Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy
Ned Hettinger, Spring 2016

Mill
Why Major in Philosophy?
GRE scores by Major
Discussion of above
Philosophy a Practical Major?
Reasons to Major in Philosophy
Liberal Arts Grads Win Long-Term
About the CofC Philosophy Major

Syllabus

Schedule of Assignments

Grading Scale
Free Quiz Procedures

Midterm Quiz Grade Explanation

How to improve your grade

Paper Assignment
Possible Paper Topics
Suggestions for Writing Your Philosophy Paper

Kant

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Fall 2016 Philosophy Courses

To evaluate this course click here

Explanation of Quiz Scores

READING ASSIGNMENTS
CLASS NOTES

MISCELLANEOUS

FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS
   

Conclusions about Moral Theory

Tues, Apr 19: CH 13, What Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Be Like? EMP 175-184

Conclusions about Moral Theory

Rachels' Moral Theory

 

Virtue Ethics

Thurs, Apr 14: CH 12, Virtue Ethics, EMP 159-174

We will do course evaluations at beginning of class, bring smartphone/computer
To evaluate this course click here

Virtue Ethics

Rachels on Virtue Ethics

Philosophy Bachelors Essay preentations, Friday, Mar 15, 2:00 in ECTR111
Graduating senior Aubrey O’Brien ("Explaining Boredom and a Naturalistic Account of Virtue Ethics") and Steven Sanborn ( "Dog in Sheep’s Clothing: Doing Anti-Luck Epistemology Well")
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Helen Longino, “Putting Social Epistemology of Science Into Practice
Thursday 4/14/16 at 6:30 pm in Alumni Hall, Randolph Hall
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Feminism and Feminist Ethics

Apr 12: Class discussion on Feminism (sign up for one, read all)

Procedure for group discussions
12:15 sign-up sheets
1:40 sign-up sheets

Myth of Male Decline

Melinda Gates on Unpaid Work

Myths That Make It Hard To Stop Campus Rape

Wiki on Bechdel Test

Miss Representation Trailer

Feminism and Feminist Ethics

Study Questions on Feminism Readings

Feminism

Women/Gender Studies at CofC
Are Woman Human? by Catherine McKinnon,
U.S. Women's Soccer Team Members File Federal Equal-Pay Complaint
Feminist Perspectives on Objectification
Bechdel Test Movie List
Why Women Still Can't Have It All
"As a Muslim woman, I see the veil as a rejection of progressive values" by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Why Do They Hate Us?
Feminist Follies: Facing Facts at Fifty
When we Hated Mom
America the Beautiful trailer
SC Among Top Ten States in Which Women Killed by Men
Brazil's Obsession with Plastic Surgery
(Anti)Feminist Humor: Is this funny? Is it sexist? (video)
David Benatar, “The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys” (35 pages)

Friday, Apr 8, PAPER DUE
Paper copy--not email, due by 1pm, 14 Glebe, inside mailbox

Thurs, Apr 7: CH 11, Feminism and the Ethics of Care EMP 147-158

Rachels on Feminism and Care Ethics

Feminist Ethics Chart

Thursday, April 7 at 4:15 in 14 Glebe
Elaina Cole (Computer Science major, CofC), Copy of Paper
"Teenage Wasteland: The 1980s Teen Comedy as a Revitalized Screwball Comedy”
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Metaphysics: Mind and Body, Personal Identity, and Free Will

Tues, Apr 5: Thomas Nagel, “Free Will

Metaphysics: Mind and Body, Personal Identity, and Free Will

Nagel on Free Will

Chart: Free Will, Determinism, and Compatibilism

Sustainability Week (April 4-9th) (Flier)

Wed, Apr 6, 12pm, Addlestone Library, Rm 227
Chair of Geology, Mitch Colgan
“Climate Change in the Arctic and What it Means to Charleston”
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Wed, Apr 6, 12-1, Stern Ballroom
Institutional Racism
Green Bag Lunch Series
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Wed, Apr 6, 2-3, Stern Ballroom
The Social Side of Contraception
Women's Health Research Team and Women's and Gender Studies at CofC
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Environmental Studies Minor

Thurs, Mar 31: Daniel Dennett, “Where Am I?" (good copy)
Where Am I?” (copy with missing letters)

Dennett, Where Am I?

