2005-06 Undergraduate Catalog
Majors
Philosophy, derived from the ancient Greek 'philia' (love) and 'sophia' (wisdom), is the study of the most fundamental questions that arise in reflecting on the nature of the world and the place of human beings in it. The value and importance of the study of philosophy lie in the habits of thought it inculcates, the breadth of vision it encourages, and the perspective it gives us on ourselves, our activities, and our lives among others. It can be the beginning of a process that can enrich one's life immensely.
Philosophy also is good training for professional studies in journalism, law, medicine, and business, as well as for graduate study in philosophy. As in the case of other liberal arts majors, it provides the kind of well-rounded education and general intellectual skills that are prized in management in both the private and the public sectors. The serious study of philosophy offers one of the best opportunities to enhance one's analytical, critical, and interpretive abilities, as well as one's ability to express oneself clearly and to formulate and respond to arguments in speech and writing.
The philosophy major requires a minimum of 33 hours of course work in philosophy. Of these,
Area requirements and the courses that meet them are given in the following table:
The rest of the required hours are electives. Students should discuss their interests and plans with an adviser in the department when choosing electives. More information is available in the department's handbook, at the department office and on web.phil.ufl.edu. Students must complete an exit questionnaire for the department the term they graduate.
* PHH 3100 and 3400; PHI 3650 (or 4662) and 3300
| Philosophy |
| College: Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Degree: Bachelor of Arts |
| Hours for Degree: 120 |
| Minor: Yes |
| Combined-Degree Program: No |
| Website: web.phil.ufl.edu |
Philosophy, derived from the ancient Greek 'philia' (love) and 'sophia' (wisdom), is the study of the most fundamental questions that arise in reflecting on the nature of the world and the place of human beings in it. The value and importance of the study of philosophy lie in the habits of thought it inculcates, the breadth of vision it encourages, and the perspective it gives us on ourselves, our activities, and our lives among others. It can be the beginning of a process that can enrich one's life immensely.
Philosophy also is good training for professional studies in journalism, law, medicine, and business, as well as for graduate study in philosophy. As in the case of other liberal arts majors, it provides the kind of well-rounded education and general intellectual skills that are prized in management in both the private and the public sectors. The serious study of philosophy offers one of the best opportunities to enhance one's analytical, critical, and interpretive abilities, as well as one's ability to express oneself clearly and to formulate and respond to arguments in speech and writing.
Courses
The philosophy major requires a minimum of 33 hours of course work in philosophy. Of these,
- 27 hours must be at the 3000 level or above, with at least three hours at the 4000 level, excluding PHI 4905 and PHI 4912.
- No more than 15 hours in transfer credit can count toward the degree, and no more than three hours of individual work (PHI 4905 or PHI 3905) can count toward the required minimum.
- A 3000-level philosophy course or department permission is required to enroll in a 4000-level philosophy course.
Area requirements and the courses that meet them are given in the following table:
| Area | Courses |
| Logic | PHI 3130 Symbolic Logic |
| Writing | PHI 3950 Philosophical Writing |
| History | PHH 3100 Ancient Greek Philosophy and PHH 3400 Modern Philosophy |
| Ethics | PHI 3650 Moral Philosophy or PHI 4662 Ethical Theory 1 |
| Epistemology | PHI 3300 Theory of Knowledge |
The rest of the required hours are electives. Students should discuss their interests and plans with an adviser in the department when choosing electives. More information is available in the department's handbook, at the department office and on web.phil.ufl.edu. Students must complete an exit questionnaire for the department the term they graduate.
To remain on track, students must meet the following critical-tracking criteria.
Semester 1:
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
Semester 2:
- Complete 1 philosophy course
Semester 3:
- Maintain course work from semester 2
Semester 4:
- Complete 1 additional philosophy course with a 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking course work
Semester 5:
- Complete 1 additional philosophy course (1 of the 3 courses must be at the 3000 level) with a 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking course work
Suggested semester-by-semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| A 2000-level philosophy course (GE–H) | 3 |
| Composition (GE) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 4-5 |
| Electives | 4-3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| PHI 3130 Symbolic Logic (GE–M) or PHI 3950 Philosophical Writing (GE–C or H) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 3-5 |
| Physical Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Electives | 6-4 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| PHI 3130 Symbolic Logic (GE–M) or PHI 3950 Philosophical Writing (GE–C or H) | 3 |
| Biological Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Mathematics (GE) | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Elective (or foreign language, if 4-3-3 option) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| Required 3000-level philosophy course (GE–H) * | 3 |
| Biological Sciences | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Physical Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| Required 3000-level philosophy courses * | 6 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE) | 3 |
| Science laboratory (GE–P or B) | 1 |
| Electives | 4–6 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| Required 3000-level philosophy course (GE–H)* | 3 |
| Philosophy elective (3000 level or above) | 3 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| Philosophy course 4000 level or above (excluding PHI 4905) | 3 |
| Philosophy course (3000 level or above) | 3 |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 9 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| Philosophy courses (3000 level or above) | 6 |
| Electives (3000 level or above, not in major) | 9 |
| Total | 15 |
* PHH 3100 and 3400; PHI 3650 (or 4662) and 3300