Department of Philosophy
(Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
613-520-2110
http://carleton.ca/philosophy
This section presents the requirements for programs in:
- Philosophy B.A. Honours
- Philosophy with Concentration in Philosophy, Ethics and Public Affairs B.A. Honours
- Philosophy B.A. Combined Honours
- Philosophy B.A. General
- Minor in Philosophy
- Mention : Français
Program Requirements
Course Categories for Philosophy
For purposes of program description the Philosophy courses are classified as follows.
History of Philosophy
PHIL 2005 [1.0] | Greek Philosophy and the Western Tradition | |
PHIL 2101 [0.5] | History of Ethics | |
PHIL 2201 [0.5] | Introduction to Marxist Philosophy | |
PHIL 2202 [0.5] | Topics in Marxist Philosophy | |
PHIL 2700 [0.5] | Asian Philosophy | |
PHIL 3000 [0.5] | Topics in Ancient Philosophy | |
PHIL 3001 [0.5] | Early Greek Philosophy | |
PHIL 3002 [0.5] | 17th Century Philosophy | |
PHIL 3003 [0.5] | 18th Century Philosophy | |
PHIL 3005 [0.5] | 19th Century Philosophy | |
PHIL 3009 [0.5] | Topics in European Philosophy | |
PHIL 3010 [0.5] | Philosophical Traditions | |
PHIL 3104 [0.5] | The Roots of Analytic Philosophy | |
PHIL 3330 [0.5] | Topics in History of Social and Political Philosophy |
Ethics, Society, and Aesthetics (ESA)
PHIL 2020 [0.5] | Issues in Practical Philosophy | |
PHIL 2101 [0.5] | History of Ethics | |
PHIL 2103 [0.5] | Philosophy of Human Rights | |
PHIL 2104 [0.5] | Computer Ethics | |
PHIL 2106 [0.5] | Information Ethics | |
PHIL 2201 [0.5] | Introduction to Marxist Philosophy | |
PHIL 2306 [0.5] | Philosophy and Feminism | |
PHIL 2307 [0.5] | Gender and Philosophy | |
PHIL 2380 [0.5] | Introduction to Environmental Ethics | |
PHIL 2408 [0.5] | Bioethics | |
PHIL 2601 [0.5] | Philosophy of Religion | |
PHIL 2807 [0.5] | Philosophy of Art | |
PHIL 2901 [0.5] | Truth and Propaganda | |
PHIL 3010 [0.5] | Philosophical Traditions | |
PHIL 3102 [0.5] | Philosophy of Law: The Logic of Law | |
PHIL 3320 [0.5] | Contemporary Ethical Theory | |
PHIL 3330 [0.5] | Topics in History of Social and Political Philosophy | |
PHIL 3340 [0.5] | Topics in Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy | |
PHIL 3350 [0.5] | Philosophy, Ethics, and Public Affairs | |
PHIL 3360 [0.5] | Philosophy, Economics, and Public Policy | |
PHIL 3380 [0.5] | Environments, Technology and Values | |
PHIL 3450 [0.5] | Topics in Aesthetics |
Language, Mind and World (LMW)
PHIL 2010 [0.5] | Issues in Theoretical Philosophy | |
PHIL 2301 [0.5] | Introduction to the Philosophy of Science | |
PHIL 2405 [0.5] | Philosophy of the Paranormal | |
PHIL 2501 [0.5] | Introduction to Philosophy of Mind | |
PHIL 2504 [0.5] | Language and Communication | |
PHIL 2520 [0.5] | Introduction to Philosophical Logic | |
PHIL 2540 [0.5] | Personal Identity and the Self | |
PHIL 2550 [0.5] | Moral Psychology | |
PHIL 2601 [0.5] | Philosophy of Religion | |
PHIL 2901 [0.5] | Truth and Propaganda | |
PHIL 3005 [0.5] | 19th Century Philosophy | |
PHIL 3010 [0.5] | Philosophical Traditions | |
PHIL 3104 [0.5] | The Roots of Analytic Philosophy | |
PHIL 3140 [0.5] | Epistemology | |
PHIL 3150 [0.5] | Metaphysics | |
PHIL 3301 [0.5] | Issues in the Philosophy of Science | |
PHIL 3306 [0.5] | Symbolic Logic | |
PHIL 3501 [0.5] | Philosophy of Cognitive Science | |
PHIL 3502 [0.5] | Mind and Action | |
PHIL 3504 [0.5] | Pragmatics | |
PHIL 3506 [0.5] | Semantics | |
PHIL 3530 [0.5] | Philosophy of Language |
Philosophy Courses Open to First-Year Students
Please note that not all of these courses are offered each year. | ||
PHIL 1000 [0.5] | Introductory Philosophy: Fields, Figures and Problems | |
PHIL 1100 [1.0] | Looking at Philosophy | |
PHIL 1200 [0.5] | The Meaning of Life | |
PHIL 1301 [0.5] | Mind, World, and Knowledge | |
PHIL 1500 [1.0] | Contemporary Moral, Social and Religious Issues | |
PHIL 1550 [0.5] | Introduction to Ethics and Social Issues | |
PHIL 1610 [0.5] | Great Philosophical Ideas, Part 1 | |
PHIL 1620 [0.5] | Great Philosophical Ideas, Part 2 | |
