Apr 15, 2025  
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2025-2026 College Catalog

PHI 101 - Introduction to Philosophy [SUN# PHI 1101]

3 Contact Hours, 3 Credits
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods


Survey of philosophical texts, with an emphasis on Western philosophical systems. Includes philosophical problems as they have emerged historically, including, but not limited to, questions about the nature of reality, the possibility of knowledge, the nature of the human being, the possibility of moral action, the nature of justice, the nature of the self, and the possibility of free will. Also includes a study of traditional arguments, and how to identify, analyze, compare, contrast, and assess a variety of competing philosophical systems in light of how each raises and deals with these and other important questions.

Gen-Ed: Meets AGEC - HUM or SBS; Meets CTE - A&H or SBS.

Button linking to AZ Transfer course equivalency guide  

Course Learning Outcomes
  1. Define philosophical terms.
  2. Classify philosophical areas of study.
  3. Apply critical thinking skills to competing arguments.
  4. Compare philosophical systematic approaches to problems.
  5. Assess the reasonableness of philosophical positions.
Outline:
  1. Logic
    1. Definition of an argument
    2. Definition of an inference
    3. Inductive reasoning/deductive reasoning
    4. Formal fallacies/informal fallacies
  2. Epistemology
    1. Rationalism
    2. Empiricism
    3. Intuitionism
    4. Analytic claims
    5. Synthetic claims
    6. A priori claims
    7. A posteriori claims
  3. Ethics
    1. Nature of normative claims
    2. Prescriptive
    3. Descriptive
    4. Instrumental
    5. Intrinsic
  4. Social/Political Philosophy
    1. Nature and legitimacy of authority
    2. Absolutism
    3. Theocracy
    4. Democracy
    5. Utilitarianism
    6. Fascism
    7. Communism
    8. Anarchism
  5. Philosophy of Religion
    1. Nature and meaning of religion
    2. Meaning of “God”
    3. Classical arguments for the existence of God
    4. Critiques of the Classical arguments
  6. Metaphysics
    1. Nature of mind and body
    2. Existence of other minds
    3. Nature of reality and ultimate reality
    4. Free will
  7. Philosophy of Science
    1. Scientific method
    2. Aristotle’s philosophy of science
    3. Axioms
    4. Scientific revolution
    5. Causation
  8. Aesthetics
    1. Nature of beauty
      1. Objective
      2. Subjective
    2. Emotionalism vs. functionalism
    3. Theories of art criticism