Thurs, Mar 31, 6pm: American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity, and Making a Difference,” Bryan Stevenson, Sottile Theatre, 44 George Street
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Tues, Mar 29: Thomas Nagel, “The Mind-Body Problem

Nagel on Mind/Body

Undisciplined Religion Research: Queer Topics at the Boundaries of the Field
Dr. Claudia Schippert, University of Central Florida
Wed, March 30, 3:30 - 5pm, Wells Fargo in the Beatty Center, 5 Liberty St
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Kantian Non-Consequential (Deontological) Moral Theory

  Thurs, Mar 24: CH 10, Kant and Respect for Persons, EMP 137-146

 

Kantian Non-Consequential (Deontological) Moral Theory 

Rachels on Kant and Respect for Persons

Rachels on Kantian Retributivism and Untilitarianism on Punishment

Thurs, Mar 24 at 4:15 in 14 Glebe Lounge
Immoral Art: Moral and Aesthetic Impact of Bad Characters in Film (particularly animated film)
Aesthetic Work Group meeting led by Caroline Requierme (CofC, Computing and the Arts major)
Background paper on Morality and Art
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Thurs, Mar 24,7pm: Cracks in the Glass: Possibilities and Challenges for SC Women in Public Service
Wachovia Auditoruim, Beatty Center (5 Liberty)
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

         Tues, Mar 22: CH 9, Are There Absolute Moral Rules? EMP 126-136

Rachels, Ch 9, Kant and Absolute Moral Rules

Kantian Non-Consequential (Deontological) Moral Theory

Friday, Mar 18: PAPER PROPOSAL DUE (send by email to: hettingern@cofc.edu)
Paper Assignment
Possible Paper Topics

Utilitarianism (continued)

Mar 17: CH 8, Debate over Utilitarianism, EMP 111-125

Utilitarianism (continued)

Rachels on Debate over Utilitarianism

Bag It:
A a documentary which explores the plastic pollution problem (film synopsis)
Thursday, March 17th, 7pm Addlestone Library 227
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Plastic State of Mind (video humor)

Environmental Philosophy

Tuesday, Mar 15: Dale Jamieson on Respecting Nature, Climate Change and the Anthropocene

Jamieson & Nadzam, "The Anthropocene" from Love in the Anthropocene

Jamieson, "Respect for Nature" from Reason in a Dark Time: Why The Struggle Against Climate Change Failed and What it Means for our Future

Environmental Philosophy

Jamieson/Nadzam on Anthropocene

Jamieson on Respect for Nature

Environmental Philosophy

Jamieson, The Anthropocene: Love it or leave it
Tues, Mar 15, 3:15, Alumni Center, 86 Wentworth
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Unnatural Kingdom

Peter Singer interviewing Dale Jamieson on Reason in a Dark Time (56 min video)
Audio of Jamieson talking about his book

 Maps of sea level rise Charleston area
 Naming Hurricanes After Politicians who Deny Climate Change (video, humor)

 

SPRING BREAK
   

Thursday, Mar 3: Ned Hettinger, “Age of Man Environmentalism & Respect for an Independent Nature

Hettinger, Age of Man Environmentalism & Respect for Indepedent Nature (PDF)

Questions on Hettinger's Age of Man Environmentalism

Zero Waste Challenge

Summer class on "Nature Spirituality, Ecotopia, and Applied Ecovillage Living"

Utilitarianism

Tues, Mar 1: CH 7, The Utilitarian Approach, EMP 99-110

Utilitarianism

Rachels, Ch. 7, Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism

Douglas Husak, “Four Points about Drug Decriminalization

Animals
Marty's Place
New York Times Essay Contest on Why Ethical to Eat Meat
Give Thanks for Meat (Pro eating meat essay contest winner; if interested see also other finalists essays)

Silverman's Wager (Parody on Pascal's Wager)

 

Thursday, Feb 25: MIDTERM EXAM

**Midterm Exam Study Questions**

Greedy Lying Bastards
(About the people and organizations casting doubt on climate science)
Join Students for Social Innovation and the Vegan Club for their next documentary
Thursday, February 25th, 7pm, Addlestone Library 227, Film Synopsis
(Free quiz opportunity)

From Subjective Physicalism to Panpsychism
Robert J. Howell, Southern Methodist University
Thursday, Feb 25, Library rm. 227 3:15pm
(Free quiz opportunity)

Social and Political Philosophy

Tuesday, Feb 23: CH 6, The Social Contract Theory, EMP 82-98

Social and Political Philosophy

Rachels Ch 6, Social Contract Theory

Aesthetics Work Group, Tues, Feb 23, 3:30, 14 Glebe
"The Quest for a Common Standard: Wittgenstein and Kant on the Rules of Art”
Hanne Appelqvist (University of Helsinki)
(Free quiz opportunity)

Social and Political Philosophy

Joel Feinberg, “Hard Cases for the Harm Principle
(and “A Ride on the Bus”)

Racial Equality
Freedom Summer Links
The New Jim Crow:  Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Legal Scholar: Jim Crow Still Exists In America (audio)
White Privilege
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh

Egoism

Thursday, Feb 18: CH 5, Ethical Egoism, EMP 64-81

Egoism

Rachels, Ch 5, Psychological and Ethical Egoism

Egoism

https://cdn.popdust.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Dead-Syrian-Boy-Turkish-Beach-Photo_2015-09-03_23-15-25.jpg

An Argument Against Egoism
Does Money Make You Mean? (10 min audio)
Ayn Rand on Evils of Altruism (9 min video)

     
Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of Religion
 
Tuesday, Feb 16: CH 4, Does Morality Depend on Religion? EMP 49-63
Rachels, Ch. 4, Religion and Morality
 

