PHIL102: INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY: KNOWLEDGE & REALITY
section 4, schedule # 22450
TTH at 12:30-1:45 pm in SH 109
Dr. Robert Francescotti
Office hours (Arts & Letters, 438): Tues 2:30-3:30 pm, Wed 1-2:30 & 5-6 pm, & Thurs 3:00-4:30 pm
Office phone & e-mail: 619-594-6585, rfrances@mail.sdsu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course satisfies the Philosophy & Religious Studies section of the Humanities requirement of the
Foundations of Learning component of the General Education requirements.
- description in SDSU’s General Catalog:
Introduction to philosophical inquiry with emphasis on problems of knowledge and reality.
Students are encouraged to think independently and formulate their own tentative conclusions.
- a fuller description of my section:
You will learn about the philosophical method by exploring some main areas of philosophical interest.
The first issue we will discuss is whether God exists. We will consider a few arguments designed to show that
God exists along with an argument that aims to show that God does not exist. This first section of the course
is a good introduction to the structure of argumentation (an essential tool of the philosophical method).
Then we will investigate the Free Will debate. Science has shown that much of our behavior is the result
of factors beyond our control. The environment in which we were raised obviously greatly affects our
behavior. Non-conscious mental activity and genetic factors are also thought to play a major role. Of course,
the state of one’s brain is a major culprit as well. However, if our actions are the result of these factors, which
seem largely out of our control, then in what sense can we be considered “free”? And if we do not act in a
truly free manner, then can we be held responsible for our actions?
Many people believe that in addition to the body, there is some immaterial aspect to our being. We might
call this the soul—or perhaps spirit, psyche, or simply the mind. Is the mind really immaterial? Might it be
that our thoughts, beliefs, and desires are nothing more than purely physical processes of our bodies? Is it
possible that we are in general nothing more than our physical bodies?? A closely related question is: In what
does your identity as a person consist? What makes you the person you are, and what is it that makes an
individual the same person over time?
We will consider what various influential thinkers have said regarding these deep questions, and then we
will try to decide for ourselves how the questions should be answered. Whether or not we reach any definite
conclusions, we will still accomplish the main goal of the course, which is to develop the basic logical and
conceptual skills needed to effectively think through philosophical issues on one’s own. So in addition to
learning specific facts about particular philosophers and their theories/arguments, you will also learn how to
do philosophy. Moreover, the analytical skills you will develop are those that prove beneficial to clear
thinking and good reasoning about all facets of life.
GENERAL EDUCATION “ESSENTIAL CAPACITIES”& GOALS
Philosophy 102 is a General Education (GE) course. The “seven essential capacities” (listed on p. 90 of the 2014-15
General Catalog) that San Diego State’s GE program aims to develop in students are the ability to:
- construct, analyze, and communicate arguments
- apply theoretical models to the real world
- contextualize phenomena
- negotiate differences
- integrate global and local perspectives
- illustrate relevance of concepts across boundaries
- evaluate consequences of actions.
Phil 102 is a member of the Humanities and Fine Arts group of GE courses, and the goals for this set of courses (p. 91 of
the General Catalog) are to enable students to
- analyze written, visual, or performed texts in the humanities and fine arts with sensitivity to their diverse cultural
contexts and historical moments
- develop a familiarity with various aesthetic and other value systems and the ways they are communicated across
time and cultures.
- argue from multiple perspectives about issues in the humanities that have personal and global relevance.
- demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions drawing upon knowledge of the
humanities.
SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES
The specific learning outcomes for this course are that students are expected to demonstrate the ability to:
- identify when a discussion counts as philosophical
- identify arguments and their main components
- clearly explain and distinguish between each of the theories discussed in the class
- identify problems with and merits of each of the theories and arguments presented
- speculate on how the theories might be modified to avoid the objections raised
- critically evaluate arguments and theories in a variety of philosophical contexts
- think and write in a clearer, more logically rigorous fashion
- develop and defend your own views on the philosophical topics discussed
.
REQUIRED TEXTS & READINGS
A course packet (Phil 102: Readings) available at CalCopy contains the following:
- Cover and Garns, Theories of Knowledge and Reality, 2nd ed. (McGraw Hill, 1994) — ch. 2: sec. 1a (“Arguments”) & sec. 1b
(“Deduction”).
- St. Thomas Aquinas, “The Five Ways,” from Summa Theologica, written from 1265–1274. Reprint in Perry & Bratman (eds.),
Introduction to Philosophy: Classical & Contemporary Readings (Oxford University Press, 1986).
- St. Anselm, from Proslogiun, 1077-1078. Reprint in Feinberg and Shafer-Landau (eds.), Reason and Responsibility, 13th edition
(Wadsworth, 2008).
- Cover and Garns, Theories of Knowledge and Reality, 2nd ed. (McGraw Hill, 1994) — ch. 2: sec. 1c (“Induction”)
- William Paley, excerpts from Natural Theology, published in 1802. Reprint in Feinberg and Shafer-Landau (eds.), Reason and
Responsibility, 13th edition (Wadsworth, 2008).
