Philosophy 140

Philosophy 140	Office Hours: 12:00-1:30 M,W
Spring 2006	(and by appointment)
Yancy Hughes Dominick	3067 Wescoe
9:00-9:50 M,W	864-2339
3139 Wescoe	yancy@ku.edu

GTA’s for the course:

Micah Baize

1007 Wescoe

864-2338

baize54@hotmail.com

Nathan Colaner

1011 Wescoe

864-2336

colaner@ku.edu

Nathan Cox

1007 Wescoe

864-2338

nrcoxer@ku.edu

Course Description:

In this class we will attempt an introductory exploration of philosophy. Our concern lies with how philosophical questions are asked and answered, and with four questions in particular—Does God exist? Is knowledge possible? How are mind and body related? and How might one behave morally? At the end of the semester, we'll read Plato's Meno, in which the characters attempt to answer a few of these questions.

Structure:

This class consists of two lecture sessions each week; additionally, as philosophy operates through questions and attempts at answers, the rest of this course consists of small weekly discussion sections. In order that these discussions be productive, reading assignments must be completed before each lecture session. The reading is substantial, so be prepared to spend an hour or more before each class

Texts:

• Feinberg and Shafer-Landau (eds.), Reason and Responsibility 12th edition.

• Plato’s Meno

• Additional handouts or readings from the World Wide Web.

Website:

Students may see their grades, view the syllabus, contact teachers and fellow students, and obtain supplementary readings on the Blackboard site for this course. To access the site go to http://courseware.ku.edu/ and follow the instructions. For assistance or problems with the website, please see instructor.

Requirements and Grades:

• Participation in discussion sections will be worth 25% of the final grade.

• Exams:

There will be two in-class exams, each worth 25% of the final grade, and a final exam, also worth 25% of the final grade.

Etc.:

• Academic misconduct will not be tolerated

(see http://www.studenthandbook.ku.edu/codes.shtml#Academic%20Misconduct).

• Makeup exams will be awarded full credit only upon demonstrated need (i.e., through proof of illness or emergency). Otherwise, 10% will be deducted.

• If you have special needs, please bring these to your instructor’s attention at the earliest opportunity.

Readings:

God and the Problem of Evil:	The Mind and Personal Identity:
Anselm (6-7)	Descartes, Second Meditation (149-153)
Aquinas (21-22)	Churchland, “Reductive Materialism” (286-288)
Paley (32-37)	Churchland, “Functionalism” (292-296)
Hume, Parts II & V (37-43, 48-50)	Lycan (318-323)
Mackie (online)	Perry, “The First Night” (365-372)
	Perry, “The Second Night” (372-378)
Epistemology:
Pollack (133-134)	Ethics:
Descartes, First Meditation (147-149)	Shafer-Landau (510-521)
Descartes, Second and Third Meditations	Aristotle, from Book I (525-533)
(149-160)	Aristotle, from Books II and X (533-541)
Hume, Section IV (201-207)	Kant, “The Good Will” (579-585)
	Kant, “The Categorical Imperative”
	(585-593)
	Mill (594-607)

	Plato’s Meno:
	Plato (70a-80e)
	Plato (81a-100b (read to end))