INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (PHIL 201)

Manchester University, Spring 2020 Instructor: Steve Naragon
Welcome! Course Objectives Course Requirements Writing Schedule Philosophy FAQ What is philosophy good for? Latin Phrases Identify/Describe/... [Grading Rubrics] [Canvas] [Starfish] [Instructor Homepage] [Registrar] [Philosophy/Religious Studies Dept.]	Reading and Assignment Schedule Required Texts • Naragon, “A Book is a Machine to Help One Think”: An Introduction to Philosophy (Fall 2016) Links to PDFs are found under the individual dates. • 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! Assignments Extra credit journals [see] are always due two 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 7. 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. Philosophy at the Movies! If you enjoy watching films that make you think (or that help you think, if you’re already there...), then you may want to explore those listed below in the “Other Resources” sections. All or most of these are available for writing an extra credit essay. I’m always looking for new titles, so please share your suggestions of films I should add. 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.
What Should I Believe? Tue, Jan 28 (1) What is Philosophy? [show] Thu, Jan 30 (2) Analyzing Arguments [show] Tue, Feb 4 (3) Extended (everyday) Arguments [show] Thu, Feb 6 (4) Deductive Logic [show] Tue, Feb 11 (5) Inductive Logic [show] Thu, Feb 13 (6) The Ethics of Belief [show] Tue, Feb 18 (7) Plato’s Apology: The Role of the Philosopher [show] Thu, Feb 20 (8) Plato’s Meno: The Benefits of Philosophy [show] Tue, Feb 25 (9) Plato’s Euthyphro: The Nature of Definitions [show] Thu, Feb 27 — Exam #1 — [study guide] What Should I Do? Tue, Mar 3 (10) Why Be Moral? [show] Thu, Mar 5 (11) From Moral Intuition to Moral Theory [show] Tue, Mar 10 (12) Ethical Subjectivism [show] Thu, Mar 12 – No Class Spring Break Tue, Mar 24 – COVID-19 disruption Thu, Mar 26 (13) Aristotle’s Virtue Ethic [show] Tue, Mar 31 (14) Mill’s Utilitarianism [show]	Thu, Apr 2 (15) Kant’s Deontologism [show] What Can I Know? Tue, Apr 7 (16) Doubting our Beliefs [show] Thu, Apr 9 (17) Cartesian Dualism [show] Tue, Apr 14 (18) Locke’s Empiricism [show] Thu, Apr 16 — Exam #2 — [study guide] What Am I? Tue, Apr 21 (19) Minds, Brains, and Selves [show] Thu, Apr 23 (20) Minds and Machines [show] Is There a God? Tue, Apr 28 (21) Believing and Disbelieving in God [show] Thu, Apr 30 (22) Faith and Reason [show] Tue, May 5 (23) The Argument from Design [show] Thu, May 7 (24) The Problem of Evil [show] Finals Week — Exam #3 — [study guide] Online through Canvas, due Friday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. The exam will be available on Canvas from Wednesday, May 13, 8:00 a.m. until Friday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. You will have two hours to complete the exam, once you open it.
Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 7 May 2020

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 2016) Links to PDFs are found under the individual dates.

• 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!

Assignments

Extra credit journals [see] are always due two 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 7. 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.

Philosophy at the Movies!

If you enjoy watching films that make you think (or that help you think, if you’re already there...), then you may want to explore those listed below in the “Other Resources” sections. All or most of these are available for writing an extra credit essay. I’m always looking for new titles, so please share your suggestions of films I should add.

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.

What Should I Believe?

Tue, Jan 28

(1) What is Philosophy? [show]

Thu, Jan 30

(2) Analyzing Arguments [show]

Tue, Feb 4

(3) Extended (everyday) Arguments [show]

Thu, Feb 6

(4) Deductive Logic [show]

Tue, Feb 11

(5) Inductive Logic [show]

Thu, Feb 13

(6) The Ethics of Belief [show]

Tue, Feb 18

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

Thu, Feb 20

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

Tue, Feb 25

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

Thu, Feb 27

— Exam #1 — [study guide]

What Should I Do?

Tue, Mar 3

(10) Why Be Moral? [show]

Thu, Mar 5

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

Tue, Mar 10

(12) Ethical Subjectivism [show]

Thu, Mar 12 – No Class

Spring Break

Tue, Mar 24 – COVID-19 disruption

Thu, Mar 26

(13) Aristotle’s Virtue Ethic [show]

Tue, Mar 31

(14) Mill’s Utilitarianism [show]

Thu, Apr 2

(15) Kant’s Deontologism [show]

What Can I Know?

Tue, Apr 7

(16) Doubting our Beliefs [show]

Thu, Apr 9

(17) Cartesian Dualism [show]

Tue, Apr 14

(18) Locke’s Empiricism [show]

Thu, Apr 16

— Exam #2 — [study guide]

What Am I?

Tue, Apr 21

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

Thu, Apr 23

(20) Minds and Machines [show]

Is There a God?

Tue, Apr 28

(21) Believing and Disbelieving in God [show]

Thu, Apr 30

(22) Faith and Reason [show]

Tue, May 5

(23) The Argument from Design [show]

Thu, May 7

(24) The Problem of Evil [show]

Finals Week
— Exam #3 — [study guide]
Online through Canvas,
due Friday, May 15, 1:00 p.m.

The exam will be available on Canvas from Wednesday, May 13, 8:00 a.m. until Friday, May 15, 1:00 p.m.

You will have two hours to complete the exam, once you open it.

Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 7 May 2020