Syllabus for Philosophy 251.200: Introduction to Philosophy

Tuesday & Thursday 9:35-10:50, BLTN (Bolton) 003

Fall 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

Aug. 31

Introduction

2-12

Oct. 21

Act utilitarianism

347-61
Sept. 2
 Philosophic Method
 12-27
 Oct. 26
 Rule utilitarianism 361-67
Sept. 7
 Mind-Body
 66-82
 Oct. 28
 Duty ethics 368-79
Sept. 9
 Behaviorism
 82-101
 [Oct. 31 due date]*
 The Point Essay 4: Kant/LeGuin
 417-21, 429-32
Sept. 14
 Mind-brain identity 101-114 Nov. 2
 Political Justice & Care 379-95
Sept. 16
 Functionalism 115-35 Nov. 4
 Virtue ethics 396-407
[Sept. 19 due date]* The Point Essay 1: Descartes/Taylor 159-70 Nov. 9
 God: cosmological argument 458-72
Sept. 21
 Freedom & determinism
 188-212
 Nov. 11
 God: teleological argument 472-87
Sept. 23
 Compatibilism
 213-29
 Nov. 16
 God: ontological & wager arguments 496-507
Sept. 28
 Libertarianism
 230-41
 Nov. 18
 The problem of evil 508-24
[Sept. 29 due date]*
 The Point Essay 2: Stace/Lamont
 233-39
 [Nov. 21 due date]*
 The Point Essay 5: Hume/evil
 513-17 (3rd ed) & 551-54 (4th ed) 
Sept. 30
 Personal identity
 264-81
 Nov. 23
 Faith & meaning 525-38
Oct. 5
 The soul & memory
 281-300
 [Nov. 25]
 [No class: Thanksgiving holiday]
Oct. 7
 Continuity theory of self
 300-309
 Nov. 30
 Knowledge & Plato 562-68 (4th ed) & 537-46 (3rd ed)
[Oct. 10 due date]*
 The Point Essay 3: Parfit/Kurzweil
 315-23
 Dec. 2
 Rationalism: Descartes 546-53
Oct. 12
 Mid-semester exam
 Dec. 7
 Empiricism (Hume) & Kant 585-91
Oct. 14
 Ethical relativism
 326-38
 Dec. 10 (Friday)
 Final exam 12:30-2:30
Oct. 19
 Ethics & religion
 338-46
*Essays to be submitted as email attachments no later than midnight on the due date.

Cell phones must be turned off during class.

The semester grade is based on:

Expectations of the quality of essays rise if essays are submitted past the deadlines; grades are assessed accordingly. If you miss the mid-semester or final exam, contact Dr. Daniel immediately.

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Instructor: Dr. Daniel
Office (Bolton 302-B) hours: Tuesday & Thursday 11:00-2:00
Phone: 979-845-5619 (office), 979-846-4649 (home)
E-mail: sdaniel@people.tamu.edu

Course website: http://people.tamu.edu/%7Esdaniel/251sy10c.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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