Courses
Join the conversation
Maybe you've often wondered about some of the issues that we face as a society, such as:
Or perhaps you find yourself pondering over some of the more timeless inquiries, like:
You might also find yourself thinking about whether there's more to your mind than just your brain, what makes art valuable, or how science helps us understand the world.
We've thought a lot about these questions and issues too, and you can join the conversation in our classes.
View descriptions of all philosophy courses (PHIL) in the UVic Academic Calendar.
Please note: if you wish to take a course for which you do not have the pre-requisites, please start by reviewing this form and emailing the instructor of the course.
Timetables
View our Fall 2025 timetable and our Spring 2026 timetable.
Please note: These are subject to change. Please check back regularly.
Course outlines
SPRING 2025
|
Course # |
Course title |
Instructor |
| PHIL 100 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy |
J. Young |
| PHIL 100 A02 | Introduction to Philosophy |
D. Scott |
| PHIL 100 A03 | Introduction to Philosophy |
K. Brown |
| PHIL 100 A04 | Introduction to Philosophy |
K. Brown |
| PHIL 201 A01 | Critical Thinking |
C. Klatt (Outline) |
| PHIL 201 A02 | Critical Thinking |
T. Land (Outline) |
| PHIL 203 A01 | Elementary Formal Logic |
M. Raven (Outline) |
| PHIL 207A A01 | Introduction to Ancient Philosophy |
C. Roberts (Outline) |
| PHIL 223 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy of the Social Sciences |
P. Dietsch (Outline) |
| PHIL 225 A01 | Death and Dying |
C. Goto-Jones (Outline) |
| PHIL 232 A01 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
P. Dietsch (Outline) |
| PHIL 239 A01 | Philosophy and Feminism |
K. Stockdale (Outline) |
| PHIL 227 A01 | Selected Topics: Love, Sex and Friendship |
A. Yap (Outline) |
| PHIL 290 A01 | Selected Topics: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence |
C. Klatt (Outline) |
| PHIL 303 A01 | Aristotle |
D. Scott (Outline) |
| PHIL 308 A01 | The Empiricists |
J. Young (Outline) |
| PHIL 311 A01 | Existentialist Thinkers |
C. Goto-Jones (Outline) |
| PHIL 321 A01 | Philosophy of Medicine |
E. Kluge (Outline) |
| PHIL 331 A01 | Issues in Biomedical Ethics |
E. Kluge (Outline) |
| PHIL 335 A01 | Contemporary Moral Philosophy |
K. Brown |
| PHIL 337 A01 | Ethics: Theory and Practice |
S. Woodcock (Outline) |
| PHIL 338 A01 | Meta-Ethics |
S. Woodcock (Outline) |
| PHIL 354 A01 | Philosophy of Language |
A. Yap (Outline) |
| PHIL 358 A01 | Theory of Perception |
P. Rysiew (Outline) |
| PHIL 360 A01 | Philosophy and Film |
N. Belmonte (Outline) |
| PHIL 379 A01 = 25 X GRS 379=10 | Early Greek Thought |
C. Roberts (Outline) |
| PHIL 390 A01 | Selected Topics: Philosophy of the Emotions |
K. Stockdale (Outline) |
| PHIL 490 A01 |
Topics in Philosophy: Nonfundamental Metaphysics:Social metaphysics and the metaphysics of artifacts |
M. Raven (Outline) |
| PHIL 490 A02 |
Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Topics: Believing and Reasoning |
T. Land (Outline) |
| PHIL 436 A01 (x Law = 343) |
Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Philosophy of Law: Human Rights |
C. Holder (Outline) |
|
Grad: |
|
|
| PHIL 500 A01 |
Topics in Philosophy: Nonfundamental Metaphysics: Social metaphysics and the metaphysics of artifacts |
M. Raven (Outline) |
| PHIL 500 A02 |
Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Topics: Believing and Reasoning |
T. Land (Outline) |
| PHIL 500 A03 |
Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Philosophy of Law: Human Rights |
C. Holder (Outline) |
| PHIL 592/598 PHIL 693/699 |
For Graduate Students |
|
FALL 2024
|
Course # |
Course title |
Instructor |
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Critical Thinking |
C. Klatt |
|
|
Elementary Formal Logic |
||
|
Traditions of Asian Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction of Islamic Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Existentialism |
