course outline
PHIL 348
Philosophy of Law 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A discussion of the nature of justice and law, and of the relationship between them.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: This course is intended for students with a non-professional interest in law, as well as for those considering law as a profession
PHIL 349
Environmental Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to environmental ethics; potentially also such related fields as philosophy of ecology, environmental aesthetics, and/or other philosophical topics demonstrably relevant to environmental issues.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 349 course description
PHIL 350
Hist & Phil of Ancient Sci
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Topics in ancient pure mathematics (geometry and number theory), "mixed mathematics" (astronomy, music theory, optics, mechanics), and/or natural science (including medicine), studied with a view to philosophical issues raised by the content of ancient science and/or by the logic of scientific argument.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 353
The Presocratic Philosophers
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of the surviving fragments of the presocratic philosophers and schools of philosophy, as well as later reports of their views.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 353 course description
PHIL 354
Plato
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of some of the philosophical problems (those in logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, e.g.) found in a selection of Plato's dialogues.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 354 Course outline
PHIL 355
Aristotle
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of selected works by Aristotle. The course considers issues in moral philosophy as well as those found in the logical treatises, the Physics and Metaphysics, and in the philosophy of mind.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 355 course outline
PHIL 356
Early Medieval Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of selected works in the Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions. Topics in moral and political philosophy, logic and metaphysics, philosophical psychology and epistemology, philosophy of science, and philosophical theology may be discussed.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 356 course description
PHIL 360
17th Century Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of the work of such seventeenth-century philosophers as Descartes, Hobbes, Gassendi, Malebranche, Leibniz, and the Cambridge Platonists.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 360 course outline
PHIL 375
Existentialism
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: This course will examine the nature of existentialist thought as represented in various philosophical and literary texts. Particular themes to be examined include freedom, alienation, responsibility and choice, and the nature of self.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one course in philosophy
PHIL 375 course description
PHIL 397
Tutorial 01
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Individualized guided research on an approved topic in philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Open to second year Full Honours students in Philosophy and to other students, with consent of the Department
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 398
Tutorial 02
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Individualized guided research on an approved topic in philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Open to second year Full Honours students in Philosophy and to other students, with consent of the Department
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 411
Topics in Phil of Logic & Math
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A course focusing on some philosophical issue (e.g., the nature of numbers or the relation of truth to provability) as it arises in the study of mathematics and logic.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisites: PHIL 210 or the equivalent, and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 411 course description
PHIL 415
Philosophy of Language
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of central notions in the philosophy of language (reference, meaning, and truth, e.g.), the puzzles these notions give rise to, and the relevance of these notions to such questions as: What is language? How is communication possible? What is understanding? Is language rule-governed.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisites: PHIL 210 or equivalent and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 415 Course Description
PHIL 419
Epistemology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A discussion of central topics in the theory of knowledge. The questions addressed in the course may include: What is knowledge? Do we have any knowledge? What is the relation between knowledge and belief? When is belief justified? Is all knowledge conscious knowledge.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 210 or equivalent and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 419 course description
PHIL 434
Metaethics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A study of the status of sentences containing moral terms, judgements about moral claims, and the nature of moral facts.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 334 or written permission of the instructor
PHIL 434 Course Description
PHIL 442
Topics in Feminist Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Advanced discussion of topical and central themes in feminist theory.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 242 and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 442 course description
PHIL 444
Early Modern Political Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of political and moral theory from the Reformation to the French Revolution including Luther, Montaigne, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Smith.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: at least one course in political philosophy
PHIL 444 course description
PHIL 446
Current Issues in Pol. Phil.
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Selected issues in contemporary political philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: at least one course in political philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Jocelyn Maclure
- Kristin Voigt
PHIL 446 Course syllabus
PHIL 454
Ancient Moral Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of central themes of ancient moral theory as treated by two or more contrasting philosophers or philosophical traditions - probably including Plato and/or Aristotle, and possibly some Hellenistic or post-Hellenistic schools.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 475
Topics in Contem European Phil
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Advanced discussion of selected themes in contemporary European philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 480
Topics in the History of Phil
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced discussion of some theme and/or problem in the history of philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 480 course outline
PHIL 497
Tutorial 04
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Full Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 498
Tutorial 05
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Joint Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- R Philip Buckley, Gaelle Fiasse
PHIL 499D1
Tutorial 06
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Full Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Hasana Sharp, Jocelyn Maclure, R Philip Buckley, Alia Al-Saji, Gaelle Fiasse, Christopher M Howard
PHIL 499N2
Tutorial 06
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: See PHIL 499N1 for course description.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 607
Pro-Seminar 1
6 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A series of seminars on selected topics designed for professional training to graduate students. Topics will be selected from the general area of Value Theory.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Emily J Carson, Ian Jeffrey Gold
PHIL 611
Sem: Phil of Logic & Math
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Seminar on a particular topic in philosophy of logic and mathematics.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 511.
