Jackson Community College Introduction to Philosophy PHL 231.04 fall, 2008 Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00 – 2: 30 p.m Walker 107Instructor: Felix Umeana Email: [email protected] description:PHL 231.04 Introduction to philosophy – An introduction to philosophy focuses on the principal issues in the theory of knowledge, metaphysics, ethics and the construction of world views.Textbook: Louis Pojman, Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, Seventh Edition(Oxford University Press, 2009) Objectives:1. To help students to develop their critical thinking skills.2. To broaden scholastic skills(help students to make more global applications of their Scholastic skills.)3. To take philosophical ideas and see how they have meaning for our own lives.4. To help students integrate theory into practice.5. To Search for Truth and live the Truth (“Philosophy is the eternal search for truth …” (W.T. Jones) The philosopher’s faith is that the Truth is good and worth pursuing for its own sake. Pojman, in his introduction, says, God holds all Truth.6 To live the morally good life.Since Truth is intrinsically good and leads to the good life, the pursuit of the Truth should result in living the morally good life. General Expectations: The student is expected to completely familiarize him/herself with the course content, actively participate in class discussions, turn in all assignments on time, and be in class on time.To do Item: Keep a philosophy Journal.The goal is to provide the opportunity for students to expand their own mind. P.S. Refer to philosophers who are relevant to the current topic under discussion.Schedule of ReadingAugust 19: Louis Pojman, Philosophy: The Quest for Truth. Introduction: What is Philosophy? PP. 2-5 The Value of Philosophy PP.24-28 Branches of Philosophy What do philosophers do?Aug.21 Plato: Socratic Wisdom PP. 6-18 (Socrates’ trial)Aug. 26: Pojman, “Is Belief In God Rationally Justified?” P. 48 Arguments for the Existence of God: Thomas Aquinas Cosmological Arguments. PP. 50 -53 Paul Edwards – A critique of the cosmological Argument (PP.74-83); The Argument from Contingency PP. 80-83 Glossary: “a priori”, “a posteriori “Aug. 28: St. Anselm and Gaunilo: The Ontological Argument PP.96-98 Is Faith Compatible with Reason ?Sept. 2: W.K. Clifford, “The Ethics of Belief” PP. 130-135 William James, “The will to Believe “PP.136-144 Reflective Essay ……Sept. 4 Alvin Plantinga: Religious Belief without evidence P. 150 Soren Kierkegaard: Faith and Truth P. 162Sept. 9 Pojman, “What can we know?” 182 -183 Rene Descartes, “Cartesian Doubt and the search for Foundational Knowledge, “183 – 189Sept. 11 George Berkeley, “An Idealist theory of knowledge” PP.201-210 Glossary: “Empiricism”, “Rationalism” Reflective EssaySept. 16 John Hospers, “An argument against skepticism,” PP. 219-227 Glossary: SkepticismSept. 18 Pojman, “Truth, Rationality, and Cognitive Relativism,”PP.227-229 (Nature of Truth!) : Bertrand Russell, “The Correspondence Theory Of Truth,” PP.229-234Sept. 23 William James, “The Pragmatic Theory of Truth,” PP.234-243 Glossary: PragmatismSept. 25 Richard Rorty, “Dismantling Truth: Solidarity versus objectivity,” PP. 243 -250.Sept. 30 Daniel Dennett, “Postmodernism and Truth, “PP.251-257Oct.2 Pojman, “Excursus: A Little Bit of Logic,” PP.33 ff Nature of Arguments FallaciesOct. 7 Pojman, “What Am I? A mind or a Body? PP. 262-264 Rene Descartes, “Dualistic Interactionism,”PP.265-272Oct. 9 J.P. Moreland, “A Contemporary Defense of Dualism,”PP.278-289 Glossary: “Dualism”, “Physicalism,”Oct. 14 Paul Churchland, “On Functionalism and Materialism,” PP.289-304 Reflective Essay:Oct. 16 Pojman, “Who AM I? Do we have personal identity?”PP.334-338Oct. 21 John Locke, “Our Psychological properties Define the self, “PP.339-342Oct 23 David Hume, “We Have no substantial self with which we are identical,” PP. 343-345Oct.28 Pojman, “Is There Life After Death? Am I Immortal?” P.352Oct. 30 Paul Edwards, “An argument Against Survival: The Dependence of Consciousness on the Brain, “PP. 358-367Nov. 4 John Hick, “In Defense of Immortality, “PP.367-374Nov. 6 Pojman “Determinism”, “Libertarianism,” and “Compatibilism,” PP. 378-383Nov. 11 Baron D’ Holbach, “We are completely Determined, “PP 383-389 William James, “the Dilemma of Determinism”Nov.13 Corliss Lamont, “Freedom of the will and Human Responsibility, “PP. 399-410Nov. 18 W.T. Stace, “Compatibilism, “pp. 411-416 Glossary: DeterminismNov. 20 .Pojman “Are There Any Moral Absolutes or Is Morality completely Relative? “P. 445Nov. 25 Ruth Benedict, “Morality is Relative,” PP 446-451 James Rachel, “Morality is not relative, “PP. 451-460 Glossary: RelativismNov. 27 Jean- Paul Sartre: Existentialist Ethics PP. 515-521Dec. 2 what is the meaning of life? Epicurus, “Moderate Hedonism, “PP.571-576 Albert Camus, “Life is Absurd, “PP.586-591 Louis P. Pojman, “Religion gives meaning to life, “PP.591-594Reflective EssayDec. 4 Pojman, “Is Abortion Morally Permissible?” P.608 Don Marquis: Why Abortion is Immoral? PP609-622Dec. 9 Mary Anne Warren “On the moral and legal status of Abortion” PP.623-629Dec. 11 Judith Thomson “A Defense of Abortion” PP.629-641 Jane English: The Moderate Position PP.641-648 REFLECTIVE ESSAYS The Following are the questions for the essays. Each question has a and b part. You are to answer all the questions.Question 1a. What are the charges brought against Socrates? What are Socrates’