Introduction to Philosophy, Fall 2011

Please see below for announcements and course materials (posted at the bottom of the page).

I strongly encourage you to print the reading prior to reading it. Then (1) you don't have to read it on a screen, (2) you can underline what's important and jot down your reactions (questions/comments, for now and as reminders later when studying), and (3) you can bring it with you to class (to ask questions/raise comments). More generally, it's not implausible that you'll get more out of the article if you read a printed version -- which means in the end, by reading a paper-copy of the assigned material, you may well learn more and do better in the course.

Recall the tips and hints on reading philosophy on the syllabus. Several more useful guidelines can be found here.

My email address is listed on the syllabus.

* Announcements *

12/18 - Yesterday was the final exam: congratulations! Thank you for a great semester.

Here are some suggestions for further reading -- perhaps the next "layer" -- in philosophy, arranged by area (* indicates a very high recommendation):

I thought it might also be useful to include a partial list of philosophically relevant fictional works that were mentioned at one point or another in the course, in alphabetical order by author's last name (* indicates a very high recommendation):

I also mentioned (and very highly recommend) Elie Wiesel's Night.

Enjoy!

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12/15 - There are several readings for the section on philosophy of religion:

  • St. Thomas Aquinas, "The Five Ways"
  • Martin, "The Cosmological Argument"
  • Hume, "Critique of the Argument from Design"
  • St. Anselm and Guanilo, "The Ontological Argument"
  • Rowe, "An Analysis of the Ontological Argument"
  • Dostoevsky, selection from The Brothers Karamazov
  • Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence"
  • Kaufman, "Pascal's Wager"
  • Nietzsche, selections from The Gay Science and The Will to Power

I've also posted a further, optional reading on the argument from design:

  • Paley, "The Watch and the Watchmaker"

11/15 - There are four readings for the section on epistemology:

  • Feldman, selection from Epistemology
  • Plato, selection from Meno (this is a brief, classic statement of the traditional analysis of knowledge)
  • Descartes, selection from Meditations on First Philosophy
  • Moore, "Proof of the External World"

I've also posted a further, optional reading on the analysis of knowledge:

  • Gettier, "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?"

11/4 - There are four readings for the section on the metaphysics of substance and personal identity:

  • Aristotle, selection from Book IV of the Metaphysics
  • Locke, "The Prince and the Cobbler"
  • Reid, "Of Identity"
  • Parfit, "Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons"

I've also posted two further, optional readings on personal identity:

  • Parfit, "Who We Believe Ourselves to Be"
  • Dennett, "Where Am I?"

Here is a link to Shelly Kagan's course on Death. The site has podcasts and videos of Kagan's discussions of personal identity and other related topics (the nature of persons, immortality, free will, etc.).

Here is a link to a recent New Yorker article on Derek Parfit: "Can Morality be Distilled into a Formula?".

10/25 - There are two readings for the post-midterm portion of the section on the meaning of life:

  • H.H. the Dalai Lama, selections from How to Practice
  • Metz, "Religion and the Meaning of Life"

10/19 - There are two readings for the pre-midterm portion of the section on the meaning of life:

  • Camus, "The Myth of Sisyphus"
  • Nozick, "The Experience Machine"

10/14 - There is one reading for the section on Existentialist Ethics:

  • Sartre, "Existentialist Ethics"

10/12 - There is one reading for the section on Kantianism (deontology):

  • Kant, "Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals"

10/7 - There is one reading for the section on Utilitarianism:

  • Mill, "Utilitarianism"

10/5 - There is one reading for the section on Divine Command Theory:

  • Rachels, "Must God's Commands Conform to Moral Standards?"

The anonymous letter that we considered in class is posted below (titled "Dear Dr. Laura").

10/1 - There are two readings for the section on relativist versus absolutist ethical theories:

  • Benedict, "The Case for Moral Relativism"
  • Shafer-Landau, "Ethical Relativism"

9/25 - There are two readings for the section on the moral status of abortion:

  • Thomson, "A Defense of Abortion"
  • Marquis, "Why Abortion is Immoral"

9/25 - There are two readings for the section on the moral status of aid.

  • Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality"
  • Hardin, "Living on a Lifeboat"

Here are some items that came up in the discussion of Singer and Hardin:

* Course Materials *

Posted below