INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY



The SyllabusCourse:PHI 2010CRN 81978Semester:Fall 2015Day/Time:TR 10:50 – 12:05Location:50/1404Instructor: Dr. Jon MathesonEmail:j.matheson@unf.eduOffice Hours:TR 12:30 – 1:30; 3:00 – 4:00; F 11:00 – 12:00 (and by appointment)Building 10, Room 2345Syllabus Overview:Course Description and ObjectivesCourse TextsCourse ResourcesCourse RequirementsStudent ResponsibilitiesCourse ScheduleI. Course Description and ObjectivesThis course will introduce students to philosophy through the examination of several major puzzles in philosophy. We will examine central debates within the philosophy of religion (Does God exist? Is there good reason to think that God does or does not exist?), epistemology (What is knowledge? Do we have it?), ethics (What makes an action morally right? What should we do for those in poverty? Is it morally permissible to eat animals?), and metaphysics (What does it take to have free will? Do we have free will?).Through our examination of these issues students will:- be introduced to some of the major issues in philosophy- be introduced to some of the central figures and arguments in philosophy- develop in their skills of critical thinking, reading, and writing - develop in their communication skills (being clear, precise, and concise)- be able to weigh the evidence for and against a claim, and evaluate arguments in light of objections.- be able to intelligently describe and discuss central positions in these debates- be able to apply the theories discussed to particular examples and cases- become aware of the complexities surrounding philosophical debates- critically reflect on their own beliefs on these issueII. Course Texts[BB] Online readings will be available on the course’s Blackboard page.III. Course ResourcesStudents are strongly encouraged to utilize office hours to further discuss these issues and talk about any issues or concerns that they may have. Students can also email me with any questions or concerns that they have. Questions, the answer to which is on the syllabus, may not be answered. Students who feel that they might benefit from peer tutoring, help with study skills, etc. should contact the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) by phone (620-2766) by e-mail (ACE@unf.edu).Students with disabilities who seek reasonable accommodations in the classroom or other aspects of performing their coursework must first register with the UNF Disability Resource Center (DRC). DRC staff members work with students to obtain required documentation of disability and to identify appropriate accommodations as required by applicable disability laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). After receiving all necessary documentation, the DRC staff determines whether a student qualifies for services with the DRC and if so, the accommodations the student will be provided. DRC staff then prepares a letter for the student to provide faculty advising them of approved accommodations. This is best done immediately. For further information, contact the DRC by phone (620-2769) or by email (kwebb@unf.edu), or visit the DRC website: . Course RequirementsYour grade for this course will be based on a variety of assignments and your participation in class. Participation: 10%Being in class, being on time, having read the reading and having come to class prepared to discuss it, and most importantly discussing it respectfully with your peers. Posting and commenting on the course discussion board also counts. ATTTENDENCE DOES NOT SUFFICE FOR PARTICIPATION. ETS Test:5%The ETS Proficiency Profile is a test of general academic knowledge and skills. The test measures college-level reading, critical thinking, writing, and mathematics. I believe that it is important for you to complete this test as you begin your college career. Your results will give you valuable information about, and basis for reflection on, your progress and competencies in important college level skills. The test will be made available to you online during the time window Wed Sept 2 through Wed Sept 16. It will take about 2 ? hours, and must be done all in one sitting. You will be required to take the test on your own time, on your own computer or one in a campus computer lab.TAGs:15%Short reading summaries where you give the author’s main thesis and explain his/her argument for that thesis. You need to complete 6 TAGs for the semester (3 before the midterm & 3 after). You can pick ONE of the readings for that day to complete your TAG on. TAGs are to be submitted on BB. TAGs must be submitted the night before the class period when we discuss the reading in question. TAGs will be graded (1=poor, 2=good, 3=outstanding). TAGs should be uploaded on BB as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.Paper 1:15%A 3-page paper where you clearly present and explain one philosophical position, and one argument for that position, and one objection to that argument. Submitted on BB. Midterm:15%An exam over the first half of the course material.Paper 2:20%A 4-page paper where you clearly present and explain one philosophical position, one argument for that position, and one objection to that argument, and then give a reasoned evaluation as to whether that objection succeeds. Submitted on BB.Final:20%An exam over the second half of the course material.* Late Assignments: Late assignments will be severely penalized. Don’t turn in your assignments late. TAGs will not be accepted late. Any arrangements for late papers must be worked out with the instructor PRIOR to the due date.