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Overview

Learning MethodsMajor FocusThe AC DifferenceCareer Outlook

Learning Methods

Students learn through multi-media, practical exercises and lectures, developing their critical thinking skills through in-class debates, small discussions and philosophical essays.

Major Focus

Philosophy at AC focuses on helping you learn how to think and communicate in a serious in disciplined way about things that matter, regardless of your ultimate career and life path.

The AC Difference

We foster a respectful, open environment where students can explore, contemplate and debate the “big questions” of life as they develop their academic and critical thinking skills.

Career Outlook

Philosophy grads’ ability to analyze, evaluate, construct, and articulate reasoning opens careers ranging from law to teaching, to business, to non-profit organizations and government.

Course Descriptions

Select a course below to see full descriptions. (#) Indicates amount of credits per course

PHIL 100 Knowledge and Reality (3)

An introduction to some of the central problems of philosophy, specifically in the study of metaphysics (the nature of reality) and epistemology (the nature of knowledge and justification). These fields are approached by addressing particular issues, such as skepticism, personal identity, the nature of the mind and its relation to the body, and free will and determinism.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099

Transfers to:

UBC PHIL 101 (3); ALEX PHIL 100 (3) & ALEX PHIL 110 (3) = UBC PHIL 100 (6)
SFU PHIL 100 (3), B-Hum
UVIC PHIL 1XX (1.5); ALEX PHIL 100 (3) & ALEX PHIL 110 (3) = UVIC PHIL 100 (3)
UNBC PHIL 1XX (3)
TRU PHIL 1100 (3)

PHIL 110 Introduction to Moral Philosophy (3)

An introduction to the central problems of ethics such as the nature of right and wrong, the objectivity or subjectivity of moral judgments, the relativity or absolutism of values, the nature of human freedom and responsibility. The course also considers general moral views such as utilitarianism, theories or rights and specific obligations, and the ethics of virtue. These theories are applied to particular moral problems such as abortion, punishment, distributive justice, freedom of speech, and racial and sexual equality.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099

Transfers to:

UBC PHIL 102 (3); ALEX PHIL 100 (3) & ALEX PHIL 110 (3) = UBC PHIL 100 (6)
SFU PHIL 120 (3)
UVIC ALEX PHIL 100 (3) & ALEX PHIL 110 (3) = UVIC PHIL 100 (3)
UNBC PHIL 1XX (3)
TRU PHIL 1XXX (3); TRU PHIL 1021 (3) OL

PHIL 120 Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking (3)

This course is a survey of skills for good reasoning, including argument analysis, basic logic and probability, and scientific methodology. It covers a wide range of real and imaginary examples from everyday life and from science. The overall purpose of the course is to equip students to think critically about evidence. Evidence given in support of a conclusion is an argument, so the course focuses on the reconstruction and evaluation of different kinds of arguments. It also covers hypothesis testing, and the design and interpretation of experiments.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 098

Transfers to:

UBC PHIL 120 (3)
SFU PHIL 105 (3), Q/B-Soc/Sci
UVIC PHIL 201 (1.5)
UNBC PHIL 200 (3)
TRU PHIL 1110 (3)

PHIL 203 Metaphysics (3)

An examination of central problems of metaphysics such as space and time, universals and particulars, substance, identity and individuation and personal identity.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099, One of: PHIL 100, PHIL 110, or PHIL 120 (B-)

Transfers to:

UBC PHIL 2nd (3)
SFU PHIL 203 (3)
UVIC PHIL 252 (1.5)
UNBC PHIL 2XX (3)
TRU PHIL 2150 (3)

PHIL 215 Ethics of Global Citizenship (3)

This course will examine what it means to be a global citizen from the perspective of individual (consumer), corporate (organizational), and government moral responsibilities. Students will explore contemporary global ethics issues through readings in classic and contemporary texts, considering a broad range of topics such as environmental ethics, human rights, first-world vs. third-world relations, war, terrorism, humanitarian aid, social media and information technologies, and other timely topics, as they arise.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099, PHIL 110

Transfers to:

UBC PHIL 235 (3)
SFU PHIL 121 (3)
UVIC PHIL 2XX (1.5)
UNBC PHIL 2XX (3)
TRU PHIL 2210 (3)

Faculty

Lindsey bat Joseph (MA, MAHL, BEd, BA)

Associate Dean of Arts and Science

Lindsey bat Joseph (MA, MAHL, BEd, BA)

Associate Dean of Arts and Science

Currently the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, Lindsey has been teaching philosophy at Alexander College since Fall 2012. Her main areas of interest are Ethics and Metaphysics and she is looking forward to developing more courses in these areas.

In addition to teaching philosophy, she is the former department head for Humanities and Social Sciences and manager of Alexander College’s Writing and Learning Centres.

Lindsey has a B.A. Religious Studies and Applied Ethics and B. Ed. degrees from the University of Calgary, and M.A.H.L. from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, an M.A. in Philosophy from Simon Fraser University, and a Journalism Diploma.

Lindsey is a self-professed “post-secondary junkie” who is always looking for new things to learn. Her philosophical interests mainly focus on contemporary moral issues (applied ethics) and philosophy of religion.

Lyle Crawford (MA, BA)

Instructor

Lyle Crawford (MA, BA)

Instructor

Lyle has taught Philosophy and Critical Thinking at Alexander College since 2012.

He has a B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Victoria, and is All-But-Dissertation in the Philosophy Ph.D program at Simon Fraser University, where he also teaches.

He will be Curriculum Director at the new Teaching and Critical Thinking Integration Centre at SFU. Much of his professional life is devoted to helping people think clearly.

He has presented papers and commentaries at the Canadian and American Philosophical Association conferences, and has been published in the journal Ratio.

His research has focused on metaphysics, philosophy of science, and philosophy of mind and cognitive science. Outside of philosophy, his interests include world cinema and early (pre-19th century) music. His student course evaluations frequently praise his beard.

Carl Mandy (MA Gender, Sexuality, Women’s Studies; MA Philosophy; BA; Post Graduate Certificate of Education)

Instructor

Carl Mandy

Instructor

Coming Soon.

Richard Anderson (PhD, MA, BA)

Instructor

Richard Anderson (PhD, MA, BA)

Instructor

Richard holds a PhD (Philosophy) from the University of Connecticut, an MA (Philosophy) from Simon Fraser University, and a BA (Philosophy and Pure Mathematics) from the University of Calgary.

Prior to teaching at Alexander College, Richard taught philosophy at the University of Connecticut and at the University of Saint Joseph.

His current research interests are in philosophical logic and the foundations of mathematics, in particular proof theory and its applications. In his spare time he enjoys riding his bicycle.

Ayda Niknami (MA, BA)

Instructor

Ayda Niknami ( MA, BA)

Instructor

Ayda Niknami holds an MA in Philosophy from UC San Diego, as well as a BA in Philosophy (with a minor in English) from Simon Fraser University. Her primary areas of research have included ethics, history of philosophy (particularly 18th and 19th century German philosophy), and more recently, topics in the philosophy of love. Her MA research project explored the relationship between jealousy, relational norms of exclusivity, and secure attachment. Ayda is also continuing her education as an MFA student in the Creative Writing department at the University of British Columbia beginning in Fall 2023.

 
 

Resources

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP)

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Early Modern Texts

Existential Comics

Leiter Reports: A Philosophy Blog

Daily Nous

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