Course Catalog and Class Schedule

For registration information for upcoming terms, please see the UHM Class Availability List and click on “Philosophy”.

Below is a list of courses potentially offered by the Department of Philosophy. Most undergraduate courses are taught at least once every two years. Most graduate courses are taught at least once every five years.

Note: Credit hours are listed in parentheses.


  • PHIL 100 Introduction to Philosophy: Survey of Problems (3)
    Introduction to the kinds of problems that concern philosophers and to some of the solutions that have been attempted. DH
  • PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy: Morals and Society (3)
    Philosophical attempts to evaluate conduct, character, and social practices. DH
  • PHIL 102 Asian Traditions (3)
    Universal themes and problems from Asian perspective. DH
  • PHIL 103 Introduction to Philosophy: Environmental Philosophy (3)
    A critical examination of environmental issues; analyzing the nature of the human being, the nature of nature, and the relationship of the human being to nature. DH
  • PHIL 104 Philosophy Through Computer Science (3)
    Introduction to classic philosophical issues (e.g., external world skepticism and free will) through computational concepts grounded in an introduction to computer science using Python. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 110 Introduction to Deductive Logic (3)
    Principles of modern deductive logic.
  • PHIL 111 Introduction to Inductive Logic (3)
    Introduction to the theory of arguments based on probabilities and to the theory of decision-making in the context of uncertainty. A-F only. FQ
  • PHIL 112 Introduction to Critical Thinking (3) (LED)
    Introduction to critical thinking and its application in everyday life. The materials progress from logic and the structure of argument to fallacies and the nature of science. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 121 How To Be Happy (3)
    Everyone wants to be happy. What is happiness? How do we become happy? Students examine and practice proposals from ancient philosophy and tragedy and recent psychology about the ingredients, methods, and difficulties of living well. DH
  • PHIL 130 Introduction to World Philosophy I (3)
    Introduction to philosophy as it has manifested itself differently across cultures throughout the world. Focus on the development of philosophical thought from its beginnings up until 1500 CE.A-F only. (Fall only) FGA
  • PHIL 131 Introduction to World Philosophy II (3)
    Philosophy attempts to understand the human being and the societies they form. Introduces students to the notion of world philosophy, focusing upon thinkers who have helped to shape our present. A-F only. (Spring only) FGB
  • PHIL 211 Ancient Philosophy (3)
    An introduction to the history of philosophy based on translations of texts originally written in classical Greek or Latin. DH
  • PHIL 212 Medieval to Enlightenment Philosophy (3)
    Introduction to the history of philosophy based on translations of texts originally written in post-classical Latin or Arabic. DH
  • PHIL 213 Modern Philosophy (3)
    Introduction to the history of philosophy based on texts or translations of “modern” works, that is works originally written in a modern European language. DH
  • PHIL 218 Women Philosophers (3)
    Introduces students to the ideas of women philosophers. Repeatable one time. A-F only. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or WGSS, or consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as WGSS 219) DH
  • PHIL 222 Existentialism: Freedom, Being, Death (3)
    Introduction to the major thinkers and the fundamental concepts and debates of Existentialism, taking Existentialism as a global movement expressed not just in philosophical texts, but also in literature and film. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 242 Philosophy and Science Fiction (3)
    Will use important works of science fiction and philosophy to explore philosophical questions, such as the nature of personal identity and the meaning of human life. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 270 Love and Sex (3)
    Survey of classical and contemporary perspectives of the philosophy of love, marriage, relationships, sex, sexual identity, representations of sex and sexuality. Pre: one PHIL 100-level course or consent of instructor. DH
  • PHIL 300 Business Ethics (3)
    Case studies and critical analyses of ethical issues in business. Readings from business, philosophy, law, etc. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or BUS or BLAW, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 301 Ethical Theory (3)
    Problems and methods in theory of moral conduct and decision. Pre: any course 101 or above in PHIL or above 100 in POLS or SOC; or consent. DH