||
|
Death and Dying |
||
| PHIL 232 A01 |
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
|
|
A02 |
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
|
|
Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism |
||
|
Selected Topics: Philosophy and Science Fiction |
||
|
Plato |
||
|
The Rationalists |
||
|
Kant |
||
|
Professional and Business Ethics |
||
|
Issues in Biomedical Ethics |
||
|
PHIL 333 A01 = 30 (x ED 314 =30) |
Philosophy and the Environment (Ecophilosophy, Subjectivity, and Ecotherapy) | |
| PHIL 339 | Theories of Justice | |
| PHIL 351 | Epistemology | |
| PHIL 352 | Metaphysics | |
| PHIL 375 A01 =25 (x Math 375 =25) | Philosophy of Mathematics | |
| PHIL 390 | Selected Topics: Ethics and Art | |
| PHIL 440 | Topics in Philosophy: Aesthetics | J. Young |
| PHIL 433 | Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Social and Political Philosophy: Collective Responsibility | |
| GRAD | ||
| PHIL 541 | Topics in Philosophy: Aesthetics | J. Young |
| PHIL 535 | Topics in Philosophy: Advanced Social and Political Philosophy: Collective Responsibility | |
| PHIL 591 | Graduate Seminar, Research Methods Seminar | |
|
PHIL 592/598 PHIL 693/699 |
For Graduate Students |
Spring 2024
|
Course # |
Course title |
Instructor |
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Critical Thinking |
G. McComb (outline) |
|
|
Critical Thinking |
||
|
Elementary Formal Logic |
||
|
Death and Dying |
||
|
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
||
|
Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism |
||
|
Philosophy and Feminism |
||
|
Aristotle |
||
|
The Rationalists |
||
|
The Empiricists |
||
|
Biomedical Ethics |
||
|
Contemporary Moral Philosophy |
||
|
Ethics: Theory and Practice |
||
|
Theories of Justice |
||
|
Metaphysics |
||
|
Philosophy of Science |
||
|
Theory of Perception |
||
|
Philosophy and Film |
||
|
Philosophy of Mind |
||
|
X GRS 379 |
Early Greek Thought |
|
|
X GRS 380 |
The Life and Times of Socrates |
|
|
Selected Topics: Philosophy and Climate Change |
||
|
X PHIL 500 A02 |
Topics: Advanced Biomedical Ethics: MAiD and Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Ethical Considerations |
|
|
X PHIL 535 |
Topics: Advanced Social and Political Philosophy: The Political Philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
|
|
X LAW 343 X PHIL 500 A01 |
Topics: Advanced Philosophy of Law: The Right to Truth |
Fall 2023
|
Course # |
Course title |
Instructor |
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Critical Thinking |
||
|
Critical Thinking |
||
|
Elementary Formal Logic |
||
|
Introduction to Islamic Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Existentialism |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy of Science |
||
|
Death and Dying |
||
|
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
||
|
Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy of Art |
||
|
Knowledge, Certainty and Skepticism |
||
|
Introduction to Metaphysics |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy of Mind |
||
|
Philosophy of Religion |
||
|
Selected Topics: Love, Sex and Friendship |
||
|
Plato |
||
|
Aristotle |
D. Scott (outline) |
|
|
Kant |
||
|
19th Century Philosophy |
||
|
Professional and Business Ethics |
S. Richard (outline) |
|
|
Biomedical Ethics |
||
|
X ES 314 |
Philosophy and the Environment (Eco-philosophy, subjectivity, and ecotherapy) |
|
|
Philosophy of Law |
||
|
Meta-ethics |
||
|
X PHIL 534 |
Advanced Ethics: Feminist Ethics |
|
|
X PHIL 500 |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: On Human Nature: A Study of Raymond Tallis’ The Explicit Animal |
Summer 2023
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 201 A01 |
Critical Thinking May 15 - June 30 ONLINE - asynchronous |
(outline) |
| PHIL 232 A01 |
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society May 15 - June 7 MTWRF 10:30-12:20 In-person |
Spring 2023
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
