Course Description

Catalog Course Description

``Introduction to the main problems of philosophy and its methods of inquiry, analysis, and criticism. Works of important philosophers are read. Three semester hours.'' From the 2007-2008 Lander University Catalog.

http://www.lander.edu/academics/catalog/index.html

Textbook

Lee Archie and John G. Archie, eds. Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: An Open Source Reader. Version 0.21 GFDL, 2004, 415 pp. Free for use or resale under terms of the GFDL license.

http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook-links.html
http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook.pdf
http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/book1.html

The textbook is not available in the Lander bookstore. The first link above gives convenient access online chapter-by-chapter in pdf, html, and mp3 sound files. The mp3 files may be played on an iPod^TM or MP3 Player. Text files for conversion into Braille are available by request.

Copies of the textbook are on reserve in the Larry A. Jackson Reserve Desk for different check-out periods, if you prefer to read the traditional way. If you choose to print out reading selections, the pdf form of the reading selections is clearer and less expensive. (Do not print out the whole textbook because only about 40% of the textbook is assigned reading for this class.)

The GFDL license makes this textbook freely available to anyone for any purpose for no charge. You may print it out for your own use or print it out to sell it so long as you inform the buyer where to access it online without charge.

Supplementary Readings

Lee Archie and John G. Archie, eds. Introduction to Ethical Studies: An Open Source Reader. Version 0.11 GFDL, 2004, pp. 364. Free for any use or resale under terms of the GDFL license.

http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/ethicsbook/book1.html
http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/ethicsbook.pdf

Lee Archie and John G. Archie, eds. Readings in the History of Æsthetics: An Open Source Reader, version 0.11, GFDL, 2006, pp. 475. Free for any use or resale under terms of the GDFL license.

http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/artbook.html/book1.htm
http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/artbook.pdf

Book notes and tutorials for the ethics supplementary readings are available at

http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/notes-topics.html

Purpose of the Course

The general purpose of this course is to introduce some of the main problems of philosophy.

Objectives of the Course

The general aims of this introductory survey of philosophy are to seek answers to the following questions:

1. What is philosophical inquiry?
2. How is philosophy related to other disciples?
3. How does philosophy differ from science?
4. How does philosophy differ from religion?
5. What are the best proofs for God's existence?
6. Are ethical principles relative?
7. Are all persons at heart egoistic?
8. Are there causal determinants of choice?
9. How can truth be established?
10. Of what does reality exist?
11. Are ethical and artistic judgments subjective?
12. How does one go about to find purpose and meaning in life?

Course Procedures

The methods used to obtain these ends are

1. to learn classic arguments which illustrate basic philosophical principles,
2. to read carefully and critically the text and several papers in philosophy,
3. to write analytically about topics in philosophy,
4. to study classic, influential, and abiding arguments concerning the structures of knowledge, belief, and value,
5. to test your understanding by means of special examinations, and
6. to question critically several interpretations of basic philosophical positions.

Specific Skills Achieved

Upon completion of this course, all students should be able to

1. explain the difference between a priori and a posteriori arguments,
2. to learn to identify arguments, to evaluate and counter them, and to construct good arguments,
3. to obtain the ability to relate arguments to one another and to appreciate persistent, sustained thought on a topic,
4. to obtain the ability to justify and defend personal views once they are clearly and completely stated and to develop a personal ideology,
5. to recognize how all aspects of living are rationally and causally interrelated,
6. to recognize the difference between a factual question and a philosophic problem,
7. to understand how concepts can be systematically clarified though philosophical analysis,
8. to explain the general purpose of philosophy as a method of inquiry,
9. to identify the differences between faith and reason,
10. to list the major philosophy positions on free will,
11. to identify and explain some common fallacies which occur in philosophical argumentation, and
12. to apply usefully several methods of philosophical reasoning in everyday life and ordinary language.

In this course you will gain skill in asking interesting, productive, and insightful questions and will analyze philosophical essays to obtain facility in the clear, complete, and methodological statement of personal views. You will also learn effective methods of analysis and criticism in the evaluation of argumentative discourse.

Teaching Methods

We adopt specific techniques recommended by many educators, namely lecture, discussion, readings, review tests, and problem solving.