Larkin Fall 2003
PHIL 330:
Metaphysics
I.
Course Information
A.
Number:
PHIL 330.001
B.
Time:
TR 2:00-3:15 PM
C.
Room:
PH 2409
D.
Instructor:
William S. Larkin
E.
Office:
PH 2207
F.
Office
Hours: TR 1-2 PM, and by appointment
G.
E-Mail:
wlarkin@siue.edu
H.
Office
Phone: 650-2643
II.
Course Description
The primary objective of the course is to provide
students the motive, means, and opportunity to rationally reflect on the nature
of persons and their place in nature.
To this end we will explore the dialectical landscape of four perennial
problems in metaphysics—the Cosmological Problem, the Mind-Body Problem, the
Problem of Free Will, and the Problem of Personal Identity. We will explicate these problems as specific
instances of the more general metaphysical problem of reconciling the manifest
common sense image of persons with the emerging theoretical scientific
image. The secondary objective of the
course is to provide students strategies for and practice at interpreting,
evaluating, and constructing argumentative essays.
III.
Course Requirements
A.
Reading
Summaries
There will be eight readings over the course of the
semester for which I will provide questions designed to encourage an active
reading of the texts. On Tuesdays, I
will accept summaries of the reading assigned for that week. These summaries should be 2-3 double-spaced,
typewritten pages, and should lay out the author’s main points and arguments as
well as provide some critical analysis of the reading.
Each of the eight reading summaries will be worth 5
points for a total of 40 points:
5 =
Complete, on time, and carefully written
4 =
Complete and on time
3 =
Incomplete but on time
2 =
Complete but (not more than) one class period late
1 =
Incomplete and (not more than) one class period late
B.
Writing
Projects
There will be two writing projects over the course
of the semester, for which I will provide possible topics. The first paper will be due during week
eight, and the second paper will be due during the last week of classes. Final drafts of papers should be 6-8
double-spaced, typewritten pages, and should survey the dialectical landscape
of an issue (of manageable size) related to the course material and defend a
specific thesis regarding that issue.
Each of the two paper projects will be worth 30
points for a total of 60 points:
5
pts: Thesis proposal discussed with professor
10
pts.: Formal outline
15
pts.: Acceptable draft
a.
Carefully
written and edited (5 pts.)
b.
Clear
and explicit structure (5 pts.)
c.
Compelling
Content (5 pts.)
C.
Semester
Grade
The semester grade will be determined by the total
number of points earned on the Reading Summaries and Writing Projects as
follows:
90-100
= A
70-89
= B
50-69
= C
0-49
= F
IV.
Texts
A.
Purchase
Text:
(F) Owen Flanagan, The Problem of the Soul
B.
Course
Packet (CP): Photocopies available from instructor during first week of class.
V.
Expectations
Genuine learning requires
active participation and two-way communication. Students are not merely empty vessels waiting to be filled up
with information—they come to this course with various backgrounds, beliefs,
skills and talents. My goal is (1) to
incorporate some new concepts, ideas, and perspectives into students’
pre-existing knowledge base, and (2) to help students acquire and hone certain
critical thinking habits and argumentative skills. It is expected that you will help facilitate this process by
taking an active role in your own learning process. Only with your active participation can genuine learning occur, and
only genuine learning will insure success in the course.
I expect you to take an
active role in class by taking notes, participating in discussion, asking
questions, and providing feedback on how you are doing and how you think the
class is going. No behavior in class
that manifests a lack of respect for others or their learning objectives will
be tolerated. It is absolutely
crucial that everyone feel comfortable stating and defending his or her views. Outside
of class you are expected to keep up on the assigned readings, complete the
assigned reading questions, review notes, and see me in office hours whenever a
question or problem arises. I also want
to encourage you to get together with fellow students to discuss the material
in the course and to read related material that we will not be covering. I am more than willing to help with either
of those projects in any way I can.
VI.
Academic Dishonesty
No kind or degree of academic dishonesty (i.e.,
cheating or plagiarism) will be tolerated. Any
such behavior on any assignment will certainly result in failing that
assignment, will probably result in failing the course, and may require more
drastic measures through official channels.
VII.
Weekly Schedule:
Week |
Reading Assignment |
Topic |
1 |
Syllabus CP:
Dennett, “Tell Me Why” |
Critical
Thinking Arguments
for and against the Existence of God |
2 |
CP:
Dennett, “Universal Acid” F:
Chapter One, “Human Being” |
Dasein
and Dharma |
3 |
F:
Chapter Two, “The Human Image” |
The
Manifest vs. the Scientific Image |
4 |
CP:
Nozick, “Why is There Something Rather Than Nothing?” (pp. 115-140) |
The
Cosmological Problem |
5 |
CP:
Nozick, “Why is There Something Rather Than Nothing?” (pp. 140-164) |
The
Limits of Thought |
6 |
F:
Chapter Three, “Mind” |
Cartesianism
vs. Mind Science |
7 |
CP:
Kim, “The Mind-Body Problem…”, secs. I-III |
Physicalism |
8 |
CP:
Kim, “The Mind-Body Problem…”, secs. III-VI |
Reductionism
|
9 |
F:
Chapter Four, “Free Will” |
Free
Will vs. Determinism |
10 |
CP:
Chisholm, “Human Freedom and the Self” |
Agent
Causation |
11 |
F:
Chapter Five, “Permanent Persons” |
Self,
Soul, and God |
12 |
CP:
Olson, “Psychology and Personal Identity” |
The
Psychological vs. The Biological Approach |
13 |
CP:
Olson, “Why We Need Not Accept the Psychological Approach” |
Intuitions,
Prudential Concern, and Moral Responsibility |
14 |
CP:
Olson, “Are People Animals?” |
Coincidence,
Personhood, and Why We are Animals |
15 |
F:
Chapter Six, “Natural Selves” |
Buddhism
and Narrative Selves |
PHIL 330:
Metaphysics
Course Packet
Prof. William S.
Larkin
Philosophy Department
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
wlarkin@siue.edu
PHIL 330: Metaphysics
Course Packet
Larkin
Fall 2003
_____________________________
Contents
1. Dennett, Daniel. “Tell Me Why”, from Darwin’s Dangerous Idea
2. Dennett, Daniel. “Universal Acid”, from Darwin’s Dangerous Idea
3. Nozick, Robert. “Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?”, from Philosophical Explanations
4. Kim, Jaegwon. “The Mind-Body Problem: Taking Stock After 40 Years”
5. Chisholm, Roderick. “Human Freedom and the Self”
6. Olson, Eric. “Psychology and Personal Identity”, from The Human Animal
7. Olson, Eric. “Why We Need Not Accept the Psychological Approach”, from The Human Animal
8. Olson, Eric. “Are People Animals?”, from The Human Animal