PHIL 1700 [0.5] | Philosophy of Love and Sex | |
PHIL 2001 [0.5] | Introduction to Logic | |
PHIL 2003 [0.5] | Critical Thinking |
Philosophy
B.A. Honours (20.0 credits)
A. Credits Included in the Major CGPA (10.0 credits) | ||
1. 2.0 credits in: | 2.0 | |
PHIL 2005 [1.0] | Greek Philosophy and the Western Tradition | |
PHIL 3002 [0.5] | 17th Century Philosophy | |
PHIL 3003 [0.5] | 18th Century Philosophy | |
2. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
PHIL 2010 [0.5] | Issues in Theoretical Philosophy | |
PHIL 2020 [0.5] | Issues in Practical Philosophy | |
3. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
PHIL 2001 [0.5] | Introduction to Logic | |
PHIL 2003 [0.5] | Critical Thinking | |
4. 1.5 credits in Ethics, Society and Aesthetics at the 2000-level or higher | 1.5 | |
5. 1.5 credits in Language, Mind and World at the 2000-level or higher | 1.5 | |
6. 1.5 credits in PHIL | 1.5 | |
7. 2.0 credits in PHIL at the 4000-level or higher | 2.0 | |
B. Credits Not Included in the Major CGPA (10.0 credits) | ||
8. 8.0 credits not in PHIL | 8.0 | |
9. 2.0 credits in free electives | 2.0 | |
Total Credits | 20.0 |
Philosophy with Concentration in Philosophy, Ethics and Public Affairs
B.A. Honours (20.0 credits)
A. Credits Included in the Major CGPA (12.0 credits) | ||
1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
PHIL 2010 [0.5] | Issues in Theoretical Philosophy | |
PHIL 2020 [0.5] | Issues in Practical Philosophy | |
2. 2.0 credits from: | 2.0 | |
PHIL 2101 [0.5] | History of Ethics | |
PHIL 3320 [0.5] | Contemporary Ethical Theory | |
PHIL 3330 [0.5] | Topics in History of Social and Political Philosophy | |
PHIL 3340 [0.5] | Topics in Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy | |
PHIL 3350 [0.5] | Philosophy, Ethics, and Public Affairs | |
PHIL 3360 [0.5] | Philosophy, Economics, and Public Policy | |
3. 2.0 credits in Philosophy from: | 2.0 | |
PHIL 1500 [1.0] | Contemporary Moral, Social and Religious Issues (satisfies two of four requirements) | |
PHIL 1550 [0.5] | Introduction to Ethics and Social Issues | |
PHIL 2103 [0.5] | Philosophy of Human Rights | |
PHIL 2104 [0.5] | Computer Ethics | |
PHIL 2106 [0.5] | Information Ethics | |
PHIL 2201 [0.5] | Introduction to Marxist Philosophy | |
PHIL 2202 [0.5] | Topics in Marxist Philosophy | |
PHIL 2306 [0.5] | Philosophy and Feminism | |
PHIL 2307 [0.5] | Gender and Philosophy | |
PHIL 2380 [0.5] | Introduction to Environmental Ethics | |
PHIL 2408 [0.5] | Bioethics | |
PHIL 2901 [0.5] | Truth and Propaganda | |
4. 1.5 credits in History of Philosophy | 1.5 | |
5. 1.0 credit in Language, Mind and World | 1.0 | |
6. 2.0 credits in PHIL at the 4000 level or above | 2.0 | |
7. 2.5 credits in PHIL | 2.5 | |
B. Credits Not Included in the Major CGPA (8.0 credits) | ||
Please note that some of the following courses may have PSCI prerequisites. | ||
8. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
PSCI 2301 [0.5] | History of Political Thought I | |
PSCI 2302 [0.5] | History of Political Thought II | |
9. 2.0 credits from: | 2.0 | |
PSCI 3109 [0.5] | The Politics of Law and Morality | |
PSCI 3300 [0.5] | Politics and Literature | |
PSCI 3302 [0.5] | Comparative Political Thought | |
PSCI 3303 [0.5] | Feminist Political Theory | |
PSCI 3307 [0.5] | Politics of Human Rights | |
PSCI 3308 [0.5] | Modern Political Thought | |
PSCI 3309 [0.5] | Modern Ideologies | |
PSCI 3311 [0.5] | History of Muslim Political Thought | |
PSCI 3312 [0.5] | Enlightenment Political Thought | |
PSCI 3709 [0.5] | Ancient and Medieval Political Thought | |
PSCI 4302 [0.5] | Political Thought in the Modern Muslim Middle East | |
PSCI 4311 [0.5] | Political Theories of Democracy and Empire I | |
PSCI 4312 [0.5] | Political Theories of Democracy and Empire II | |
10. 2.0 credits not in PHIL | 2.0 | |
11. 3.0 credits in free electives | 3.0 | |
Total Credits | 20.0 |
Philosophy
B.A. Combined Honours (20.0 credits)
Combined Honours programs are available in Philosophy with any other Carleton program that allows for Combined Honours and can accommodate 7.0 credits in Philosophy.
