The Probe Probes the Broab

Brain science comedy!

Wittgenstein's Poker

Remember that book I referenced in class this week about the one philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who threatened another, Karl Popper, with a poker?

• It's called Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers.   
• If a book is a bit too long for you, there's also this short article on the incident.  
• Or if you're looking for even more, there's a second book by someone who was in the room at the time of the incident.

Reading Response #3: Dualism

Here is the assignment for reading response #3:

Do you think dualism is a good theory of mind? Why or why not? In an approximately 500-word essay, explain and evaluate dualism. Be sure to discuss and evaluate criticisms for this theory. Furthermore, explain and defend your opinion of dualism. Don’t just explain what you believe; explain why you believe it, as well.

This assignment is worth 50 points (5% of your overall grade), and is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 29th.

Course Evaluation

The course evaluation for this class is now open.  Here are instructions on how to do this:

1. Go to http://cp.rowan.edu/cp/.
2. Click "Student Self-Service" icon.
3. Click "Access Banner Services - Secure Area - login required"
4. Enter User ID and PIN.
5. Click "Personal Information".
6. Click "Answer a Survey".
7. Click on one of the student evaluations for your classes.
8. Complete the student evaluation.
9. Click “Survey Complete” to submit your completed student evaluation.
10. Repeat for other fall 2011 classes.

Hear No Evil

If you like to get philosophical on the treadmill, try downloading and listening to these podcasts on the problem of suffering:

• Well-known contemporary philosopher (and ordained priest) Marilyn McCord Adams offers some insights into the problem of evil in this audio interview. (Download)
  
• The NPR program Fresh Air has an audio interview with Bart Ehrman on the problem of suffering. (Download)
  
• Here's even more audio from a few philosophers on the problem of suffering. (Download)
  
  

Test #2

Just a reminder that test #2 will be held on Tuesday, November 15th. It's worth 25% of your overall grade.

There are a variety of questions on the midterm: some multiple choice, some short answers, different types of argument evaluation, a mini-essay, and extra credit. It covers everything we've gone over in class so far:

• Philosophy
  -Definitions
  -Doing philosophy
• Arguments
  -Evaluation: truth and support tests
  -Types: deductive and abductive
• Knowledge
  -Definition: Plato says true belief doesn't equal knowledge
  -Skepticism
  -Descartes: uncertain of childhood beliefs, senses, and reasoning; certain he's thinking and he exists
• God Stuff
  -Evidentialism vs. nonevidentialism
  -Design Argument: Paley's version, the abductive version, Hume's criticisms of the analogy & inductive versions
  -Problem of Suffering: the logical (deductive) version, the free will theodicy, Hick's soul-building theodicy, evaluating greater good responses, the abductive (evidential) version