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Phil 110
MWF 10:10-11:00 (HUMB 112)
Instructor: T. Allan Hillman
Office: Room 134, located in the main Philosophy Office (HUMB 124)
Office Phone: 251-460-6248, Ext. 2566
Office Hours: MWF 8:20-9:05; MWF 11:00-12:00; and, by appointment
Email Address: hillman@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Philosophy 110: Introduction to Philosophy
Overview:
This course is intended as an introductory account of a few of the primary problems that
have arisen in traditional western philosophy. Along the way, particular methods of
dealing with such problems will be highlighted, with the hope that they point us in the
right direction for solving said problems. There are four central divisions of the course,
the first of which (Section I) is designed to provide certain conceptual tools necessary for
both understanding and critically examining the philosophical puzzles with which we’ll
be dealing. Here, the ancient philosophers Socrates (499-399 B.C.) and Plato (427-347
B.C.) will be our primary aids. Section II will be devoted to several notable arguments for
the existence of God, and whether in fact they can be sustained under close scrutiny and
reflection. At this point, we’ll direct our attention to the medieval philosopher Saint
Anselm (1033-1109 A.D.) as well as the modern philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650
A.D.). In Section III, our focus will be how and to what extent we can gain perceptual
knowledge of the external world, concentrating on three important theories that have
been advanced throughout the history of western philosophy. The views of the modern
philosophers John Locke (1632-1704 A.D.) and George Berkeley (pronounced bar-clee)
(1685-1753 A.D.) will here be emphasized. Finally, in Section IV, I will attempt to
motivate the metaphysical problem of free will with the hope that we – together – might
then analyze, criticize, and/or defend several important solutions to it. The primary
figures of concern here are two contemporary philosophers, Peter van Inwagen (b. 1942)
and Roderick Chisholm (1916-1999).
Texts:
CG
P
D
B
H
Cover & Garns, Theories of Knowledge and Reality 2nd Edition (McGraw-Hill
Publishing)
Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates 3rd Edition (Hackett Publishing)
Rene Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy 3rd Edition (Hackett Publishing)
George Berkeley, Treatise Concerning Principles of Human Knowledge (Hackett
Publishing)
“Handout” articles by Peter van Inwagen and Roderick Chisholm that I will
provide to you at the necessary time.
In the Course Schedule (below), please note that references to the readings are given by
way of the abbreviations. All numerals refer to page numbers, with the exception of
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Berkeley, where the numerals follow the sign (§), indicating section-number and not
page-number.
Course Requirements:
In General:
Ho-hum stuff. Individuals who by their actions disrupt the class will be asked to leave.
Academic dishonesty on your part will suffice for failure of this course. For details on
what is expected (and not expected) of you in terms of academic conduct, please see the
Student Academic Conduct Policy authorized by the University of South Alabama at the
following website: www.usouthal.edu/academicaffairs/studentacadconduct.pdf
Note: the instructor reserves the right to modify the contents of this syllabus at any time.
Most importantly, students are responsible for being aware of the requirements and
expectations noted in this syllabus, and for any changes to this syllabus that might arise.
Disabilities? Please notify me should you need any academic accommodation. You also
need to provide certification from Disability Services (Office of Special Students
Services, located in Room 270 of the Student Center – 251-460-7212).
Attendance:
Attendance is required. Some important guidelines: First, note that should you not attend
regularly, your quiz and exam grades will almost certainly suffer. That is, they will suffer
insofar as much of the material on which you’ll be examined will come from the course
lectures. So, it is in your best interest to attend class. Should you not be able to attend for
some reason, it is your responsibility to recover the information missed either via your
classmates or by a meeting with me during my office hours. Second, absences will be
excused so long as you inform me beforehand (i.e. a week before, a day before, an
hour before,…) and your excuse for having missed class meets requirements
legitimated by the instructor (i.e. illness, family emergency, etc.). Whether an excuse
is deemed legitimate will be at the discretion of the instructor. In cases of illness, written
documentation from a physician will be required. Finally, no make-up examinations will
be administered unless the instructor has been both notified in advance and some form of
documentation has been provided to excuse the missing of the exam. Note: the missing of
even one exam will disallow you from passing this course. See (4) below under “Grading
Policy.”
