INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (PHIL 201) | |||
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Manchester University, Spring 2018 Instructor: Steve Naragon | |||
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Reading and Assignment ScheduleRequired Texts • Naragon, “A Book is a Machine to Help One Think”: An Introduction to Philosophy (Fall 2016) • 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. This is not the sort of class where you can do well on the exams by cramming; there's much more going on here than simple memorization. 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 TableAlex Cote, Tuesday, 7-9 pm, ACEN 232 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 10. 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, Feb 1 (1) What is Philosophy? [show] DF #1 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Logic and Belief Tue, Feb 6 (2) Analyzing Arguments [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Comments on DF #1 are due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Thu, Feb 8 (3) Extended (everyday) Arguments [show] Tue, Feb 13 (4) Deductive Logic [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Thu, Feb 15 (5) Inductive Logic [show] Tue, Feb 20 (6) On Belief [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Socrates and Plato Thu, Feb 22 (7) Plato’s Apology: The Role of the Philosopher [show] Discussion Forum #2 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Tue, Feb 27 (8) Plato’s Meno: The Benefits of Philosophy [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Comments on DF #2 are due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Thu, Mar 1 (9) Plato’s Euthyphro: The Nature of Definitions [show] Mon, Mar 5, 8:00-9:30 p.m. Review Session for Exam #1 [ACEN 133] Tue Mar 6 — Exam #1 — Ethics Thu, Mar 8 (10) Why Be Moral? [show] Tue, Mar 13 (11) From Moral Intuition to Moral Theory [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Thu, Mar 15 (12) Ethical Subjectivism [show] Discussion Forum #3 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] March 17-25 —— Spring Break —— Tue, Mar 27 (13) Aristotle’s Virtue Ethic [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Comments on DF #3 are due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] |
Thu, Mar 29 (14) Mill’s Utilitarianism [show] Tue, Apr 3 (15) Kant’s Deontologism [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Epistemology Thu, Apr 5 (16) What Can I Know? [show] Tue, Apr 10 (17) Cartesian Dualism [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Thu, Apr 12 (18) Locke’s Empiricism [show] Mon, Apr 16, 8:00-9:30 p.m. Review Session for Exam #2 [ACEN 243] Tue, Apr 17 — Exam #2 — The Metaphysics of Being Human Thu, Apr 19 (19) Minds, Brains, and Selves [show] Tue, Apr 24 (20) Minds and Machines [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Discussion Forum #4 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric]
Philosophy of Religion Thu, Apr 26 (21) Believing and Disbelieving in God [show] Comments on DF #4 are due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Tue, May 1 (22) Faith and Reason [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Thu, May 3 (23) The Argument from Design [show] Discussion Forum #5 is due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Tue, May 8 (24) The Problem of Evil [show] Tuesday Essay (due before class) [rubric] Comments on DF #5 are due at midnight (see Canvas) [rubric] Thu, May 10 (25) Pascal’s Wager [show] Finals Week Wed, 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Review Session for Exam #3 [ACEN 149] Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-9:50 a.m. Exam #3 | ||
Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 10 Apr 2018 |