| DATES | TOPICS | READINGS* & ASSIGNMENTS |
| Week 1: 1/27-1/31 | -Introduction to course -Arguments & argument flaws -Skepticism in the real world (videos) |
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| Week 2: 2/3-2/7 | -Descartes -- history, methodology, and the nature of radical doubt: dreams, demons, and (un)certainty | John Pollock, "A Brain in a Vat" (152-154); Descartes, Meditation I (175-178)(Click on the blinking eye on my website for an easy-to-read "translation" of Descartes) |
| Week 3: 2/10-2/14 | - The one thing "I" know for certain (or do I?), what I am, and the wax -Dualism and objections to it |
Descartes, Meditation II (178-182) |
| Week 4: 2/17-2/21 | Exam #1, Monday, 2/17 -The Yacht Problem -Introduction to the problem of personal identity and immortality -The Soul Criterion |
John Perry, "A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality," First Night (434-441). |
| Week 5: 2/24-2/28 | -Problems with the Soul Criterion -The Memory Criteria and their problems (Star Trek video) |
Perry, Second Night (441-448) |
| Week 6: 3/3-3/7 | -The Memory Criteria cont'd. -The Body Criterion and its problems -Conjoined Twins (videos) |
Perry, Third Night (448-453) |
| Week 7: 3/10-3/14 | -A possible solution Exam #2: Wed., 3/12 -The Mysterious and Powerful IGG's |
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| Week 8: 3/17-3/21 | -Pascal's Wager & Decision Theory -Objections to Pascal's Wager -Fideism and objections to it Anselm's Ontological Argument |
Blaise Pascal, "The Wager" (134-137); Simon Blackburn, "Miracles and Testimony" (140-143 -- Note: read just the last bit of Blackburn, beginning with the section titled "Infini-Rien") St. Anselm, "The Ontological Argument" (6-8); Gaunilo of Marmoutiers, "On Behalf of the Fool" (10-11) -- Note: this is just sections 5-7 of Gaunilo's article) |
| Week 9: 3/24-3/26 No class on 3/28 |
-Objections to the Ontological Arg. -Aquinas' Cosmological Argument |
St. Aquinas, "The Five Ways" (22-23) |
| Week 10: 4/2-4/4 No class on 3/31 -- Cesar Chavez Day |
-Objections to the Cosmological Arg. -Paley's Argument from Design |
William Paley, "The Argument from Design" (40-45) |
| Week 11: 4/7-4/11 | -Objections to Paley -The Problem of Evil |
David Hume, "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion," Part X (69-74) |
| Week 12: 4/14-4/18 | SPRING BREAK!! | |
| Week 13: 4/23-4/25 No class on 4/21 |
-Theodicies -The Divine Foreknowledge Problem |
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| Week 14: 4/28-5/2 | Exam #3, Mon., 4/28 -The Determinism Dilemma -The Case for Hard Determinism |
Paul Holbach, "The Illusion of Free Will" (462-467) |
| Week 15: 5/5-5/9 | -Holbach cont'd -The Case for Libertarianism |
C.A. Campbell, "Has the Self 'Free Will'?" (available on-line, so just click here for your copy -- get ID and password from Shoemaker) |
| Week 16: 5/12-5/16 Last day of classes, 5/16 |
-The Case for Compatibilism Exam #4: Friday, 5/16 |
Walter T. Stace, "The Problem of Free Will" (486-491) |