Wednesday - Jan. 18 
Introduction
Maps and Areas of Philosophy

Monday- Jan. 23
Textbook Reading Assignment:
Chapter 1 - What is Philosophy?
1.1   Why Study Philosophy
1.2   Defining Philosophy
1.3   Thinking Philosophically: Becoming a Critical Thinker
1.4   Understanding Arguments

Online Reading Assignment:
Why Logic First (pdf)
The online logic test which the above document refers to  is no longer available online, sorry!


Wednesday - Jan. 25
Logic and reasoning (continued)

*Optional Exercises (for students who wish more practice with determining whether arguments are valid or invalid)

Answers here

SMART BOARD NOTES FROM TODAY'S CLASS (pdf)

Monday- Jan. 30
QUIZ 1: Will cover readings in Chapter 1 given for Monday Jan. 23 (above)
Textbook Reading Assignment:
How Can We Know The Nature of Reality?
5.1     What is the Nature of Reality?
5.2      Reality of the Eternal Realm of the Forms

Optional Reading Assignment:

Plato: Excerpts from the Republic (pdf) (compliments textbook reading, the quiz material will be taken from the textbook reading.

INTRODUCTION TO READING PLATO (pdf) (ignore page numbers and references to a text book, the book referenced is not ours)

Today's smart board notes  (pdf)

Wednesday - Feb. 1
Plato (continued)

Monday- Feb. 6
Plato (continued)
Smart Board Notes for today

Wednesday - Feb. 8
Metaphysics-Epistemology
Textbook Reading Assignment:
5.4 Can Reality be Known? Rene Descartes

Internet Reading Assignment:
Rene Descartes Meditation I
Rene Descartes Meditation 2

Links on audio and visual illusions in class:
Sine wave speech:
http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/Chris_Darwin/SWS/

Fade in illusions:
http://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/Slow%20changes%20bis/intro.html


Monday- Feb. 13
QUIZ 2
The material will cover Sections 5.1, 5.2 and 5.4
Rene Descartes Meditation 2

Wednesday - Feb. 15
Descartes Meditation 3

Monday- Feb. 20
In-Class video which explores differing modern views
on Near Death Experiences

Wednesday - Feb. 22
Are you Free? Freedom and Determinism
Textbook: 4.1, 4.2

Monday- Feb. 27
Are you Free? Freedom and Determinism
Textbook: 4.3, 4.4

Wednesday - Feb. 29
QUIZ 3
The material will cover Sections 4.1- 4.4

Monday- March 5
The nature of Self - From Hegel to Freud
Hegel's work, Phenomenology of Spirit (here translated as Phenomenology of Mind) can be accessed here
(we will read this small excerpt  found here)

Chapter 3 of Freud's "Totem and Taboo" can be access as a pdf file here (11 meg download, be patient, requires password, check your pima email or email me for the password)

Wednesday - March 7
The nature of Self - From Hegel to Freud
 (continued)

Take home quiz (due March 21) Instructions:
1) Choose a section that explains a Philosophical position on The Self, or on Freedom and Determinism (see sections below) and TYPE a 3 paragraph summary which contains:
a) An introductory paragraph with thesis statement (This paper will examine  . . . in particular we will summarize the arguments that support (x))
b) A paragraph that summarizes the main reasons given (in the textbook) to support x.
c) Your critical analysis of those reasons (they can be for or against. Make sure you THINK philosophically, which means avoidance of logical fallacies and demonstration of a clear understanding of what the arguments actually state (not what you want them to state).
d) Your work should properly cite any relevant material from the book, (use APA, MLA or any other citation style you like, but make sure you use one!). Your work should be your own. PLEASE note there are many ways to detect plagiarism these days, so don't be tempted to copy/paste essays from the internet, in which case you will receive an zero for the assignment.
e) You need to email me an electronic copy of your essay which has been saved using a FILENAME that includes YOUR NAME in the file name by Wednesday AND bring a printed copy to class (make sure you include your name).

