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Philosophy

Associates of Arts - Oregon Transfer

Catalog 2008-09

MHCC Faculty Advisor:
Chris Jackson: 503-491-7284 - Room AC 2672 Chris.Jackson@mhcc.edu

Philosophers are interested in trying to provide plausible answers to life’s most profound questions. 1. What, ultimately, is going on? Is there a God who created us for some purpose? Must we grasp this purpose and take specific actions or be on the losing side of some great spiritual battle? Is God perhaps merely interested in watching the show? Is nature all there is and God a mere figment of our imaginations? 2. What kind of thing is a human being? Are we creatures of God possessing an immortal soul, or are we merely animals? Were we created by intelligent design, or are we the product solely of naturalistic evolutionary processes? Do we have sufficient freedom of the will to be truly deserving of praise and blame for what we do, or are we only complicated physical systems like computers and storms that are not responsible morally for what they do? 3. How should a human being live? Should I seek mainly my own happiness? How concerned with the welfare of others should I be? How should I treat others and expect others to treat me? It is true that philosophers rarely reach a consensus about which answer is indisputably the right one for any given philosophical question. But it is still the case that, like with wines, the connoisseur of ideas can at least identify the few best answers, and from these few he or she can sometimes reach personal closure - an intelligent and informed personal closure. So why let others answer these questions for you? Why settle for being a second-hand person? Isn’t it time to own your mind?

Curricular Outcomes

At the completion of this curriculum, the student should be able to:

• identify questions addressed in the three main areas in philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology (including logic) and ethics
• articulate some of the contributions of the major philosophers (e.g., Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Kant, Nietzsche, Mill, Rawls, et cetera)
• articulate some of the main problems and proposed solutions/criticisms in philosophy, along with the concepts instrumental to participating in the philosophical dialogue regarding these problems
• define the basic vocabulary of logic
• translate an argument from English into the terms of symbolic logic
• distinguish the main valid forms from invalid impostors
• construct proofs.

The two-year program listed below is designed to meet the requirements for an Associate of Arts - Oregon Transfer degree from MHCC and prepare a student for obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Southern Oregon University, University of Oregon or Western Oregon University. However, students from MHCC seeking a baccalaureate degree may also transfer to other institutions. These institutions may require different courses within the various areas of General Education requirements. Students interested in transferring to a four-year college or university after MHCC should consult with the institution they will be attending, the faculty advisers and/or the MHCC Academic Advising and Transfer Center.

1 Refer to Associate of Arts - Oregon Transfer degree requirements, pages 10-11 pages of the printed catalog.
2 First-year language electives may be satisfied with the following course sequences FR101-103, GER101-103, ITAL101-103, JPN101-103, SPAN101-103.
3 Suggested courses to fulfill humanities electives include PHL208, R210-212, SP112, SP114, ENG104 or FR201-203, GER201-023, JPN201-203, SPAN201-203. Note: Oregon transfer students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree must complete the second year of a language other than English (201-203 or equivalent) before graduation from their transfer school.
4 Suggested courses to fulfill social science distribution requirements include: ANTH103, PSY201-203, PS200, HST110, HST294.
5 Consult adviser for suggestions concerning course options.

Transfer Schools’ Web Links:
Eastern Oregon University - http://www.eou. edu/~jjohnson/ppehomejeff.htm
Oregon State University - http://oregonstate.edu/dept/philosophy/
Portland State University - http://www.philosophy.pdx.edu/
Southern Oregon University - http://www.sou.edu/philosophy
University of Oregon - http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uophil/
Western Oregon University - http://www.wou.edu/ las/humanities/philosophy/index.php

This information is meant to serve as a general guide for students intending to major in Philosophy. Specific requirements for transfer will vary from school to school. It is the student’s responsibility to contact his/her four-year transfer school to confirm specific admission requirements.