  • PHIL 302 Political Philosophy (3)
    Problems and methods in philosophical theories of political legitimacy. Pre: any course 101 or above in PHIL or above 100 in POLS or SOC, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 303 Social Philosophy (3)
    Problems and methods in examination of contemporary life, values, and institutions in light of traditional philosophical problems of freedom, justice, authority, equality. Pre: any course 101 or above in PHIL or above 100 in POLS or SOC, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 304 Metaphysics (3)
    Problems arising from attempts to categorize rationally what is, and what appears to be. Among others, topics may include universals and particulars, personal identity, freedom and determinism, and time. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 305 Philosophy of Religion (3)
    Problems and methods. Nature of religious experience, alternatives to theism, existence of god, relation between faith and reason, nature of religious language. DH
  • PHIL 306 Philosophy of Art (3)
    Problems and methods in aesthetic valuation and in appreciation, creation, and criticism of artworks. DH
  • PHIL 307 Theory of Knowledge (3)
    Problems and methods in epistemology. Nature of knowledge, its varieties, possibilities, and limitations. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL, or 200 or above with either DB or DP or DS designation; or consent. DH
  • PHIL 308 Philosophy of Science (3)
    Problems and methods. Domains of inquiry, methods of validation, and attendant moral concerns. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL, or 200 or above with either DB or DP designation; or consent. DH
  • PHIL 309 Philosophy of Education (3)
    Uses tools of philosophical inquiry to explore historical and contemporary perspectives on the nature of education, including concepts of knowledge, teaching, learning, and human flourishing. Repeatable one time. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 310 Ethics in Health Care (3)
    Ethical issues in application and organization of biomedical resources; professional responsibility, confidentiality, euthanasia, experimentation on human subjects, etc. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or MED or NURS or with a DB designation; or consent. DH
  • PHIL 311 Philosophy and Aesthetics of Film (3)
    Aesthetics and ontology of film and video, based on readings in the philosophy of film and the viewing of a number of films per semester.
  • PHIL 312 Ethics in Practice (3)
    Team-taught exploration of five contemporary ethical issues using a variety of philosophical approaches and methods. Pre: any 101 course or above in PHIL or above 100 in POLS or SOC; or consent. (Once a year)
  • PHIL 313 Philosophy and Evolution (3)
    Explores the ethical and epistemological implications of the theory of evolution. (Alt. years)
  • PHIL 314 Critical Thinking: Pre-Medicine (3)
    Scientific and social perspectives on the nature of disease and their impact on medical practice. Exploration of these topics through reading, writing and critical inquiry. Pre: any course in PHIL, 100 or above; or any two BIOL, CHEM or PHYS courses; or consent.
  • PHIL 315 The Role of Models in Global Environmental Science (3)
    Introduction to philosophy of science for those with some background in the natural sciences. Special emphasis on issues arising from the construction and use of models. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL or any course 200 or above with either DB or DP designation, or consent. (Alt. years: spring)  (Cross-listed as OCN 315)
  • PHIL 316 Science, Technology, and Society (3)
    Investigation of some of the complex interconnections between science, technology, and society. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or in a course with either DB or DP or DS designation, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 317 Critical Thinking: Pre-Law (3)
    Introduction to concepts and techniques for evaluating arguments with special emphasis on their application both to questions of law and to issues in jurisprudence. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or POLS or SOC, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 318 Philosophy of Law (3)
    Historical and contemporary issues in law and legal theory. Law and morality; legal responsibility, justice, rights, punishment, judicial reasoning. Pre: any course 101 or above in PHIL or above 100 in BLAW or POLS or SOC, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 319 Ethical Issues in the Law (3)
    Exploration of ethical issues that have come before (mainly U.S.) courts, including but not confined to, medical and criminal justice ethics. Repeatable one time. A-F only.  Pre: 101 or a course numbered 200 or above in PHIL or HIST or ENG or with a DS designation; or consent.
