ESRM 250/CFR 520 Winter 2010 Phil Hurvitz (with thanks to J. Lawler & P. Schiess )
PHIL 120 J*
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problemsinphiiosophy PHIL 120 J*<C&-.&J Spring 2008 David M. Kaplan Washington University Course information: Meeting times: Tues &Thurs 10:00-11:30 AM Meeting place; CUPPLES 1, Room 113 Course website: on Telesis Instructor information: Instructor: David M. Kaplan Teaching Assistant: Arnon Cahen Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: 935-9338 Phone: Office: Wilson 101 Office: Wilson 116 Office hours: Wed 3:00-4:00 PM and by appt. Office hours: Tues 11:30 AM-1:00 PM and by appt Required texts: 1. Reason and Responsibility: Readings in Some Basic Problems in Philosophy (13th Edition) Edited by J. Feinberg & R. Shafer-Landau (available at WU Bookstore) 2. Additional readings will be made available through Electronic Reserves/Telesis. Course description & goals: This course is a general introduction to some of the major topics or problems in philosophy, from both a historical and contemporary perspective. The course will be divided into four main sections: Logic and method- In this section of the course we will introduce some basic logical concepts and briefly cover the canons of good deductive and inductive reasoning Knowledge- In this section we will investigate various issues related to the nature, extent, and justification of human knowledge. Topics include the difference between scientific knowledge and religious belief, the rationalism/empiricism debate, and skepticism regarding our knowledge of the external world. Mind- In this section we will discuss various positions entertained on the relation between mind and body. We will also consider how cognitive science shapes and informs these positions and how the cognitive sciences themselves presuppose views on the mind-body relation. Free will- In this section we will examine various positions on the question of whether humans have genuine freedom in their decisions and actions. There are two overarching goals of the course. The first intellectual goal of the course is that students will come to know and understand both the key positions that have been taken on the issues mentioned above and the central arguments advanced in favor of these positions throughout the history of philosophy. The other goal is that to each student improves their ability to evaluate and construct arguments and learns to think and write in a more critical way.
Transcript of PHIL 120 J*
problemsinphiiosophyPHIL 120 J*<C&-.&JSpring 2008
David M. KaplanWashington University
Course information:Meeting times: Tues &Thurs 10:00-11:30 AMMeeting place; CUPPLES 1, Room 113Course website: on Telesis
Instructor information:Inst ructor : Dav id M. Kaplan Teaching Ass is tant : Arnon CahenEmai l : c lavidkaplan@vvust l .edu Emai l : acahen@wust l .eduP h o n e : 9 3 5 - 9 3 3 8 P h o n e :O f fi c e : W i l s o n 1 0 1 O f fi c e : W i l s o n 1 1 6Office hours: Wed 3:00-4:00 PM and by appt. Office hours: Tues 11:30 AM-1:00 PM and by appt
Required texts:1. Reason and Responsibility: Readings in Some Basic Problems in Philosophy (13th Edition)Edited by J. Feinberg & R. Shafer-Landau (available at WU Bookstore)2. Additional readings will be made available through Electronic Reserves/Telesis.
Course description & goals:This course is a general introduction to some of the major topics or problems in philosophy, from both ahistorical and contemporary perspective. The course will be divided into four main sections:
Logic and method- In this section of the course we will introduce some basic logicalconcepts and briefly cover the canons of good deductive and inductive reasoningKnowledge- In this section we will investigate various issues related to the nature, extent,and justification of human knowledge. Topics include the difference between scientificknowledge and religious belief, the rationalism/empiricism debate, and skepticism regardingour knowledge of the external world.Mind- In this section we will discuss various positions entertained on the relation betweenmind and body. We will also consider how cognitive science shapes and informs thesepositions and how the cognitive sciences themselves presuppose views on the mind-bodyrelation.Free will- In this section we will examine various positions on the question of whetherhumans have genuine freedom in their decisions and actions.
There are two overarching goals of the course. The first intellectual goal of the course is that students willcome to know and understand both the key positions that have been taken on the issues mentioned aboveand the central arguments advanced in favor of these positions throughout the history of philosophy. Theother goal is that to each student improves their ability to evaluate and construct arguments and learns tothink and write in a more critical way.
Assessment & d is t r ibut ion:There will be two required 4-5 page (approx.1400-1500 words) papers. The first paper will be worth 20% ofthe grade and the second paper will be worth 30%. There will also be one or more quizzes (worth 5%), amidterm exam (worth 20%), and a final exam (worth 25%). Attendance is not required, yet is indispensable tosuccess in the course.
