Philosophy
Associate in Arts English · Chabot College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Philosophy - Associate for Arts
Description
What is philosophy? Philosophy is an activity rather than a set of beliefs. It is thinking critically, systematically, and creatively about fundamental and important questions about knowledge, values, and reality that include the following and more: What do I know, and how do I know it? What is justice? Does God exist? Do I have free will? What is the nature of the mind and self? Students are required to complete 60 units for the degree, including 18 units for the major and 25 general education units. In addition to preparing one for advanced study in the discipline, the Chabot Philosophy Program enriches its students with the ultimate transferable and portable job skills that ready them for careers in the fields of law, medicine, business, education, public service, film-making, writing, and technology.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon the successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- convey understanding of major philosophical questions, theories, and concepts in the areas of metaphysics (nature of reality), epistemology (knowledge), and axiology (value theory);
- reconstruct, analyze, and evaluate arguments for and against major philosophical positions;
- explicate and analyze globally significant texts from the history of philosophy;
- employ the methods of philosophical inquiry, especially the principles of logic (formal & informal) and critical thinking;
- demonstrate proficiency in portable language skills, including listening and reading carefully and critically, speaking articulately, and -- most importantly -- proficiency in philosophical writing, which includes presenting & supporting a philosophical thesis, articulating & responding to objections, and in general, writing in a way that is clear, precise, coherent, concise, well-organized, effective, and valuable;
- demonstrate philosophical virtues, including being open-minded, imaginative, appropriately skeptical, intellectually humble, charitable, incisive, and truth & justice-seeking.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 55 | Symbolic Logic (Active) | 3 |
| PHIL 50 | Introduction to Philosophy (Active) | 3 |
| orPHIL 60 | Ethics (Active) | 3 |
| PHIL 65 | Introduction to Philosophy: Theory of Knowledge (Active) | 3 |
| PHIL 70 | Social and Political Philosophy (Active) | 3 |
| ARTH 20 | History of Photography (Active) | 3 |
| COMM 6 | Introduction to Performance Studies (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 20 | Studies in Shakespeare (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 21 | The Evolution of the Black Writer (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 22 | Mexican American/Latinx Literature of the U.S. (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 25 | Asian-American Literature (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 31 | Introduction to Queer Literature (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 41 | World Literature (17th Century to the Present) (Active) | 3 |
| ENGL 45 | Studies in Fiction (Active) | 3 |
| ES 5 | Critiquing Race and Gender in Popular Culture (Active) | 3 |
| FRNC 2A | Intermediate French (Active) | 4 |
| FRNC 2B | Advanced French (Active) | 4 |
| HIS 1 | History of Western Civilization to 1600 (Active) | 3 |
| HIS 2 | History of Western Civilization Since 1600 (Active) | 3 |
| HIS 3 | World History: Beginnings to 1500 (Active) | 3 |
| HIS 4 | World History: 1500 to the Present (Active) | 3 |
| HUMN 60 | Creativity and the Community (Active) | 3 |
| HUMN 65 | The American Style (Active) | 3 |
| HUMN 68 | World Mythology (Active) | 3 |
| RELS 50 | Religions of the World (Active) | 3 |
| RELS 65 | Religions of Asia (Active) | 3 |
| SPA 2A | Intermediate Spanish (Active) | 4 |
| SPA 2B | Advanced Spanish (Active) | 4 |
| Total | 60 | |
Other Information
Discipline: Social Sciences, Humanities & Education
Program Control Number: 40718
TOP Code: 150900 - Philosophy
CIP Code: 38.0101 - Philosophy