- Metaphysics and epistemology
PHIL 611 course description
PHIL 619
Seminar:Epistemology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course devoted to a topic in the theory of knowledge.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 519.
- Metaphysics and epistemology
PHIL 619 course outline
PHIL 634
Seminar:Ethics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Seminar on a particular topic in ethics. Topic varies by year.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 534.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
- Ethics and value theory
PHIL 670
Sem:Contemporary Analytic Phil
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course on some major analytic philosopher, or some issue of central importance in the analytic tradition.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 570.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
- Metaphysics and epistemology
PHIL 675
Sem:Contempory European Phil
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course on contemporary European philosophy or some important issue in the Continental tradition.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 575.
- Metaphysics and epistemology OR ethics and value theory
PHIL 675 course description
PHIL 680
Sem: Problems of Phil 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Seminar on a particular topic in philosophy. Topic varies by year.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 580.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 682
Pro-Seminar 3
6 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A series of seminars on selected topics designed to provide professional training to graduate students. Topics will be selected from the general area of Metaphysics/Epistemology.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Emily J Carson, Ian Jeffrey Gold
PHIL 703
Teaching Reflection & Practice
1 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Course design, development, delivery, and evaluation of a course that the student has been assigned to teach. Aspects of course design and in-class student
evaluations will be provided by a Faculty mentor.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 702
- Restriction: Graduate students in philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 201
Intro to Philosophy 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to some of the major problems of philosophy. This course does not duplicate PHIL 200.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Philosophy students may use either PHIL 200 or PHIL 201 towards their program requirements, but not both. Students may, however, take both for credit (using the second as an elective), as the content in PHIL 201 does not overlap with PHIL 200
PHIL 201 course description
PHIL 221
Intro to Hist & Phil of Sci 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of the development of modern science since the Eighteenth Century.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 221 course outline
PHIL 237
Contemporary Moral Issues
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introductory discussion of central ethical questions (the value of persons, or the relationship of rights and utilities, for example) through the investigation of currently disputed social and political issues. Specific issues to be discussed may include pornography and censorship, affirmative action, civil disobedience, punishment, abortion, and euthanasia.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 240
Political Philosophy 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An introduction to contemporary philosophy of politics by concentrating on a number of contested concepts, such as freedom, justice and equality, in contemporary political philosophy and practice.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 240 course outline
PHIL 310
Intermediate Logic
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A second course in Logic. NB. The course will be technical in nature, and some mathematical aptitude is essential. The emphasis is on the expressive properties of standard logical systems, including implications for the philosophy of mathematics. We will study the Completeness of First-Order Logic, then the 'limitative' theorems of Tarski and Gödel.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 310 course outline
PHIL 334
Ethical Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A course focusing on central questions in ethical theory such as the nature of the good and the right and the factors which determine moral rightness and wrongness.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 344
Medieval&Renaissance Pol Theo
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A study of Medieval and Renaissance political theory.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Victor M Muniz-Fraticelli
PHIL 355
Aristotle
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of selected works by Aristotle. The course considers issues in moral philosophy as well as those found in the logical treatises, the Physics and Metaphysics, and in the philosophy of mind.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 355 course description
PHIL 361
18th Century Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of eighteenth century philosophy, especially British philosophy. Attention is given to fundamental metaphysical, epistemological, and moral issues as reflected in the work of such philosophers as Locke, Shaftesbury, Berkeley, Hutcheson, Butler, Hume and Reid.
Offered by: Philosophy
Course syllabus PHIL 361
PHIL 367
19th Century Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of the works of such 19th century philosophers as Mach, Helmholtz, Dedekind, Frege, Marx, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Mill and Bradley.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: A previous course in philosophy is recommended
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
Course syllabus PHIL 367
PHIL 397
Tutorial 01
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Individualized guided research on an approved topic in philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Open to second year Full Honours students in Philosophy and to other students, with consent of the Department
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 398
Tutorial 02
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Individualized guided research on an approved topic in philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction: Open to second year Full Honours students in Philosophy and to other students, with consent of the Department
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 415
Philosophy of Language
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of central notions in the philosophy of language (reference, meaning, and truth, e.g.), the puzzles these notions give rise to, and the relevance of these notions to such questions as: What is language? How is communication possible? What is understanding? Is language rule-governed.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisites: PHIL 210 or equivalent and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 415 course syllabus
PHIL 419
Epistemology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A discussion of central topics in the theory of knowledge. The questions addressed in the course may include: What is knowledge? Do we have any knowledge? What is the relation between knowledge and belief? When is belief justified? Is all knowledge conscious knowledge.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 210 or equivalent and one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 419 course syllabus
PHIL 421
Metaphysics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of central questions in metaphysics in their historical and contemporary forms. Topics may be chosen from such issues as: personal identity, the nature of space and time, the nature of events and properties, possible worlds, and the problem of realism.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisites: PHIL 210 or equivalent and one intermediate course in philosophy
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 427
Topics: Critical Phil of Race
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced discussion of topics in the critical philosophy of race.
