Welcome to PHIL 251, Introduction to Philosophy

Course syllabus

Addendum to the syllabus regarding excused absences and the extra credit quizzes: if and only if a student informs me in advance of a university excused absence on a given date, any extra credit quiz given on that date will not be included when determining the student's average score on the quizzes. As provided in section 7.3 of the TAMU Student Rules, documentation of the excused absence may be provided later, but I must receive notification of the excused absence in advance of the class in question.

Note: You will need an ID and a password to retrieve most of the materials linked below. That's because some of these are copyrighted materials. As a registered student in the class, the fair use doctrine entitles you to download a copy for your own use in the course, but it may be illegal for you to distribute the files or in any other way reproduce them. If you're a student in the class, we will give you an ID and a password to use.

Readings, handouts, and web pages used

Note: Various materials will be added as the semester progresses.

I - The nature of philosophy as an academic discipline

1. HTML: The nature of philosophy as an academic discipline.
2. HTML: The main areas of academic philosophy.

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II - Arguments for (and against) the existence of God

1. Some background information
   1. HTML: The definition of "God" and four arguments regarding the existence of God.

2. The ontological argument for God's existence
   1. HTML: Anselm's version of the ontological argument.
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while reading this essay.
   3. HTML: Example of a reductio ad absurdum argument

   4. PDF: William Rowe, "The Ontological Argument."
   5. HTML: Questions to answer while reading this essay.
   6. HTML: Handout on Rowe on the ontological argument.

   7. HTML: The "validity" v. "soundness" distinction.
   8. HTML: Some valid argument forms.
   9. HTML: Another example from class.

   10. HTML: The "Gaunilo's Island" objection to Anselm's ontological argument.
   11. HTML: Rowe's original objection (in §IV of his essay).

3. The cosmological argument for God's existence
   1. HTML: Aquinas' "The Five Ways" (highlighted).
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while reading Aquinas.
   3. PDF: William Rowe, "The Cosmological Argument."
   4. PDF: Questions to answer while reading Rowe on the cosmological argument.
   5. HTML: Handout on Rowe on the cosmological argument.

4. The teleological argument for God's existence
   1. HTML: Excerpts from Paley's Natural Theology (highlighted).
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while reading Paley.
   3. HTML: Inductive v. deductive arguments.
   4. HTML: Handout on Paley's teleological argument.

5. The problem of evil
   1. PDF: J.L. Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence."
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while doing this reading.
   3. HTML: Mackie's statement of the problem of evil.
   4. HTML: Illustrating Mackie's point about free choice when God is "not a continuing being."
   5. HTML: Mackie's dilemma for the theist.

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First midterm exam
1. There will be 40 multiple choice questions (worth 40% of the exam) and one essay question (worth 60%).
2. You will need an 8.5x11 inch, grey Scantron and a #2 pencil.
3. Please read these: general notes on the essay portion of the exam.
4. Results.

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III - Philosophy of mind

1. PDF: Daniel Dennett, "Where Am I?" from his 1978 book Brainstorms.

2. PDF: John Searle, "Minds, Brains, and Programs," Behavioral and Brain Sciences 3 (1980), pp. 417ff.
   1. HTML: Strong v. weak AI.
   2. HTML: Turing machines and "the Turing test."
   3. GIF: Searle's "Chinese room" thought experiment.

3. PDF: William Lycan, "Appendix: Machine Consciousness," from his 1987 book Consciousness.
   1. A recent BBC video.
   2. Handout on Searle and Lycan.

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IV - Ethical theory

1. Some background information
   1. PDF: Handout on ethical theory — [HTML version].
   2. HTML: Handout on the Euthyphro question (a dilemma for the theological ethicist).

2. Ethical relativism
   1. PDF: James Rachels, "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism."
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while doing this reading.

3. Mill's Utilitarianism
   1. PDF: John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism, chapter two.
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while reading chapter two.
   3. HTML: Hedonistic v. preference utilitarianism.
   4. HTML: Handout on Mill's "competent judge test."
   5. HTML: Eight objections in the second half of chapter two.
   6. HTML: Act v. rule utilitarianism.
   7. HTML: Greatest total vs. greatest average utilitarianism.
   8. HTML: The classical utilitarians on moral thinking.
   9. HTML: Mill on extreme circumstances.
   10. HTML: Highlighted versions of chapter two: first half, second half.

   — — —

   Second midterm exam
   1. There will be 40 multiple choice questions (worth 40% of the exam) and one essay question (worth 60%).
   2. You will need an 8.5x11 inch, grey Scantron and a #2 pencil.
   3. Please read these: general notes on the essay portion of the exam.
   4. Results.

   — — —

4. Rights views
   1. PDF: Handout on Constructing an ethical theory: Three cases for discussion (short version).
   2. HTML: Method of reflective equilibrium.
   3. HTML: Handout on rights views.

5. Kantian ethics
   1. Excerpts from Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785).
   2. Questions to answer while reading these excerpts.
   3. Kant's derivation of the categorical imperative.
   4. Applying the categorical imperative.

6. R.M. Hare's two-level (or "Kantian") utilitarianism
   1. PDF: Gary Varner, "Utilitarianism and the Evolution of Ecological Ethics."
   2. PDF: Questions to answer while reading pp. 551-64 of this essay.
   3. PDF: Questions to answer while reading pp. 565-72 of this essay.
   4. HTML: The Golden Rule in major world religions.
   5. PDF: Handout summarizing Hare's theory.