Note: The following assignment schedule is subject to revision and is intended to be a general guide to the assignments this semester. The assignment written on the board at the beginning of each class takes precedence over this schedule. As the semester progresses, for the most recent version of our class schedule, check this URL:
http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/assignment.html.
If an update to the schedule is available, the version number will be a number higher than Version 1.0. (For example, the first revision, if there is one, will be labeled Version 1.1) In the ``Date'' column, the number after M, W, or F is the number sequence of the class, counting from the beginning of the semester. M, W, and F stand for ``Monday,'' ``Wednesday,'' and ``Friday'' respectively.
In the ``Class Topic'' column, the subjects covered by that day's class are listed, together with important due dates for assignments, including quizzes and tests. The ``Assignment'' column lists the day an assignment is assigned, not the day the assignment is due. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class meeting period unless stated otherwise.
The textbook for the course Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Thinking is abbreviated RPI in the Assignment Schedule below.
The reading assignments refer to the URLs or the Internet addresses of online readings. You may access the Reading for Philosophical Inquiry readings in HTML form by navigating to this URL:
http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/book1.html
and scroll to the bottom of the page for the table of contents as a list of hyperlinks to the appropriate article. (No page numbers are given for HTML pages.)
Note that almost 40% of the reading assignments are the online class notes which are meant to supplement your class notes and are abbreviated in the Assignment Schedule as CN. Several reading assignments are given from Introduction to Ethical Studies: An Open Source Reader and is abbreviated in the Assignment Schedule as IES.
Please also refer to the example online tests, quizzes, and links online which are not listed below in this assignment sheet but which can be accessed from the Introduction to Philosophical Inquiry Homepage.
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 01.07.08 | Welcome to the Course | Study Class Syllabus |
| M 1 | Purpose of the Course | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/syllabus.html |
| How to Study for this Course | ``How to Study'' | |
| Course Requirements | http://philosophy.lander.edu/study-topics.html | |
| 01.09.08 | What is Philosophy? | Q-1 Web Practice Sheet |
| W 2 | Philosophy on the Internet | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/syllabus.html |
| Web Practice Sheet Help | ||
| 01.11.08 | Thought Experiments | RPI Pt. I: Personal Uses of Philosophy |
| F 3 | Q-1 Web Practice Sheet | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/p268.html |
| Philosophical Problems | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/character.shtml | |
| 01.14.08 | Example Philosophical Problems | Begin RPI Ch. 2: The Nature of Learning |
| M 4 | The Principle of Charity | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c337.html |
| Observation | End at RFI Ch. 2: ``In the Laboratory with Agassiz'' | |
| Theory Formation | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x426.html | |
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/charity.shtml | ||
| Q-2 Principle of Charity | ||
| 01.16.08 | Facts and Understanding | RPI Begin RPI Ch.2: Facts and Theories |
| W 5 | Facts and Theories | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x539.html |
| Q-2 Principle of Charity | End RPI Ch. 2: Facts are Often Theory-Dependent | |
| http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x585.html | ||
| 01.18.08 | Philosophy Questions | RPI Begin Ch.3: Nature of Philosophical Inquiry |
| F 6 | Main Divisions of Philosophy | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c712.html |
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/what.shtml |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 01.21.08 | M.L. King Holiday | Optional Wikipedia ``Philosophy: Definition of Philosophy'' |
| M | Optional http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy | |
| 01.23.08 | The Trial of Socrates Part I | RPI Ch. 4: ``Just Do What's Right'' |
| W 7 | Socrates' Life | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c1271.html |
| The Apology I | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/apology1.shtml | |
| Q-3 Main Divisions of Philosophy | ||
| 01.25.08 | The Trial of Socrates Part II | RPI Ch. 5: ``Seek Truth Rather Than Escape Death'' |
| F 8 | Platonic Idealism Part II | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c1713.html |
| The Apology II | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/apology2.shtml | |
| Q-3 Main Divisions of Philosophy | Q-4 Socratic Paradox | |
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/socrates_quiz.html | ||