Offered by: Philosophy
- PHIL 327 or permission of the instructor.
- Topics vary from year to year.
PHIL 436
Aesthetics 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced discussion of issues in aesthetics.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 336 or written permission of the instructor
PHIL 436 course syllabus
PHIL 441
Philosophy of Science 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An analysis of some key philosophical ideas in science and technology, e.g. problem, explanation, forecast, testability and truth.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: PHIL 341 or written permission of the instructor
PHIL 441 course syllabus
PHIL 444
Early Modern Political Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A survey of political and moral theory from the Reformation to the French Revolution including Luther, Montaigne, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Smith.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: at least one course in political philosophy
PHIL 445
19th Century Political Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of various strands of political theory since Rousseau, concentrating on such themes as the understanding of modernity and theories of liberal society.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: at least one course in political philosophy
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken POLI 434
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 445 course outline
PHIL 446
Current Issues in Pol. Phil.
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Selected issues in contemporary political philosophy.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: at least one course in political philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Jocelyn Maclure
- Kristin Voigt
PHIL 446 course description
PHIL 450
Major Philosophers 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: This seminar will give detailed attention to the work of one philosopher or to a single philosophical theme addressed by several philosophers. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how the metaphysical, epistemological, and moral views of a figure or figures are internally related. Topic will vary from year to year.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one intermediate course in philosophy
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 450 course description
PHIL 454
Ancient Moral Theory
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An examination of central themes of ancient moral theory as treated by two or more contrasting philosophers or philosophical traditions - probably including Plato and/or Aristotle, and possibly some Hellenistic or post-Hellenistic schools.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 454 coruse syllabus
PHIL 470
Topics in Contem Analytic Phil
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced discussion of major themes in the analytic tradition.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 470 course syllabus
PHIL 474
Phenomenology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: A study of phenomenology from a historical and thematic perspective. The course will typically involve the study of central thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, or Merleau-Ponty, with an examination of the nature and development of the phenomenological movement.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: one intermediate course in philosophy
PHIL 481
Topics in Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Topics in philosophy. Topic varies by year.
Offered by: Philosophy
Course syllabus PHIL 481
PHIL 497
Tutorial 04
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Full Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
PHIL 498
Tutorial 05
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Joint Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- R Philip Buckley, Gaelle Fiasse
PHIL 499D2
Tutorial 06
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: See PHIL 499D1 for course description.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Terms
- Instructors
- Alia Al-Saji, Jocelyn Maclure, R Philip Buckley, Gaelle Fiasse, Hasana Sharp, Christopher M Howard
PHIL 499N1
Tutorial 06
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Open to third year Full Honours students in Philosophy, and to other students, with consent of the Department.
Offered by: Philosophy
PHIL 621
Seminar: Metaphysics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course devoted to a topic in metaphysics.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 521.
- Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
- Metaphysics and epistemology
PHIL 621 course syllabus
PHIL 627
Seminar: Critical Phil of Race
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course examining a question, theme, or thinker in the critical philosophy of race.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Permission of the instructor.
- Topic varies by year depending on the instructor. Approaches range from the historical to the contemporary, from the thematic to a focus on the works of particular thinkers.
- Ethics or value theory
PHIL 641
Seminar: Philosophy of Science
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: An advanced course devoted to a topic in the philosophy of science.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PHIL 541.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
- Metaphysics and epistemology
PHIL 641 course outline
PHIL 689
Sem:Spec Topics in Philosophy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Philosophy: Psychoanalysis: a critical examination. Depending on the interests of the class, areas covered would include: psychoanalytic epistemology, psychoanalysis and the pre-socratics, psychoanalysis and tragedy, reasons versus causes in psychoanalysis, hermeneutics, psychoanalytic truth, self-deception, irrationality, paradox, creativity, internal object world and its relation to external objects.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite(s): one course in philosophy
- Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken PHIL 590.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
ARTE 700
Seminar: Teaching Humanities
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Teaching in the Arts: Introduction to university teaching and learning issues, methods, and traditions that are specific to humanities disciplines, focusing on what successful teaching looks like in the humanities from a theoretical point of view.
Offered by: Philosophy
- Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
- Restrictions: Only open to Ph.D. students in the Faculty of Arts who have successfully completed comprehensive examinations or equivalent. Not open to students who have taken PHIL 702.
- Supplementary Calendar Info: Course is open to students in all disciplines within the Faculty of Arts, though topics are tailored to the teaching of humanities fields.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year