2013-2014 CATALOG

This is an archived copy of the 2013-2014 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.miracosta.edu

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of reality, knowledge, and values based on logical reasoning. Students take philosophy courses to prepare for a major or to fulfill general education requirements in humanities or critical thinking. With a bachelor's degree in philosophy, students pursue careers in education, business, government, journalism, computer science, publishing, and writing. A philosophy major also provides excellent undergraduate preparation for graduate studies in the discipline, law school, MBA programs, medical school, and professional seminary.

Contact Information

Department Chair: Louisa Moon

Dean: Dana Smith

www.miracosta.edu/PHIL

Department: Philosophy and Religious Studies

Office: Building SAN Admin, 760.634.7876

Full-Time Faculty

Isabel Luengo
Louisa Moon

How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses listed in this catalog apply to the fall 2013, spring 2014, and summer 2014 terms. Courses are numbered numerically within alphabetically arranged subject areas.

The bolded first line begins with a capitalized abbreviation that designates the subject area. This subject-area designator is followed by the official course number and a descriptive title. The next lines indicate the course's unit value; prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and limitations on enrollment if they exist; CSU/UC credit acceptance; and lecture and lab hours followed by a Taxonomy of Program number in parentheses.

Prerequisites: This is a requirement that must be met before a student can enroll in the course.
Corequisites: This is a course the student must take in the same semester.
Advisories: This is recommended preparation the student is advised but not required to have before or in conjunction with the course.
Enrollment Limitations: Some courses place restrictions on enrollment. Most of these restrictions prevent students from duplicating course work. Others specify something the student must do prior to enrolling in a course, such as audition or obtain special approval. Some enrollment limitations restrict the number of units a student can earn within a group of similar courses.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU means the course is accepted for transfer at any California State University (CSU) campus; UC means it is accepted for transfer at any University of California (UC) campus. Some courses can be used to satisfy general education or major requirements while others transfer as elective credit. UC Credit Limitation means credit for the course may have UC transfer restrictions; these restrictions are identified at the end of the course description.
Lecture and Lab Hours: These are the number of hours the course meets for lecture and/or lab per week.
Taxonomy of Program (TOP) Number: The TOP number is identified in parentheses after the lecture and lab hours. This number serves an administrative purpose and is not intended for student use.

The course description summarizes the purpose and key topical areas of the course, and it includes special requirements if any exist. Some course descriptions end with information about whether the course was "formerly" another course, how many times the course may be repeated, if the course is offered pass/no pass, or what the UC credit limitation is.

Some course descriptions are followed by a C-ID number. The purpose of C-ID numbers is to identify comparable courses within the California community college system. When a course has a C-ID number, students can be assured the course will be accepted in lieu of a course bearing the same C-ID designation at another community college.

How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses

PHIL 100: Informal Logic and Critical Thinking

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours. (1509.00)

Use of logic in science and practical life: fallacies, language, hypotheses, probability, experimentation. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, the deductive, and inductive processes.

PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality

Units: 3
Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENGL 100.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours. (1509.00)

This introduction to philosophical inquiry emphasizes problems of knowledge and reality through analysis of classical and contemporary works on such issues as free will, personhood, knowledge and belief, the existence of God, and the nature of reality. The course encourages students to think independently and formulate their own tentative conclusions.

PHIL 102: Contemporary Moral Problems

Units: 3
Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENGL 100.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours. (1509.00)

This course examines the nature of morality as it applies to a variety of personal and social issues through the reading and analysis of classical and contemporary works. It explores major ethical theories, including utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, natural law theory, social contract theories, and feminist ethics. The course emphasizes the application of ethical theory to contemporary moral issues, such as war, pornography, euthanasia, animal rights, and abortion.

PHIL 221: Philosophy of Religion

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours. (1509.00)

Investigation of religion. Reasons for and against various fundamental religious beliefs. Considers religious phenomena of many kinds in the interest of understanding and clarifying what persons intend to be and do when they act religiously. Philosophy of Religion takes nothing for granted; it takes the liberty of calling anything religious into question. It aims to bring religious beliefs and assumptions out into the open, to subject them to scrutiny and to arrive at a rational assessment for religious affirmation.

PHIL 292: Internship Studies

Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU

This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.

PHIL 296: Topics in Philosophy

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours. (1509.00)

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

PHIL 298: Directed Study in Philosophy

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor and department chair approval and successful completion of 12 units of college work with at least a 3.0 grade-point average.
Repeatability Rule: May be taken for a total of 3 units.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Laboratory 3 hours
Laboratory 6 hours
Laboratory 9 hours. (1509.00)

This course allows students to pursue a special area of interest in order to achieve specific goals beyond the scope of existing courses within the discipline. Students work independently and interact directly with an instructor on an individual basis and as prescribed by the Directed Study Agreement.