  • PHIL 320 American Philosophy (3)
    Survey of major philosophers and schools in development of American thought up to modern times. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 321 Bodies, Minds, and Selves (3)
    Explores the nature of the mind. Questions addressed include: How does the mind relate to the body? What is the nature of consciousness? Are you the same person today as you were yesterday? Pre: any 100-level PHIL course or above, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 322 Critical Race Theory and Philosophy (3)
    (LED) Introduction to the work of philosophers whose writings aim to contribute to movements for racial justice. Repeatable one time. Sophomore standing or higher. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 324 Philosophy of Disability (3)
    Uses tools of philosophical inquiry to explore concepts of person, ability, and relationships emerging from the study of narratives by and about people with disabilities. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 330 Islamic Philosophy (3)
    Survey of major Islamic philosophers and schools. Pre: any course 100 or above in PHIL or ARAB, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 332 Topics in Ancient Greek Thought (3)
    Explore a central aspect of ancient Greek philosophy and literature. This may be a theme, such as tragedy or emotions; a thinker, such as Aristotle; or a since  monumental text, such as Plato’s Republic. Pre: one PHIL 200-level course, or consent. (Cross-listed as CLAS 332) DH
  • PHIL 340 Hawaiian Philosophy: Aloha ‘āina (3)
    Introduction to Indigenous Hawaiian philosophy and how to engage with Aloha ‘āina relying upon a methodology and pedagogy consistent with the philosophy being discussed. Pre: 100 or above, HAW 100, HWST 107, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 350 Indian Philosophy (3)
    Survey of major orthodox and heterodox systems: Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavadgita, Vedanta, Jainism, Buddhism. DH
  • PHIL 360 Buddhist Philosophy (3)
    Survey of central thinkers and schools. (Cross-listed as ASAN 360) DH
  • PHIL 370 Chinese Philosophy (3)
    Survey of important schools and thinkers in classical Chinese traditions: Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism. DH
  • PHIL 380 Japanese Philosophy (3)
    Survey of central thinkers and schools from ancient to modern. Pre: 21 credits. DH
  • PHIL 387 The Meaning of War (3)
    Exploration of ethical questions related to the many facets of war–e.g., patriotism, tribalism, holy war, self-sacrifice, cowardice, media coverage, propaganda, torture, genocide, pillage, suicide tactics, battlefield immunity. (Cross-listed as PACE 387) DH
  • PHIL 399 Directed Research (V)
    Repeatable up to a maximum of 6 credits. Pre: consent.
  • PHIL 402 Introduction to Phenomenology (3)
    Methods of analyzing the structures of experience, as developed by Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, etc. DH
  • PHIL 405 Marxism and Critical Theory (3)
    Introduction to the philosophical works of Karl Marx and a historical overview of the development of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory. Sophomore standing or higher. A-F only. DH
  • PHIL 406 Introduction to Zen (Ch’an) Buddhist Philosophy (3)
    Development and philosophical significance of basic precepts, explored through translations of Chinese and Japanese sources. DH
  • PHIL 414 (Alpha) Western Movements and Periods (3)
    (B) Greek; (C) late antiquity; (D) medieval; (E) Renaissance; (F) continental rationalism; (G) British empiricism; (H) German idealism; (I) 19th century; (J) 20th century. Repeatable two times in different alphas, not in same alpha. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 417 Philosophy in Literature (3)
    Philosophical themes in the literary mode in world literature. DL
  • PHIL 418 Feminist Issues in Philosophy (3)
    Examination of basic feminist issues in philosophy, and of responses to them. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL or WGSS, or consent. (Cross-listed as WGSS 419) DH
  • PHIL 422 Philosophical Psychology (3)
    Classical and modern theories of mind, cognition, and action. DH
  • PHIL 436 Philosophy of Language (3)
    Contemporary theories in semantics and syntax; problems of meaning, reference, speech acts, etc. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL or LING, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 438 Gender and Environmental Philosophy (3)
    Interdisciplinary approach to women’s perspectives and roles on ecological and environmental issues; critical analysis of eco-feminism as a social and political movement; cross-cultural comparison of women’s roles in human ecology. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL or WGSS or any course 200 or above with a DB or DP designation, or consent. (Cross-listed as WGSS 438) DH
  • PHIL 445 Symbolic Logic (3)
    Intermediate-level course covering proof techniques for classical, first-order predicate calculus, and an introduction to meta-theory. Pre: 110 or any course 200 or above in ICS or MATH; or consent. DH
  • PHIL 448 Individual Philosophers/Topics (3)
    Examination of work of a major Eastern or Western philosopher, or topic of philosophical concern. Repeatable three times. Pre: 100, 101, 102, 103, 211, 212, 213, or consent.
  • PHIL 449 Undergraduate Capstone (3)
    Capstone seminar for undergraduate majors. Concentration on a topic of current philosophical concern. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: declared major in PHIL with at least six courses 200 or above in PHIL, or consent. DH
  • PHIL 473 Understanding Place: Philosophical Inquiry and Community (3)
    Uses tools of philosophical inquiry, specifically p4cHI pedagogy, to develop a deep understanding of lived environment in a Hawaiian context while drawing on urban planning theories and methods to empower students as agents of change. Repeatable one time. Pre: any course 100 or  above in PHIL or PLAN, or consent. (Fall only) DH
  • PHIL 492 Philosophy with Children (3)
    Experience theory and practice developing intellectually safe philosophical communities of inquiry in contexts from kindergarten through university and beyond. Pre: any course 200 or above in PHIL or EDUC, or consent.
