Philosophy 120F-02

Problems in Philosophy

Professor : Chr is topher Horn Office: Wi lson 109E-mail: chom@artsci.wustl.edu Office Hours: T,TH 12:30-1:30Website: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~chom Office Phone: 935-8267

[click 'Courses']

TA : J u a n M o n t a n aE-mail: jmmontan@artsci.wustl.edu

Office: Wilson 116Office Hours: T,TH 11:45-12:45

Course Description:"Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, butrather for the sake of the questions themselves; because these questions enlarge ourconception of what is possible, enrich our intellectual imagaination and diminishdogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation."

(Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, 1912)

This course will investigate some basic philosophical issues: knowledge, the existence ofGod, the mind, the self, morality, justice, and the meaning of life. Students will beencouraged to explore their own views in these problematic areas, and then to refine theirown positions on the issues by familiarizing themselves with some classic arguments inthese areas. By thinking critically about their own opinions students should come to adeeper understanding of these issues and their own stance toward them. The aim for thiscourse will be learning to read actively, to engage problems with sophistication, toreason creatively and with precision, to write thoughtfully, and ultimately to appreciatephilosophy.

Meeting Time: T, TH 10 - 11:30 AM Location: Duncker 101

Text: Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings, John Perry,Michael Bratman, John Martin Fischer, Eds., Fourth Edition.

What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy, Thomas Nagel.

Assignments: Two short papers (4-5 pages, 20% each)Two midterm examinations (20% each)In-class quizes (20% total)

Philosophy 120F-02

Course Schedule(Readings with '*' will be available in class and in the course pick-up folder.)

I. Knowledge

Tu 1/16 Course IntroductionNagel, What Does It All Mean? (3-18)Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy

Meditation I (171-173) -Descartes' skeptical doubts

Th 1/18 Cartesian SkepticismDescartes, Meditations on First Philosophy

Meditation I (171-173) - continuedMeditation II (173-176) - The Cogito Argument

Tu 1/23 Descartes' Foundation for KnowledgeDescartes, Meditations on First Philosophy

Meditation III (176-182) - Descartes' Argument for GodMeditation IV (182-185) -Descartes' Explanation of Error

Th 1/25 Skepticism and Sense PerceptionHume, Of Scepticism with Regard to the Senses (211-224)

Tu 1/30 Skepticism and Scientific KnowledgeSalmon, The Problem of Induction, Section I (251-255)Goodman, The New Riddle of Induction (786-787)

Dualism & BehaviorismNagel, What Does It All Mean? (27-37)Meditation VI (188-194) - Mind/Body Dualism

PhysicalismArmstrong, The Nature of Mind (295-302)Lewis, Mad Pain and Martian Pain (302-307)Churchland, Eliminative Materialism (321-325)

ConsciousnessNagel, What Is It Like to Be a Bat? (354-360)Jackson, What Mary Didn't Know (363-366)Paper Topic 1

Can Machines Think?Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence (328-340)Searle, Minds, Brains, and Programs (341-353)

Philosophy 120F-02

m. The Self

Th 2/15 Writing Workshop for Paper 1Draft of Paper 1 Due

Tu 2/20 Personal IdentityPerry, A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality (368-388)

Th 2/22 Freedom of WillNagel, What Does It All Mean? (47-58)Chisholm, Human Freedom and the Self (421-427)Paper 1 Due

Tu 2/27 Morality and the SelfTaylor, Freedom and Determinism (451-463)Frankfurt, Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person (470-478)

T h 3 / 1 M i d t e r m 1

TV. Arguments for the Existence of God

Tu 3/6 The Ontological ArgumentDescartes, Meditation V (186-188)Anselm, The Ontological Argument (78-79)Acquinas, The Existence of God (80-82)

Th 3/8 CLASS CANCELLED [PROF. HOM WILL BE OUT OF TOWN]

Tu3/13 SPRING BREAK

Th 3/15 SPRING BREAK

Tu 3/20 The Teleological ArgumentHume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (92-121)

Th 3/23 The Problem of EvilMackie, Evil and Omnipotence*Stump, A Solution to the Problem of Evil*

Tu 3/27 Empirical Explanations and Pascal's WagerBoyer, Religious thought and behavior as by-products of brainfunction*Pascal, The Wager (82-86)

Philosophy 120F-02

V. Morality

UtilitarianismNagel, What Does It All Mean? (59-75)Mill, Utilitarianism (492-508)Singer, Famine, Affluence, and Morality (527-534)

Kantian EthicsKant, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals (536-551)O'Neill, Kantian Approaches to Some Famine Problems (553-558)

Aristotelian EthicsAristotle, Nichomachian Ethics (572-587)Paper Topic 2

Moral Relativism and Empirical Moral PsychologyMackie, The Subjectivity of Values (749-760)Greene and Haidt, How (and where) does moral judgment work?*

VI. Society

Th 4/12 Writing Workshop for Paper 2Draft of Paper 2 Due

Justice and EqualityNagel, What Does It All Mean? (76-86)Rawls, A Theory of Justice (607-620)

Tu 4/17 Justice and Equality, cont'd.Rawls, A Theory of Justice (607-620), cont'd.Nozick, Justice and Entitlement (620-627)

Th 4/19 Race and GenderAppiah, Racisms (663-672)Haslanger, Gender and Race*Paper 2 Due

VII. Philosophy and the Meaning of Life

Tu 4/24 ConclusionRussell, The Value of Philosophy (9-12)Camus, Excerpt from The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays*Nagel, What Does It All Mean? (95-101)

Midterm 2

Philosophy 120F-02

General Course Policy

ReadingYou are expected to come to class every day having read and understood the assignedmaterial. There is less reading in philosophy than in most other courses, but you have toread more closely than in other courses. You will have to read most of the assignedarticles at least twice to get a feel for what the author is trying to do. James Pryor, aprofessor at Princeton, has some good guidelines on reading philosophy:

http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/reading.html

WritingThere are two writing assignments for this course. Essay topics will be handed out inclass. Topics will generally ask you to explain and argue for different philosophicalviews from readings and lectures. We will discuss writing philosophy papers in greaterdetail, but in general I expect a high degree of precision and clarity. Everyone shouldconsult James Pryor's website for his "Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper". Thelink can be found at:

http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html

ExamsThe format for both midterms are short essay. We will discuss the exams in greater detailas their dates approach.

First Midterm (Thursday, March 1)Second Midterm (Thursday, April 26)

There will be 6-8 unannounced 'pop' quizes to be held in the first ten minutes of class.Quizes will be composed of basic questions from the assigned reading.

There will be no late papers, alternate exams, or makeup quizes without a serious,documented family or medical emergency.

Academic Integrity

Given the recent rise in cases of academic misconduct, I make it a general policy to referall such cases to the Dean's office with a recommendation for the fullest sanctions, aswell as automatic failure for the course. Please familiarize yourself with WUSTL'spolicy on academic integrity and come speak with me if you have any questions:

http://www.wustl.edu/policies/undergraduate-academic-integrity.html