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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2016-2017
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PL 241 Logic (1)
A study of semantics, traditional deductive logic, and an introductory approach to
symbolic logic.
PL 246 Asian Philosophies: From Atman to Zen (1)
An introduction to Asian philosophies, focusing on different notions of the self. Using
contemporary scholarship and critical translations of primary philosophical texts of India,
China, and Japan, students explore traditional problems of the self, from the early Vedic
atman
through developments and transformations in Japanese Zen.
PL 250 Contemporary Philosophy (1)
An examination of the major themes of philosophy in the twentieth century. Particular
emphasis is placed on how skeptical doubts concerning the idea and attainability of truth
have issued in an increasingly dominant form of cultural relativism in diverse arenas,
such as law and literature, anthropology, the history of science, and moral and political
theory.
PL 251 Ancient Philosophy (1)
Ancient philosophy from Thales to Plotinus.
PL 252 Modern Philosophy (1)
Modern philosophy from Descartes through Kant.
PL 253 Ethical Theory (1)
An examination of the theoretical grounds of ethical reasoning encompassing such issues
as the respective roles of reason and emotion in ethical judgment, utilitarian and social-
contract conceptions of justice, and the reality of ethical values.
PL 256 Confucianism and Daoism (1)
An examination of the central texts and philosophical problems of Confucianism and
Daoism. Texts include philosophical translations of the Confucian
Analects
and
Zhongyong
, the
Laozi Daodejing
,
Zhuangzi
, and others.
PL 263 Philosophies of Film: Cinematic Wisdom West to East (1)
A pluralistic exploration of the medium of film using the discipline of philosophy.
Students examine primary texts from both philosophers and film theorists with the aim of
discovering and articulating cinematic wisdom. Focus is placed on the areas of aesthetics
(Western and East Asian), ontology, depth psychology, and cognitive theory.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or one previous course in PL (except PL 241).
PL 293, 393, 493 Independent Study in Philosophy (½ or 1)
Directed study for advanced students in the major. Specific guidelines concerning
independent study projects appear in the “Exploration Term and Contract Learning”
section of this catalog.