Introduction to Philosophy, Honors (section 1)Spring 1998

Schedule of Readings

Plato, Meno1/13 - 1/22
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy1/27 - 2/12
Meditation One: Concerning Those Things that Can Be Called into Doubt
Meditation Two: Concerning the Nature of the Human Mind: That the Mind is More Known Than the Body
Meditation Three: Concerning God, That He Exists
Meditation Six: Concerning the Existence of Material Things, and the Real Distinction of the Mind from the Body
First examination2/17
Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion2/19 - 3/10
II. [Design Argument, initial round]
IV. [Why Go So Far?]
V. [Inconveniences of Anthropomorphism]
VI. [Other Ordering Principles]
VIII. [The Epicurian Hypothesis]
IX. [The "A Priori" Argument]
X. [The Logical Problem of Evil]
XI [The Inferential Problem of Evil]
Searle, Minds, Brains and Science3/12 - 3/31
1. The Mind-Body Problem
2. Can Computers Think?
3. Cognitive Science
6. The Freedom of the Will
Second examination4/7
Mackie, Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong4/2 - 4/30
Chapter 1: The Subjectivity of Values
    1. Moral scepticism
    5. Standards of evaluation
    6. Hypothetical and categorical imperatives
    7. The claim to objectivity
    8. The argument from relativity
    9. The argument from queerness
    12. Conclusion
Chapter 3: Obligations and Reasons
    1. `Is' and `ought'
Chapter 5: The Object of Morality
    1. Consequences of moral scepticism
    4. Game theory analysis
Chapter 6: Utilitarianism
    1. Act utilitarianism
    4. Rule utilitarianism
Chapter 7: Consequentialism and Deontology
    4. Special relationships and the form of moral principles
    5. Ends and means
    6. Absolutism and the principle of double effect
Chapter 8: Elements of a Practical Morality
    2. Egoism, rights, and property
    3. Liberty
Chapter 9: Determinism, Responsibility, and Choice
    1. Voluntary or intentional actions
    2. The straight rule of responsibility
    4. Hard and soft determinism
Third examination5/7

This schedule is subject to change.


Richard Lee, rlee@comp.uark.edu, last modified: 28 April 1998