| 01.28.08 | Analogy of the Divided Line | Optional Wikipedia ''Philosophy: Idealism'' |
| M 9 | Q-4 Socratic Paradox | Optional http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy |
| 01.30.08 | Review for Test I | Review for Test I The Nature of Philosophy |
| W 10 | The Nature of Philosophy | Review Chapters 1-5 |
| 02.01.08 | Test I: The Nature of Philosophy | Optional A. Adler, ``The Basic Difference Between Science and Philosophy'' |
| F 11 | Last day to withdraw with a W | Optional http://www.radicalacademy.com/adlersciphil1.htm |
| 02.04.08 | Bertrand Russell | RPI Ch. 6: ``Enlargement of Self'' |
| M 12 | The Problems of Philosophy | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x2032.html |
| Science and Philosophy | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/russell.shtml | |
| Q-5 Science and Philosophy | ||
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/science_quiz.html | ||
| 02.06.08 | Practical and Philosophic Minds | Begin RPI Ch. 7: ``Only Faith Can Give Truth'' |
| W 13 | Q-5 Science and Philosophy | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c2347.html |
| Goals of Philosophy | From ``Everyday Life'' to ``Science Renders Life Meaningless'' | |
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/tolstoy.shtml |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 02.08.08 | Leo Tolstoy | Complete RPI Ch. 7: ``Only Faith Can Give Truth'' |
| F 14 | A Confession | ``Science Renders Life Meaningless'' to end. |
| http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x2415.html | ||
| 02.11.08 | Albert Camus I | RPI Ch.8: Le Mythe de Sisyphe |
| M 15 | The Myth of Sisyphus | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/x2775.html |
| Absurdity and Happiness | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/camus.shtml | |
| 02.13.08 | Albert Camus II | ``Man Provides Life's Meaning'' |
| W 16 | What is Absurdity? | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/camus.html |
| 02.15.08 | Review for Test II | Review for Test II Philosophy of Life |
| F 17 | Philosophy of Life | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/life_test.html |
| 02.18.08 | Test II Philosophy of Life | RPI Pt. II ``Philosophy of Religion'' |
| M 18 | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/p3053.html | |
| 02.20.08 | Review of Test II | RPI ''God and the World" |
| W 19 | Meaning of Life and God's Existence | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c3114.html |
| A posteriori Arguments | Wikipedia ``A priori and A Posteriori'' | |
| A priori Arguments | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_priori_and_a_posteriori_(philosophy) | |
| 02.22.08 | Anselm's Ontological Argument | RPI Ch. 10 ``The Ontological Argument'' |
| F 20 | Gaunilo's Perfect Island | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c3171.html |
| Problem of Existential Import | RPI Ch. 11 ``An Answer to Anselm'' | |
| http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c3305.html | ||
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/anselm.shtml | ||
| Q-6 Anselm's Ontological Argument | ||
| 02.25.08 | Aristotle's Factors of Explanation | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/aquinas.shtml |
| M 21 | Q-6 Anselm's Ontological Argument |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 02.27.08 | Thomas Aquinas I | RPI Ch. 13 ``From the Nature of the Universe'' |
| W 22 | First Cause Argument | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c3703.html |
| Argument from Motion | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/motion.shtml | |
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/cause.shtml | ||
| 02.29.08 | Thomas Aquinas II | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/necessity.shtml |
| F 23 | Argument from Necessity | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/gradation.shtml |
| Great Chain of Being | ||
| 03.02.08 | Spring Break | Optional: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ``Religion, Philosophy of'' |
| 03.07.08 | Optional: http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/K113 | |
| 03.10.08 | The Teleological Argument | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/governance.shtml |
| M 24 | Thomas on Design | RPI Ch.14 ``The Teleological Argument'' |
| William Paley's Watch Argument | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/paley.shtml | |
| Q-7 Thomas' Five Proofs | ||
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/aquinas_quiz.html | ||
| 03.12.08 | David Hume | RPI Ch. 15 ``Critique of the Design Argument'' |
| W 25 | Analogical Arguments | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c4156.html |
| Q-7 Thomas' Five Proofs | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/hume.shtml | |
| 03.14.08 | Blaise Pascal | RPI Ch.16 ``The Wager'' |
| F 26 | ``The Heart Has Its Reasons'' | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c4326.html |
| Introduction to Decision Theory | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/pascal.shtml | |
| Q-8 Pascal's Wager | ||