Grading Policy:
(1) There will be three exams, all weighted equally in terms of percentage of your grade.
(Note: the final exam will not be cumulative.) Expect the exam content to be a
combination of true/false, short answer and essay question(s). Suffice to say for now that,
style does count (though due to the time-constraints involved while writing an essay inclass, grammar and spelling will not be a factor determining your grade).
(2) There will be four quizzes, primarily made up of multiple-choice and short-answer
questions.
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(3) Attendance and Participation will account for 10% of your final grade. I will allow
you two unexcused absences before docking your grade. On your third unexcused
absence, you will lose 3%. On your fourth, you will lose 6%, on your fifth you will lose
8%. Any more than five unexcused absences will entail your loss of the entire 10%.
(Final Note: Should you have as many as nine unexcused absences – which would
calculate as three weeks of class – you will be in danger of failing the course.)
(4) Weight by percentage points of each assignment:
First Exam:
20%
Second Exam:
20%
Final Exam:
20% (non-cumulative)
Four Quizzes:
7.5% each (totaling 30%)
Attend./Part.
10%
***Note the weight assigned to each item. I emphasize this in the hope that you will take
seriously my invitation to all of you to attend my office hours with questions, points of
clarification, and any other confusion that might befall you. If you’re unavailable during
my office hours, schedule an appointment with me. I’m always here to help in any way
that I can.
Class Schedule:
[***] – designates writing assignment is due.
Aug.
Section I: Methods and Application
18: Introduction
20: Thinking about Philosophy
22: Euthyphro, Conceptual Analysis (Definition)
25: Conceptual Analysis (cont.)
27: Apology and Crito, Arguments
29: Arguments (Validity & Soundness)
Sept. 01: (No Class: Labor Day)
03: Meditation Six – Dualism
05: Meditation Six – Dualism (cont.)
08: Quiz 1, Begin Section II
Section II: Arguments for God’s Existence
10: The Causal Argument
12: The Causal Argument (cont.)
15: Criticisms
17: Descartes’ Causal Argument
19: (cont.)
22: Quiz 2 (begin Ontological Arguments)
24: Ontological Arguments
CG 1-12
CG 47-55, 58-63
P 1-12
P 20-40, 43-52
CG 13-26
CG 186-94; D 4759
CG 194-200
CG 76-83; 94-100
CG 100-06
D 24-35
CG 119-24; D 42-7
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Oct.
26: Anselm’s Ontological Argument
29: Anselm (cont.)
01: Criticism of Anselm
03: Exam 1
Section III: Perceptual Knowledge
06: Introduction to Perceptual Knowledge
08: Realism and Direct Realism (DR)
10: DR and some Criticisms
13: Representative Realism (RR)
15: RR (cont.)
17: Primary/Secondary Qualities; Indirect Knowledge
20: Quiz 3 (beginning criticisms of RR)
22: Berkeley’s Criticisms of RR
24: Berkeley Criticisms (cont.); Idealism
27: Idealism
29: (Idealism cont.)
31: Exam 2
Nov.
Section IV: Free Will
03: Introduction to the Problem of Free Will
05: Free Will & Determinism: What Are They?
07: Incompatibilism
10: Incompatibilism
12: Indeterminism and The Dilemma
14: Continued – Quiz 4
17: Compatibilism
19: Critique of Compatibilism
21: Critique of Compatibilism (Cont.)
24: Agency Theory
Dec.
CG 124-28
CG 128-37
CG 278-80
CG 281-85
CG 285-94
CG 285-94
CG 294-99
CG 300-08
CG 308-17; B § 8-10,
14, 19
CG 318-22; B § 1-2
CG 323-29; B § 3-7,
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CG 331-38
CG 355-72
CG 372-4; H
(Van Inwagen’s
“The Icompatibility
of Free Will &
Determinism”)
(cont.)
CG 374-9
CG 382-84
CG 384-89
H (Chisholm’s
“Human Freedom
and the Self”)
26: (No Class: Thanksgiving Break)
28: (No Class: Thanksgiving Break)
01: Agency Theory (cont.)
[*] Final Exam on Friday December 5 (10:30am – 12:30pm)