Philosophy
20 courses · Rio Hondo College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Summer 2026 · Fall 2026 · Winter 2027 · Spring 2027
PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 100
This course introduces philosophical ideas and methods concerning knowledge, reality, and values. Expected topics include the sources and limits of knowledge and the nature of reality. Other topics that may be examined from a philosophical perspective include the nature of the self, truth, ethics, religion, science, language, beauty and art, political theory, and mind. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study or to fulfill a General Education Humanities or philosophy major requirement.
PHIL 101H Introduction to Philosophy Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 100
This course introduces philosophical ideas and methods concerning knowledge, reality, and values. Expected topics include the sources and limits of knowledge and the nature of reality. Other topics that may be examined from a philosophical perspective include the nature of the self, truth, ethics, religion, science, language, beauty and art, political theory, and mind. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study or to fulfill a General Education Humanities or philosophy major requirement, and is intended for students who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 102 Introduction to Philosophy: Global Perspectives
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 100
This course introduces philosophical ideas and methods concerning knowledge, reality, and values while centering voices and traditions from Asia, the Americas, and the African diaspora. Topics may include the sources and limits of knowledge and the nature of reality. Other topics that may be examined from a philosophical perspective include the nature of the self, truth, ethics, political theory, and ways of life. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study, or to fulfill a General Education Humanities or Philosophy major requirements.
PHIL 102H Introduction to Philosophy: Global Perspectives Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 100
This course introduces philosophical ideas and methods concerning knowledge, reality, and values while centering voices and traditions from Asia, the Americas, and the African diaspora. Topics may include the sources and limits of knowledge and the nature of reality. Other topics that may be examined from a philosophical perspective include the nature of the self, truth, ethics, political theory, and ways of life. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study, to fulfill General Education Humanities or Philosophy major requirements, and for those who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 110 Critical Thinking
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course is an introduction to the methods and techniques of informal reasoning. Topics include schematizing and articulating arguments, causal arguments, analogical arguments, testimony arguments, and informal fallacies. Emphasis on the application of critical thinking for effective writing is reflected in the frequency, scope, and nature of course writing assignments, which are evaluated with regard to both content and form. Students should expect to write approximately 8,000 words in various writing assignments. This course is appropriate for students seeking to improve their writing and reasoning skills.
PHIL 110H Critical Thinking Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course is an introduction to the methods and techniques of informal reasoning. Topics include schematizing and articulating arguments, causal arguments, analogical arguments, testimony arguments, and informal fallacies. Emphasis on the application of critical thinking for effective writing is reflected in the frequency, scope, and nature of course writing assignments, which are evaluated with regard to both content and form. Students should expect to write approximately 8,000 words in various writing assignments. This course is appropriate for students seeking to improve their writing and reasoning skills, and is intended for students who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 112 Introduction to Logic
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students have a knowledge of elementary algebra concepts, be able to engage in written composition at a college level, and read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 110
This course introduces the formal methods and principles of deductive logic. Topics include translation between natural and formal language, syllogistic logic, and propositional logic. This course is especially recommended for students in mathematics, business, computer science, science, engineering, law, and humanities majors.
PHIL 112H Introduction to Logic Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students have a knowledge of elementary algebra concepts and be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 110
This course introduces the formal methods and principles of deductive logic. Topics include translation between natural and formal language, syllogistic logic, and propositional logic. This course is especially recommended for students in mathematics, business, computer science, science, engineering, law, and humanities majors and is intended for students who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 115 Symbolic Logic
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- PHIL 101 or PHIL 101H, PHIL 112 or PHIL 112H
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 210
This course is intended for students interested in symbolic methods of deductive reasoning, including philosophy and mathematics majors. Students in the course develop an understanding of both sentential logic and predicate logic. Students also learn to translate ordinary language sentences and arguments into symbolic form, and evaluate symbolized arguments for validity using truth-tables and natural deduction techniques.
PHIL 120 Introduction to Ethics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 120
This introductory level course is for students interested in the humanities, law, medicine, politics, social science and related fields, and will expose them to some of the most profound moral and ethical questions in the Western philosophical tradition. We will examine the concept of morality and values, representative ethical theories, and may include their applications to moral problems. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study, to fulfill General Education Humanities or Philosophy major requirements.