| PHIL 100 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy | J. Young (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A02 | Introduction to Philosophy | D. Scott (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A03 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A04 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 201 A01 | Critical Thinking | C. Klatt (outline) |
| PHIL 201 A02 | Critical Thinking | T. Land (outline) |
| PHIL 203 | Elementary Formal Logic | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 208 | Introduction to Islamic Philosophy | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 210 | Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy | D. Scott (outline) |
| PHIL 225 A01 | Death and Dying | K. Stockdale (outline) |
| PHIL 225 A02 | Death and Dying | G. McComb (outline) |
| PHIL 232 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | P. Dietsch (outline) |
| PHIL 235 | Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism | C. Holder (outline) |
| PHIL 251 | Knowledge, Certainty and Skepticism | P. Rysiew (outline) |
| PHIL 261 | Philosophy of Religion | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 306 | The Rationalists | E. Kluge (outline) |
| PHIL 311 | Existentialist Thinkers | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 314 | 19th Century Philosophy | T. Land (outline) |
| PHIL 330 | Professional and Business Ethics | P. Dietsch (outline) |
| PHIL 331 | Issues in Biomedical Ethics | E. Kluge (outline) |
| PHIL 336 | Philosophy of Law | C. Holder (outline) |
| PHIL 337 | Ethics: Theory and Practice | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 352 | Metaphysics | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 354 | Philosophy of Language | A. Yap (outline) |
| PHIL 360 | Philosophy and Film | N. Belmonte (outline) |
| PHIL 362 | Philosophy of Mind | E. Hochstein (outline) |
|
X GRS 380 |
The Life and Times of Socrates | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 390 | Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Wittgenstein | P. Rysiew (outline) |
|
X PHIL 541 |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Aesthetics | J. Young (outline) |
|
PHIL 490 A01 X PHIL 500 A01 |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Philosophy of Psychiatry | E. Hochstein (outline) |
|
PHIL 490 A02 X PHIL 500 A02 |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Hope and Despair | K. Stockdale (outline) |
Fall 2022
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
|
PHIL 100 A01 |
Introduction to Philosophy | J. Young (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A02 | Introduction to Philosophy | D. Scott |
| PHIL 100 A03 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A04 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 201 | Critical Thinking | C. Klatt (outline) |
| PHIL 203 | Elementary Formal Logic | A. Yap (outline) |
| PHIL 204 | Traditions of Asian Philosophy | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 207A | Introduction to Ancient Philosophy | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 211 | Introduction to Existentialism | N. Belmonte (outline) |
| PHIL 223 | Introduction to Philosophy of Social Sciences | P. Dietsch (outline) |
| PHIL 232 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | S. Woodcock (outline) |
| PHIL 236 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | C. Holder (outline) |
| PHIL 239 | Philosophy and Feminism | K. Stockdale (outline) |
| PHIL 240 | Introduction to Philosophy of Art | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 260 | Introduction to Philosophy of Mind | E. Hochstein (outline) |
| PHIL 301 | Plato | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 303 | Aristotle | D. Scott |
| PHIL 305A | Early Medieval Philosophy | E. Kluge |
| PHIL 308 | The Empiricists | J. Young |
| PHIL 309 | Kant | T. Land (outline) |
| PHIL 316 | History of Analytic Philosophy | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 321 | Philosophy of Medicine | E. Hochstein (outline) |
