hilosophy 110 Ñ Introduction to
Philosophy 11:00-12:00 MWThF, MI 208
D. Vessey 363-2146
(Office) Office
Hours: 210 MI
vesseyd@beloit.edu 368-9612 (Home) MW
12:00-1:00
Th
1:00-3:00
Required Texts: and
by appointment
Plato, Five Dialogues
Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics
RenŽ
Descartes, Meditations
on First Philosophy
Fyodor
Dostoyevski, The
Grand Inquisitor
Immanuel
Kant, Grounding for
the Metaphysics of Morals
Marx and Engels, The Communist Manifesto
Additional
photocopied readings from Plato,
Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Blaise Pascal, and Patrica Hill Collins
Course Content
In
this course we will tackle three of philosophyÕs most fundamental questions:
What can we know? What ought we
do? and For what may we hope? We
will look at the answers given to these questions by philosophers in three
different historical periods: Ancient Greece, Europe in the early stages of the
scientific revolution, and the brink of the twentieth century. The goal will be to see the way these
views were informed by their particular cultural-historical context, but yet
can still provide us with many important philosophical insights. The Final two weeks of the class will
be on a topic decided by the class just before midterm break (so there is time
to order the books).
Course Method
To
the extent that we are concerned with coming up with true understandings of the
world, philosophy must not be an activity of mere thought, but one of
dialogue. To this end, every
Monday will be set aside solely for discussion (though discussions will not be
restricted to Mondays!).
In order to discuss an issue, however, we must be able to both
understand what we have read, and briefly and clearly articulate our own views
on the issue. No activity works
better for learning these skills than writing. There will be a number (9 from which I will count the top 6
grades) of typed, single page, discussion-prep papers which will be graded A,B,
C, F. Since the papers are meant
to facilitate the discussion, there is no point in turning them in after the
Monday class. There will also be
four, 4 page papers which will allow us to explore more in depth our own
reactions to particular arguments. All typo grading policies apply to both
papers (lose one grade for every four typos). Finally, there will be a midterm and (in class) final
exam.
Exams: 20% Long
papers: 40% Participation/Discussion
Papers: 40%
1. Wed., Sept. 1 Introduction
2. Thurs., Sept.
2 Plato Ñ Background
Reading:
Apology 17-24b
3. Fri., Sept. 3 Plato Ñ
What sort of life is led in pursuit of truth? Reading:
Apology 24b-42
4. Mon., Sept. 6 Discussion Plato Ñ What makes a good definition? Can a
definition tell us anything new?
Reading:
Meno 70-86d
Discussion
Paper #1 due
5. Wed., Sept. 8 Plato
Ñ Is knowledge any
better than true opinion?
Reading:
Meno 86d-100b
6. Thurs., Sept.
9 Plato
Ñ Can we ever achieve
full knowledge in thislife? What
is the best motivation for living?
Reading:
Phaedo 57-69e
7. Fri., Sept.
10 Plato
Ñ What is our knowledge
of? Are there procedures which,
when followed, will lead us to
knowledge?
Reading:
Phaedo 74b-77a;
96a-102
8. Mon., Sept.
13 Discussion Plato
Ñ Is there a connection
between experience
and knowledge?
Reading:
Republic Bk. V
(handout)
Discussion
Paper #2 Due
9. Wed., Sept.
15 Plato
Ñ Does morality pay?
Should we be good Òfor goodness
sakeÓ? Is anyone ever good only for its
own sake?
Reading:
Republic Bk. II
(handout)
10. Thurs.,
Sept. 16 Plato Ñ What is our obligation to the state?
Reading:
Crito 43a-53e
11. Fri., Sept.
17 Aristotle Ñ Introduction
12. Mon., Sept.
20 Aristotle Ñ What kind of life is the best life?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics 1.1-1.4
Long
Paper #1 Due
13. Wed., Sept.
22 Aristotle Ñ What is the role of knowledge in
leading the best
life? What are the criteria for the best life?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics 1.44-1.52
14. Thurs.,
Sept. 23 Discussion Aristotle Ñ Is there any human nature? Is there
a type of life which fits human nature?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics 1.52-1.7
15. Fri., Sept.
24 Aristotle Ñ What role do external goods (money,
friends, good
family, . . .) play in the best life?
Reading:
Nichomachean Ethics
1.7-2
16. Mon., Sept.
27 Discussion Aristotle Ñ What are Virtues and how are they
acquired?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics
2.1-2.3
Discussion
Paper #3 due
17. Wed., Sept.
29 Aristotle Ñ What is required of us to be virtuous?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics
2.3-4
18. Thurs.,
Sept. 30 Aristotle Ñ Why are friends valuable?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics
9.1-9.49
19. Fri., Oct. 1 Aristotle Ñ Should the government encourage us to
live the
best life?
Reading:
Nicomachean Ethics
13.1-14.43
20. Mon., Oct. 4 Discussion Augustine Ñ Is there any possibility of true happiness
in this life?
