INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY SYLLABUS



Introduction to PHILOSOPHY Syllabus

Introduction to Philosophy A100, Fall 2010 Orange Coast College

Dr. David C. Ring e-mail: dring@cd.edu

Philosophy 100, CRN: 21676 MW 11:10 am -12:35 pm in Math 103

Dr. Ring’s OCC voice mail: 714 432-5657 Office Hours: Mon. 1:30-5:30 pm

Dr. Ring’s Office: Social Science 200L or by appointment

(2nd fl. on left side when facing OCC bookstore front)

S: Core Questions in Philosophy, 5th ed., Elliott Sober, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Pub., 2009.

The course’s Quia website:

Philosophy Study Aids:

WEEK DATE TOPIC READING SELECTION

1) (8/30) What is philosophy? S1: 1-7

The Socratic method: questioning

Logic: what is an argument? S2: 7-19

Deductive & inductive arguments; valid argument patterns S3: 20-24

(9/1) Finish discussion on logical concepts and arguments

Practice logic QUIZ (doesn't count)

2) (9/6) NO CLASS - LABOR DAY

(9/8) QUIZ # 1 on logic. Bring scantron form (882 - narrow green one) from OCC bookstore

What is knowledge? S12: 147-15

Synopsis of the Meditations S: 204-207

René Descartes's First Meditation: the method of doubt S: 207-210

3) (9/13) Descartes's foundationalism and First Meditation: illusion, dreaming, and evil genius

S13: 156-158, 210-216

(9/15) René Descartes's second Meditation: the cogito argument S: 210-216

4) (9/20) Finish Descartes's philosophy S: 210-216

Introduction to proofs for God's existence

St. Thomas Aquinas's cosmological argument for God's existence S4: 37-42; 118-120

(9/22) QUIZ # 2 on Descartes's First & Second Meditations

More on St. Thomas Aquinas's cosmological arg. for God's existence S4: 37-42; 118-120

5) (9/27) Finish St. Thomas Aquinas's cosmological argument S4: 37-42; 118-120

(9/29) William Paley’s design argument for God’s existence S5: 120-122

6) (10/4) FIRST PAPER DUE (4 pages maximum) on Descartes's method of doubt

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection

(10/6) St. Anselm’s ontological argument for God’s existence S8: 129-132

WEEK DATE TOPIC READING SELECTION

7) (10/11) Objections to St. Anselm’s ontological argument for God S: 87-91

(10/13) QUIZ # 3 on proofs for God’s existence

Blaise Pascal’s wager argument S10: 100-105

8) (10/18) Finish Pascal’s Wager and Review for Test # 1

(10/20) TEST # 1 (use a scantron for 25 true/false questions & two essay questions)

9) (10/25) Go over Test # 1

The Mind/Body problem and Cartesian dualism S18: 255-256

(10/27) Finish Cartesian Dualism S18: 256-264

10) (11/1) The Mind/Brain Identity Theory S18: 279-284

(11/3) Finish discussion of Dualism and the M/B Identity theory S: 279-284

11) (11/8) QUIZ # 4 on philosophy of mind (Dualism and the M/B Identity theory)

Start discussing Zeno's three paradoxes of motion Smullyan,

Reading available online at Quia website

(11/10) Finish discussion o f Zeno’s paradoxes of motion

Introduction to numerical infinity Smullyan,

12) (11/15) Numerical Infinity & David Hilbert's hotel Reading available online at Quia website

(11/17) Measuring numerical infinity: natural, rational, and real numbers Reading online

13) (11/22) Sets, proper subsets, & Georg (pronounced “Gayorg”) Cantor's diagonalization proof

(11/24) QUIZ # 5 on numerical infinity

The power set axiom, transfinite numbers, and different sizes of infinite sets

SECOND PAPER DUE (4 pages max.) on topic of student’s choice from syllabus

[Do not write an ethics paper; do not write on three God proofs (only one at most) or on all three of Zeno’s paradoxes (only one at most). Please only write on one main topic such as on the Ontological argument and give an objection to it.]

14) (11/29) David Lewis's "The Paradoxes of Time Travel" Online at Quia website

(12/1) David Lewis & why time travel is logically possible in "The Paradoxes of Time Travel"

Time travel videos

15) (12/6) QUIZ # 6 on numerical infinity and time travel & Review for Test #2

(12/8) TEST #2 (use a scantron for 25 true/false questions only - no essay questions)

16) (12/13) Go over Test # 2 and Review for Final Comprehensive Examination

(12/15) FINAL EXAMINATION: 25 true/false questions (scantron) & two essays

Please bring a # 2 pencil and a scantron form (882 the narrow one)

Learning Outcome for Philosophy A100: Students will be able to present a critical philosophical analysis of a selected topic in philosophy that articulates and evaluates the claims made.

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