A. Credits Included in the Philosophy CGPA (7.0 credits) | ||
1. 1.5 credits in: | 1.5 | |
History of Philosophy or | ||
HUMS 2000 [1.0] | Reason and Revelation (and .5 credit in History of Philosophy, only applicable to B.Hum) | |
2. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
PHIL 2010 [0.5] | Issues in Theoretical Philosophy | |
PHIL 2020 [0.5] | Issues in Practical Philosophy | |
3. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
PHIL 2001 [0.5] | Introduction to Logic | |
PHIL 2003 [0.5] | Critical Thinking | |
4. 1.0 credit in Language, Mind, and World | 1.0 | |
5. 1.0 credit in Ethics, Society and Aesthetics | 1.0 | |
6. 1.0 credit in PHIL at the 4000-level or above | 1.0 | |
7. 1.0 credit in PHIL or 1.0 credit from: | 1.0 | |
FYSM 1208 [1.0] | Looking at Philosophy | |
FYSM 1209 [1.0] | Contemporary Moral, Social, and Religious Issues | |
FYSM 1300 [1.0] | History of Philosophy | |
B. Additional Credit Requirements (13.0 credits): | 13.0 | |
8. The requirements of the other discipline must be satisfied | ||
9. Sufficient free electives to make 20.0 credits in total for the program | ||
Total Credits | 20.0 |
Philosophy
B.A. General (15.0 credits)
A. Credits Included in the Major CGPA (6.0 credits) | ||
1. 1.0 credit in History of Philosophy | 1.0 | |
2. 1.0 credit in PHIL, which may be satisfied by: | 1.0 | |
FYSM 1208 [1.0] | Looking at Philosophy | |
FYSM 1209 [1.0] | Contemporary Moral, Social, and Religious Issues | |
FYSM 1300 [1.0] | History of Philosophy | |
3. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
PHIL 2001 [0.5] | Introduction to Logic | |
PHIL 2003 [0.5] | Critical Thinking | |
4. 0.5 credit in 3000-level or higher PHIL | 0.5 | |
5. 3.0 credits in 2000-level or higher PHIL | 3.0 | |
B. Credits Not Included in the Major CGPA (9.0 credits) | ||
6. 6.0 credits not in PHIL | 6.0 | |
7. 3.0 credits free electives | 3.0 | |
Total Credits | 15.0 |
Minor in Philosophy (4.0 credits)
Requirements | ||
1. 2.0 credit in PHIL at the 2000-level or above | 2.0 | |
2. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
PHIL 2001 [0.5] | Introduction to Logic | |
PHIL 2003 [0.5] | Critical Thinking | |
3. 0.5 credit in PHIL at the 3000 level or above | 0.5 | |
4. 1.0 credit in PHIL or 1.0 credit from FYSM 1208, FYSM 1209, or FYSM 1300 | 1.0 | |
5. The remaining requirements of the major discipline(s) and degree must be satisfied | ||
Total Credits | 4.0 |
Mention : Français (4.0 credits)
Students in the B.A. (Honours) or B.A. (General) program in Philosophy may qualify for the notation Mention : Français by fulfiling the requirements outlined below. Those wishing to pursue this option should consult with the Department's Undergraduate Supervisor, whose approval is required for all courses under Mention : Français.
Philosophy courses presented in fulfilment of Mention : Français requirements can double as courses to satisfy Philosophy B.A. (General) or B.A. (Honours) requirements.
To graduate with the notation Mention : Français , Philosophy students must include in their program the following:
1. 1.0 credit in French language chosen in consultation with the French Department to perfect the student's French language skills. | 1.0 | |
2. 1.0 credit taught in French at Carleton and concerned with the study of the heritage and culture of French Canada | 1.0 | |
3. 1.0 credit from: | 1.0 | |
PHIL 3901 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
PHIL 3902 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
PHIL 3903 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
PHIL 3906 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
PHIL 3907 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
PHIL 3908 [0.5] | Independent Study | |
with philosophical works read in French and papers submitted in French to be assessed by two members of the Philosophy Department knowledgeable in the language, or 1.0 credit in Philosophy at the 3000-level taught in French at another university and acceptable to the Philosophy Department. In addition, Philosophy students in B.A. Honours or Combined Honours must include: | ||
4. 1.0 credit from special projects: | 1.0 | |
PHIL 4900 [1.0] | Tutorial | |
PHIL 4901 [0.5] | Tutorial | |
PHIL 4902 [0.5] | Tutorial | |
PHIL 4903 [0.5] | Tutorial | |
PHIL 4904 [0.5] | Tutorial | |
PHIL 4906 [0.5] | Tutorial | |
in French, supervised by a member of the Department of Philosophy, or earned in a Philosophy seminar or seminars at the 4000-level taught in French at another university and acceptable to the Philosophy Department. Students must, in addition, satisfy the Honours requirement of 2.0 Carleton credits at the 4000-or 5000-level in Philosophy (1.0 for Combined Honours). | ||
5. Combined Honours students must meet the Mention : Francais requirements of both Honours disciplines. | ||
Total Credits | 4.0 |
Philosophy (PHIL) Courses
Introductory Philosophy: Fields, Figures and Problems
What is metaphysics? Who was Socrates? What is Freedom? This introduction sketches many branches of philosophy and the important problems associated with each. It introduces great philosophers, present and past, and traces enduring philosophical themes.
Looking at Philosophy
Introduction to philosophy: the nature of logical thinking; the existence of God; the objectivity of values; the meaning of life; free will, determinism and responsibility; the relation between mind and body; immortality; the possibility of knowledge. This course is not intended for Majors.
