PL 111 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
Critical examination of philosophical approaches to the nature of reality, religious belief, moral responsibility, and human freedom by addressing perennial questions, such as: How should I live? How do we know what we know? Is free will an illusion? Is the existence (or non-existence) of God or gods something that can be proved rationally? What is the proper balance between the public good and our own private freedom? Is there an independent standard for judging what is truly real versus what is truly illusion? CORE-II.
PL 113 Critical Reasoning and Informal Logic (3)
This course will focus on the study of arguments and will help you develop techniques useful in recognizing, analyzing, and evaluating arguments. The application of both the inductive and deductive criteria for evaluating arguments will be explored as well as other criteria of evaluation. Topics the course will cover include rational argumentation, fallacies, definition, meaning, truth, and evidence. II. CORE-II.
PL 221 Philosophy of Religion (3)
Classical and contemporary arguments for understanding the existence, nature, and reality of God. We will analyze and evaluate contemporary conceptions of divinity, humanity, and spirit as well as related issues in the philosophy of religion: evil, immortality, relationship between faith and reason, the nature of religious experience, and conceptions of the religious subject. I. CORE-II.
PL/WS 226 Topics in Feminist Philosophy (3)
Critical understanding of philosophical questions and issues surrounding women's identities, bodies, rights, politics, and historical movements. We may focus on a wide variety of subjects: nature and values, social and political philosophy, law, religion, epistemology, and ethics. CORE-II.
PL 238 Social and Political Philosophy (3)
Contemporary philosophical examinations of major political and social themes such as economic and social justice, freedom, war and genocide, equality, authority, democracy, property, and power. This course challenges students to critically reflect upon our shared political freedoms and obligations, justifications of political authority, the social nature of identities, and our roles as political subjects. CORE-II.
PL 255 Ethics (3)
Critical analysis and evaluation of contemporary moral issues in light of underlying values, components of moral decision-making, and standard ethical theories. The students reflect upon their own life experiences in light of the ethical theories and articulate their own ethical system. CORE-II.
PL 311 20th Century Philosophy (3)
Critical exploration of the ideas of existence, freedom, anxiety, subjectivity, power, and justice in the works of 20th century and contemporary phenomenologists, deconstructionists, existentialists, postmodernists/poststructuralists, and critical theorists. This is a Communication Intensive course. Prerequisite: one lowerdivision philosophy course.
PL/IS 312 Bioethics (3)
Critical examination of the major bioethical issues from the perspective of biology and philosophy. The multiple viewpoints are studied and weighed in light of one’s own value system. Research and discussion are essential components of the course. Prerequisites: One of either BI 110,111, 211, 212, 220 or PL 111, 255. CORE-II and CORE-III.
PL 355 Metaphysics (3)
The study of the nature of reality - of what is and what it is that exists. Metaphysical concepts we may consider are existence, being, minds, bodies, freedom, human nature, and the nature of experience. We will consider these concepts, and arguments associated with those ideas, in both classical and contemporary discussions. Prerequisite: one lower division course in philosophy. This is a Communication Intensive course.
PL/IS 358 Violence (3)
A historical-philosophical investigation into acts and relations of mass violence within the contexts of war, murder, genocide, rape and other forms of collective violence. This investigation will focus within the following arenas: the social-historical phenomena of violence and power; the extent of its moral justifiability, political legitimacy, and practical efficacy; the reality and responsibilities of perpetrators, victims, and spectators; and, the places that violence occupies within times of ordinary life.
PL 380 Special Topics (1-3)
Selected topics to be determined by the department.
Ken Parsons, Ph.D.
Chair, Religious Studies & Philosophy
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Office Phone: 816.501.2407
Email: Kenneth.Parsons@avila.edu
Dr. Parsons teaches a variety of courses in the areas of Ethics, Political Philosophy, and the History of Philosophy. His research in Political Philosophy and Contemporary European Philosophy orients around issues of violence and power, globalization, and social justice...more info
