PHI 401: EPISTEMOLOGY (C; HL 45; U3; PO) Central problems of epistemology, e.g. analysis of the concept of knowledge and its relation to belief, truth and evidence, verification and justification. Skepticism. Problems about specific forms of knowledge, e.g., knowledge of external world, of necessary truths, of the past, future and mind.
PHI 402: TOPICS IN LOGIC (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Study of topics in logic, metalogic and the philosophy of logic e.g. model logic, tense logic, intuitionist logic, the problems of entailment, the problem of counter factuals, the significance of consistency proofs, and the logical paradoxes. Applications of logic to philosophical problems as in the modal analysis of fatalism and of the ontological argument for the existence of God.
PHI 403 APPLIED ETHICS (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Philosophical discussion of ethical issues in contemporary life, e.g. abortion, euthanasia, artificial insemination, suicide, capital punishment, war, nuclear weapons; polygamy, monogamy,etc.
PHI 404: MARXIST PHILOSOPHY (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Central themes of Marxist philosophy, e.g. historical materialism, dialectical materialism, alienation. The relation between theory and practice in Marxist thought. Hegel and Marx. Marxism and positivism. Marxism conception of the state. Freedom 40 and necessity in Marxist conception of truth. Marxist philosophy and contemporary social and political thought.
PHI 405: COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY (E; HL 45; U3;PO) A cross-cultural study of some problems of philosophy in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of religion, etc. The problem of tongue-dependency in philosophy and the question of the possibility of alternative conceptual schemes, (e.g. Western, Oriental, African Philosophies).
PHI 406: RECENT MODERN PHILOSOPHY (R; HL 45; U3; PO) Study of selected influential movements and philosophers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, e.g. Realism, Positivism, Irrationalism, Hegel, Marx, Motaggart, Bradley, Meinong, Brentano, Twadorski, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Cook Wilson, Groce and Frege.
PHI 407: ISSUES IN AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY (R; HL 45; U3; PO) An indepth discussion of some major African philosophers and/or issues in African philosophy. Questions of alternative logics and epistemology in African philosophy. Witchcraft as an issue in African metaphysics. Ethno-philosophy, Nationalist ideological philosophy and the Analytic tradition. Works of professional philosophers like Kwasi Wiredu, Paulin Hountoundji, J.O. Sodipo, P.O. Bodunrin and G.S. Songolo, to be discussed.
PHI 408: PHENOMENOLOGY, EXISTENTIALISM AND HERMENEUTICS (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Study of selected figures and problems in phenomenology, existentialism and hermeneutics, e.g. intentionality, consciousness, negation, language, selfhood, freedom, worldhood, Twardowski, Brentano, Meinong, Husserl, Scheler, Satre, Mealeau Ponty, Ricoeur, Heidegger.
PHI 409: PHILOSOPHY OF MATHEMATICS (E; HL 45; U3; PO;) Philosophical issues concerning the nature and foundations of mathematics e.g. logicism and formalism. Ontological problems in mathematics. The problem of infinity. Applicability of mathematics. Epistemological status of mathematical truths (or PHI 302).
PHI 411: PHILOSOPHY OF LAW (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Basic issues in the philosophy of law, e.g. the concept of law, the nature of law, idea of natural justice, the logic of legal reasoning, legal responsibility, legal rights and obligations of persons, judicial precedence.
PHI 412: PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Basic issues in the philosophy of history e.g. the nature and status of historical inquiry and historical explanation. Historicism, holism and individualism. Determinism in history.
PHI 413: PHILOSOPHY OF MIND (E; HL 45; U3; PO) The concepts of body, mind, soul, spirit. Dualistic theories e.g. idealism, materialism, behaviourism, double aspect theories. Mind and Machines. Actions, emotion and will. Personal identity. Relation between philosophy of mind and parapsychology.
PHI 414: PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE (E; HL 45; U3; PO) The functions of language. Meaning and reference. Theories of meaning. Natural language and artificial language. Meaning, truth and analyticity. Language and reality. Ontological problems concerning language. Language and thought.