The Meaning of Life
An introduction to concerns expressed by the perennial philosophical question, "What is the meaning of life?" Students will be familiarized with the major philosophical approaches to life's meaning through a consideration of various contemporary and late modern works in the philosophy of life.
Mind, World, and Knowledge
Introduction to a variety of philosophical works, including contemporary, on such topics as: the nature of being, the mental, the external, consciousness, perception, experience, meaning, truth, the nature of knowledge, scientific understanding, and how language and thought represent the world.
Lectures three hours per week.
Contemporary Moral, Social and Religious Issues
Moral theories, atheism or theism, feminism, and free will. Moral arguments concerning abortion, affirmative action, racism, human rights, children's rights, world hunger, capital punishment, euthanasia, censorship, pornography, legal paternalism, animal rights and environmental protection.
Introduction to Ethics and Social Issues
An introduction to understanding, assessing, and formulating ethical arguments concerning controversial issues. Particular issues studied, such as world hunger, capital punishment, abortion, animal rights, terrorism, may vary each time the course is offered.
Great Philosophical Ideas, Part 1
Major figures and developments in philosophy from the early Greeks to the year 1400. Descriptive and comparative approach, providing an understanding of the place of philosophers in the history of thought. Appreciation of critical reasoning is included for comprehending philosophical developments.
Great Philosophical Ideas, Part 2
Major figures and developments in philosophy after the year 1400. Descriptive and comparative approach, providing an understanding of the place of philosophers in the history of thought. Appreciation of critical reasoning is included for comprehending philosophical developments.
Philosophy of Love and Sex
A survey of philosophical classics, on themes of romantic love, self-love, altruistic love, sexuality, eroticism and the passion/reason dichotomy, from Plato's Symposium to Foucault's History of Sexuality; and an examination of related contemporary issues in light of these perspectives.
Introduction to Logic
An introduction to the techniques and philosophical implications of formal logic with emphasis on translation of expressions into symbolic form, testing for logical correctness, the formulation and application of rules of inference, and the relation between logic and language. Open to first-year students.
Critical Thinking
Assessment of reasoning and the development of cogent patterns of thinking. Reference to formal logic is minimal. Practice in criticizing examples of reasoning and in formulating one's own reasons correctly and clearly. Open to first-year students.
Greek Philosophy and the Western Tradition
The Greek tradition from its pre-Socratic beginnings to Hellenistic and Roman philosophy (Cynicism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, Scepticism); focus on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Its conservation and reappropriation in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Precludes additional credit for PHIL 2006, CLCV 2006, PHIL 2007, CLCV 2007 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in PHIL, or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Issues in Theoretical Philosophy
Issues drawn from epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and related fields will be examined through careful study of significant philosophical texts after 1900, along with some ensuing debates.
Lectures and discussion three hours a week.
Issues in Practical Philosophy
Issues drawn from ethics, social and political philosophy, and related fields will be examined through careful study of significant philosophical texts after 1900, along with some ensuing debates.
Prerequisite(s): enrolment in Honours or Combined Honours Philosophy programs, or in philosophy, Ethics, and Public Affairs, or permission of the Department.
Lectures and discussion three hours a week.
History of Ethics
An introduction to ethical theories through a study of some of the major figures in moral philosophy, such as Aristotle, Hume, Kant and Mill.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy of Human Rights
Philosophical introduction to human rights sources, concepts, justifications, consequences, and challenges to them. Evolution of selected human rights as a) demands made in political struggles; b) declarations supported by moral or political principles and arguments; c) codes ratified and implemented by governments and international organizations.
Lectures three hours a week.
Computer Ethics
Philosophical foundations of computer ethics. The ethical impact of computerization on intellectual property rights, the right to privacy, and freedom of expression; ethical issues of risk management and reliability; professional codes. Ethical problems posed by specific technologies and research areas may also be included.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing. Primarily intended for Computer Science students.
Lectures three hours a week.
Information Ethics
Ethical aspects of the influence of information technology on intellectual property rights, privacy, free speech, work and society. Also included are an introduction to philosophical ethics and discussions of moral responsibilities of IT professionals, codes of professional ethics, hacker ethics, viruses and software piracy.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Marxist Philosophy
The evolution of Marx's social and political views in the setting of 18 th - and 19 th - century anarchism, liberalism and conservatism. Themes of humanism, freedom, rights, the state, democracy, alienation, and inequality, primarily as they develop into the theory of historical materialism.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Topics in Marxist Philosophy
The dialectical materialism of Marx, Engels, and Lenin is compared with traditional materialist, idealist, and mechanist philosophy. Marxist views on issues such as equality, ethical objectivity, human well-being, matter and mind, the existence of God, knowledge versus skepticism, freedom of the will, and justice.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 2201 or 0.5 credit in the history of philosophy at the 2000-level or above.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Philosophical issues arising out of the attempt to understand the world scientifically. Topics may include: scientific methodology, revolution, observation, explanation, causation, induction, reduction, the difference between natural and social scientific understanding, realism, instrumentalism, constructivism.
Philosophy and Feminism
A study of philosophical issues arising from feminism. The course includes discussions of the relations between feminism, reason and ideological commitment, as well as critical evaluation of contemporary views on selected topics (e.g. abortion, pornography and censorship, affirmative action, and beauty).
Lectures three hours a week.
