Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

PHIL 300: Introduction to Philosophy (Bauer)

  • Page ID
    94727
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Learning Objectives

    Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

    • distinguish fact from judgment and belief from knowledge.
    • construct arguments which demonstrate critical thinking and the mastery of inductive and/or deductive reasoning techniques.
    • critique arguments for logical errors or fallacies in language and thought.
    • evaluate assumptions and presuppositions by engaging in Socratic dialogue about essential philosophical questions.
    • formulate oral and written arguments on major philosophical issues such as the existence or non-existence of God; the nature of truth; the requirements of reality; the concept of the self; the nature and limits of knowledge; and the nature of values: aesthetic, moral, and religious.

    In this course, students will apply the critical thinking techniques of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis to areas of philosophical inquiry including meta-philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of religion, history of philosophy, and existentialism. Students will practice distinguishing fact from opinion, employing inductive and deductive reasoning, identifying logical errors and fallacies, and developing oral and written arguments to support their own philosophical perspectives or challenge the perspectives of others. The quality of the course's required writing will reflect the standards of a college-level writing course.


    PHIL 300: Introduction to Philosophy (Bauer) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.