Richard Neels

Formal and informal reasoning, common fallacies, definitions and language functions, patterns of explanation. Practical criticism and development of everyday arguments.

This course introduces students to the history and development of philosophy with a special focus on ethics and contemporary moral arguments. By studying great philosophical works, this class enables students to think a critical manner about their own ideas and beliefs concerning philosophical problems and important issues that affect our lives. The goal of the course is to aid students in examining multiple perspectives on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate and assess articles on these topics, and allow students to form their own arguments on these issues.

This course explores several major philosophical questions, like can we know whether God exists; whether we have free will; what makes an action morally right or wrong; what our ethical obligations are to asylum seekers, Impoverished Individuals across the world, fetuses, terminally ill individuals; what a fair and just society looks like, and more. Previously offered as PHIL 2113.

Formal and informal reasoning, common fallacies, definitions and language functions, patterns of explanation. Practical criticism and development of everyday arguments.

Supervised individual work on a thesis for a master's degree.Offered for variable credit, 1-6credit hours, maximum of 6 credit hours.

This course introduces students to the history and development of philosophy with a special focus on ethics and contemporary moral arguments. By studying great philosophical works, this class enables students to think a critical manner about their own ideas and beliefs concerning philosophical problems and important issues that affect our lives. The goal of the course is to aid students in examining multiple perspectives on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate and assess articles on these topics, and allow students to form their own arguments on these issues.

This course explores the philosophical inventions of the Ancient Greeks and highlights the contemporary relevance of their ideas for us today. The course covers the physical philosophy of the Presocratics, the dramatic philosophy of Plato, the organic philosophy of Aristotle, and the happy lives of the Epicureans and Stoics. Focus is given to the following questions: What is the structure of reality? How can we know the world? What is the good-life and how can we achieve it? The answers given by the Ancient Greeks are surprisingly still relevant and interesting to us today.Prerequisite(s): PHIL 1113, PHIL 1313 or PHIL 2013, or any 3000-4000 level PHIL course.

This course explores several major philosophical questions, like can we know whether God exists; whether we have free will; what makes an action morally right or wrong; what our ethical obligations are to asylum seekers, Impoverished Individuals across the world, fetuses, terminally ill individuals; what a fair and just society looks like, and more. Previously offered as PHIL 2113.

Supervised individual work on a thesis for a master's degree.Offered for variable credit, 1-6credit hours, maximum of 6 credit hours.

This course introduces students to the history and development of philosophy with a special focus on ethics and contemporary moral arguments. By studying great philosophical works, this class enables students to think a critical manner about their own ideas and beliefs concerning philosophical problems and important issues that affect our lives. The goal of the course is to aid students in examining multiple perspectives on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate and assess articles on these topics, and allow students to form their own arguments on these issues.

Individual or group research on specific philosophical problems.Offered for variable credit, 1-3 credit hours, maximum of 10 credit hours.Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and department head.

This course introduces students to the history and development of philosophy with a special focus on ethics and contemporary moral arguments. By studying great philosophical works, this class enables students to think a critical manner about their own ideas and beliefs concerning philosophical problems and important issues that affect our lives. The goal of the course is to aid students in examining multiple perspectives on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate and assess articles on these topics, and allow students to form their own arguments on these issues.

This course explores several major philosophical questions, like can we know whether God exists; whether we have free will; what makes an action morally right or wrong; what our ethical obligations are to asylum seekers, Impoverished Individuals across the world, fetuses, terminally ill individuals; what a fair and just society looks like, and more. Previously offered as PHIL 2113.

Formal and informal reasoning, common fallacies, definitions and language functions, patterns of explanation. Practical criticism and development of everyday arguments.

Supervised individual work on a thesis for a master's degree.Offered for variable credit, 1-6credit hours, maximum of 6 credit hours.

Philosophical problems that characterize ancient Philosophy: form and matter, one and many, universal and particular, actuality and potentiality, stability and change, substance and accidents, first principles and elements. Close reading of Plato and Aristotle.Prerequisite(s): PHIL 3113.

This course explores several major philosophical questions, like can we know whether God exists; whether we have free will; what makes an action morally right or wrong; what our ethical obligations are to asylum seekers, Impoverished Individuals across the world, fetuses, terminally ill individuals; what a fair and just society looks like, and more. Previously offered as PHIL 2113.

Formal and informal reasoning, common fallacies, definitions and language functions, patterns of explanation. Practical criticism and development of everyday arguments.

Supervised individual work on a thesis for a master's degree.Offered for variable credit, 1-6credit hours, maximum of 6 credit hours.

This course introduces students to the history and development of philosophy with a special focus on ethics and contemporary moral arguments. By studying great philosophical works, this class enables students to think a critical manner about their own ideas and beliefs concerning philosophical problems and important issues that affect our lives. The goal of the course is to aid students in examining multiple perspectives on sometimes controversial topics, evaluate and assess articles on these topics, and allow students to form their own arguments on these issues.

Formal and informal reasoning, common fallacies, definitions and language functions, patterns of explanation. Practical criticism and development of everyday arguments.

Introduction to selected views of living a meaningful life in light of morality, social values, truth and freedom.

Introduction to selected views of living a meaningful life in light of morality, social values, truth and freedom.

Historically-based introduction to the philosophical ideas and works of Plato and Aristotle. Begin by reading excerpts and commentary on the Pre-Socratics and Sophists. End the course with readings from the Hellenistic schools of philosophy: Stoics, Skeptics, and Epicureans.Prerequisite(s): PHIL 1113, PHIL 1313 or PHIL 2013, or any 3000-4000 level PHIL course.

Individual or group research on specific philosophical problems.Offered for variable credit, 1-3 credit hours, maximum of 10 credit hours.Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and department head.