Your section from the book should be taken from one of the following:

Section 3.3 Descartes Modern Perspective on the Self
Section 3.5 There is no self :Hume
Section 3.7 Self is Embodied Subjectivity
Section 3.8 The Self is Brain: Materialism

Section 4.2 Determinism
Section 4.3 Compatibilism
Section 4.4 Indeterminism and Libertariansim


Monday- March 12 - Spring  Break

Wednesday - March 14 - Spring  Break

Monday- March 19
Is there a Spiritual Reality? Exploring the Philosophy of Religion
Excerpt from The Golden Bough

Other Sources which the student may wish to consult:
Aveni, A. 2002,  Behind the Crystal Ball: Magic, Science, and the Occult from Antiquity through the New Age ( Boulder: University Press of Colorado)
Frazer, Sir J. G. 1922, The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (New York: Collier Books)
Freud, S. 1938, "Animism, Magic, and Omnipotence of Thought" in "Totem and Taboo" (New York: Random House)
Tylor, Sir E. B. 1903, Primitive Culture, Researches into the Development of  Mythology, Philosophy, Religion,  Language, Art and Custom (2 vols)  (London: John Murray)

Wednesday - March 21
Quiz 4 take home due today (see March 7 for details)

Is there a Spiritual Reality? Exploring the Philosophy of Religion
(continued)
Reading: 7.4 Does God Exist?


Lots of Information:
The Ontological Argument for the Existence of God
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God



Monday- March 26
The teleological Argument for the existence of God

Wednesday - March 26
Quiz 5
Will be in-class. Choose two of the three arguments for the existence for god, summarize them (write out the argument in your own words) and critique one. The three main arguments are: the ontological argument, the cosmological argument (chose one of the first 3 ways), and the teleological argument.

Critiques of the teleological argument

Monday- April 2
The problem of evil
Video (God on Trail)  (watch this video on your own, it covers many of the questions we will deal with in class today)
Today will be a discussion day, where we all discuss the Problem of Evil
We will discuss these questions (pdf)


More links of Interest:
1) John Hick, "God can allow Evil"
2) J. L. Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence"

Wednesday - April 4
The naturalistic account of Religion together with its connection to the Human mind via Freud
To get the best out of this lecture read chapter 1 of The Golden Bough, and the first several pages of Freud's Animism, Magic and Omnipotence of Thought
a) Excerpt from The Golden Bough
b) Chapter 3 of Freud's "Totem and Taboo" can be access as a pdf file here  (email me for password to open file, in case you forgot)

Take home QUIZ 6 due Wednesday- see Wednesday April 13 for Information (an electronic file of your quiz needs to be sent to kslinker@pima.edu before class starts on Monday)

Monday- April 9
Students should start reading Chapter 8 in the textbook.

We will being to cover Ethics today.
Today will be another discussion day!


Wednesday - April 11 
Quiz due TODAY:

• Type up your own argument for or against the existence of God. (Make sure you define what you mean by God first!)
• Tell me whether your argument is valid or invalid (remember what these words mean in Philosophy). Give reasons for saying whether your argument is valid or invalid (hint: your reason should include the definition for valid and invalid)
• Clearly state your conclusion and spell out your reasons that support your conclusion. Don't let your conclusion stand alone. If you state, "X is true" give a reason for stating x is true!
  
• Now the challenge. After you have done your best, argue against your own position. That means, in part 2 of your essay, give reasons why one might not accept the argument you give.
• SEND ME a electronic file of your work before class begins today, PLUS bring in your printed document for grading.

Readings for Chapter 8:
8.1 Your Moral Compass
8.2 Ethical Relativism
8.3 Ethical Absolutism

Monday- April 16
Ethics (continued)


Wednesday - April 18
Details about today's quiz:
The quiz will be written in class, and cover the following four questions:
1) Tell me something that should be Ethically Objective or Absolute
1a) Tell me why it should be Ethically Objective or Absolute

2) Tell me something that should be Ethically Relative or Subjective
2a) Tell me why it should be Ethically Relative or Subjective

Readings for Chapter 9:
Section 9.1
Section 9.4 Utilitarianism
Section 9.3 Duty based ethics

Monday- April 23
Chapter 9 (continued)

Wednesday - April 25
Details about today's quiz:
The quiz will be written in class, and cover the following four questions:
1. Describe the difference between normative ethics and descriptive ethics.
1a) Provide an example of a descriptive ethical claim and a normative ethical claim.
2) Describe the difference between Ethical Objectivism  and Ethical Relativism


Monday- April 30
Duty Based Ethics via W.D. Ross
What Makes Right Acts Right?

Wednesday - May 2


Monday- May 7

FINAL QUIZ (to be emailed to me by today, and printed out and turned in today in class)

Compose and present a detailed ethical theory of your own creation (this does not mean you can not use bits and pieces of ethical theories studied so far)
Explain in detail your ethical theory (convince me it is a good ethical theory)
DETAILS HERE:

Gay Marriage
The-Catholic-Churchs-Opposition-Gay-Marriage.pdf

VIEWS-on-marriage.pdf

Wednesday - May 9
Applied Ethics
Legalization of Marijuana

drug-legalize1.pdf

drug-legalize2.pdf

Monday- May 14
(last day of class, you may stop by to see your final grade)