Gender and Philosophy
Topics may include the role of gender categories in the history of philosophy, theories of gender and sexual orientation, the politics of gender and sexuality, the place of the body in philosophical theory, and the influence of gender and gender metaphors on science and medicine.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Environmental Ethics
Major questions in environmental ethics: How should human beings view their relationship to the rest of nature? Is responsible stewardship of the environment compatible with current technology? Must future generations be protected? Do animals, other life forms, endangered species, ecosystems and/or the biosphere have value/rights?.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy of the Paranormal
Examination of claims, concepts, theories and methods in parapsychology. Their scientific character and the relation of paranormal phenomena to philosophical issues such as survival of death, human nature, time, space, causality and perception.
Lectures three hours a week.
Bioethics
Ethical and political issues in medicine, public health, biotechnology, and the life sciences. Topics may include reproductive ethics, research on human subjects, animal research and treatment, justice and health care, physician-patient relationships, death and the end of life, and genetic engineering.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Philosophy of Mind
An introduction to major philosophical issues concerning human cognition. Topics may include: the relation of mind to body, knowledge of other minds, the relation of mental states to personhood and personal identity, mental illness, consciousness, intentionality, action, mental realism.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Language and Communication
Some of the central topics in the study of language and communication as pursued by linguists and philosophers. The nature of meaning; the connections between language, communication and cognition; language as a social activity.
Precludes additional credit for COMM 2800, LALS 2504, LALS 2800 and PHIL 2800.
Prerequisite(s): second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Introduction to Philosophical Logic
An introduction to features of rational thinking activity, its expression, and its relation to the world, focusing on such topics as predication, truth, negation, necessity, entailment, logical form, or quantification.
Lectures three hours a week.
Personal Identity and the Self
Philosophical perspectives on personal identity, the self, and the underlying issue of the relationship of the mind to the body. Both philosophical and psychological concepts of identity are discussed, as are related issues such as memory, introspection, and self-knowledge.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Moral Psychology
An examination of psychological underpinnings of morality, focusing on studies at the intersection of philosophy, psychiatry, and psychology.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy of Religion
A study of philosophical issues arising from religion. Topics may include: arguments for and against the existence of God, religious experience, death and the afterlife, miracles, God and evil, the relationship between religion and science, and the relationship between religion and ethics.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Asian Philosophy
An examination of South Asian and East Asian philosophical texts, from the period of the Upanishads and early Buddhism in India to modern philosophical movements. Historical sources may include Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Confucian or Taoist texts, with a focus on metaphysical, epistemological or ethical themes.
Lectures three hours a week. May be offered as an online course in selected terms.
Philosophy of Art
Philosophical approaches to the study of art. Topics such as: the nature of art and artistic value; representation and symbolism in art; art and artifice; art and the emotions; art, culture and ideology; post-structuralism and art; theories of creativity; relationship between artworks and audiences.
Truth and Propaganda
Ancient and modern techniques of persuasion from analytical, ethical and jurisprudential perspectives. Objectivity and bias, advertising and public relations ethics, the viability of democracy in the light of pressures on and within the modern mass media.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in PHIL or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours per week.
Topics in Ancient Philosophy
A study of philosophers, texts, problems and issues in ancient philosophy, generally with a focus on Plato and Aristotle.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy and second-year standing, or permission of the department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Early Greek Philosophy
A study of the pre-Socratic Greek philosophers and of the Sophists and Socrates.
Prerequisite(s): CLCV 2105 or PHIL 2005 or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
17th Century Philosophy
European philosophy of the 17 th century. Representative works of writers such as Francis Bacon, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Locke.
Lectures three hours a week.
18th Century Philosophy
European philosophy of the 18 th century. Representative works of writers such as Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.
Lectures three hours a week.
19th Century Philosophy
European philosophy in the 19 th century. May include Hegel, Marx, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Mill.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy and second-year standing in a philosophy program, or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Topics in European Philosophy
A study of philosophers, texts, problems and issues in any period of European philosophy.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophical Traditions
A study of philosophers, texts, and doctrines beyond the Western tradition. Traditions covered will vary but may include Asian, African, Muslim or Aboriginal philosophy, possibly with critical comparison to Western counterparts.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy or second-year standing.
Philosophy of Law: The Logic of Law
Legal reasoning and analysis of concepts of particular significance to the law, including justice, rights and duties, liability, punishment, ownership and possession.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
The Roots of Analytic Philosophy
In the context of the work of such writers as Frege and Bradley, a discussion of early philosophical works of Russell, Moore and Wittgenstein. In addition some early representatives of positivism and pragmatism may be examined.
Lectures and seminar three hours a week.
Epistemology
Fundamental issues concerning the relation between evidence, rationality, and knowledge. Topics may include: skepticism, the nature of belief, the structure of justification, the relative contributions of reason and sense experience to knowledge, innate knowledge, the problem of induction, and the knowledge of other minds.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy and third-year standing in a philosophy program or permission of the department.
Metaphysics
Philosophical issues concerning the fundamental nature of being. Topics may include: time and temporality, space, substance, universals/particulars, identity, causation, freedom/determinism, the nature of norms.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 credit in philosophy and third-year standing in a philosophy program, or permission of the department.
Issues in the Philosophy of Science
Selected topic(s) in the philosophy of science or in the philosophy of a particular science (such as philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of physics, philosophy of biology, and philosophy of the social sciences).
