1/16/12Problems in Philosophy

PHIL 120F Class meets Mondays and Wednesdays 10 to 11:30 in Psychology Building 249Instructor: Professor Roy Sorensen Email: sorensen@wustl.eduOffice: Wilson Hall 206 Office Hours: Fridays 9 to 11 or by appointmentOffice phone: (314) 935-7914

Teaching Assistant:Isaac Wiegman, itwieqmatawustl.edu. Wilson Hall 116Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 11:30-12:30 or by appointment

Textbook: Elliott Sober's Core Questions in Philosophy Fifth EditionThere will also be readings at a later date, available through Telesis

Course Description: This course will cover standard philosophical issues: skepticism, the

relationship between science and common sense, the problem of determinism, the relationshipbetween minds, bodies, and machines, immortality, the existence of God, the meaning of life, andthe nature of morality. Emphasis will be placed on the construction and appraisal of arguments.The readings are demanding. Comprehension of the material requires careful study andattentive lecture going. Class discussion is encouraged.

Grading and Assignments: Your grade will detenruned mechanically by your net number of

points:

392= A+ 348 = B+ 308 = C+ 268 = D+ below 240 =F376 = A 336 = B 296 = C 256= D360 = A- 320 = B- 280 = C- 240 = D-

Note: If you are taking the course with a Pass/Fail option, please be aware that in order to passthe course you must receive a grade of C or above.

How to gain points:The only way to gain points is by performance on two papers, and two essay examinations. Eachof these four is worth 100 points. Each paper should be no longer than 1500 words. Topic

questions will be provided. Here is the format for the essay examinations. A week before the testyou will be given a long list of preparation questions. On test day you will be given a list of eight

questions. You will choose five to answer. At least two of these questions will be from thepreparation list. Each answer will be worth twenty points. During the class session before thetest, I will set aside some time to answer clarificatory questions about the items on the list. Thatis, I will disambiguate, precisify, and in general respond to worries about misunderstanding thequestions. Of course, I do not intend to provide substantive answers.

How to lose points:Lateness: Lateness will be penalized by 5 points for each session behind schedule. There aretwo ways to avoid this penalty. First, you can receive an extension from the instructor. Second,

you can present a documentable excuse within two weeks of the due date. Difficulties overpossible lateness are best handled by notifying the instructor early. I am reluctant to grant anincomplete. In addition to raising questions of fairness to the other students and creating anuisance for the instructor, incomplete grades have a strong tendency to become failing grades.Excessive Absence: Early incomprehension will snowball. Accordingly, attendance will betaken. Those who miss more than five classes will lose five points for each subsequent absence

up to a total of five penalties (25 points). This 5-5-5 penalty can be avoided on the same groundsas lateness penalty (getting permission in advance or supplying a documentable excuse).

Plagiarism: There are now web sites that check papers for plagiarism. I intend to take advantageof this service. Plagiarism is an extreme offence that is not taken lightly by the university. Itcovers any attempt to represent someone else's ideas as your own.

Plagiarism can involve:• Copying your paper or sections of your paper from a friend, off a website, or out of a book

without proper citation.• Paraphrasing someone else's presentation or idea without giving proper citation.• Presenting someone else's ideas as if they were your own ideas.

If you are caught plagiarizing, whether it was done intentionally or not, you will, at the very least,

automatically fail the course. Additionally, the case will be brought to the attention of the

university officials at which point a dismissal from the university, for disciplinary reasons, is apossibility. SO - Don't do it. If you have further questions about plagiarism please ask, so thatyou can avoid a possibly very unpleasant situation. Alternatively, check out WUSTL's policies onplagiarism at

httos://acadmfo.wustl.edu/WUCRSLFrontMatter/WebwTJCRSLmfo_Aca(Untegrity

Syllabus Revisions: This syllabus is provisional, especially as I project further out into the future.There will definitely be revisions - some of which can be based on student suggestions. I will tryto provide students with at least one week's notice of additions or deletions from the syllabus.

Calendar: This schedule provisional and incomplete. I will expand topics and add new topics in

light of developing interests and opportunities.

Time Description

JPIB9IjSSj Session 1 Charters 1-3Wed 11:30A Evaluating arguments01/23/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 2 Chapters 4 plus AquinasCosmological Argument for God's Existence

01/25/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 3 Chapter 5 plus Palelv & HumeDesign Argument for God's Existence

IiiEdbhliMJ^i Session 4 Chapter 6 AvetMon 11:30A Evolution, Creationism, and the Fine Tuning Argument

02/01/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 5 Chapter 7 -8 Anselm & Guanilo. AverOntological Argument for God's Existence and Non-cognitivism

02/06/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 6 Chapter 9 Pascal and William JamesFideism and the argument from Evil

02/08/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 7 Chapters 12-13Epistemology and Foundationalism

02/13/12 10:00A- Session 8 Descartes' MeditationMon 11:30A Descartes 204-226

02/15/12 10:00A- Session 9 Descartes' Meditation — continuedWed 11:30A Descartes 226-24502/20/12Mon

10:00A-11-.30A

Session 10 Chapter 14 -15. HumeReliabilism and the problem of induction

02/22/12 10:00A- Session 11Wed 11:30A MID-TERM

02/27/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 12 Chapter 16-17 Proposed solutions to the problem of induction

02/29/12 10:00A- Session 13 Chapter 18Wed 11:30A Problem of the External World

03/05/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 14 Chapter 19Mind-Body Problem

vSiSufi■ItwMft Session 15 Chapter 20-21Wed 11:30A Behaviorism

First Paper Due

BtBEBHiiSBi Spring BreakM o n i 11:30A■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ PVHHHHMHIHHHHHi^^HMIiH^HMMffHHIiVMNHHHHi^HlMi^^^^H^^^HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIH^03/14/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Spring Break

03/19/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 16 Chapters 22-23Russell andU. T. PlaceMind-Brain Identity Theory and Functionalism

03/21/12Wed

10:OOA-11:30A

Session 17 Chapters 24. D'Holbach and HumeFreewill and Determinism

03/26/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 18 Chapter 25-26. CampbellCompatibilism

Itt&lijlilnull Session 19 ChaDter 27 PlatoWed 11:30A Psychological Egoism04/02/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 20 Chapters 28-30Ethics and Meta-Ethics

04/04/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 21 Chapter 31 SartreConventionalism and Existentialism

04/09/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 22 Chapter 32 MillUtilitarianism

04/11/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 23 Chapter 33 KantKantianism

04/16/12Mon

10:00A-11:30A

Session 24 Chapter 34 AristotleVirtue Theory

04/18/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 25 Second Paper Due

04/23/12 10:00A- Session 26Mon 11:30A

faaaHHHI 1̂104/25/12Wed

10:00A-11:30A

Session 27

FINAL EXAMINATION DURING FINALS WEEK