New Student Registration: Philosophy

• PHIL 100 – Introductory Philosophy (6 credits)
• PHIL 101 – The Examined Life (3 credits)
• PHIL 102 – Self, Freedom, and Justice (3 credits)
• PHIL 135 - Healthcare Ethics: Theories, Values, & Practice (3 credits)

One of PHIL 100, 101, or 102 is required for a major, joint major, advanced major, joint advanced major, honours, minor, or subsidiary in Philosophy.  Students planning one of these programs are strongly advised to take 6 credits of intro (PHIL 100 if they are in the Humanities Colloquium; both PHIL 101 and 102 if they are not).

These courses can be electives in any program.

One of these three is a minimum prerequisite for all other courses in the department, other than PHIL 213, 251, 331, and 335.

PHIL 135 is a required course in the first year of the BSc Nursing program and is restricted to students in that program.

Bachelor of Arts students who are considering taking introductory philosophy, introductory English, and Western Civilization history may want to explore the option of the Humanities Colloquium, which offers PHIL 100, ENGL 100, and HIST 101 and 102 in an integrated, chronologically coordinated way. 

Course Descriptions

PHIL 100  Introductory Philosophy
An introduction to the study of philosophy that looks at major thinkers in the history of western philosophy as well as the fundamental and enduring questions they raised. Among the philosophers considered are Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Hume. The questions raised by these thinkers include: What is it to think rationally and critically? Can we demonstrate the existence and nature of God? Can we discover any ethical principles that should guide our actions? What are the limits of human knowledge? Credit will be granted for only one of PHIL 100 and PHIL 101 or 102. Six credits.

PHIL 101  The Examined Life
An introduction to the study of philosophy that looks at major thinkers in the history of philosophy as well as the fundamental and enduring questions they raised. Philosophers considered may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Meng-zi. Questions may include: What is the nature of knowledge? What is being? How should human society be organized? What is happiness? Credit will be granted for only one of PHIL 101 and PHIL 100. Three credits.

PHIL 102  Self, Freedom, and Justice
An introduction to the study of philosophy that looks at major thinkers in the history of philosophy as well as the fundamental and enduring questions they raised. Philosophers considered may include Descartes, Hume, Locke, Nietzsche, Mill, and de Beauvoir. Questions may include: What is the nature of human identity? Do humans have free will? What rights should people have? What is justice? Credit will be granted for only one of PHIL 102 and PHIL 100. Three credits.

PHIL 135  Healthcare Ethics: Theories, Values, & Practice 
This course introduces students to ethical reasoning about problems in healthcare. It does so by exploring four fundamental philosophical theories (Virtue Ethics; Contractarianism & Rights; Duty-Based Ethics; and Consequentialism), presenting the corresponding values in healthcare, and showing how these principles and values can be applied to specific cases. Credit will be granted for only one of PHIL 135 and PHIL 335. Three credits.

Please refer to Section 9.30 Philosophy in the Academic Calendar.

Click here to go to the Philosophy department webpage.