| PHIL 331 | Issues in Biomedical Ethics | E. Kluge |
| PHIL 333 | Philosophy and the Environment | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 335 | Contemporary Moral Philosophy | C. Macleod |
| PHIL 339 | Theories of Justice | C. Holder (outline) |
| PHIL 351 | Epistemology | P. Rysiew (outline) |
| PHIL 358 | Theories of Perception | P. Rysiew (outline) |
| PHIL 375 | Philosophy of Mathematics | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 390 | Topics in Philosophy: Moral Character | K. Stockdale (outline) |
| PHIL 390 | Topics in Philosophy: Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
|
X PHIL 500 A01 |
Major Figures in Ancient Philosophy: Plato's Republic | C. Roberts (outline) |
|
X PHIL 500 A03 |
Advanced Ethics: Utilitarianism | S. Woodcock (outline) |
|
X PHIL 500 A02 |
Advanced Studies in Early Modern Philosophy: Kant, Critique of Judgment | T. Land (outline) |
Spring 2022
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
| PHIL 100 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy | J. Young |
| PHIL 100 A02 | Introduction to Philosophy | S. Woodcock |
| PHIL 100 A03 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown |
| PHIL 100 A04 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown |
| PHIL 201 A01 (ONL - A) | Critical Thinking | C. Klatt (outline) |
| PHIL 201 A02 | Critical Thinking | T. Land (outline) |
| PHIL 203 A01 | Elementary Formal Logic | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 207A A01 | Introduction to Ancient Philosophy | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 232 A01 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 232 A02 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | P. Dietsch (outline) |
| PHIL 236 A01 | Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy | C. Holder (outline) |
| PHIL 239 A01 | Philosophy and Feminism | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 251 A01 | Knowledge, Certainty and Skepticism | P. Rysiew (outline) |
| PHIL 260 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy of Mind | E. Hochstein (outline) |
| PHIL 290 A01 | Introduction to Selected Topic: Philosophy of Sex, Love and Friendship | A. Yap (outline) |
| PHIL 305B A01 | Later Medieval Philosophy | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 306 A01 | The Rationalists | E. Kluge (outline) |
| PHIL 308 A01 | The Empiricists | J. Young (outline) |
| PHIL 309 A01 | Kant | T. Land (outline) |
| PHIL 311 A01 (ONL - B) | Existentialist Thinkers | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 314 A01 | 19th Century Philosophy | N. Belmonte (outline) |
| PHIL 331 A01 | Issues in Biomedical Ethics | E. Kluge (outline) |
| PHIL 337 A01 | Ethics: Theory and Practice | S. Woodcock (outline) |
| PHIL 352 A01 | Metaphysics | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 356 A01 | Philosophy of Science | E. Hochstein (outline) |
|
PHIL 379 A01 (X GRS 379) |
Early Greek Thought | C. Roberts (outline) |
|
PHIL 390 A01 (X PSYC 391) (ONL - B) |
Topics in Philosophy: Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 390 A02 | Topics in Philosophy: Tax, Property, and Inequality | R. Tonkin (outline) |
|
PHIL 427 A01 X PHIL 500 A01 |
Advanced Studies in Early Modern Philosophy: Thomas Reid | P. Rysiew (outline) |
|
PHIL 433 A01 X PHIL 535 A02 |
Advanced Social and Political Philosophy: The Equity-Efficiency Trade-Off | P. Dietsch (outline) |
|
PHIL 436 A01 X LAW 343 X PHIL 535 A01 |
Advanced Philosophy of Law: International Human Rights | C. Holder (outline) |
Fall 2021
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
| PHIL 100 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy | J. Young (outline) |
|
PHIL 100 A02 (ONL - S) |
Introduction to Philosophy
|
S. Woodcock (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A03 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
| PHIL 100 A04 | Introduction to Philosophy | K. Brown (outline) |
|
PHIL 201 A01 (ONL - A) |