Symbolic Logic
A review of the basic techniques of propositional and predicate logic. Natural deduction and consistency trees. Soundness and completeness. Alternative semantics. Extensions to basic logic: identity, modal logic with possible world semantics, three valued systems, deontic logic.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 2001 or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Contemporary Ethical Theory
Critical study of modern ethical theories, their views on the nature of morality and the justification of moral claims. Topics may include utilitarianism, libertarianism, communitarianism, egoism, neo-Kantianism, virtue ethics, social contract ethics, feminist ethics, and moral rights.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 2020 or PHIL 2101 or permission of the department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Topics in History of Social and Political Philosophy
A critical examination of selected topics and perspectives in the history of social and political philosophy.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Topics in Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy
A critical examination of some contemporary approaches to topics in social and political philosophy, such as liberalism, feminism, contractarianism, Marxism, libertarianism, and communitarianism.
Prerequisite(s): a course in philosophy or second-year standing.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy, Ethics, and Public Affairs
Advanced study of a set of public policy issues, a particular theory or group of theories, or a particular philosopher, concerning philosophical and ethical aspects of public affairs.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy, Economics, and Public Policy
The course explores issues at the intersection of philosophy and economics, with a special focus on socially and politically relevant issues. Topics may include: efficiency, cooperation, equity and distributive justice, commodification and the moral limits of markets.
Lectures three hours a week.
Environments, Technology and Values
Advanced treatment of ethical issues concerning technologies and environments, including: sustainable development, women and the environment, biological diversity, intrinsic or natural value or rights of non-humans, humans' relation to the rest of the natural world, obligations to future generations, liberty versus equality.
Prerequisite(s): PHIL 1804 or PHIL 2380 and third-year standing, or permission of the Department.
Lectures three hours a week.
Topics in Aesthetics
Topics may include theories of aesthetic norms and valuation from ancient Greece onward, or applications of aesthetic theory to various genres of art.
Prerequisite(s): At least 0.5 credit in philosophy, or HUMS 1000, or ARTH 2807, or permission of the Department.
Seminar two hours a week.
Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Philosophical issues arising from cognitive science. Topics may include: the proper methodology for studying the mind, the very possibility of a “science of mind”, the computer model of the mind and reactions to it.
Mind and Action
Philosophical thought concerning the relation between mentality and agency. Topics may include: the relation between belief, desire, and behaviour; rationality and normativity; representing and doing; subjectivity and intersubjectivity; physical and psychological laws; mental causation. Authors may include: Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Ryle, Sellars, Anscombe, Davidson, Taylor, McDowell.
Pragmatics
The study of language use in its conversational and cultural contexts. Topics include: conversational implicature; deixis; the semantics-pragmatics boundary; speaker's reference; speech acts. May include cross-cultural pragmatics.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 2800 [1.0], LALS 3504, MCOM 2800 [1.0], MCOM 3504 and PHIL 2800 [1.0].
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing, and one of FYSM 1206, LALS 1000, LALS 1001, LING 1001, PHIL 2001, PHIL/LALS/LING/COMM/MCOM 2504 or LALS/LING 3505/PHIL 3506; or permission of the Department of Philosophy or School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.
Lectures three hours a week.
Semantics
Study of language meaning. Lexical meaning and meanings of larger linguistic expressions, including nominal units, verbal units, and sentences. Meaning relationships between utterances. Relationship between linguistic meaning (semantics) and contextual meaning (pragmatics). Basic formal treatments of semantics.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 3505.
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing, and one of LALS 1000, LALS 1001, LING 1001, PHIL 2001, PHIL/LALS/LING/COMM/MCOM 2504 or PHIL/LALS/LING 3504; or permission of the Department of Philosophy or School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.
Lectures three hours a week.
Philosophy of Language
An intensive introduction to philosophy of language. Topics may include meaning, reference and truth, speech acts, the nature of concepts, language learning, metaphor, compositionality, context-sensitivity.
Lectures three hours a week.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a list of readings provided by the instructor.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a list of readings provided by the instructor.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a list of readings provided by the instructor.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a bibliography constructed by the student in consultation with the instructor.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a bibliography constructed by the student in consultation with the instructor.
Independent Study
Essays and/or examinations based on a bibliography constructed by the student in consultation with the instructor.
Seminar in philosophy Before the Modern Period
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in philosophy before the modern period.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5600, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in philosophy Before the Modern Period
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in philosophy before the modern period.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5600, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Modern Philosophy
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in modern philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5600, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Modern Philosophy
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in modern philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5600, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in contemporary philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5500, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy
Detailed study of selected philosophers or issues in contemporary philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5500, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Lexical Semantics
Study of the meaning of words. Topics may include lexical decomposition, meaning variation, lexical relations, and lexical aspect.
Precludes additional credit for LING 4055 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): LING 3505 or PHIL 3506.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as LING 5510 and PHIL 5660, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminars three hours a week.
