Jackson Community College, Winter 2008PHL231.04 Introduction to Philosophy #030131R 6:00 – 8:54pm, Bert Walker Hall, Room 217Class will meet from 01/10/08 to 05/01/08Instructor: Cheryl McKinleyEmail: [email protected] (best way to contact me)Use the regular email—do not email me through Educator.In the subject line of your email, please state the class you attend—thanks! (Ex: JCC R 6-8:54pm)Materials Required:Pojman, Louis P. 2006. Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, 6th Edition. New York: Oxford University Press.You will also need to purchase four Blue Books for Exam I, II, III and IV. Do NOT put your name on these Blue Books nor write in them prior to the exam!You can purchase the Blue Book (or Green Book, which is the color of the new exam booklets) at the JCC Campus Bookstore in the Potter Center (check the website or call for Bookstore hours). There are two sizes at the bookstore. You will need to purchase the larger size 8 ½ x 11. Note: The bookstore carries a smaller size but the smaller size will not be accepted. If you arrive on exam day without a Blue Book, you will not be able to take the exam.Welcome to Philosophy! Learning Objectives: The Board of Trustees has determined that all JCC graduates should develop or enhance certain essential skills while enrolled in the college. Several of these Associate Degree Outcomes are addressed in this class, including the ability to speak, listen, write and read competently inan organized and critical manner.In this course, you will be exposed to some of the major figures in Western philosophy, and through them, some of the most important philosophical questions. You will discuss questions such as: Is ethics all a matter of opinion? What is the good life for human beings? When is the state justified in using coercive power? What is the nature of knowledge, and how do we get knowledge? What is the nature of reality? Can we prove the existence of God? (See course catalog)Course Requirements and possible point values:Exams = 4 @ 200 points each (total possible points 800)Quizzes = 10 @ 20 points each (total possible points 200)Total possible points for the course = 1000Note: Attendance will be taken at the beginning and end of class. Note : No make-up or quizzes—you must attend class for quiz points. Note: No make-up exams. Instead, if you miss an exam, see me for a paper topic. The paper is to be seven pages in length, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. The due date (and further instructions) will be given when you receive the paper topic. You must attend the final exam – no paper topic for the last exam. Academic Honesty: See JCC Catalog, on Academic Honesty. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. 1Grading Scale:4.0 = (930-1000) 3.5 = (880-929) 3.0 = (830-879) 2.5 = (780-829) 2.0 = (730-779)1.5 = (680-729) 1.0 = (630-679) 0.5 = (600-629) 0.0 = (599 and below)Use the following codes for your reading assignments: WP = What is Philosophy?; PR = Philosophy of Religion; K = Knowledge; PM = Philosophy of Mind; FD = Freewill and Determinism; E = EthicsTentative Reading Assignments:R 1-10 First day of class: Introduction to the course Section: What is Philosophy? Homework for R 1-17, read the following: Plato: Socratic Wisdom in class (pp.6-17) WPLocke: Of Enthusiasm and the Quest for Truth (pp.18-24) WP_________________________________________________________________________________R 1-17 Section: What is Philosophy?/ Philosophy of ReligionHomework for R 1-24, read the following:Russell: The Value of Philosophy (pp.24-28) WPPaley: The Watch and the Watchmaker (pp.83-86) PR [Section: What Is Philosophy?]_________________________________________________________________________________R 1-24 Q-1 (20 points)Section: What is Philosophy?/ Philosophy of ReligionHomework for R 1-31, read the following:Hume: A Critique of the Teleological Argument (pp.86-93) PRDostoevsky: Why Is There Evil? PR_________________________________________________________________________________R 1-31 Q-2 (20 points)Go over Hume and DostoevskyReview for Exam I _________________________________________________________________________________R 2-7 Exam I (over sections WP and PR) 200 pointsHomework for R 2-14, read the following: Section: KnowledgeDescartes: Cartesian Doubt and the Search for Foundational Knowledge (pp.165-171) KLocke: The Empiricist Theory of Knowledge (pp.171-183) K__________________________________________________________________________________R 2-14 Q-3 (20 points)Section: KnowledgeHomework for R 2-21, read the following:Hume: The Origin of Our Ideas and Skepticism about Causal Reasoning (pp.192-201) KRussell: The Correspondence Theory of Truth (pp.211-252) K__________________________________________________________________________________R 2-21 Q-4 (20 points)Go over Hume and RussellReview for Exam II2R 2-28 Exam II (over the section K) 200 pointsHomework for R 3-13, read the following:Section: Philosophy of MindDescartes: Dualistic Interactionism (pp. 245-252) PMRyle: Exorcising Descartes’ “Ghost in the Machine” (pp. 252-258) PM___________________________________________________________________________________R 3-6 No Class: Mid Semester Break___________________________________________________________________________________R 3-13 Q-5 (20 points)Homework for R 3-20, read the following: Section: Philosophy of MindNagel: What Is It Like to Be a Bat? (pp. 285-292) PMHume: We Have No Substantial Self with Which We Are Identical (pp.309-312) PM___________________________________________________________________________________R 3-20 Q-6 (20 points)Section: Philosophy of Mind Homework for R 3-27, read the following:Locke: Our Psychological Properties Define the Self (pp.305-309) PM___________________________________________________________________________________R 3-27 Q-7 (20 points)Go over Locke Review for Exam III___________________________________________________________________________________________R 4-3 Exam III (over section PM) 200 pointsSection: Freewill and DeterminismHomework for M 4-10, read the following:D’Holbach: We Are Completely Determinded (pp.349-355) FDJames: The Dilemma of Determinism (pp.355-365) FD____________________________________________________________________________________R 4-10 Q-8 (20 points)Section: Freewill and Determinism Homework for M 4-21, read the following:Stace: Compatabilism (pp.368-374) FDPlato: Why Should I Be Moral? (pp.