| 03.17.08 | Fyodor Dostoevsky | RPI Ch. 17 ``The Problem of Evil'' |
| M 27 | The Problem of Evil | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c4531.html |
| Q-8 Pascal's Wager | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/dostoevsky.shtml | |
| Hick's Answer to the Problem | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/hick.shtml | |
| Q-9 Problem of Evil |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 03.19.08 | Review for Test III | Review for Test III Philosophy of Religion |
| W 28 | Q-9 Problem of Evil | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/religion_test.html |
| 03.21.08 | Test III Philosophy of Religion | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/p4827.html |
| F 29 | Optional Wikipedia ``Determinism'' | |
| Optional http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism | ||
| 03.24.08 | Free Will and Determinism | RPI Ch. 18 ``Free Will and Determinism'' |
| M 30 | Predestination and Fatalism | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c4909.html |
| Choice and Chance | CN Opt.http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/determinism.html | |
| Q-10 Free Will and Determinism | ||
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/determinism_quiz.html | ||
| 03.26.08 | Baruch Spinoza | RPI Ch. 19 ``Human Beings are Determined'' |
| W 31 | Mental and Physical States | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c5098.html |
| Q-10 Free Will and Determinism | ||
| 03.28.08 | William James | RPI Ch. 20 ``The Will to Believe'' |
| F 32 | Genuine Option Theory | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c5338.html |
| Momentous Options | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/notes-james.html | |
| 03.31 | Plato | RPI Ch. 21 ``The Ring of Gyges" |
| M 33 | Social Contract | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c5641.html |
| Egoism | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/gyges.shtml | |
| 04.02.08 | Bernard Mandeville | IES Ch. 24 Optional: ``Human Beings are Selfish'' |
| W 34 | The Fable of the Bees | Opt.http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/ethicsbook/c6060.html |
| Psychological Egoism | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/egoism.html | |
| Q-11 Refutation of Psychological Egoism |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 04.04.08 | Aristotle | RPI Ch.22 ``Life of Excellence: Living and Doing Well'' |
| F 35 | Eudiamonia; Arete | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c5839.html |
| Doctrine of the Mean | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/aristotle1.html | |
| Q-11 Refute Psychological Egoism | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/aristotle2.html | |
| Q-12 Doctrine of the Mean | ||
| CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/mean_quiz.html | ||
| 04.07.08 | Jeremy Bentham I | RPI Ch. 23 ``Happiness is the Greatest Good'' |
| M 36 | Utilitarianism | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c6178.html |
| Hedonistic Calculus | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/calculus.html | |
| Q-12 Doctrine of the Mean | ||
| 04.09.08 | Jeremy Bentham II | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/calculus.html |
| W 37 | Indifference Curves | Opt. CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/notes-bentham.html |
| 04.11.08 | Friedrich Nietzsche | RPI Ch. 24 ``Slave and Master Morality'' |
| F 38 | Master and Slave Morality | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c6516.html |
| Will to Power | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/notes-nietzsche.html | |
| 04.14.08 | Jean-Paul Sartre I | Begin RPI Ch. 25 ``Man Makes Himself'' |
| M 39 | Existence Precedes Essence | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c6830.html |
| We are Responsible for All Persons | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/sartre.html | |
| 04.16.08 | Jean-Paul Sartre II | Begin RPI Ch. 25 ``Man Makes Himself'' |
| W 40 | Elements of Existentialism | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c6830.html |
| Anxiety, Forlornness, Despair | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/sartre_test.html |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 04.18.08 | Review for Test IV | Review for Test IV Philosopical Ethics |
| F 41 | Philosophical Ethics | CN http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/ethics_test.html |
| 04.21.08 | Test IV Philosophical Ethics | Optional Ortega y Gassett, ``Your Life'' in process. |
| M 42 | ||
| 04.23.08 | Review of Test IV Ethics | RPI William James, ``What Makes a Life Significant?'' |
| W 43 | Review for Approved Make-up Tests | http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook2.1/c9204.html |
| Last Day for complete withdrawal from classes | Review for Approved Make-up Tests | |
| 04.24.08 | Reading Day | New Office Hours Posted for Week of Finals |
| R | ||
| 04.28.08 | Final Examination Period | Have a great summer! |
| M 33 | 11:00am-1:00pm | |
| Approved Make-up Tests |