Philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of reality,knowledge, and values based on logical reasoning. Studentstake philosophy courses to prepare for a major or to fulfillgeneral education requirements in humanities or criticalthinking. With a bachelor's degree in philosophy, studentspursue careers in education, business, government, journalism,computer science, publishing, and writing. A philosophymajor also provides excellent undergraduate preparation forgraduate studies in the discipline, law school, MBA programs,medical school, and professional seminary.

Academic and Career Pathway: Languages,Communication, and Humanities

Contact InformationChair: Isabel LuengoDean: Dana Smithwww.miracosta.edu/PHIL

Department: Philosophy andReligious StudiesOffice: AdministrationBuilding, San Elijo Campus,760.634.7879

Full-Time FacultyIsabel LuengoLouisa MoonJeffrey Murico

CoursesPHIL 100: Critical ThinkingUnits: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determinedby the English placement process.Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UCLecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course develops critical thinking skills that can be appliedin all areas of life. Topics include the structure and evaluationof arguments, fallacies, credibility, rhetorical devices, andexplanations. Using examples from the news media, socialmedia, advertising, political speeches, and other real-lifesources, students learn the distinction between claims andtheories that make sense and claims and theories that do notsurvive rational scrutiny.

PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and RealityUnits: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determinedby the English placement process.Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit inPHIL 101H.Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UCLecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This introduction to philosophical inquiry emphasizes problemsof knowledge and reality through the analysis of classical andcontemporary works on such issues as free will, personhood,knowledge and belief, the existence of God, and the nature ofreality. The course encourages students to think independentlyand formulate their own tentative conclusions. UC CREDITLIMITATION: Credit for PHIL 101 or PHIL 101H. C-ID PHIL-100

PHIL 101H: Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality(Honors)Units: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determinedby the English placement process.Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit inPHIL 101.Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UCLecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course introduces highly motivated students to themethods and topics of philosophy through the analysis anddiscussion of classical and contemporary works. It exploresmetaphysical and epistemological questions, such as freewill, personhood, knowledge and belief, the existence of God,and the nature of reality. The course encourages students tothink independently and rationally and to formulate their owntentative conclusions after considering several alternatives andobjections to their positions. UC CREDIT LIMITATION: Credit forPHIL 101 or PHIL 101H. C-ID PHIL-100

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Philosophy

PHIL 102: Contemporary Moral ProblemsUnits: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determinedby the English placement process.Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UCLecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This course examines the nature of morality as it applies toa variety of personal and social issues through the readingand analysis of classical and contemporary works. It exploresmajor ethical theories, including utilitarianism, Kantian ethics,natural law theory, social contract theories, and feministethics. The course emphasizes the application of ethical theoryto contemporary moral issues, such as war, pornography,euthanasia, animal rights, and abortion. C-ID PHIL-120.

PHIL 110: Introduction to LogicUnits: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, or ESL 150; MATH 64 orMATH 102; or eligibility determined by the English or mathplacement process.Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit inPHIL 110H.Acceptable for Credit: CSULecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course introduces logic with an emphasis on propositionallogic. Topics include deductive and inductive reasoning,informal fallacies, validity, truth tables, translations, quantifiers,and proofs. This course is open to any student, but it may be ofparticular interest to philosophy, math, and computer sciencemajors.

PHIL 110H: Introduction to Logic (Honors)Units: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, or ESL 150; MATH 64 orMATH 102; or eligibility determined by the English or mathplacement process.Enrollment Limitation: Not open to students with prior credit inPHIL 110.Acceptable for Credit: CSULecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course introduces logic with an emphasis on symbolic logicand is intended for highly motivated students who can benefitfrom greater depth and rigor. Topics include deductive andinductive reasoning, informal fallacies, validity, truth tables,translations, quantifiers, and proofs. The course introducesmore advanced problems and proof methods, and it may be ofparticular interest to philosophy, math, and computer sciencemajors.

PHIL 221: Philosophy of ReligionUnits: 3Prerequisites: ACE 150, ENGL 50, ESL 150, or eligibility determinedby the English placement process.Advisory: PHIL 101 or PHIL 101H.Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UCLecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

This course introduces the philosophical study of both religionand the central concepts found in Eastern and Westernreligious traditions with an emphasis on theism. It encouragesstudents to think rationally, critically, and independently aboutthe beliefs of religious adherents. Topics include argumentsfor theism and atheism, the validity of religious experience, themeaning of karma, concepts of God and Ultimate Reality, thepossibility of miracles, and the value of religion.

PHIL 292: Internship StudiesUnits: 0.5-3Prerequisites: NoneCorequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work perunit.Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Centerapproval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperativework experience and/or internship studies concurrently.Acceptable for Credit: CSUCourse Typically Offered: To be arranged

This course provides students the opportunity to apply thetheories and techniques of their discipline in an internshipposition in a professional setting under the instruction of afaculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces studentsto aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionalsemployed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting,employability skills development, and examination of the worldof work as it relates to the student's career plans. Studentsmust develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a newsite upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience(general or occupational) and/or internship studies duringcommunity college attendance.

PHIL 296: Topics in PhilosophyUnits: 1-3Prerequisites: NoneAcceptable for Credit: CSULecture 1 hour.Lecture 2 hours.Lecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: To be arranged

This course gives students an opportunity to study topics inPhilosophy that are not included in regular course offerings.Each Topics course is announced, described, and given its owntitle and 296 number designation in the class schedule.

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Philosophy

PHIL 298: Directed Study in PhilosophyUnits: 1-3Prerequisites: NoneEnrollment Limitation: Instructor and department chair approvaland successful completion of 12 units of college work with atleast a 3.0 grade-point average.Acceptable for Credit: CSULaboratory 3 hoursLaboratory 6 hoursLaboratory 9 hours.Course Typically Offered: To be arranged

This course allows students to pursue a special area of interestin order to achieve specific goals beyond the scope of existingcourses within the discipline. Students work independently andinteract directly with an instructor on an individual basis and asprescribed by the Directed Study Agreement.

PHIL 302: BioethicsUnits: 3Prerequisites: ENGL 100 or ENGL 100H.Enrollment Limitation: Only open to students enrolled in thebachelor's degree program in biomanufacturing at MiraCostaCollege.Lecture 3 hours.Course Typically Offered: Fall or Spring

This course examines the application of ethical theory to issuesin biology and medicine through case studies and classicaland contemporary readings in ethical theory and appliedethics. It explores major ethical theories, including utilitarianism,Kantian ethics, natural law theory, social contract theories,and feminist ethics, as they apply to contemporary issuesin biology and medicine, such as cloning, transplantation,defining life and death, genetic testing and manipulation, theethical conduct of research and experimentation, and the justdistribution of scarce medical resources. This course is openonly to students enrolled in the bachelor's degree program inbiomanufacturing at MiraCosta College.

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