PHI 415: (Not offered in Bigard)
PHI 416: LONG ESSAY (C; HL90; U6; PO) An essay to be written under the supervision of a member of staff on a detailed and advanced study of a major philosopher, or school of philosophy, or problem in philosophy.
PHI 417: TWENTIETH CENTURY ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY (E; HL 45; U3; PO). Study of some trends, problems and figures in twentieth century analytic tradition, logical positivism, linguistic analysis, state of relations, definite descriptions, correspondence theory of truth, picture theory of language, Russell, Wittgenstsein, Ayer, Ryle, Strawson, Davidson, Kripke.
PHI 418: POST-ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY (E; HL 45; U3; PO) Study of variation development in Anglo-Saxon philosophy particularly the critique of the analytic tradition or some aspects of this variation by philosophers like Wilfred Sellers, W.V.O. Quine, Donald Davidson, Hilary Putnam, and Mary Midgley.
PHI 419: SPECIAL SUBJECT (E; HL 45; U3; PO) A detailed and advanced study of a major philosopher, school of philosophy, or problem in philosophy. Each student will be required to write a term paper as part of the examination. Open only to single honours students designed to equip candidates with the research skills, training, and knowledge which will enable them make contributions to world philosophical thought and literature. [For these courses and contents, cf. Prospectus 2008 – 2010, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, pp. 399-408]
ADDITIONAL BIGARD COURSES
The following are courses which it pleases Bigard to offer in addition to the courses we offer in strict conformity to the affiliation agreement and to the curriculum of studies of the University of Ibadan. They are selected from the Faculties of Arts, Sciences and Social Sciences of various Universities to enable our students satisfy the compulsory demand to obtain some qualifying units from such Faculties (cf. Prospectus, op. cit., pp. 388-399). The letter B prefixed to some course codes indicates they are Bigard courses.
BPH 401: THE NATIONALIST IDEOLOGY MOVEMENT IN AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY (ELECTIVE) Origin of the movement in African philosophy. Origin of the movement in colonialsm. Nationalist philosophy and decolonization. The Socialists: Nyerere, Nkrumah, Awolowo. The philosophy of Nnamdi Azikiwe (HL 45; U3; PO).
BPH 402: TEXTS IN CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY (ELECTIVE) Reading and critical analysis of selected texts from contemporary African philosophers: Wiredu, C.B. Okolo, J. Sodipo, P.Bodunri, Marcien Towa, F. Bulaga, P. Hountondji, W. Abraham, K.C. Anyanwu, K.Gyekye etc. (HL 45; U3; PO).
BPH 406: TOPICS IN METAPHYSICS (ELECTIVE) Participation, essence and existence. Determinism, chance, freedom, some major modern and contemporary philosophers (HL 45; U3; PO).
BPH 407: ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY (ELECTIVE) Frege, Russell, Moore and other Realists. Wittgenstein, logical positivism – Rudolf Carnap, A.J. Ayer, Alfred Tarski, Karl Popper, Quine and Dunmet (HL 45; U3; PO).
BPH 411: METAPHYSICAL STUDY OF MAN (ELECTIVE) The human person, body and soul, transcendence, immortality and after life (problem of personal identity) HL 45; U3; PO. BST
413: DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL LIFE (ELECTIVE) Purification. Prayer – vocal and mental, meditation, (methods) necessity, effective prayer, prayer of simplicity, contemplative structures, struggle against sin, practice of penance. Mortification – Nature and importance, progressive purification, external senses, passions, internal senses and passive purgation. Struggle against capital sins, counter attack of the enemy. Temptation in general of beginners (HL45; U2; PO).
BST 414: MEANS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH (ELECTIVE) Sacraments, meritorious works and prayer of petition. Theological virtues – faith, hope and charity. The Moral virtues – Prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. Discernment of spirits (HL ; U2; PO).