William Mark Smillie, Philosophy Department, Carroll College

Work Information

Contact Information

Current Courses

Biographical Information

Personal Interests

msmillie@carroll.edu
http://web.carroll.edu/msmillie/default.htm
Office phone: 406.447.5416

My Current Courses

Fall, 2008

Business Ethics (PHIL207). The study of business and business life from a personal and a social perspective, and the study of the morality of human choices and actions that occur in business and corporate life.

Perspectives in Philosophy (PHIL101). An introduction to philosophy by considering the meaning of life, and how this basic question draws us into other ultimate questions such as what can we know, what is a human being, is there a God, what is the good.

Philosophy of Human Being (PHIL121). The philosophical study of human nature and the human person, and implications of our thinking on this topic on our beliefs about some key aspects of human life, for example, the nature of the mind, the existence of the soul, and human immortality.

Spring, 2009

BioEthics (PHIL208). The study of the morality of human choices and actions that occur especially in medicine and medical practice.

Philosophy of Human Being (PHIL121)

Summer, 2009 (TBA)

Other Course Syllabi

Ethics (PHIL107). The philosophical study of good and bad, right and wrong, the defense of principles and rules of morality.

Environmental Ethics (PHIL206). The study of how we should conceive of our relationship to the world and the environment, and what sorts of activity is morally defensible.

Ethical Theory (PHIL324). An introduction to philosophical theories about the nature of ethics and ethical reasoning, with special focus on the contemporary situation of ethical philosophy.

Medieval Philosophy (PHIL302). The study of the philosophy that occurred in the "Middle Ages," the thousand years beginning roughly in the middle of the Sixth century (550) and ending roughly in the Sixteenth century (1500).

Philosophy Seminar: Sex and Gender (PHIL495). A philosophical reflection on the themes and assumptions involved in contemporary discussion involving sexuality and gender. Topics include: the relationship between sex and gender, the nature of human sexuality, the ethical boundaries of sexual activity, the role of the family, politics of gender, and religious use of gender language. Offered as a philosophy seminar in Fall, 2003.

Critical Thinking (PHIL114). The study of reasoning as it occurs in the thinking, speaking, and writing we meet in “everyday” contexts. Critical thinking equips students to analyze and assess opinions and arguments according to clearly identifiable standards of proof.

Contemporary Philosophy (PHIL304). The study of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century philosophy and philosophers, including the writings Hegel, Mill, Kierkegaard, Marx, Nietzsche, Husserl, Russell, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Sartre, De Beauvoir, and Derrida.

Honors Seminar/Judeo-Christian and Medieval Thought (HNR250). An exploration of Judeo-Christian and Medieval thought as that is presented in the Bible and in some of the greatest writers of the Medieval Period, including St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Chaucer, Malory, and Erasmus.

Honors Seminar/Renaissance Thought (HNR251). An exploration of Renaissance thought as that is presented in some of the great writers of the renaissance period, including Machiavelli, Montaigne, Shakespeare, Descartes, Bacon, Galileo, Milton and Pascal.

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Biographical Information

Education:

Ph.D, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana (1992).
B.A. (Bachelor of Liberal Arts), Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California (1983).

Philosophical Interests/Specialties:

Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, Philosophical Anthropology, Medieval Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Ethics, BioEthics, Business Ethics.

Selected Lectures and Publications:

"A Roman Meal." ILAP (Interdisciplinary Lively Applications Projects) coauthored with the "Food" ILAP group, Spring, 2000, as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Development Program Funded Project, Creating K-12 Web-Based ILAPs, Carroll College, 1999-2000. (Myself, Margie Brodowy, Jeremy Taylor).

"Do We Have a Right to Die?" ILAP (Interdisciplinary Lively Applications Projects) coauthored with the "Health Rights" ILAP group, Summer, 1997, Carroll College. (Myself, Dr. Charlotte Jones, Dr. Mary Pietrukowicz, Mr. David Westlake, Mrs. Marie Vanisko). Now on the Carroll ILAP page.

"Do We Have The Right to Have a Baby?" ILAP (Interdisciplinary Lively Applications Projects) coauthored with the "Health Rights" ILAP group, Summer, 1997, Carroll College. (Myself, Dr. Charlotte Jones, Dr. Mary Pietrukowicz, Mr. David Westlake, Mrs. Marie Vanisko). Now on the Carroll ILAP page.

"Ethical Incongruities" Presented at The Limits of Logic: From Antigone to Zagreb. Carroll College Multi-disciplinary discussion. Carroll College, Nov 3, 1996.

"Classrooms and Listservs." Presented at Carroll Connections: Integrating Computer Technology into our Teaching. Faculty Development Day, Carroll College. Oct 24, 1996

"Catechetical Instruction on Life: Moral Conclusions and Implications." Published in the Delta Sigma Epsilon Journal, Volume XLI (Fall, 1996, No. 3; pp 89-96. Presented at The New Catechism of the Catholic Church: Theological and Philosophical Perspectives, Carroll College, April 26-27.

"On the Happy Life" a translation of Augustine's De Beata Vita. Privately Published. 1994.

"The Origins of Judeo-Christian Thought." Presented at New Year's Seminar on Christian Thought, Northview University Center, Chicago, IL, Jan 6, 1990.