Spring 2014
PHIL 102 Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality Schedule #22381
Room: WC220
Tuesday-Thursday 2-3:15
Steven Schlesinger
Office Location: A&L 436
Office hours: MWF 7:45-8:45, T-Th 12:30-1:30
Contact Information: Email address: sschlesi@mail.sdsu.edu Office Phone: 594-4678
Required Text: First Philosophy Concise Edition edited by Andrew Bailey
This text is the basis of all lectures. The book is available at SDSU bookstore and costs
approximately $90.
Statement of Contingency: This syllabus is intended to guide us through the semester. However,
circumstances can change and so I reserve the right to change the syllabus as needed to ensure
that we fulfill the objectives of the course. You will receive full and fair notification regarding
such changes.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
This course fulfills the Humanities portion of the Explorations section of the General Education
(GE) Requirements. Among the “seven essential capacities” that the GE program emphasizes,
this course develops in the student the following in particular:
1. Construct, analyze and communicate arguments.
2. Apply theoretical models to the real world.
3. Contextualize phenomena.
4. Negotiate differences.
Among the “Goals” for GE Courses in the Humanities and Fine Arts, this course aims to fulfill
three of them:
Goal 1: Analyze written, visual or performed texts in the Humanities and fine arts with
sensitivity to their diverse cultural contexts and historical moments.
Goal 2: Argue from multiple perspectives about issues in the Humanities that have personal
and global relevance.
Goal 3: Demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions
drawing upon knowledge of the Humanities.
Catalogue description: Introduction to philosophical inquiry with emphasis on problems of
knowledge and reality. Students are encouraged to think independently and formulate their own
tentative conclusions.
Course Objectives: The aim of this course is first to challenge the idea that there is such a thing
as knowledge. Then acquaint the student with the basic principles of several influential theories
of knowledge; and how these theories can be applied to a variety of vital contemporary issues
facing individuals and society. In addition, this course gives the student the opportunity to learn
and demonstrate important skills necessary to a well-rounded University education. As well as
reading, these skills include listening, note-taking and organizing ideas to form a coherent
understanding of the material as it relates to their lives.
Learning outcomes- Upon completion of the course student will be able to:
1) Show ability to analyze and critically respond in essay form to the Skeptic’s claim that
we cannot know anything.
2) Show ability to analyze and critically evaluate the ideas of theories concerning what we
can know about human origins .
3) Show ability to analyze and critically evaluate what we know about the best ideas from
social and political philosophy.
4) Develop the ability to think and write critically and effectively.
5) Show ability to argue from multiple perspectives.
Organization—Lectures in all classes except for periodic in class essay tests. Readings should be
done before class lectures. ALL LECTURES ARE IMPORTANT.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Week 1. Jan 23 Introduction to Course
TOPIC #1 EPISTEMOLOGY
Week 2 Jan 28th Locke “Realism”pages 104-123.
Jan 30 Descartes “Skepticism” pages79-104
Week 3 Feb 4th Descartes, continued
. Feb 6th Berkeley “Idealism” pages 123-150.
Week 4 Feb 11. Berkeley, continued
Feb 13th Russell pages 150-165
Week 5 Feb 18th Russell, continued
Feb 20th PAPER DUE (to be submitted in class)
TOPIC- Fully explain and evaluate the major theories of
knowledge. What do you believe and why,
TOPIC #2 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION-CREATION/EVOLUTION CONTROVERSY
Anselm “Ontological Argument” pages 17-27
th
Week 6 Feb 25 Aquinas “ Cosmological Argument” pages 27-38
Feb 27 Hume “Argument from Design” pages 45-66
Week 7 Mar 4
Hume, continued
th
Mar 6
Mackie “The problem of Evil” pages 66-77
th
Week 8 Mar 11
Mackie, continued
Smart “The Mind/ Body Problem” pages 201-215
Smart, continued
Ree “Freewill & Determinism” pages 263-282
Ree, continued
PAPER DUE (to be submitted inclass) TOPIC- Fully explain the Creation/
Evolution controversy. Are you a Creationist or an Evolutionist, explain?
TOPIC #3 SOCIAL & POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
Hobbes “Monarchy” pages 471-500
st
Week 11 Apr 8 Hobbes, continued
Apr 10th Mill “On Liberty” pages 504-546
Week 12 Apr 15th Mill, continued
Apr 17th Mill, continued
Week 13 Apr 22 Mill, continued
Apr 24th Marx “Socialism” pages 546-562
Week 14 Apr 29th Marx, continued
May 1
Marx “Communism”
th
Week 15 May 6
Rawls “Justice as Fairness” pages 562-574
th
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May 8 Nozick “Anarchy” pages 574-591
LAST DAY OF CLASS. Question & Answer.
PAPER DUE AT SCHEDULED FINAL May 13 1-3pm
TOPIC- What is Democracy?
Mar 13th
Week 9 Mar 18th
Mar 20th
Week 10 Mar 25th
Mar 27th
EACH OF THE 3 PAPERS COUNT EQUALLY.
Criteria for grading:
1) Essay should contain a clear line of thought and argument, and each paragraph logically
contributes to the development of that line of argument.
2) The essay exhibits a thorough understanding of the work being criticized and accurately
explicates the author’s response to the reading.
3) The essay takes a critical stance toward the material under examination and the criticisms are
based on firm reasoning that is well supported with relevant evidence.
THERE IS NO SHARING OF NOTES OR PAPERS