** Attendance: In order to save you from yourselves, attendance is mandatory. Attendance is essential as we will work through these philosophical topics together and they are nearly impenetrable when tackled on your own. You are permitted 2 unexcused absences, after which you will lose 1/3 of a letter grade for every additional absence. YOU ARE ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MATERIAL/UPDATES THAT YOU MISS.Your course grades will be given according to the following scale:B+: 89-87 C+: 79-77 A : 100-93B : 86-83C : 76-73D : 72-60F : 59-0A-: 92-90B- : 82-80V. Student ResponsibilitiesAcademic Respect:In class we will be critically evaluating the views of others, including the views of those in the class. Given this, class discussion will consist of courteous and respectful criticism, focusing on the ideas and supporting evidence rather than making personal attacks. The tone of you papers and comments must always be respectful and never condescending or belligerent. In so doing we will keep this class as a safe and comfortable atmosphere in which one can test one’s ideas. Also, since research shows that using technology (laptops, tablets, cell phones) distracts both you AND your fellow classmates the use of such technology is prohibited in the classroom. Academic Honesty:Plagiarism is a serious offense. Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s work as your own; it is the intentional or unintentional use of another’s idea or phrase without proper acknowledgement to the source. The penalty for plagiarism will depend upon the nature of the offense, but it is to be avoided. At a minimum, all plagiarized papers will receive a zero. The offending student may also be susceptible to further repercussions (such as automatic failure of the course).Email & Blackboard:It is important that you regularly and frequently check your email and the course’s Blackboard page. You should check your email at least every 24 hours for course updates and announcements. You can have your UNF email forwarded to another account if this will make things easier for you. You can email me content (non-technological) related questions for the course, however, you should first make sure that the answer is not already available on the syllabus or on the course’s Blackboard page. You should follow professional email standards. You should monitor your assignments and grades consistently through the course’s Blackboard page. If you see a mistake on Blackboard regarding your grades, you should inform me immediately. If more than a week has passed since the grade has been posted, your grade may not be reconsidered. Read the comments on your TAGs and papers carefully. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that the proper TAG is submitted and that it is submitted on time.Course Notes sheets are available on the BB page. They are templates that are to be filled out during lecture/discussion. You should print out and bring them with you to the appropriate classes. Course PowerPoints will not be made available.VI. Course Schedule (readings to be done for the day listed) – schedule subject to change I. Introduction & Logic08/25Introduction/Course Overview08/27Truth & InquiryRead:[BB]Pryor “How to Read Philosophy”[BB]Russell “Philosophy for Laymen”09/01Introduction to ArgumentsRead:[BB]Pryor “How to Write Philosophy”[BB]Matheson “Writing a Philosophy Paper”II. Ethics09/03Ethical SubjectivismRead:[BB]Schafer-Landau “Ethical Subjectivism” (up through p. 545)09/08Cultural RelativismRead:[BB]Rachels “Challenge of Cultural Relativism”09/10Global PovertyRead:[BB]Singer “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”09/15Treatment of AnimalsRead:[BB]Norcross “Puppies, Pigs, and People” 09/17No Class – Paper #1 Prep09/22No Class – Paper #1 Online Peer ReviewIII. God’s Existence09/24Ontological ArgumentRead: [BB]Anselm “The Ontological Argument” [BB]Rowe “Why the Ontological Argument Fails” 09/28PAPER #1 DUE09/29 Cosmological ArgumentRead: [BB]Rowe “The Cosmological Argument” 10/01 Teleological ArgumentRead:[BB]Paley “Argument from Design” 10/06 Problem of Evil part 1Read: [BB]Mackie “Evil and Omnipotence” 10/08 Problem of Evil part 2Read:[BB]Rowe “Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism”[BB]Hick “Evil and Soul-Making” 10/13Pascal’s WagerRead:[BB]Pascal “The Wager” 10/15 MIDTERM EXAMIV. Problem of Free Will10/20Hard IncompatibilismRead: [BB]Pereboom “Why We Have No Free Will and Can Live Without It” (skip sections 2-4)10/22CompatibilismRead:[BB]Stace “Compatibilism” 10/27IncompatibilismRead:[BB]van Inwagen “Consequence Argument”10/29FrankfurtRead:[BB]Frankfurt “Alternative Possibilities and Moral Responsibility”11/03LibertarianismRead:[BB]Chisholm “Human Freedom and the Self” 11/05Moral LuckRead: [BB]Nagel “Moral Luck”11/09PAPER #2 DUEVI. Problem of Skepticism11/10KnowledgeRead: [BB]Gettier “Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?”11/12SkepticismRead: [BB]Huemer “Three Skeptical Arguments” 11/17Moorean Response to SkepticismRead:[BB]Moore “Proof of an External World”11/19Inference to the Best ExplanationRead:[BB]Vogel “Cartesian Skepticism and Inference to the Best Explanation”11/24DogmatismRead:[BB]Huemer “Phenomenal Conservatism”11/26NO CLASS12/01Disagreement SkepticismRead: [BB]Feldman “Reasonable Religious Disagreements”12/03FINAL EXAM ................
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