Specific information about expectations and guidelines for the written papers will be provided when the firstwriting assignment is handed out. For those interested in getting a preliminary idea of guidelines for writingpapers in philosophy in general, you can visit NYU Philosophy professor Jim Pryor's useful webpage:
A note about proper citation of sources in written work:Sources must be cited appropriately in all written work submitted in this course. All cases of plagiarism willbe taken very seriously in this course, and handled according to the protocols of Washington University. Thiscan result in a failing grade in the course and expulsion from the university.
So what counts as plagiarism anyway? OED online defines plagiarism as the wrongful appropriation andpublication as one's own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas (literary, artistic, musical, mechanical,etc.) of another. More concretely stated:
Plagiarism occurs when a student, with intent to deceive or with reckless disregard for proper scholarlyprocedures, presents any information, ideas or phrasing of another as if they were his/her own and/or doesnot give appropriate credit to the original source. Proper scholarly procedures require that all quoted materialbe identified by quotation marks or indentation on the page, and the source of information and ideas, if fromanother, must be identified and be attributed to that source. Students are responsible for learning properscholarly procedures (from Duke University Bulletin of Information & Regulations 2005-2006).
For more information about what counts as plagiarism, how it will be handled, and guidelines to avoid it,nlfiSRfi visit- hftrv/Vartsri wt ifitl ftrii i/~writinn/nlaqiai'ism.htm
SCHEDULE OF LECTURES & READINGS (*subject to change):
INTRODUCTION AND PRELIMINARIES1/15 Intro [No reading]
LOGIC AND METHOD1/17 Arguments and some other basic logical concepts [No reading]1/22 Deduction [G. Priest, "Validity: What Follows From What?]1/24 Induction [No reading]
REASON, SCIENCE, AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF1/29 Is it rational to believe in God? [B. Pascal, "The Wager"]1/31 Arguing for God's existence [W.L Rowe, The Ontological Argument"]
2/5 The Design argument [W. Paley "Argument From Design"; R.C. Lewontin, "Adaptation"]2/7 Scientific Creationism? [P. Kitcher, "Believing Where We Cannot Prove"]
2/12 Science versus pseudo-science [K. Popper, "Science: Conjectures and Refutations"]2/14 What is scientific explanation? [C. Hempel, "Laws and Their Role in Scientific Explanation"]
KNOWLEDGE AND SKEPTICISM2/19 Skepticism, generally [R. Chisholm, "The Problem of the Criterion"]2/21 Is there a difference between appearance and reality? [B. Russell, "Appearance and Reality","The Existence of Matter"]
2/25 When everything is in doubt [R. Descartes Selections from Meditations]2/28 Skepticism about inductive inference [D. Hume, Selections from An Inquiry Concerning HumarUnderstanding]; W. Salmon "An Encounter with David Hume"]
MINDS AND BODIES3/4 Overview [P.M. Churchland, "Behaviorism, Materialism, and Functionalism"]3/6 Dualism and Behaviorism [R. Descartes, Selections from Meditations; G. Ryle, Descartes' Myth]
3/11 University Holiday: Spring Break3/13 University Holiday: Spring Break
3/25 Materialism/Identity Theory [U.T. Place "Is Consciousness a Brain Process?]3/27 Functionalism &the Turing Test [J.A. Fodor, "The Mind-Body Problem"]
4/1 Challenges: What about meaning and understanding? [J. Searle, "Minds, Brains, and Programs"]4/3 Challenges: What about the subjectivity of experience? \T. Nagel, "What Is It Like To Be a Bat?"]
4/8 Animal Experience: The Very Idea [K. Akins, "A Bat Without Qualities"]4/10 Neuroscience and Eliminative Materialism [P.M. Churchland, "Folk Psychology" and/or "FolkPsychology and the Propositional Attitudes"]
HUMAN FREEDOM4/15 Overview [D. C. Dennett, Elbow Room "Introduction"]4/17 Compatibiiism & Libertarianism [A.J. Ayer, "Freedom and Necessity"]
4/22 Incompatibilism [P. Holbach, "The Illusion of Free Will"]4/24 Freedom and Responsibility [T. Nagel, "Moral Luck"]
4/28 Behaviorism and Freedom [B.F. Skinner, "Walden Two: Freedom and the Behavioral Sciences"]
