Philosophy 201     Introduction to Philosophy

 

Rex Gilliland                                                                

Office: Norton 265                              

Phone: 226-7718

Home Phone: 930-0754                                              

Email: rgillila@bsc.edu                                  

 

Olin 105                       TTh  9:30-10:50 am

Office Hours:                TTh  10:50-11:50 am,

                                    TTh  1:00-2:30 pm,

                                    and by appointment

 

Syllabus                        Writing Center Information

 

Schedule     Click on dates for reading questions. All changes in red.

 

 

8/30     Convocation – Abbreviated Class 9:10 – 10:25 am; What is Philosophy?

9/4       Plato, Euthyphro photocopy, 41-53

9/6       Plato, Euthyphro photocopy cont., 53-61

 

Teleology vs. Mechanism: The Consequences of Modern Science

 

9/11     Aristotle, Four Causes, Biological Norms; Teleology, Great chain of being photocopies          

9/13     Mechanism, Galieo, Newton, Descartes, Evolution, Big bang photocopies

9/18     Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground photocopy

 

Arguments Pertaining to the Existence of God

 

9/20     Argument from Contingency: Introduction 209-218; Aquinas 219-222; Copleston and Russell 223-234                        Handout

9/25     Argument from Contingency cont.; Argument from Design: Paley 234-238                     Handout

Short Writing Assignment Due              Writing Assignment Guidelines

 

9/27     Argument from Design cont.: Hume 238-247

10/2     Problem of evil: Introduction 265-269; Dostoevsky 269-273; C.S. Lewis photocopy    Handout

10/4     Midterm exam                       Study Guide

 

Modern Philosophy and the Influence of Science

 

10/9     Descartes, First Meditation 73-77

10/11   Community Day – Abbreviated Class 8:45 – 9:25 am

Descartes, Second Meditation 77-83

10/16   Locke 116-122

10/18   Fall Break

10/23   Locke cont. 122-127

 

The Problem of the Relation between Mind and Body

 

10/25   Introduction 339-346; Descartes 346-349; Shafer 350-354

10/30   Shafer cont. 354-364

11/1     No Class

 

Free Will and Determinism

 

11/6     Introduction 473-484; Stace 506-513

11/8     Taylor 485-494; Deadline to have your paper topic approved

11/13   Wood 495-505

 

Artificial Intelligence

 

11/15   Film: Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control; Paper due      Paper Guidelines  Essay Exam Study Guide

11/20   Evans photocopy

11/22   Thanksgiving

11/27   Hunt photocopy

 

The Meaning of Life

 

11/29   Tolstoy photocopy

12/4     Sartre photocopy

 

Wed. 12/12      Final Exam   9 am – 12 noon                          Study Guide