  • PHIL 493 Teaching Philosophy (3)
    Supervised work in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, facilitating philosophical inquiry with students. Repeatable one time. Pre: 492 or consent.
  • PHIL 611 Studies in Ethics (3)
    Key issues in contemporary philosophical debates about ethics. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 301.
  • PHIL 614 Studies in Metaphysics (3)
    Key issues in ontological and cosmological theory. Problems of materialism, idealism, phenomenalism, etc. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 304.
  • PHIL 615 Studies in Philosophy of Religion (3)
    Key issues in theory of religious experience, language, reasoning. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 305.
  • PHIL 616 Studies in Aesthetics (3)
    Key issues in contemporary aesthetics, against background of traditional Western and Eastern theories. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 306.
  • PHIL 617 Studies in Epistemology (3)
    Key issues in contemporary philosophical debates about knowledge. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 307.
  • PHIL 618 Philosophical Foundations of Cultural Criticism (3)
    A survey of the philosophical texts, thinkers, concepts, and theoretical approaches that are used in cultural criticism. A-F only. (Fall only)
  • PHIL 622 Studies in Hermeneutics (3)
    Important debates concerning the methodology of textual interpretation. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 630 History and Theory of Science (3)
    Exploration of problems at the intersection of historical studies of science as a process and philosophical analysis of basic concepts of the sciences. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 308 or 316.
  • PHIL 670 Confucianism (3)
    Ethical, social, institutional problems in classical theory. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 370.
  • PHIL 671 Neo-Confucianism (3)
    Logic, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics of major Chinese Neo-Confucian philosophers, 11th–16th century. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 370.
  • PHIL 672 Daoism (3)
    Critical examination and evaluation of major philosophical ideas in Lao Zi, Zhuang Zi, and the Neo-Daoists. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 370.
  • PHIL 699 Directed Research (V)
    Repeatable up to 30 credits. Pre: graduate standing and consent.
  • PHIL 700 Thesis Research (V)
    Repeatable up to six credits. Pre: master’s Plan A candidate and consent.
  • PHIL 720 Seminar on Individual Philosophers (3)
    The most significant texts of an important philosopher. Repeatable three times in the MA program; an additional four times in the PhD program. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 725 Seminar in Philosophical Topics (3)
    Close study of a topic of important philosophical controversy. Repeatable two times in the MA program; an additional three times in the PhD program. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 730 Seminar in Islamic Philosophy (3)
    Major philosophical problems in Islamic thought. Focus either on a specific topic or one author. Repeatable one time. Pre: graduate standing or consent. (Once a year)
  • PHIL 735 Seminar on Philosophical Periods (3)
    Close study of a period of significant and connected philosophical activity within a philosophic tradition. Repeatable two times with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 740 Seminar in Philosophical Texts (3)
    Reading, analysis, and critical discussion of one (or of several closely related) philosophical text in its original language (sometimes in conjunction with established translation). Repeatable two times with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 750 Seminar in Indian Philosophy (3)
    Major philosophical problems in the development of Indian thought during its formative period. Repeatable two times with consent of instructor and Graduate Chair. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 350.
  • PHIL 760 Seminar in Buddhist Philosophy (3)
    Major philosophical problems in the development of Buddhist thought during its formative period. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 360.
  • PHIL 770 Seminar in Chinese Philosophy (3)
    Fundamental issues, problems, movements, and schools of Chinese philosophy, such as classical Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Chinese logic, and Neo-Confucianism. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 370.
  • PHIL 771 Seminar in Yi Jing (3)
    Metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and axiological views of Yi Jing and its claim as foundational work for classical Confucianism, Daoism, and Neo-Confucianism. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 780 Seminar in Japanese Philosophy (3)
    Various periods, movements, and thinkers in Japanese philosophy. Topic changes each semester. Consult department for more information. Repeatable one time with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent. Recommended: 380.
  • PHIL 790 Seminar in Comparative Philosophy (3)
    Comparison of widely differing philosophical traditions. Specific topic changes each semester. Consult department for more information. Repeatable two times with consent. Pre: graduate standing or consent.
  • PHIL 800 Dissertation Research (V)
    Repeatable unlimited times.