Reading:
City of God, Bk. XIX
(handout)
Discussion
Paper #4 Due
21. Wed., Oct. 6 Aquinas
Ñ Is faith rational? Is
reason ultimately based in faith?
Does it make sense to use reason to show
GodÕs existence?
Reading: Summa Contra Gentiles I:3-5, 7 and Summa
Theologica I:I, Q.2, A.3
(handout)
22. Thurs., Oct.
7 REVIEW
FOR MIDTERM EXAM
23. Fri., Oct. 8 MIDTERM EXAM
24. Mon., Oct.
11 Descartes
Ñ Background to the
Modern Age
25. Wed., Oct.
13 Descartes
Ñ Is anything certain?
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation I
Long
Paper #2 Due
26. Thurs., Oct.
14 Discussion Descartes Ñ
ÒI think therefore I amÓ
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation II
27. Fri., Oct.
15 Descartes Ñ Where do our ideas come from?
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation III
BREAK********BREAK********BREAK********BREAK********BREAK
28. Mon., Oct.
25 Discussion DescartesÑHow do errors arise?
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation IV
Discussion
Paper #5 Due
29. Wed., Oct.
27 Descartes Ñ Can we be certain of the material
world?
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation V
30. Thurs., Oct.
28 Descartes ÑIs the universe fundamentally dual? Are there
two separable substances: minds and bodies?
Reading:
Meditations,
Meditation V
31. Fri., Oct.
29 Pascal
Ñ Is humanity powerful
or weak?
Reading:
PensŽes ¤II (All),
¤III (All); 198-202, 401
32. Mon., Nov. 1 Discussion PascalÑShould one gamble on religion?
Reading:
PensŽes 387, 418, 449
(Handout)
Long
Paper #3 Due
33. Wed., Nov. 3 PascalÑ Where should we look to find spiritual guidance?
Reading:
PensŽes ¤VII (All); ¤X (All); ¤XI (All);
564,
403-407 (Handout)
34. Thurs., Nov.
4 PascalÑWhat control do we have over our
ÒheartsÓ? Should
we listen to our Ògut?
Reading:
PensŽes ¤VI (All);
¤XIII (All); 423-4, 620-1
35. Fri., Nov. 5 Kant Ñ Is anything unqualifiedly good?
Reading:
Grounding, ¤393-¤397
36. Mon., Nov. 8 Discussion Are
there moral duties?
Reading:
Grounding, ¤397-¤405
Discussion
Paper #6 Due
37. Wed., Nov.
11 Kant
Ñ Can we have certain moral knowledge?
Reading:
Grounding, ¤406-¤419
38. Thurs., Nov.
12 Kant Ñ The Categorical Imperative
Reading:
Grounding, ¤420-¤432
39. Fri., Nov.
13 Kant Ñ What does it mean to be free? Are we always determined
by external desires?
Reading:
Grounding, ¤433-¤445
40. Mon., Nov.
15 Kant Ñ Can God and Evil co-exist?
Reading:
ÒGrand InquisitorÓ pp. 1-18
Discussion
Paper #7 Due
41. Wed., Nov.
17 Dostoyevski Ñ Is freedom light or heavy? A blessing
or a
curse?
Reading:
ÒGrand InquisitorÓ pp. 19-37
42. Thurs., Nov.
18 Dostoyevski Ñ Are we Òresponsible for allÓ?
Reading:
ÒGrand InquisitorÓ pp. 38-end
43. Fri., Nov.
19 Marx
and Engels Ñ What is the
role of class in the way we think? Can you be a poor worker and free?
Reading:
The Communist Manifesto
pp. 49-65
44.
Mon., Nov. 22 Marx
and Engels Ñ Is there
hope for a perfectly free society?
Reading:
The Communist Manifesto
pp. 65-91
Discussion
Paper #8 Due
45.
Wed., Nov. 24 Patrica
Hill Collins Ñ Do gender
and race shape knowledge?
Reading:
ÒTowards an Afrocentric Feminist EpistemologyÓ (Handout)
THANKSGIVING
BREAK
46. Mon., Nov.
29 To Be
Voted Upon
Discussion
Paper #9 Due
47. Wed., Dec. 1 To
Be Voted Upon
48. Thurs., Dec.
2 To
Be Voted Upon
49. Fri. Dec. 3 To
Be Voted Upon
50. Mon., Dec. 6 Discussion Ñ To Be Voted Upon
Long
Paper #4 Due
51. Wed., Dec. 8 To
Be Voted Upon
52. Thurs., Dec.
9 To
Be Voted Upon
53. Fri., Dec.
10 To
Be Voted Upon
54. Mon., Dec.
13 To
Be Voted Upon
55. Wed., Dec.
15 Review
and Evaluations
Fri. Dec 17,
2:00-5:00 FINAL EXAM