Introduction to Philosophy                                    

Philosophy 2100

Fall 2008

Meeting Time/Location:

MW Pafford 102          Section 02:  2:00-3:15

                                    Section 03:  3:30-4:45

Instructor:

Dr. Walter Riker

Office hours:  MWF 8:30-9:00, MW 12:00-2:00, F 12:00-3:00, and by appointment

Office:  TLC 2249

Office phone:  678-839-5317

Email:  wriker@westga.edu

All email communication will be conducted through your official UWG email account.  Check your email account on a regular basis and make sure that your mailbox does not become too full to accept messages.

Learning Outcomes:

This is a historically framed course that introduces students to major figures and developments in the history of Western philosophy. By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

· Identify several major historical philosophers

· Exhibit familiarity with several major problem areas and the way that several major historical philosophers approach them

· Explain and critically engage several philosophical problems and positions

· Exhibit a familiarity with several philosophical concepts/ideas

· Analyze and compare different philosophical approaches to various philosophical problems

Required Text:

Donald C. Abel, Fifty Readings Plus:  An Introduction to Philosophy, Second Edition (New York:  McGraw-Hill, 2010).

Course Requirements:

1.  Participation (+/-)

You are expected to come to all scheduled classes.  You are allowed to miss three days without penalty.  Your fourth absence, and every absence after that, will cost you 10 points.  Use these days sparingly, if at all.  Exemplary attendance and participation can help you.  Students who come to class prepared and regularly make contributions to class discussions may receive a slight boost to their final course grade.

Come to class on time and prepared to interact.  Read assigned material before class.  Do not come to class late.  Late arrivals are inconsiderate and disrupt class.  If you arrive to class late too often, I will lower your final course grade.

2.  Four Tests (100 points each)

We will have four tests.  Each will cover one subject area:  free will, knowledge, political, and religion.  Tests may consist of multiple choice, true/false, fill-in, definitions, and possibly other objective short answer questions.

Final Course Grades:

A = 400-360 points

B = 359-320 points

C = 319-280 points

D = 279-240 points

F = less than 240 points

Cheating and Plagiarism:

The Department of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as “taking personal credit for the words and ideas of others as they are expressed in electronic, print, and verbal sources.”  The Department expects that students will accurately credit sources in all assignments.  It is equally dishonest to make up sources or facts.  Cheating (including plagiarism) is grounds for failing an assignment and sometimes the course.

Emergencies, Impairments, and Disabilities:

Students who have a disability that requires course adaptations or accommodations should make an appointment with the Office of Disability Services to discuss their specific needs and schedule an appointment with me during office hours.  If you have emergency medical information that I should know about, please tell me about it.

Course Schedule:

Aug 17:            Introductions, What is Philosophy?

Aug 19:            Thiry, Baron d’Holbach, Of the System of Man’s Free Agency (318-326)

Aug 24:            Hospers, The Range of Human Freedom (326-336)

Aug 26:            Stace, The Problem of Morals (359-368)

Aug 31:            James, The Dilemma of Determinism (336-347)

Sep 2:              Taylor, Freedom and Determinism (347-359)

Sep 7:              Labor Day Holiday

Sep 9:              Test 1

Sep 14:            Plato, Republic (136-146)

Sep 16:            Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy (146-159)

Sep 21:            Descartes, cont.

Sep 23:            Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (159-170)

Sep 28:            Locke, cont.

Sep 30:            Berkeley, Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous (170-187)

Oct 5:               Berkeley, cont.

Oct 7:               Test 2

Oct 12:             Plato, Crito (491-503)

Oct 14:             Hobbes, Leviathan (503-513)

Oct 19:             Hobbes, cont.

Oct 21:             Locke, Second Treatise of Government (513-527)

Oct 26:             Locke, cont.

Oct 28:             Mill, On Liberty (548-557)

Nov 2:              King, Letter from Birmingham Jail (557-572)

Nov 4:              Test 3

Nov 9:              Anselm, Proslogion (31-37)

Nov 11:            Aquinas, Treatise on God (37-46)

Nov 16:            Paley, Natural Theology (46-54)

Nov 18:            Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence (89-102)

Nov 23:            Mackie, cont.

Nov 25:            Thanksgiving recess

Nov 30:            Hick, The Problem of Evil (102-115)

Dec 2:              Hick, cont.; Conclusions

Final Exam:       Test 4
Day