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, from The Brothers Karamozov, published in 1880. The course packet contains excerpts under the title,
“Rebellion,” reprinted in Feinberg and Shafer-Landau.
- Blaise Pascal, from Pensees, published in 1669. In Blaise Pascal, Penees and Other Writings, Honor Levi, trans. (Oxford
University Press, 1995).
- excerpts from Paul Holbach’s System of Nature, 1770. The course packet contains the reprint under the title, “The Illusion of Free
Will,” in Feinberg (ed.), Reason and Responsibility, 8th edition (Wadsworth, 1993).
- Clarence Darrow, “The Crime of Compulsion: Leopold and Loeb,” in Weinberg (ed.), Attorney for the Damned, (University of
Chicago Press, 1957).
- Walter Stace, “The Problem of Free Will,” from his Religion and the Modern Mind (J. B. Lippincott Company, 1952). Reprint in
Pojman (ed.), Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, 6th edition (Oxford University Press, 2006).
- excerpts from Richard Taylor’s Metaphysics (Prentice-Hall, 1992).
- Rene Descartes, from Meditations on First Philosophy, 1641. Reprint in Pojman (ed.), Classics of Philosophy (Oxford University
Press, 1998).
- Rene Descartes, Treatise on Man, 1664 -- in Cottingham, Stoothoff, and Murdoch (trans.), Philosophical Writings of Rene
Descartes, vol I (Cambridge University Press, 1985).
- Cover & Garns, Theories of Knowledge and Reality, 2nd ed. (McGraw Hill, 1994) -- ch. 2, sec. 3: “Dualism and the Relationship
Problem”
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, “Third Explanation of the New System” (1696), from G. W. Leibniz, Philosophical Texts, translated
and edited by R. S. Woolhouse and Richard Francks (Oxford, 1998).
- John Locke “Of Ideas of Identity and Diversity” from An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1690. Reprint in Perry &
Bratman (eds.), Introduction to Philosophy: Classical & Contemporary Readings (Oxford, 1986).
- Thomas Reid, “Of Mr. Locke’s Account of Our Personal Identity,” in Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, 1785. Reprint in
Feinberg and Shafer-Landau (eds.), Reason and Responsibility, 13th edition (Wadsworth, 2008).
SCHEDULE: dates, topics & readings (the schedule is tentative and may vary depending on the amount
of class discussion)
1/22
1/27
1/29
Introduction to the course
Arguments
- more on arguments (ch. 2, secs. 1a and 1b from Cover and Garns, Theories of Knowledge and Reality)
- introducing the Causal Argument for the existence of God
2/3
the Causal Argument (St. Thomas Aquinas, “The Five Ways,” from Summa Theologica)
2/5, 2/10 Anselm’s Ontological Argument (St. Anselm, from Proslogiun, and Guanilo’s reply)
2/12 Inductive vs. Deductive Arguments, and Arguments by Analogy (ch. 2, sec. 1c from Cover and Garns)
2/17 The Teleological Argument (William Paley, excerpts from Natural Theology)
EXAM I February 19th
2/24 The Problem of Evil (Fyodor Dostoevsky, “Rebellion” from The Brothers Karamozov)
2/26 more on the Problem of Evil
3/3 Pascal’s Wager (Blaise Pascal, from Pensees)
3/5 Introducing to the Free Will/Determinism debate
3/10 Hard Determinism (Paul Holbach, “The Illusion of Free Will” from System of Nature)
3/12 Hard Determinism (Clarence Darrow, “Leopold and Loeb: The Crime of Compulsion”)
3/17 Compatibilism (Walter Stace, “The Problem of Free Will” from Religion and the Modern Mind)
3/19 Indeterminism
3/24 Agency Theory (excerpts from Richard Taylor’s Metaphysics)
EXAM II March 26th
4/7
4/9
4/14
4/16
4/21
Intro to the Mind-Body Problem
Skepticism and the External World (Rene Descartes, Meditations I, II) and an argument for Dualism
more arguments for Dualism (Descartes, from Meditation VI, and Leibniz’ “Third Explanation”)
Interactionism (Rene Descartes, Treatise on Man and Cover & Garns, “Dualism and the Relationship Problem”)
- Parallelism (Gottfried Leibniz’ letter, “Third Explanation of the New System”)
- Materialism & the Identity Theory
4/23 - Identity Theory vs. Logical Behaviorism; and the Artificial Intelligence debate
- Materialist responses to arguments for Dualism
4/28 Intro to Personal Identity
4/30 Bodily Substance and Bodily Continuity
5/5 Locke’s Mental Continuity Account (John Locke, “Of Ideas of Identity and Diversity”)
5/7 Objections to Locke’s Account (Thomas Reid, “Of Mr. Locke’s Account of Our Personal Identity”)
EXAM III May 14th (during final exam week)
GRADES & REQUIREMENTS
Your final grade is based on the percentage of 300 possible points you earn on 3 essay exams.