Critical Thinking | C. Klatt (outline) |
|
PHIL 203 A02 (ONL - A) |
Elementary Formal Logic | A. Yap (outline) |
| PHIL 220 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy of Science | E. Hochstein (outline) |
| PHIL 223 A01 | Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Sciences | K. Brown (outline) |
|
PHIL 225 A01 (ONL - B) |
Death and Dying | K. Jahn (outline) |
| PHIL 232 A01 | Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 240 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy of Art | J. Young (outline) |
| PHIL 252 A01 | Introduction to Metaphysics | M. Raven (outline) |
| PHIL 260 A01 | Introduction to Philosophy of Mind | E. Hochstein (outline) |
|
PHIL 261 A01 (ONL - B) |
Philosophy of Religion | C. Goto-Jones (outline) |
| PHIL 290 A01 | Introduction to Selected Topic: Science Fiction and Philosophy | E. Kluge (outline) |
| PHIL 301 A01 | Plato | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 303 A01 | Aristotle | D. Scott (outline) |
| PHIL 305A A01 | Early Medieval Philosophy | C. Roberts (outline) |
| PHIL 330 A01 | Professional and Business Ethics | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 331 A01 | Issues in Biomedical Ethics | E. Kluge (outline) |
|
PHIL 333 A01 X ES 314 |
Philosophy and the Environment | T. Heyd (outline) |
| PHIL 335 A01 | Contemporary Moral Philosophy | C. Macleod (outline) |
| PHIL 338 A01 | Meta-Ethics | S. Woodcock (outline) |
| PHIL 360 A01 | Philosophy and Film | N. Belmonte (outline) |
| PHIL 370 A01 | Theoretical Logic | A. Yap (outline) |
|
PHIL 450 A01 X PHIL 552 |
Advanced Metaphysics: Based and Baseless Truths | M. Raven (outline) |
|
PHIL 460 A01 X PHIL 514 |
Advanced Philosophy of Mind: On Human Nature: A Study of Raymond Tallis' Explicit Animal | D. Scott (outline) |
|
PHIL 490 A01 X PHIL 500 |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Philosophy, Climate and the Anthropocene | T. Heyd (outline) |
Summer 2021
| Course # | Course title | Instructor |
| PHIL 201 |
Critical Thinking May 10 - June 15 fully asynchronous |
|
| PHIL 232 |
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society May 10 - June 2 MTWRF 10:30-12:20 blended |
Spring 2021
|
Course # |
Course title |
Instructor |
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Philosophy |
||
|
Critical Thinking |
||
|
Elementary Formal Logic |
||
|
Introduction to Ancient Philosophy |
||
|
Introduction to Existentialism |
||
|
Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |
||
|
Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism |
||
|
Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy |
||
|
Philosophy and Feminism |
||
|
The Empiricists |
||
|
Kant |
||
|
Biomedical Ethics |
||
|
Philosophy of Law |
||
|
Ethics: Theory and Practice |
||
|
Epistemology |
||
|
Philosophy of Language |
||
|
Theory of Perception |
||
|
Selected Topics: Hellenistic Philosophy: Epicureans, Stoics & Skeptics |
||
|
X PHIL 500 (A01) |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Plato’s Republic |
|
|
X PHIL 500 (A02) |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Conceptualizing and Categorizing Phenomena in Science |
|
|
X PHIL 500 (A03) |
Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Hope and Despair |
Fall 2020
Summer 2020
| Course | Instructor |
| PHIL 201: Critical Thinking | Di Yang (outline) |
| PHIL 232: Moral Problems of Contemporary Society | Karen Brown (outline) |
Spring 2020
| Course | Instructor |
|---|---|
| Young (outline) | |
| Klatt (outline) | |
| Raven (outline) | |
|
Yang (outline) |
|
|
PHIL 460: Advanced Philosophy of Mind: Raymond Tallis' Explicit Animal |
|
|
PHIL 490: Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Blame, Anger, and Forgiveness |
|
|
PHIL 490: Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Philosophy of Psychiatry |
Fall 2019
Spring 2019
Fall 2018
Summer 2018
| Course | Instructor |
|---|---|
| Phil 201 Critical Thinking | |
| Phil 203: Elementary Formal Logic | |
| Phil 232: Moral Problems of Contemporary Society |