In this basic orientation, students will explore, compare, analyze, evaluate and discuss a variety of principle questions addressed in philosophy, such as: What is the purpose of my existence? Can I know anything with certainty? Do I really have a free will? Can we prove that God exists? Why should I be moral? Whose self-interest counts? Issues covered will encompass relevant philosophical perspectives from Western and other major world cultures, and include contributions of women and minority cultures to the realm of philosophy. (C-ID PHIL 100) (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-C, CSU-C2, IGETC-3B)

This course will lead the student through a survey of ancient philosophy, with an emphasis on the development of philosophical thought from the Pre-Socratics through Plato and Aristotle, to the medieval period. The course will address how the questions themselves developed throughout this period, and how the approaches to answering those questions changed as well. (C-ID PHIL 130) (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-C, CSU-C2, IGETC-3B)

This course will lead the student through a survey of philosophy from the Renaissance to the 21st century, with an emphasis on how modern scientific processes contributed to the development of empiricism, rationalism, and idealism. The course will address how modern thinkers approached traditional questions, often leading to new questions as well as new ways of attempting to answer them. (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-C, CSU-C2, IGETC-3B)

In this course, students will philosophically examine and write about a diverse array of historical and contemporary human experiences, including but not limited to metaphysical assumptions of race, class, and gender, for example, which have implications for knowledge, ethics, aesthetics, justice, and existential meaning. Students will generate argumentative theses and refine essay length sustained complex arguments. Topics to be explored include principles of deduction and induction, logical fallacies in language and thought, fact versus judgment, science and superstition, and how to overcome cognitive biases in thought and writing. This Philosophy seminar is designed to enhance the student's critical thinking, writing, and research skills in preparation for upper division academic activity. (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-A2, CSU-A3, IGETC-1B)

This course teaches "correct thinking" by looking at the various conclusions or "inferences" we make about things based on the information we're given. These inferences are either deductive or inductive. Deductive inferences are the kinds of conclusions we make that follow with strict necessity, much like the answers we get in math. For example, if there were two oranges and two apples on the table, we could "deduce" there are four pieces of fruit on the table with 100% certainty. Inductive inferences, on the other hand, are the kinds of conclusions we arrive at with varying degrees of probability. They're less certain, but usually more interesting and problematic than deductive inferences. For example, an inductive inference would be seeing dark clouds in the sky and concluding it will soon rain. It's not 100% certain, but more or less likely. Being able to understand the nature of these inferences, the rules behind them, and the many mistakes we make in arriving at them is crucial for evaluating the arguments of others and for developing arguments of our own. This course will explore the methods used to determine how to make good arguments as well as the ways to avoid making bad ones. (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-A2, CSU-A3)

Study of values as they affect the individual and society. Conduct as expressed by ethical standards and natural law, problems and theories of beauty and value. (C-ID PHIL 120) (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-C, CSU-C2, IGETC-3B)

In this orientation to biomedical ethics, students will explore ethical dilemmas common in the medical field including but not limited to organ transplantation, the use of human beings and animals in research, genetic and reproductive technologies, abortion, euthanasia, and delivering healthcare. By considering how concepts such as justice, patient autonomy, caring, truth-telling, and resource allocation figure into such ethical dilemmas, the student will analyze various works of philosophical, literary, cultural and historical importance and develop an appreciation for how they relate to ethical decision making in the bio-medical field. (CSU/UC) (AA/AS-C)