Course Schedule

*This schedule is tentative and will probably change a lot*

Doing Philosophy
September 6
-Check. Check One. Sibilance (intro to class; no reading)
-Doing Philosophy | What is Philosophy? (no reading)

September 13
-Doing Philosophy | Understanding & Evaluating Arguments (pages 1-22)
-Doing Philosophy | Abductive Arguments & Theories (pages 24-36)

Knowledge
September 20
-Knowledge | What is Knowledge? (Plato handout; pages 147-156)
-Knowledge | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 156-160, 207-210)

September 27
-Knowledge | Descartes vs. Skepticism wrap-up (pages 160-163, 210-216)
-Knowledge | Other Forms of Skepticism (Bostrom, Frances handouts)
(Reading Response #1 due)

Philosophy of Religion
October 4
-TEST #1
-Does God Exist? | Intro to Philosophy of Religion (pages 37-38, 53-57)
-Does God Exist? | Paley & The Design Argument (pages 120-122)

October 11
-Does God Exist? | Hume & The Design Argument (pages 53-61, 123-128)
-Does God Exist? | Design vs. Random (pages 61-83)

October 18
-Does God Exist? | The Problem of Suffering Intro (pages 109-113)
-Does God Exist? | The Free Will Defense (pages 113-117)
(Reading Response #2 due)

October 25
-Does God Exist? | Hick & The Problem of Suffering (handout)
-Review for Midterm (no new reading)

November 1
-TEST #2
-Faith & Reason | Pascal’s Wager (pages 100-109, 136-138)

November 8
-Faith & Reason | Verificationism (pages 92-100, 132-136)
-Faith & Reason | Pragmatism (pages 138-145)

Philosophy of Mind
November 15
-Philosophy of Mind | Dualism (pages 255-265, Descartes handout)
-Philosophy of Mind | Criticisms of Dualism (pages 265-271, Elisabeth/Descartes handout)

November 22
-Philosophy of Mind | Behaviorism & Identity Theory (pages 271-285)
-Philosophy of Mind | Functionalism (pages 285-293)
(Reading Response #3 due)

November 29
-Philosophy of Mind | Functionalism continued (no new reading)
-Philosophy of Mind | Consciousness (Nagel, McGinn handouts)

Free Will
December 6
-Free Will | Hard Determinism (pages 293-303, 344-348)
-Free Will | Libertarianism & Compatibilism (pages 303-322)

December 13
-Catch-up (no new reading)
-Final Exam Review
(Reading Response #4 due)

Tuesday, December 20th, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Robinson 202: Test #3