PHIL 120H Introduction to Ethics Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 120
This introductory level course is for students interested in the humanities, law, medicine, politics, social science and related fields, and will expose them to some of the most profound moral and ethical questions in the Western philosophical tradition. We will examine the concept of morality and values, representative ethical theories, and may include their applications to moral problems. This course is appropriate for students seeking a broader program of philosophical study, to fulfill General Education Humanities or Philosophy major requirements, and for those who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 122 Philosophical Perspectives on Death & Dying
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course introduces students to a broad array of themes associated with death and dying. Students consider both practical and philosophical aspects of death, comparing the concept of death historically, socially, psychologically, and cross-culturally. Current legal, medical, and ethical issues related to death and dying are explored through the lens of philosophy, with topics that may include suicide, euthanasia, moral and social issues stemming from modern medical technology, hospice and palliative care, end-of-life issues, violent deaths, mass killings, and the beliefs and customs of various cultures worldwide concerning death and the possibility of an afterlife. This course is well suited for students interested in the humanities, law, medicine, politics, social science and related fields, or for those seeking to improve their ability to process and respond to death and dying in a healthy manner.
PHIL 124 History of Philosophy: Ancient
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 130
This introductory-level course is for students interested specifically in the earliest stages of ancient Western philosophy. The development of Greek philosophy from the Pre-Socratics through Aristotle is addressed, and Hellenistic, Roman, medieval or non-Western thinkers may be considered. Beyond a study of the figures and key ideas, the early view of philosophy as a “way of life” is considered, as is how these movements were intended to transform the lives of those who followed them.
PHIL 126 History of Philosophy: Modern
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- PHIL 140
This introductory-level course is intended for all students interested in the modern period of Western philosophy (i.e., the 1500s through 1700s). Broad epistemological and metaphysical developments through close analysis of primary texts is emphasized. Philosophers studied include Descartes and other rationalists, Hume and other empiricists, and Kant.
PHIL 128 Introduction to Political Philosophy
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- POLS 120
This course is for students interested in the relationship between political systems and philosophy, and is especially relevant for students interested in political science, philosophy, and law. The course introduces the history and development of political thought, and considers the justification of the state, interpretations of justice, systems of government, conceptions of rights and distributions of goods, and justification for civil disobedience, among other topics.
PHIL 128H Introduction to Political Philosophy Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1000
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- POLS 120
This course is for students interested in the relationship between political systems and philosophy, and is especially relevant for students interested in political science, philosophy, and law. The course introduces the history and development of political thought, and considers the justification of the state, interpretations of justice, systems of government, conceptions of rights and distributions of goods, and justification for civil disobedience, among other topics. This course is designed for students who meet Honors Program requirements.
PHIL 135 Philosophy of Justice
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000, READ 101
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This introductory course explores the philosophical aspects of a variety of contemporary issues, with an emphasis on the theoretical foundations of concepts of justice as well as practical applications. The course is well-suited for students interested in applying philosophical methods to contemporary topics concerning matters of justice, students enrolled in the Pathway to Law program or otherwise interested in legal studies, and students majoring in philosophy, political science, administration of justice, or social justice.
PHIL 140 Philosophy of Religion
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Advisory
- It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.; ENGL C1000
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This introductory-level course is intended for students who seek a thoughtful exploration of religious issues in a non-sectarian context, or as part of a broader program of philosophical study. Topics include Western religion from a philosophical perspective, including arguments for and against the existence of God, and an investigation into the status of religious beliefs. Additional topics may include a consideration of the evolution-creationism debate and a discussion of religious pluralism.
PHIL 299 Directed Study: Philosophy
- Units
- 1-3
- Hours
- 54-162 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
Independent Study/Directed Study is intended for students who have the ability to assume responsibility for independent work and to prepare written or oral reports and/or appropriate projects. To enroll in an Independent Study/Directed Study course, students must possess a 2.5 overall grade point average or a 3.0 grade point average in the discipline of study being requested, or receive an exception from the instructor. Independent Studies/Directed Studies may be developed from any topic arising from or related to a course of study that will result in developing depth and breadth in that subject area. Students are expected to meet on a regular basis with their faculty sponsor and submit a final report or project, and student progress is evaluated at regular intervals. Academic standards for Independent Studies/Directed Studies are the same as those for other courses. Units are awarded in accordance to Title 5 regulations, with one unit of credit awarded for 54 hours of Directed Studies, 6 hours of which must be with an instructor. The instructor is responsible for monitoring student progress throughout the semester. Students may take directed study courses for a maximum of 3 units within a discipline, and may not accumulate more than a total of 9 units college wide.
PHIL 325 Applied and Professional Ethics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture
- Prerequisite
- ENGL C1001 or ENGL C1001H, PHIL 101 or PHIL 101H or PHIL 110 or PHIL 110H or PHIL 120
- Transfers to
- CSU
This upper division general education course is designed for students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Technology. This course is intended for students who seek a greater understanding of the relationship between ethics and human living. This course will expose them to the moral and ethical views in the Western philosophical tradition. Students will then apply these views to various contemporary issues. Expected topics include: business ethics, euthanasia, terrorism, public policy, the death penalty, and issues in science and technology.