Unit #1: Epistemology, Logic and Critical Thinking |
M, Aug 26 |
Lecture Topic: About this course—An Intro to Intro to Philosophy
No reading assignment |
W, Aug 28 |
What is Philosophy and Why Study It?
Reading: Russell, “The Value of Philosophy” |
F, Aug 30 |
Fallacy Friday (every Friday)
Critical Thinking
Haskins, “A Practical Guide To Critical Thinking
Suggested Film: "Sherlock Holmes" |
M, Sep 2 |
Labor Day- No Classes! |
W, Sep 4 |
Critical Thinking (continued) – no new reading |
F, Sep 6 |
Logic (soundness and validity)
Reading: Layman, “Logic”
Suggested humorous reading: Dave Barry “How to Win an Argument” |
M, Sep 9 |
Logic continued
Reread: Layman, “Logic” |
W, Sep 11 |
Finish Logic, Overview of Philosophical Topics
Reading: Jim Pryor “Guidelines on Reading Philosophy” |
F, Sep 13 |
Campus closed- no class |
M, Sep 16 |
Class cancelled due to flood |
W, Sep 18 |
Descartes- Knowledge, Skepticism, and the Method of Doubt
Reading: Descartes, “Meditations on First Philosophy” Meditation 1
Suggested film: “Inception” |
F, Sep 20 |
Descartes- Knowledge, Skepticism, and the Method of Doubt
Reading: Descartes, “Meditations on First Philosophy” Meditation 2 |
M, Sep 23 |
Skepticism- Do we know that we have a physical body?
Reading: Pollock, “A Brain in a Vat”
Required film: “The Matrix”” (Available under "Week 4" on D2L site) |
W, Sep 25 |
What is knowledge?
Readings: Baker, Knowledge as Justified True Belief
Gettier, “Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?” |
Unit #2: Metaphysics |
F, Sep 27 |
Finish Knowledge Readings |
M, Sep 30 |
Personal Identity
Parfit, “Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons”
Suggested film: “Blade Runner” |
W, Oct 2 |
The Mind-Body Problem- What is the mind, and is it non-physical?
Reading: Churchland, “The Ontological Problem” (p.7-21)
Suggested film: “Freaky Friday” |
F, Oct 4 |
The Mind-Body Problem (continued)
Reading: No new reading |
M, Oct 7 |
The Mind-Body Problem (continued)
Reading: Churchland, “The Ontological Problem” (p.23-35) |
W, Oct 9 |
No new required reading
Suggested film: “Transformers”
Optional fun reading: Matt Pike’s Transformers paper: “Can Metal Be Mental?” |
F, Oct 11 |
The Mind-Body Problem (continued)
Reading: Churchland, “The Ontological Problem” (p.36-49) |
M, Oct 14 |
Free will- Do we have it, or are our actions determined?
Reading: Van Inwagen, “Freedom of the Will”
Suggested film: “Groundhog Day” |
W, Oct 16 |
Free will (continued) – Reading TBA |
F, Oct 18 |
Is time travel possible?
Reading: David Lewis, “Paradoxes of Time Travel”
Comic: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1465
Suggested films: “Back to the Future”, “Primer”, "Harry Potter 3" |
M, Oct 21 |
Review Day |
W, Oct 23 |
MIDTERM EXAM |
F, Oct 25 |
God's Nature, Ontological and Cosmological arguments for God’s existence-
Reading: Pages 1-7 of 3 Arguments for God |
M, Oct 28 |
Design Argument
Reading: Pages 6-10 of 3 Arguments for God |
W, Oct 30 |
Finish "3 Arguments for God" Reading |
F, Nov 1 |
Exam Review/Fine-Tuning
Optional Reading: Collins "The Fine-Tuning Design Argument" |
M, Nov 4 |
Pascal's Wager
Reading: Chad Vance- Notes on Pascal's Wager |
W, Nov 6 |
The Problem of Evil argument against God’s existence
Reading: Tooley, selections from “The Problem of Evil”
Suggested film: “Star Trek T.N.G.: Q Who” (or any episode with Q) |
Unit #3: Values/Ethics |
F, Nov 8 |
Problem of Evil- continued
*****PAPER TOPIC ASSIGNED***** |
M, Nov 11 |
No new reading. |
W, Nov 13 |
Divine Command Theory- Is God the source of morality?
Reading: Shafer-Landau, “Does Ethical Objectivism Require God?” |
F, Nov 15 |
Cultural Relativism
Reading: Rachels, “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism"
Suggested film: “Apocalypto” |
M, Nov 18 |
Utilitarianism
Readings: Mill, “Utilitarianism” excerpt
Greene, “Moral Dilemmas and ‘The Trolley Problem’”
Suggested film: “Sophie’s Choice” |
W, Nov 20 |
Utilitarianism (problems)
Reading: Rachels “The Debate over Utilitarianism”
Suggested film: “The Village” or any of the “Saw” series |
F, Nov 22 |
*****PAPER DUE*****
Utilitarianism, Objections and Deontology
Reading: start Rachels, Chapter 9 "Are There Absolute Moral Rules?" |
M, Nov 25 |
Fall Break, No Classes |
W, Nov 27 |
Fall Break, No Classes |
F, Nov 29 |
Fall Break, No Classes |
M, Dec 2 |
Deontology
Reading: Rachels, Chapter 9 & 10 "Absolute Moral Rules/Kant Respect for Persons"
Suggested film: "Cabin in the Woods" or “Watchmen” |
W, Dec 4 |
Finish Deontology, start Applied ethics- World hunger
Reading: 1st half of Singer, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” |
F, Dec 6 |
Applied ethics- World hunger (continued)
Reading 2nd half of Singer, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” |
M, Dec 9 |
The Meaning of Life
Reading: Taylor, “The Meaning of Life”
Suggested film: “The Razor’s Edge” |
W, Dec 11 |
The Meaning of Life (continued)
No new reading required
Optional Reading: Nagel, “The Absurd”
Suggested film: “I (heart) Huckabees” |
F, Dec 13 |
Finish Meaning of Life
Suggested film: “Monty Python and the Meaning of Life” |
Final Exam On official day scheduled by Registrar’s office (posted in your mycuinfo.colorado.edu) |
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