PHIL 1000:  Introduction to Philosophy

Syllabus for Summer 2009

David Barnett

 

Office: Hellems, Room 184                     

Phone: 735-3034

Office Hours:  Monday 12:00-1:00 p.m.                           

Email: david.barnett@colorado.edu

 

Required Texts:

All readings can be downloaded (with password) from this syllabus.

 

Assignments: 

First exam (30%)

Second exam (30%)

Comprehensive final exam (40%)       

 

This course is a survey of the three main areas of philosophy: ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. Ethics is the study of how we ought to act. Metaphysics is the study of reality -- of the nature of all things, and of what exists. Epistemology is the study of knowledge.

We begin by discussing several familiar ethical issues, such as whether we are morally obligated to help those in other countries who are suffering and dying from lack food, shelter, and medical care.  This leads us to investigate abstract theories of how we ought to act, that is, how we ought to act in general. Finally, we discuss certain "meta" questions about ethics: Are there any ethical facts?  Are ethical facts objective or relative to subjects and cultures?  How can we know ethical truths?

We then consider the related topic of free will: Do we act freely? Do we have the power to govern our own behavior or is our behavior is governed by the laws of physics together with the physical makeup of our brains and bodies? Perhaps we have the power to freely govern our behavior and our behavior is governed by the laws of physics. Answers to these questions are relevant to the project of ethics because it does not make sense to ask how we ought to act if we have no choice in the matter.

We turn next to epistemology: Can we know anything about the external world?  Can we be certain about anything?  What is knowledge?  What justifies our beliefs about the world and our own mental states?  Can we trust our senses?

Finally we discuss some central metaphysical questions: What basic sorts of things exist? Does God exist?  How are we related to our bodies and the physical stuff of which they are made? What is consciousness? Is it possible for us to survive the destruction of our bodies?

 

Schedule

DAY

TOPICS

READ

(Please print readings double-sided, to conserve paper.)

LECTURE NOTES

ASSIGNMENT

May 11

 

Introduction

 

Applied Ethics

Russell: The Value of Philosophy

Rand: Philosophy: Who Needs It?

Singer: Famine, Affluence, and Morality

What is Philosophy?

 

Help A Brother Out

 

May 12

 

Theoretical Ethics

Nagel: Right and Wrong

Bennett: Mill "Utilitarianism" Chapters 1 and 2

What Should We Do?

 

 

May 13

Applied Ethics

Carritt: Criticisms of Utilitarianism

Singer: All Animals are Equal

Against Speciesism

 

 

May 14

Metaethics

Free Will

Mackie: The Subjectivity of Values, Sections 1, 2, 7 - 10

Nagel: Free Will

But Isn't Everything Relative?

Free Will

 

May 15

Exam 1

Exam 1

 

Exam 1

 

Exam 1

 

May 18

Skepticism

 

 

Descartes: Meditations I and II

Nagel: How Do We Know Anything?

 

Can We Be Certain of Anything

Do You Even Know What's Up?

 

 

May 19

Knowledge

 

Gettier: Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?

 

The Cogito

Descartes in Six Minutes

Knowledge

 

May 20

Berkeley

Hume

Bennett: Berkeley: "Three Dialogues" (optional after p. 44)

Russell: On Induction

Berkeley Responds

Hume Responds

 

May 21

Empirical Knowledge

God

Routledge Encyclopedia of Phil: Inference to the Best Explanation

Blackwell Companion to Philosophy: Religion

Empirical Knowledge

Arguments FOR God's Existence

 

May 22

Exam 2

God

Exam 2

Russell: Why I Am Not a Christian

Exam 2

Arguments AGAINST God's Existence

Exam 2

May 25

NO CLASS

 

NO CLASS

NO CLASS

NO CLASS

May 26

God

Mind

Pascal: The Wager

Nagel: The Mind-Body Problem

Descartes: Meditation VI

Pascal's Wager

Dualism

 

May 27

Mind

Barnett: Are Conscious Beings Simple?

Zuboff: The Story of a Brain

Simple Souls

Physicalism

 

May 28

Mind

Blackwell Companion to Philosophy: Philosophy of Mind

Jackson: What Mary Didn't Know

Perry: A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality

Personal Identity  

May 29

Final Exam

Final Exam

 

 

Final Exam

Final Exam

 

 

 

Disability Services: 

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices

Religious Observances:

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please contact me at least one week prior to any planned absence due to religious observance. See full details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html

Classroom Behavior:

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code

Discrimination and Harassment:

The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh

Academic Honesty:

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/

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