INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (PHIL 201)

Reading and Assignment Schedule

Required Texts

• Naragon, “A Book is a Machine to Help One Think”: An Introduction to Philosophy (Fall 2015)

• Plato, Five Dialogues, 2nd ed. (Hackett)

• René Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy (Hackett)

Most of the assigned readings are found immediately following the relevant chapter in the textbook (Naragon, “A Book is a Machine” ...). Readings marked as “Naragon, §§” refer to sections in the textbook. Additional readings, videos, audio files, and films listed under “Other Resources” are for interested students wanting to explore a topic further and/or who would like to write an “Extra Credit Journal” [see].

The films listed under “Other Resources” usually include a link to a trailer, so that you can acquire some sense of the film before watching it (the extra credit journal is to be over the film, of course, and not the trailer).

Please note: These reading materials are not like the Sunday cartoons or some easy-reading blogsite. You will need to read and re-read this material, taking notes to help you follow the line of thought. There will be a quiz on the readings nearly every day. To prepare for these, you should look at the items under “What you need to know how to do” for that day, read the materials closely, then re-examine that list of what you are supposed to know how to do, and re-read the material, if necessary. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to understand the readings!

Philosophy Study Table

Every Tuesday and Thursday, 4:00-5:00 p.m., in the Science Center, room 104
Shannon Lee, tutor

Assignments

Due dates for the Discussion Forum postings and comments are listed below; the topics are described on the “Writing” page [see]. You may submit these materials as early as you like; the deadline for Discussion Forum postings and comments is always midnight of the day for which they are listed.

Extra credit journals [see] are always due seven days after the day for which they are listed (under “Other Resources”) — except for the last week of the semester: all work needs to be submitted by Thursday, May 5. All of these are to be submitted through the appropriate drop box in Canvas. Late work can still be submitted, but it will be penalized. I encourage you to submit work early, when you can.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives (or learning competencies) are listed with the materials given for each class day (click on the [show] links). These objectives are normally prefaced with some verb: identify, describe, distinguish, diagram, define, use, construct, explain, evaluate, compare, discuss. You may click on these terms for a brief description and example of what I have in mind.

Thu, Sep 1

(1) What is Philosophy? [show]

DF #1 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric]

Logic and Belief

Tue, Sep 6

(2) Analyzing Arguments [show]

Comments on DF #1 are due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Thu, Sep 8

(3) Everyday Arguments [show]

Tue, Sep 13

(4) Deductive Logic [show]

Thu, Sep 15

(5) Inductive Logic [show]

Socrates and Plato

Tue, Sep 20

(6) Plato’s Apology: The Role of the Philosopher [show]

Thu, Sep 22

(7) Plato’s Meno: The Benefits of Philosophy [show]

Discussion Forum #2 is due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Tue, Sep 27

(8) Plato’s Euthyphro: The Nature of Definitions [show]

Comments on DF #2 are due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Thu, Sep 29

(9) Plato’s Crito: The Citizen and the State [show]

Mon Oct 3, 9:00-10:00 p.m.

— Review Session for Exam #1 (SCIC 204) —

Tue Oct 4

— Exam #1 —

Ethics

Thu, Oct 6

(10) Why Be Moral? [show]

Tue, Oct 11

(11) From Moral Intuition to Moral Theory [show]

Thu, Oct 13

(12) Ethical Subjectivism [show]

—— Fall Break ——

Thu, Oct 20

(13) Aristotle’s Virtue Ethic [show]

Discussion Forum #3 is due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Tue, Oct 25

(14) Mill’s Utilitarianism [show]

Comments on DF #3 are due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Thu, Oct 27

(15) Kant’s Deontologism [show]

Epistemology

Tue, Nov 1

(16) What Can I Know? [show]

Thu, Nov 3

(17) Cartesian Dualism [show]

Tue, Nov 8

(18) Locke’s Empiricism [show]

Wed, Nov 9, 9:00-10:00 p.m.

— Review Session for Exam #2 (SCIC 204) —

Thu, Nov 10

— Exam #2 —

The Metaphysics of Being Human

Tue, Nov 15

(19) Minds, Brains, and Selves [show]

Discussion Forum #4 is due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Thu, Nov 17

(20) Minds and Machines [show]

Comments on DF #4 are due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Philosophy of Religion

Tue, Nov 22

(21) Believing and Disbelieving in God [show]

—— Thanksgiving Break ——

Tue, Nov 29

(22) Faith and Reason [show]

Thu, Dec 1

(23) The Argument from Design [show]

Discussion Forum #5 is due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Tue, Dec 6

(24) The Problem of Evil [show]

Comments on DF #5 are due (see Canvas) [rubric]

Thu, Dec 8

(25) Pascal’s Wager [show]

Finals Week

Thursday, Dec 15, 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Review Session for Exam #3 (SCIC 204)

Friday, Dec 16, 8:00-9:50 a.m.

Exam #3

Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 21 Nov 2016