Exam I is on February 19th —worth up to 80 possible pts.
Exam II is on March 26th —worth up to 100 possible pts.
Exam III on May 14th —worth up to 120 possible pts.
(May 14th is during finals week, and according to the final exam schedule, our final exam
is to start at 10:30 am on that day.)
The exams must be taken at the scheduled times. I will allow make-ups only for those with a
compelling reason for missing, and I must be notified prior to the exam to judge if the reason is
compelling enough.
The number of points you earn on the exams is your BASE SCORE, which may be influenced by:
Discretionary Points
On the basis of meritorious behavior such as class participation and significant improvement in
grades, I might add a point or two or perhaps even a few to your base score. For example, suppose
you receive a grand total of 237 pts on the exams. 237 is 79% of 300, which gives you C+. But if
you participated very well in class discussion and also showed significant improvement in grades,
then I might add 3 pts, for example, to the 237 which would give you 240. Since 240 is 80% of 300,
you would move up to the bottom of the B- range in that case. (See percentage/letter grade
conversion chart below.)
But note: points for positive performance in one area (such as improved grades) might be
eliminated or even outweighed by negative performance in another area (for example, evidence that
you’re not doing the readings, or disruptive classroom behavior). So your final score could end up
being lower than your base score, and in some cases this could result in a lower letter grade being
assigned. (Imagine a change the opposite of that described above—going from 240 to 237.)
In particular, ATTENDANCE is especially important, for whether or not you actually
participate in class discussion on a particular day, attendance is necessary to even be prepared to
participate. So I’ll keep track of attendance and subtract 1.5 pts per absence from the total base
score (the points earned out of 300). With poor attendance, then, the base score could be lowered
quite a bit.
Here’s how the percentages convert to letter grades:
92.5—100
89.5—92.49
86.5—89.49
82.5—86.49
79.5—82.49
76.5—79.49
72.5—76.49
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
69.5—72.49
66.5—69.49
62.5—66.49
59.5—62.49
below 59.5
CD+
D
DF
Academic Misconduct: Cheating and Plagiarism
It is your responsibility to know and observe all the SDSU rules concerning academic integrity and
plagiarism. You should familiarize yourself with SDSU Academic Senate Policy on Plagiarism
http://senate.sdsu.edu/policy/pfacademics.html. Here are some highlights:
2.0 Definitions
2.1 Cheating shall be defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work by the use
of dishonest, deceptive, or fraudulent means. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to (a) copying, in
part or in whole, from another’s test or other examination; (b) discussing answers or ideas relating to the answers on
a test or other examination without the permission of the instructor; (c) obtaining copies of a test, an examination, or
other course material without the permission of the instructor; (d) using notes, cheat sheets, or other devices
considered inappropriate under the prescribed testing condition; (e) collaborating with another or others in work to
be presented without the permission of the instructor; (f) falsifying records, laboratory work, or other course data;
(g) submitting work previously presented in another course, if contrary to the rules of the course; (h) altering or
interfering with the grading procedures; (i) plagiarizing, as defined; and (j) knowingly and intentionally assisting
another student in any of the above.
2.2 Plagiarism shall be defined as the act of incorporating ideas, words, or specific substance of another,
whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained, and submitting same to the University as one’s own work to
fulfill academic requirements without giving credit to the appropriate source. Plagiarism shall include but not be
limited to (a) submitting work, either in part or in whole, completed by another; (b) omitting footnotes for ideas,
statements, facts, or conclusions that belong to another; (c) omitting quotation marks when quoting directly from
another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence, or part thereof; (d) close and lengthy paraphrasing of the writings of
another; (e) submitting another person’s artistic works, such as musical compositions, photographs, paintings,
drawings, or sculptures; and (f) submitting as one’s own work papers purchased from research companies.
Student Disability Services
Any students with special needs due to a documented medical condition should avail themselves of the
resources at Student Disability Services, Calpulli Center, room 3101, (619)594-6473,
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds “Student Disability Services provides support services for students with mobility
limitations, learning disabilities, hearing or visual impairments, psychological disabilities, attention deficit
disorder, and other disabilities. Counselors are available to assist students in making personal, academic, and
vocational choices, and to advise how best to utilize campus resources. Prior to receiving assistance, students
must furnish appropriate medical or psycho-educational documentation to Student Disability Services” (p. 33,
2014-15, General Catalog).
“If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your
responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your
accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you
have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.” Pamela J. Starr, Director, Student Disability Services
Religious Observances
“By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of affected courses of
planned absences for religious observances. Instructors shall reasonably accommodate students who notify
them in advance of planned absences for religious observances” (p. 20, 2014-15, General Catalog).
Please notify me by the end of the second week of classes if you plan to be absent for “religious
observances.”