Calendar
| Week | Topic | Readings | Key Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Philosophy Logic |
Cahn, "The Elements of Argument" |
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Philosophy of Religion |
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| 2 | Ontological Argument |
Davis, "Surprise! It's Judgment Day" (Philosophy: An Introduction [PI] 66-74) Davis, "God and Suffering: Discussion" (Selections) (PI 74-75) Feinberg and Shafer-Landau, "Reason and Religious Belief: Introduction" (Reason and Responsibility [RR] 2-6) Anselm, "The Ontological Argument" from Proslogion (RR 6-7 or Anselm: Proslogion (Selections)) Gaunilo, "On Behalf of the Fool" (RR 8-11 or Gaunilo: In Behalf of the Fool (Selections)) Rowe, "The Ontological Argument" (RR 11-21) |
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| 3 |
Cosmological Argument Teleological Argument |
Davis, "God and Suffering: Discussion" (Selections) (PI 75-79) Clarke, "A Modern Formulation of the Cosmological Argument" (RR 22-23) Rowe, "The Cosmological Argument" (RR 23-32) Paley, "The Argument from Design" (RR 32-37 or Paley: Natural Theology (Selections)) |
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| 4 |
Problem of Evil |
Davis, "God and Suffering: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 82-89) Johnson, "God and the Problem of Evil" (RR 85-89) Swinburne, "Why God Allows Evil" (RR 89-97) |
Paper 1 Due |
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Mind and Freedom |
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| 5 | Philosophy of Mind |
Davis, "Strange Behavior" (IP 151-157) Davis, "The Nature of Mind: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 157-160) Swinburne, "A Defense of Substance Dualism" (RR 263-267) Carruthers, "The Mind Is the Brain" (RR 276-284) Churchland, "Behaviorism, Materialism and Functionalism" (Selections) (RR 286-288) |
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| 6 | Philosophy of Mind |
Davis, "The Nature of Mind: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 160-171) Jackson, "The Qualia Problem" (RR 267-270) |
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| 7 | Freedom |
Davis, "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" (IP 1-11) Davis, "Freedom and Responsibility: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 18-28) Feinberg and Shafer-Landau, "Determinism, Free Will, and Responsibility: Introduction" (RR 386-392) Holbach, "The Illusion of Free Will" (RR 392-397) Honderich, "A Defense of Hard Determinism" (Selections) (RR 397-401) |
Midterm Exam |
| 8 | Freedom |
Davis, "Freedom and Responsibility: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 29-32) Stace, "The Problem of Free Will" (RR 413-418) |
Paper 2 Due |
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Ethics |
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| 9 |
Relativism Divine Command Theory |
Davis, "The Land of Certus" (IP 91-96) Davis, "Moral Principles: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 108-117) Rachels, "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism" Quinn, "God and Morality" (RR 564-578) |
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| 10 | Utilitarianism |
Davis, "The Sheriff's Wife" (IP 100-106) Davis, "Moral Principles: Discussion" (Selections) (IP 117-123) Mill, "Utilitarianism" (RR 594-607 or Mill: Utilitarianism (Selections)) |
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| 11 | The Ethics of Assistance |
Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" (RR 631-639) Rachels, "Ethical Egoism" (RR 488-495) |
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Epistemology |
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| 12 | Descartes |
Davis, "The Fantasy Machine" (IP 178-183) Davis, "Why Don't You Just Wake Up?" (IP 184-187) Descartes, "Meditations on First Philosophy" (Selections) (RR 145-153 or Descartes: Meditations I and II) |
Paper 3 Due |
| 13 |
Descartes Locke |
Davis, "Appearance and Reality: Discussion" (IP 188-199) Descartes, "Meditations on First Philosophy" (Selections) (RR 153-160 or Descartes: Meditation III) Locke, "The Causal Theory of Perception" (RR 177-185 or Locke: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (Selections)) |
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| 14 | Berkeley |
Berkeley, Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous (First Dialogue) See Berkeley: Three Dialogues I |
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| 15 | Berkeley |
Berkeley, Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous (Second Dialogue) See Berkeley: Three Dialogues II |
Paper 4 Due Final Exam |
