| Dates |
Discussion Forum |
Quizzes, Tests, Journal Assignments |
Video |
Reading |
Week 1
8-25-8/31 |
1. Go to the Discussion Forum (accessed from the course home
page), and introduce yourself to the
class. Write one or two paragraphs describing your job, your plans,
your interests, etc. Complete this by Thursday.
2. By Monday, post a question or comment in response to another student's
introduction. Answer any questions you are asked. This will help us
learn how to use the Discussion Forum. |
Begin your philosophical journal by discussing your own philosophy of life is.
What do you see as the meaning of life? Keep your journal on your computer
saved as a Word document to which you can add each week. Try to write about one
page per week minimum.
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Get the video package The Examined Life, and view
Video 1, "What Is Philosophy?".
(Video 1 is the first half-hour on the tape that you have rented.)
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Familiarize yourself with the web materials. Read Chapter 1 in Does the Center Hold?
by Donald Palmer and read Socrates' Apology.
Click on the link to get to The Apology on the web.
Also read Instructor's Notes 1 on Deductive
Arguments. |
| Week 2 9/1-9/7 |
Go to the Discussion Forum and select Topic B (Should we
examine our lives?). Post a comment discussing whether or
not you agree with Socrates' claim that the unexamined life is not worth
living. Alternatively, you might discuss what someone would need to call
into question to really examine his or her life. You might want to
comment on the extent to which you believe you have done this. Another
possibility is to discuss whether or not Socrates is corrupting the
youth. Post your
initial comment by Thursday, September 4, and your responses to other
students' comments by Sunday, September 7.
Also, it is always appropriate to post additional comments about any
aspect of the assigned videos or readings that particularly interests you.
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Take Quiz # 1 covering Tape 1, Chapter 1 in Palmer, and the
instructor's notes on deductive logic. You
will find this quiz by clicking on "Quizzes" on the course home
page. You may use
your book to complete this quiz. Take the quiz by Friday, September 5.
Write another page in your journal. Write on all three of the
questions for posting. (Notice that you only need to post your response to
one of these questions.)
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View Video 10, "Does God Exist?"
(Fast forward your tape to # 10. Those of you who like this
series may want to view the episodes that we do not consider in class at
some time during the semester.)
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Read pages 157-187 in Palmer and Meditation 3 in Descartes' Meditations
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| Week 3 9/8-9/14
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Look carefully at Descartes' argument for the existence of
God. Are there logical mistakes in this argument?
Comment on one of the other arguments for God's existence.
Post at least two responses to someone else's comments. |
In your journal write your evaluation of Descartes' argument
for the existence of God and comment on at least one other argument for
the existence of God. Remember to emphasize what you know about
logic.
Take Quiz # 2 covering Tape 10 and the Chapter 5 reading assignment. All quizzes may have review material as well. |
View Tape 11, "Can We Know God Through
Experience?" |
Read pp. 187-209 in Palmer.
Read some of Kierkegaard's Fear
and Trembling.
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| Week 4 9/15-9/21
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In Video # 11 (as well as in your text) there is a
discussion about how to interpret mystical experiences. The question to which I would like you to respond is how
or whether someone can be sure that the mystical
experience he or she has had comes from God. Please try to present arguments for your point of view.
You might want to consider the situation in which the person who has had the experience says that God has
commanded them to do something that seems morally objectionable. |
In your journal, discuss your evaluation of mystical
experiences and answer the question about how a person can know that an
experience represents a link with god rather than a chemical imbalance in
his or her brain. Try to define criteria.
Online Quiz # 3 covering Tape 11 and the second part of
Chapter 5 in Palmer.
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View Tape 12,
"Is Reason the Source of Knowledge?" |
Read Chapter 2 in Palmer.
Read Descartes' First
Meditation and Second
Meditation
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| Week 5 9/22-9/28
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Post on one of these questions:
1. Descartes begins his system with systematic doubt. Is this a good place to begin doing philosophy? Does
Descartes really doubt everything that can be doubted?
2. If you saw the movie The Matrix, discuss its
epistemological basis. Is Neo justified in concluding
that the world that Morpheus reveals to him is the real world? Why or why not?
3. If you would like to return to a critique of Descartes' argument on
the existence of God presented in Meditation 3, please do so.
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In your journal write on one of the discussion questions and
some other topic from the text or video that shows your comprehension of
the material.
Online Quiz # 4 covering tapes 12 and Chapter 2 in Palmer. |
Tape 13,
"Does Knowledge Depend on Experience?" and Tape 14, "Does the Mind Shape the World?" |
Read pages 76-96 and 106-110 in Palmer.
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| Week 6 9/29-10/5
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1. Consider Hume's claim that we only have knowledge of sense data and that there is no real justification for
claiming that material objects are causing us to experience this sense data. Is Hume right?
2. Humboldt and other philosophers have argued that the language of each culture contains the basic categories
and structures that the people of that culture use to understand and comprehend their experience. Many social
scientists such as Benjamin Whorf agree. What do you
think? If you know another language, you might use that language as an example.