Special Topic
Detailed study of a special topic in philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5000, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in philosophy of Language or Linguistics
Detailed study of selected issues or the work of selected philosophers in philosophy of language or on philosophical topics in linguistics.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5200, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in philosophy of Mind or Cognition
Detailed study of selected issues or the work of selected philosophers in philosophy of mind or philosophical aspects of cognition.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5200, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Metaphysics, Epistemology, or Philosophy of Science
Detailed study of selected issues or the work of selected philosophers in metaphysics, epistemology, or philosophy of science.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5250, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Ethical Theory or Meta-Ethics
Detailed study of selected issues pertaining to ethical theory or issues of meta-ethics such as realism, relativism, moral knowledge.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5300, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Ethics or Moral Philosophy
Detailed study of selected issues in ethics or moral philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5350, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Seminar in Social or Political Philosophy
Detailed study of selected issues in social or political philosophy.
Also offered at the graduate level, with different requirements, as PHIL 5350, for which additional credit is precluded.
Seminar three hours a week.
Special Topic in Applied Ethics
Detailed study of a special topic in applied ethics.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Applied Ethics
Detailed study of a special topic in applied ethics.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Aesthetics or Philosophy of Art
Detailed study of a special issue or a single author in aesthetics and/or philosophy of art.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Aesthetics or Philosophy of Art
Detailed study of a special issue or a single author in aesthetics and/or philosophy of art.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophy of Law
Detailed study of a special topic in philosophy of law.
Prerequisite(s): eligibility for fourth-year standing in a Law or Philosophy Honours program or permission of either Department.
Seminars three hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophy of Law
Detailed study of a special topic in philosophy of law.
Prerequisite(s): eligibility for fourth-year standing in a Law or Philosophy Honours program or permission of either Department.
Seminars three hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophy of Computing
Detailed study of a special topic in philosophy of computing.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophy of Computing
Detailed study of a special topic in philosophy of computing.
Seminar two hours a week.
Formal Semantics
Advanced topics in compositional semantics and its interfaces. Topics may include: logic, semantic types, lambda calculus, intentional contexts, possible world semantics, interfaces with syntax and pragmatics quantification, anaphora, presupposition, implicatures, scope and binding, and model theory.
Precludes additional credit for LALS 4507 (no longer offered).
Prerequisite(s): LALS 3505 or LING 3505 or PHIL 3506 or permission of the Department of Philosophy or School of Linguistics and Language Studies.
Seminars three hours a week.
Special Topic in Feminist Philosophy
Detailed study of a special topic in feminist philosophy.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Feminist Philosophy
Detailed study of a special topic in feminist philosophy.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Continental Philosophy
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Continental Philosophy
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Logic
Detailed study of a special topic in Logic.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Logic
Detailed study of a special topic in Logic.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophical Logic
Detailed study of a special topic in Philosophical Logic.
Seminar two hours a week.
Special Topic in Philosophical Logic
Detailed study of a special topic in Philosophical Logic.
Seminar two hours a week.
Tutorial
Tutorial
Tutorial
Tutorial
Tutorial
Tutorial
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
B.A. Regulations
The regulations presented below apply to all Bachelor of Arts programs. In addition to the requirements presented here, students must satisfy the University regulations common to all undergraduate students including the process of Academic Performance Evaluation (consult the Academic Regulations of the University section of this Calendar).
First-Year Seminars
B.A. degree students are strongly encouraged to include a First-Year Seminar (FYSM) during their first 4.0 credits of registration. Students are limited to 1.0 credit in FYSM and can only register in a FYSM while they have first-year standing in their B.A. program. Students who have completed the Enriched Support Program (ESP) or who are required to take a minimum of one English as a Second Language (ESLA) credit are not permitted to register in a FYSM.
Breadth Requirement
Among the credits presented at graduation, students in both the B.A. General and the B.A. Honours degrees and B.Co.M.S. are required to include 3.0 breadth credits, including 1.0 credit from each of three of the four Breadth Areas identified below. Credits that fulfil requirements in the Major, Minor, Concentration or Specialization may be used to fulfil the Breadth Requirement.
Students admitted with a completed university degree are exempt from breadth requirements.
Students in the following interdisciplinary programs are exempt from the B.A. breadth requirement.
- African Studies
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Environmental Studies
- Human Rights
- Human Rights and Social Justice
Breadth Area 1: Culture and Communication
American Sign Language, Art History, Art and Culture, Communication and Media Studies, Comparative Literary Studies, Digital Humanities, English, Film Studies, French, Journalism, Media Production and Design, Music, and Languages (Arabic, English as a Second Language, German, Greek, Hebrew, Indigenous Languages, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish)
Subject codes: ARAB, ARTH, ASLA, CHIN, CLST, COMS, DIGH, ENGL, ESLA, FILM, FINS, FREN, GERM, GREK, HEBR, ITAL, JAPA, JOUR, KORE, LANG, LATN, MPAD, MUSI, PORT, RUSS, SPAN
Breadth Area 2: Humanities
African Studies, Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, Canadian Studies, Child Studies, Classical Civilization, Directed Interdisciplinary Studies, Disability Studies, European and Russian Studies, History, Human Rights, Humanities, Indigenous Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Linguistics, Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Philosophy, Religion, Sexuality Studies, South Asian Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies.
Subject codes: AFRI, ALDS, CDNS, CHST, CLCV, DBST, DIST, EURR, HIST, HUMR, HUMS, INDG, LACS, LING, MEMS, PHIL, RELI, SAST, SXST, WGST
Breadth Area 3: Science, Engineering, and Design
Architecture, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science, Food Science and Nutrition, Health Sciences, Industrial Design, Information Resource Management, Information Technology (BIT), Information Technology (ITEC), Interactive Media and Design, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Network Technology, Photonics, Statistics, Physics, and Technology, Society, Environment.
