Philosophy
Division: Social Sciences
Philosophy examines the big questions of life. Do we have free will? Does God exist? What makes something right or wrong? How could we ever know the truth about these questions? And what is truth anyway? Students will learn to use logic and critical thinking to identify assumptions, evaluate arguments, write clearly, and ask better questions.
The most common career opportunities with a baccalaureate degree include any position that requires analytic and abstract thinking such as law, education, journalism, civil service, public relations, non-profit work, ministry, business management and the arts.
Transfer requirements in Philosophy are available in the Counseling Department. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor for specific transfer requirements.
Contact Information
Philosophy Faculty Contact
Timothy Houk, Ph.D. | timothyho@cos.edu
Timothy Linehan, Ph.D. | timothyl@cos.edu
Social Sciences Division Chair
Marla Prochnow | (559) 730-3723 | marlap@cos.edu
Kern: 730D | Visalia Campus
Dean of Business, Social Science, and Consumer Family Studies
Jesse Wilcoxson, Ed.D. | (559) 737-6281 | jessew@cos.edu
Kern: 716 | Visalia Campus
For a complete list of courses and descriptions visit: COURSES
PHIL 001 Introductory Philosophy
3 unit(s)
Hours: 3 Lecture/Discussion
Students study the methods and ideas of philosophy. Students write argumentative papers on topics such as the scope and limits of knowledge, the nature of reality, the nature of self, ethics, science, religion, or political theory. (C-ID PHIL100)
PHIL 005 Introduction to Ethics
3 unit(s)
Hours: 3 Lecture/Discussion
This course is an introduction to moral philosophy, exploring questions such as "What is a good life?", "What makes an action right or wrong?", and "Where does morality come from?" Students will analyze ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics and apply these theories to moral problems such as abortion, animal rights, and euthanasia.
Advisory on Recommended Preparation: ENGL 001 or equivalent college course with a minimum grade of C. (C-ID PHIL120)
PHIL 012 Comparative Religion
3 unit(s)
Hours: 3 Lecture/Discussion
Comparative Religion is an introduction to the world’s major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students read sacred texts and modern writings to explore both similarities and differences in each religion’s practices, central themes, and perspectives on such issues as morality, life after death, and the social roles of men and women.
Advisory on Recommended Preparation: ENG 001 or equivalent college course with a minimum grade of C.
PHIL 020 Introductory Logic
3 unit(s)
Hours: 3 Lecture/Discussion
This course gives students the opportunity to slow down and develop habits of disciplined, structured thinking, rather than settling for the spontaneous and haphazard association of ideas. It encourages precise thinking: students will translate ordinary language into symbols to use formal methods of sentence and predicate logic—including proofs — to identify valid arguments.
Advisory on Recommended Preparation: MATH 230 or equivalent college course with a minimum grade of C. (C-ID PHIL210)
PHIL 025 Critical Thinking
3 unit(s)
Hours: 3 Lecture/Discussion
This course gives students the opportunity to learn how to make strong arguments for their views and learn to think about the arguments about major public issues. Students will identify arguments, define terms, find errors in thinking patterns, and develop strong deductive and inductive arguments. Students are required to write a minimum of 6,000 words.
Prerequisites: ENGL 001 or equivalent college course with a minimum grade of C.
Philosophy
Houk, Timothy, Ph.D.
A.A., Sierra College
B.A., California State University, Sacramento
M.A., Biola University
Ph.D., University of California, Davis
Linehan, Timothy, Ph.D.
B.A., Taylor University, Indiana
M.A., Texas Tech University, Texas
M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara