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The Greek words from which "Philosophy" is formed mean "love of wisdom" and
all great philosophers have been moved by an
intense devotion to the search for wisdom. Philosophy takes no belief for granted,
but examines the grounds for those beliefs
which make up people's fundamental views of the world. Philosophers think
about these beliefs as thoroughly and
systematically as possible, using methods of conceptual analysis, reasoning,
and detailed description.
What distinguishes Philosophy from the physical and social sciences is
its concern not only with the truths which are
discovered by means of specialized methods of investigation, but with the
implications that such discoveries have for human
beings in their relations with one another and the world. Moreover, Philosophy
has an abiding interest in those basic
assumptions about the nature of the physical and social world, and about
the nature of enquiry itself, which underlie our
scientific and practical endeavours.
The Philosophy Department at the University of Toronto offers courses in
the main periods and areas of Philosophy, which are
listed here with a typical question or the name of one or two central figures:
Ancient Philosophy (Plato, Aristotle); Mediaeval
Philosophy (Augustine, Aquinas); Early Modern Philosophy (Descartes, Hume,
Kant); Nineteenth-Century Philosophy and
Marxism (Hegel, Mill, Marx); Existentialism and Phenomenology (Husserl, Heidegger,
Sartre); Analytic Philosophy (Quine,
Russell, Wittgenstein); Epistemology and Metaphysics (What can be known?
What is the ultimate nature of reality?);
Philosophy of Religion (Does God exist? How could one prove it?); Philosophy
of Mind (What is mind? Is there free will?);
Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics (What is sound reasoning? Do numbers
exist?); Philosophy of Language (What is the
meaning of "meaning"?); Philosophy of Natural Science (What is scientific
method?); Philosophy of Social Science and History
(Can there be a science of humans?); Social and Political Philosophy (What
justifies the state?); Moral Philosophy (How should
we argue rationally about right and wrong?); Aesthetics (What is art? Must
it be beautiful?). In addition, the Department offers
Seminars (numbered PHL400H1-489H1) and
Individual Studies courses (numbered PHL490Y1, PHL495H1-499H1).
Counselling is available in the main departmental office, 215 Huron St.,
9th floor. In addition, the Department publishes an
annual Bulletin. It contains full and up-to-date information on programs
and courses, including names of instructors and
descriptions of particular course sections. The Bulletin is published in
the spring (for the succeeding year) and is available on
the Department's website and at 215 Huron Street, and from all College
registrars.
Undergraduate Coordinator:
Professor D.L. Black, 215 Huron Street, Room 902 (416-978-3314), undergrad.phil@utoronto.ca
Undergraduate Counsellor:
Ms. Alisa Rim, 215 Huron Street, Room 903 (416-978-3314), alisa.rim@utoronto.ca
Website:
http://philosophy.utoronto.ca
Philosophy Programs
Enrolment in Philosophy programs is open to students who have completed four courses; no minimum GPA required.
Bioethics: see end of Philosophy program listing
Philosophy (Arts program)
Specialist program:
(9 full courses or their equivalent)
At least 4.5 full 300+ series PHL courses, including one full 400-series
PHL course. No more than one individual studies course
can be counted towards any philosophy program. Normally, no more than
one-half individual studies course can be counted
towards the 400-level course requirement for the Specialist program.
While students are encouraged to follow their personal interests and
aims, it is strongly recommended that programs include
courses in the following areas:
1.0 Introductory
2.0 History of Philosophy
0.5 Logic
1.0 Epistemology/Metaphysics/Philosophy of Mind/
Philosophy of Language/Philosophy of Science
1.0 Ethics/Social and Political
Major program:
(6 full courses or their equivalent)
The 6 courses must include at least 3 full 300+ series PHL courses.
It is strongly recommended that Programs include courses in the following
areas:
1.0 Introductory
2.0 History of Philosophy
0.5 Logic
1.0 Epistemology/Metaphysics/Philosophy of Mind/
Philosophy of Language/Philosophy of Science
0.5 Ethics/Social and Political
Minor program:
(4 full courses or their equivalent)
Four courses in PHL to include one full course at the 300+ level.
It is strongly recommended that Programs include courses in the following
areas:
1.0 History of Philosophy
1.0 Problems of Philosophy
Philosophy and Economics: see Economics
Philosophy and English: see English
Philosophy and Linguistics: see Linguistics
Philosophy and Literary Studies: see Literary Studies
Philosophy and Mathematics: see Mathematics
Philosophy and Physics: see Physics
Philosophy and Political Science (Arts program)
Limited Enrolment program:
see details under Political Science, page 338.
Specialist program:
(14 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one full 400-series
course: 7 in each subject)
Philosophy (7 courses):
The courses to include at least two full 300+ series PHL courses; it
is strongly recommended that five be chosen according to
the profile specified in the Philosophy Specialist Program above.
Political Science (7 courses):
The courses to include at least one full 300+ series course and one
400-series course.
NOTE: At least one course in Canadian politics must be completed.
The Canadian politics requirement will be satisfied by only
POL 102Y1/POL103Y1/POL214Y1
First Year:
POL 102Y1/POL103Y1/POL105Y1/POL108Y1
Higher Years:
1. POL200Y1
2. Two full courses from the following: POL201Y1, POL203Y1/ 204Y1/POL207Y1, POL208Y1, POL214Y1, POL215Y1
3. Three additional POL courses
Philosophy and Religion (Arts program)
Specialist program:
(14 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one 400-series
course: 7 in each subject)
Philosophy (7 courses):
Including at least two full 300+ series PHL courses, with five chosen
according to the following profile:
2.0 History of Philosophy
0.5 Logic
1.0 Epistemology/Metaphysics/Philosophy of Mind/
Philosophy of Language/Philosophy of Science
0.5 Ethics/Social and Political
1.0 Philosophy of Religion
Religion (7 courses):
Including at least two full 300+ series RLG courses, with five chosen
according to the following profile:
1.0 RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1
1.0 in a specific religious tradition
1.0 employing historical method
1.0 employing philosophical method
1.0 employing social-scientific method
Philosophy and Sociology (Arts program)
Specialist program:
(15 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one 400-series
course: 7 in Philosophy and 8 in Sociology)
Philosophy (7 courses):
It is strongly recommended that five courses be chosen according to the
profile specified in the Philosophy Specialist program
above; at least two must be 300+ series courses.
Sociology (8 courses):
NOTE: Enrolment in this Program is limited to students with 65% in SOC101Y1,
and 70% in each of SOC200Y1 and SOC203Y1.
Students need to have completed 8 full courses and be enrolled
in the Sociology Major program.
First Year:
SOC101Y1
Higher Years:
1. SOC200Y1, SOC203Y1, SOC300Y1, SOC387Y1, SOC389Y1, SOC401Y1
2. An additional 1.0 courses in a 200+ level SOC course related to Philosophy
Bioethics (Arts program)
Specialist program:
(9 full courses or their equivalent, at least four of which must be 300+
series PHL courses, including one full 400-series PHL
course)
First Year:
Recommended: PHL100Y1
Higher Years:
1. PHL281Y1
2. Three of PHL380H1, PHL381H1, PHL382H1, PHL383H1, PHL384H1, PHL413H1
3. PHL275H1, PHL375H1
4. PHL265H1/PHL271H1/PHL365H1/PHL370H1
5. One full course from PHL232H1, PHL240H1, PHL246H1, PHL331H1, PHL332H1, PHL340H1, PHL341H1, PHL355H1, PHL357H1, HPS250H1.
6. Either three additional full courses in Philosophy; or two full courses in Philosophy plus one full course from the
interdisciplinary list below. At least one course in the history of philosophy is recommended. Students are strongly
encouraged to select the interdisciplinary option whenever possible.
BIO150Y1 is strongly recommended
Major program:
(6 full courses or their equivalent, at
least two of which must be 300+ series PHL full courses)
First Year:
Recommended: PHL100Y1
Higher Years:
1. PHL275H1, PHL281Y1
2. Two of PHL380H1, PHL381H1, PHL382H1, PHL383H1, PHL384H1, PHL413H1
3. PHL265H1/PHL271H1/PHL365H1/PHL370H1/PHL375H1.
4. Two of PHL232H1, PHL240H1, PHL246H1, PHL340H1, PHL341H1, PHL355H1, PHL357H1, HPS250H1.
5. Either one other full course in philosophy, or one half-course in Philosophy and one half-course from the interdisciplinary
list below. Students are strongly encouraged to select the interdisciplinary option whenever possible.
Interdisciplinary list of Bioethics-related courses outside of PHL for Specialists
and Majors:
NOTE: Many of these courses have prerequisites; students who wish
to use these courses for their Bioethics programs must
fulfill all those prerequisites as required by the departments concerned: ANT348Y1, ECO369Y1, GGR450H1, GGR451H1,
HIS423H1, HIS 459H1, HIS463H1, HIS489H1, HPS318H1, HPS319H1, HPS323H1, INI341H1, HMB201H1, JFP450H1,
HMB201H1, HMB202H1, NEW261Y1, NEW366H1, NEW367H1, POL350H1, SMC370H1,
SOC 242Y1, SOC309Y1, SOC
SOC327Y1, SOC 351Y1, SOC363H1
Minor program:
(4 full courses or their equivalent)
First Year:
Recommended: PHL100Y1.
Higher Years:
1. PHL281Y1
2. One of PHL380H1, PHL381H1, PHL382H1, PHL383H1, PHL384H1.
3. 1.5 other courses in Philosophy. It is strongly recommended that one of these courses be in ethics or political philosophy,
i.e., PHL265H1/PHL271H1/PHL365H1/PHL370H1/PHL375H1.
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