Syllabus for Philosophy 251.503: Introduction to Philosophy

Tuesday& Thursday 12:45-2:00, PETR (Peterson) 113

Spring 2010, Dr. Stephen H. Daniel

Click here for a one-page pdf version of the course syllabus.

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In Introduction to Philosophy you will develop the critical-thinking skills needed to write and speak effectively about philosophic method, the mind-body relation, freedom, ethics, political obligation, religious belief, and knowledge. This means being able to identify issues, give arguments for philosophical positions, critique those arguments, and formulate replies to those criticisms.

Textbook: Selections from the 3rd and 4th editions of Doing Philosophy by Theodore Schick and Lewis Vaughn. The readings are available for downloading at the Evans Library Course Reserves website. I recommend you print all the pages of the book (if possible on the front and back of sheets) and gather the pages together in a spiral- or three-ring binder. Contact Dr. Daniel if you have questions about how to do this.

Class Date Topic Reading Assignment Class Date Topic Reading Assignment

Jan. 19

Introduction

2-12

Mar. 23 (Q)*

Rule utilitarianism

 361-67
Jan. 21 Philosophic Method
 12-27
 Mar. 25
 Duty ethics
 368-79
Jan. 26 (HW)* Mind-Body
 66-82
 Mar. 30 (HW)
 Political Justice & Care
 379-95
Jan. 28 Behaviorism
 82-101
 Apr. 1
 Virtue ethics
 396-407
Feb. 2 (Q) Mind-brain identity 101-114 Apr. 6 (Q) God: cosmological argument 458-72
Feb. 4 Functionalism 115-35 Apr. 8
 God: teleological argument
 472-87
Feb. 9 (HW)
 Freedom & determinism
 188-212
 Apr. 13 (HW) God: ontological & wager arguments
 496-507
Feb. 11
 Compatibilism
 213-29
 Apr. 15
 The problem of evil
 508-24
Feb. 16 (Q)
 Libertarianism
 230-41
 Apr. 20 (Q) Faith & meaning 525-38
Feb. 18
 Personal identity
 264-81
 Apr. 22
 Knowledge & Plato
 562-68 (4th ed) & 537-46 (3rd ed)
Feb. 23 (HW)
 The soul & memory
 281-300
 Apr. 27 (HW)
 Rationalism: Descartes
 546-53
Feb. 25
 Continuity theory of self
 300-309
 Apr. 29
 Empiricism (Hume) & Kant
 585-91
Mar. 2
 Mid-semester exam
 May 4
 (No class: redefined Friday class)
Mar. 4
 Ethical relativism
 326-38
 May 12 (Wednesday)
 Final exam 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Mar. 9 (HW)
 Ethics & religion
 338-46
Mar. 11
 Act utilitarianism
 347-61
 Cell phones must be turned off during class.
*HW=homework essay due; Q=quiz at beginning of class.

The semester grade is based on:

If you miss an in-class quiz or fail to submit a homework essay on time, you must submit a 300-word essay that answers the assigned questions prior to the next class. If you miss the mid-semester or final exam, contact Dr. Daniel immediately. Expectations of the quality of essays rise if essays are submitted past the deadlines; grades are assessed accordingly.

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Instructor: Dr. Daniel
 Teaching Assistant: Jen Gaffney
Office (Bolton 302-B) hours: Tuesday & Thursday 11:00-12:30, 2:15-3:30
 Office (Bolton 311) hours: Monday & Wednesday 2:00-4:00
Phone: 979-845-5619 (office), 979-846-4649 (home)
 Phone: 979-845-0489
E-mail: sdaniel@people.tamu.edu
 E-mail: j-gaffney@people.tamu.edu

Course website: http://people.tamu.edu/%7Esdaniel/251sy10a.html

Students with disabilities are guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Disability Services, Cain Hall B118, or call 845-1637.

Students are bound by the Aggie honor code not to lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Using notes during a quiz or test, submitting another someone else's work as one's own (e.g., plagiarizing from the Internet), copying from another student's test, or modifying a previously graded test to improve the grade are acts of scholastic dishonesty. If you violate the code, you will fail the course; no second chances. For more on cheating and plagiarism, see http://www.tamu.edu/ aggiehonor/.

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