Subject codes: AERO, ARCC, ARCH, ARCN, ARCS, ARCU, BIOC, BIOL, BIT, CHEM, CIVE, CMPS, COMP, ECOR, ELEC, ENSC, ENVE, ERTH, FOOD, HLTH, IDES, IMD, IRM, ISCI, ISCS, ISYS, ITEC, MAAE, MATH, MECH, NET, NEUR, NSCI, PHYS, PLT, SREE, STAT, SYSC, TSES
Breadth Area 4: Social Sciences
Anthropology, Business, Cognitive Science, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geomatics, Global and International Studies, Global Politics, Interdisciplinary Public Affairs, International Affairs, Law, Migration and Diaspora Studies, Political Management, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Public Affairs and Policy Management, Social Work, Sociology/Anthropology, Sociology
Subject codes: ANTH, BUSI, CGSC, CRCJ, ECON, ENST, GEOG, GEOM, GINS, GPOL, INAF, IPAF, LAWS, MGDS, PADM, PAPM, POLM, PSCI, PSYC, SOCI, SOWK
Declared and Undeclared Students
Degree students are considered "Undeclared" if they have been admitted to a degree but have not yet selected and been accepted into a program within that degree. The status "Undeclared" is available only in the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. See the Open Studies program section of this Calendar for recommended registration information. Normally, Undeclared students are required to be eligible to enter a program within their degree before reaching second year standing. Undeclared students should consult Academic Advising Centre for guidance in planning their studies prior to registration.
Change of Program Within the B.A. Degree
Students may transfer to a program within the B.A. degree, if upon entry to the new program they would be in Good Standing . Other applications for change of program will be considered on their merits; students may be admitted to the new program in Good Standing or on Academic Warning. Students may apply to declare or change their program within the B.A. Degree at the Registrar's Office according to the published deadlines. Acceptance into a program or into a program element or option is subject to any enrollment limitations, specific program, program element or option requirements, as published in the relevant Calendar entry.
Minors, Concentrations and Specializations
Students may apply to the Registrar's Office to be admitted to a minor, concentration or specialization during their first or subsequent years of study. Acceptance into a minor, concentration or specialization is subject to any specific requirements of the intended Minor, Concentration or Specialization as published in the relevant Calendar entry. Acceptance into a Concentration or Specialization requires that the student be in Good Standing.
Mention : Français
Students registered in certain B.A. programs may earn the notation Mention : Français by completing part of their requirements in French and by demonstrating a knowledge of the history and culture of French Canada. The general requirements are listed below. For more specific details consult the departmental program entries.
Students in a B.A. Honours program must present:
- 1.0 credit in French language;
- 1.0 credit devoted to the history and culture of French Canada;
- 1.0 credit at the 2000- or 3000-level and 1.0 credit at the 4000-level in the Honours discipline taken in French.
Students in a B.A. General program must present:
- 1.0 credit in advanced French;
- 1.0 credit devoted to the history and culture of French Canada;
- 1.0 credit at the 2000- or 3000-level in the Major discipline taken in French.
Students in Combined Honours programs must fulfil the Mention : Français requirement in both disciplines.
Courses taught in French (Item 3, above) may be taken at Carleton, at the University of Ottawa on the Exchange Agreement, or at a francophone university on a Letter of Permission. Students planning to take courses on exchange or on a Letter of Permission should take careful note of the residence requirement for a minimum number of Carleton courses in their programs. Consult the Academic Regulations of the University section of this Calendar for information regarding study on Exchange or Letter of Permission.
Admissions Information
Admission Requirements are for the 2019-20 year only, and are based on the Ontario High School System. Holding the minimum admission requirements only establishes eligibility for consideration. The cut-off averages for admission may be considerably higher than the minimum. See also the General Admission and Procedures section of this Calendar. An overall average of at least 70% is normally required to be considered for admission. Some programs may also require specific course prerequisites and prerequisite averages and/or supplementary admission portfolios. Higher averages are required for admission to programs for which the demand for places by qualified applicants exceeds the number of places available. The overall average required for admission is determined each year on a program by program basis. Consult admissions.carleton.ca for further details.
Note: Courses listed as recommended are not mandatory for admission. Students who do not follow the recommendations will not be disadvantaged in the admission process.
Admission Requirements
Degrees
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)(Honours)
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)(General)
First Year
For B.A. (General) and B.A. (Honours)
The Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent including a minimum of six 4U or M courses. The six 4U or M courses must include a 4U course in English (or anglais ). For applicants whose first language is not English, the requirement of English can also be met under the conditions outlined in the section “English Language Requirements” in the Admissions Requirements and Procedures section of this Calendar.
The cut-off average for admission will be set annually and will normally be above the minimum requirement. Applicants falling slightly below the cut-off average will be considered on an individual basis to determine whether there are special circumstances that would permit their admission. Students who feel that their high school grade average does not reflect their potential may apply to the Enriched Support Program (see the Enriched Support Program section of this Calendar).
Advanced Standing
B.A. (General and Honours) Program
Applications for admission to the second or subsequent years will be assessed on their merits. Advanced standing will be granted only for those courses that are determined to be appropriate.