3. Consider this fantasy story about a place we will call Flatland. See Discussion Forum for details.
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Quiz # 5 is now available. Take it this week or next. In your
journal, explain which view on epistemology that you take to be correct,
and explain the reasons for your view. Are your views more in line
with the views of Descartes, Hume, or Kant? Why?.
Submit your journal to me during my office hours, by mail,
or by email as a Word attachment.
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Review tapes for midterm.
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Review readings for midterm.
Study Guide for the Midterm
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| Week 7 10/6-10/12
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Submit your journal if you haven't already done so.
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Take the midterm exam in the Testing Center at any time
during this week.
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View Tape 18, "Is Morality Relative?" |
Read Instructor's Notes on Cultural and Moral
Relativism.
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| Week 8
10/13-10/20
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Post on one of these questions, using the terminology and
arguments about moral relativism presented in the text.
1. Should we conform to the moral standards of our society? Why or why
not?
2. When we are in another society, should we conform to the moral
standards of that society?
Why or why not?
3. If you have seen the movie Cheaters, address the questions about
this movie listed on the Discussion Forum.
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In your journal also describe one moral dilemma that you have
experienced. Select a situation in which you were truly unsure about
what you believed to be morally right.
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View Tape 19, "Does the End Justify the
Means?" |
Read Chapter 7 in Palmer and the first two chapters of
Mill's Utilitarianism
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| Week 9 10/20-10/26
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Post on one of the following questions:
1. Is stealing always wrong? If you believe it is,
explain why. If you believe it may sometimes be morally acceptable, describe a circumstance in which it would be
and explain why.
2. Are there any actions that you believe are always
wrong? What are they? How do you know? (For example, Gandhi said that killing was always wrong.)
3. Do you agree or disagree with utilitarianism? If you agree, explain which version of utilitarianism you like
and how you would answer one major criticism of utilitarianism. If you disagree, explain why.
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Pick up your midterm exam, and see me for a conference if
you are having any difficulties.
Quiz # 6 on moral relativism and utilitarianism.
In your journal, be sure to write about questions 1-3. Also,
discuss how a utilitarian would have viewed the moral dilemma you
described last week.
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View Tape 20, "Can Rules Define Morality?"
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Read the pages on rule-based morality in Palmer. |
| Week 10 10/27-11/2
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We have now considered three moral theories - moral
relativism, utilitarianism, and Kantian ethics. Of these three, which
theory do you believe is best? Give philosophical reasons for your
response. Be as specific as you can be. For example, perhaps you like one
variant of utilitarianism and not others. f you reject all of these
theories, explain why. What is lacking in each of them?
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Quiz # 7 on Kantian ethics
Discuss how a Kantian would have viewed the moral dilemma you described
last week.
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View Tape 21, "Is Ethics Based on Virtue?" |
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| Week 11 11/3-11/9
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Post on one of these questions:
1. Write a paragraph in which you describe a virtuous person.
Remember that virtue ethics does not just look at following moral rules.
2. Of all the moral theories presented in the text, which theory do you
like best? Why? Can you answer the common criticisms of this
theory?
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Quiz # 8
Discuss how a virtue theorist would have viewed your moral dilemma you
described last week.
Of all the moral theories presented in the text, which theory do you
like best? Why? Can you answer the common criticisms of this
theory? Use the theory you like best to address your moral
dilemma
if you haven't already done so.
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View Tape 5, "Are We Social Beings?" |
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| Week 12 11/10-11/16
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Also give your response to the tape, "Are We Social
Beings?" Does the answer to this question have anything to do
with the selection of an adequate moral theory? |
Catch up on your journal and submit it.
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View Tape 23, "What Justifies the State?" |
Read Chapter 9 in Palmer and the selection from Locke's
Second Treastise. |
| Week 13 11/24-11/30
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Post on one:
1. Hobbes believes that human beings are
self-interested and that only a strong authoritarian state can maintain
social order. Do you agree?
2. Is revolution against the state ever justified? In
what circumstances?
3. Mill is an advocate of liberty. He believes that the only justification for restricting a person's liberty is to protect another person from harm.
Also, Mill is completely against paternalism. Where do you stand on this?
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Quiz # 9
In your journal discuss what conception of justice that you
endorse. Do you think that social contract theory is a good
direction? What do you think about the communitarian critique of
this theory?
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View Tape 24, "What Is Justice?" |
Finish Chapter 9.
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| Week 14 12/1-12/7
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Post your comment on distributive justice. For this
discuss what obligations society has to a homeless baby.
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Quiz # 10
Journal questions:
What is your view of distributive justice?
How would you distinguish
between revolutionaries and terrorists?
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View Tape 26, What Is the Meaning of Life?" |
Go over the Study Guide for the Final Exam. |
| Week 15 12/8-12/14
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Make your final Discussion Forum entry. Respond to the tape
on the meaning of life and discuss whether any of your philosophical views
have changed over the semester.
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For your final journal entry, expand on your Discussion
Forum posting.
Go to the Testing Center to take the final exam.
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Remember to return your tapes. |
Go to the Review
of Political Philosophers.
Review Marx's Theory of Alienation.
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| Last Week
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Turn in your completed journal by 12/15 at the latest. |
The last day to take the final exam is 12/16
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Keep reading philosophy! |
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