Week 1
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Mon. 8/31 |
Wed. 9/2 |
Fri. 9/4 |
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Course introduction. The problem of nature and human nature as springing from the problem of how to lead a fulfilling life. |
The Greek Tragic view of Life: The problem of nature and human nature arises from the problem of how to lead a fulfilling life. |
Subjectivity, Objectivity, and Human Happiness. Plato's Apology, pp. 423-446 in Great Dialogues of Plato * |
Week 2
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Mon. 9/7 |
Wed. 9/9 |
Fri. 9/11 |
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Presentation 1: Is it possible to think that you are happy and not really be happy?
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Death. Part 1: Death without an after-life. Thomas Nagel, "Death" |
Presentation 2 |
Week 3
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Mon. 9/14 |
Wed. 9/16 |
Fri. 9/18 |
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Death. Part 2: Could we exist for eternity without
becoming bored or losing our identity? |
Philosophy as the practice of dying. Plato's argument from opposites for the immortality of the soul. Plato's Phaedo 57a-72d (pp. 460-476 in Great Dialogues of Plato). |
Plato's arguments for objective value. Aristophanes's speech from Plato's Symposium, pp. 85-89 in Great Dialogues of Plato |
Week 4
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Mon. 9/21 |
Wed. 9/23 |
Fri. 9/25 |
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Knowledge, recollection, and immortality. Plato's Phaedo 72e-95a (pp. 476-499 in GD of Plato)* |
The Divided Line. Plato's Republic Book V, 473e to end (pp. 273-281) and Book VI, 505a to end (pp. 303-311). The cave. Book VII, 514a-519e (pp. 312-318). |
Plato’s arguments for the Forms. Plato on the senses. |
Week 5
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Mon. 9/28 |
Wed. 9/30 |
Fri. 10/2 |
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Introduction to Aristotle. Matter and Form. "Some Main Points of
Aristotle's Thought,". |
Aristotle on human happiness. |
Presentation 3: Is Plato correct that all reality and values are objective? |
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Week 6
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Mon. 10/5 |
Wed. 10/7 |
Fri. 10/9 |
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MIDTERM EXAM
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The Christian view of man and his place in nature. "Some Main Points of Christianity," Selections from the New Testament, |
Free Will and the Virtues. The Seven Deadly Sins. Selection from C.S. Lewis. Perelandra |
Week 7
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Mon. 10/12 |
Wed. 10/14 |
Fri. 10/16 |
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Love, Faith, and Free Will. Soren Kierkegaard,
“The Knight of Faith” |
Christian Existentialism.
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Week 8
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Mon. 10/19 |
Wed. 10/21 |
Fri. 10/23 |
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The place of reason in Christianity. Proofs for the
existence of God, |
Criticisms of the proofs: " Jim Holt. "Nothing Ventured, |
Presentation 4: Can God’s Existence be Proven? |
Week 9
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Mon. 10/26 |
Wed. 10/28 |
Fri. 10/30 |
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Introduction to the problem of evil.
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Christian Existentialism and the Problem of Evil: Book of Job |
Presentation 5: Is God’s existence compatible with the existence of evil?. |
Week 10
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Mon. 11/2 |
Wed. 11/4 |
Fri. 11/6 |
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The Method of the Scientific Revolution. The Scientific View of Nature. Galileo, "Two Kinds of Properties |
Descartes and the new scientific method. Meditations, Preface and Meditations 1-2, pp. 1-23 |
Presentation 6: Could we be in the Matrix?
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Week 11
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Mon. 11/9 |
Wed. 11/11 |
Fri. 11/13 |
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Descartes and the mind-body problem. Meditations, Meditation 6, pp. 45-56. Different Views on the Relationship between Mind and Body |
Personal Identity and Science. Hume, "Of Personal Identity," |
Free Will, Emotions, and the Brain. Frank Jackson "What Mary Doesn’t Know" |
Week 12
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Mon. 11/16 |
Wed. 11/18 |
Fri. 11/20 |
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Presentation 7: Are you more than your Brain? |
Existentialism, personal identity, and happiness. |
Existentialism and the problem of happiness. |
Week 13
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Mon. 11/23 |
Wed. 11/25 |
Fri. 11/27 |
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Bad Faith and Human relations. The Master-Slave Dialectic. Sartre, "Sincerity," The Stranger, Part II, p. 60 to end.
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THANKSGIVING RECESS
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THANKSGIVING RECESS
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Week 14
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Mon. 11/30 |
Wed. 12/2 |
Fri. 12/4 |
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Presentation 8: Does life have a meaning? |
Immanuel Kant and Romanticism: Imagination, Perception, and Reality |
Quiz Romanticism and Love. |
Week 15
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Mon. 12/7 |
Wed. 12/9 |
Fri. 12/11 |
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Presentation 9: Is Love Possible?. |
So What? The value of objective self-examination. David Foster Wallace: Gradutation Speech |
Reading Day |
Final Exam: 1PM THU. 12/17