Thurs, Feb 11: Problem of Evil

Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Sufferings of Little Children"
John Hick,"The Problem of Evil"
 John Hick, "Evil and the Infinite Future Good"

Dostoevsky on Problem of Evil

Hick's Theodicy

Some Possible Theodicies

About Dostoevsky
About John Hick

Women in Philosophy (WIP) Movie Night
Ex Machina, Monday, Feb 15, 5pm, Maybank 206
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

"What is a Musical Work?" by Drew Wyckoff (Philosophy and Biology major, CofC)
 Friday 2/12 at 3:30, 14 Glebe Lounge
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

 Tues, Feb 9: William James, “The Will to Believe

James, The Will to Believe

Darwin Week

EVOLUTION SUNDAY: A Religious Naturalist Goes to the State Board of Education
Sunday, February 14 Two services – 8:30 and 11:00 AM Circular Congregational Church 150 Meeting Street, Rev. Dr. Jeremy Rutledge
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

The Antievolutionists: From the Scopes Trial to Intelligent Design
by Dr. Ronald L. Numbers
Tuesday, Feb 9, 4:30 PM CofC School of Sciences and Math Auditorium
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

About William James Wiki on James

Climate Change and Pascal’s Wager (9 min video)

Thursday, Feb 4: Bertrand Russell Why I Am Not A Christian
Russell on Why I Am Not A Christian

The Origin of The Controversy: Revisiting the Battlefields of Science and Religion
Monday, February 8 at 7:00 PM Gage Hall, 4 Archdale Street (3 blocks south of campus)
Dr. Ronald L. Numbers
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

About Bertrand Russell

"Activism vs. Antagonism: Socially-Engaged Art from Bourriaud to Bishop and Beyond.”
Thursday, February 4 at 3:30, 14 Glebe, Philosophy Lounge
Aesthetics Work Group meeting discussion by Jay Miller (Philosophy, Warren Wilson College) on his attached paper on contemporary performance art.
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

Tuesday, Feb 2: Class discussion about religion topics
Procedure for group discussions
What you signed up for 12:15 1:40

Religion and Science
Faith and Science Can Find Common Ground

Religion and Violence
'Not In God's Name' Confronts Religious Violence With A 'Different Voice' NPR author interview (includes audio)

Religion and Politics
Conservative Christians Are Still Fighting Gay Marriage, But It's An Uphill Battle Against The Courts

Religious Pluralism
Christian Split: Can Nonbelievers Be Saved?

Atheism
'Woodstock For Atheists': A Moment For Nonbelievers (includes audio)

Questions for Religion Discussion

Science and Religion
Americans' Views on Evolution
Defending Darwin

Religion and Violence
Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence (about the book, includes video)
Wiki on Sam Harris' The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

Religion and Politics
Christians Debate: Was Jesus for Small Government?
Alabama Governor: Only Christians are my Brothers
Kentucky Clerk Refusing to Issue Marriage Licence to Gay Couple (video)

Atheism and Secular Humanism
Seven Facts about Atheists
“More Atheists Shout from the Rooftops”
Debate between Atheist and Theist at CofC
Review of Philip Kitcher's Life After Faith: The Case for Secular Humanism
**Richard Dawkins, How an Atheists Looks at Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life (video)
Do the New Atheists Have Any New Ideas? (5 min video debate with Dan Dennett)

Local Humanist and Atheists Groups
Secular Humanists of the Low Country
CofC Atheist-Humanist Alliance
CofC Secular Student Alliance Facebook page

 

 

Thursday, Jan 28: Richard Taylor "God"

Taylor's Cosmological Argument

"THE HOUSE I LIVE IN"
(Has the War on Drugs Been Effective?)
Thursday, 1/28, 7pm in SSMB129
(Free Quiz Opportunity)

(Free quiz = attend event, send brief--1 or 2 paragraphs--email describing main ideas of event and your ideas in response to hettingern@cofc.edu within one week and receive credit for a quiz.)

Free Quiz opportunity on "Covers" Friday, Jan 22, 14 Glebe 3:30

Trans-Sexuality

Tuesday, Jan 26:  Julia Serano, "Intrinsic Inclinations: Explaining Gender and Sexual Diversity"

Trans-Sexuality

Serano on Trans-Sexuality

Trans-Sexuality

Alison Bechdel, "Trans-Dykes to Watch Out For" (comic strip article in power point)

Talia Mae Bettcher, “Without a Net, Starting Points for Trans Stories

Elinor Burkett, What Makes a Woman? (A feminist critique of trans?) and critique of that essay

Juggling Gender (25 min video interview with Jennifer Miller, circus entertainer, professor, and woman with a beard)

Subjectivity and Objectivity

Thursday, Jan 21: CH 3, Subjectivism in Ethics, EMP 33-48

Subjectivity and Objectivity

Rachels, Ch 3, Subjectivism

Sex
Book Review of Simon Blackburn's book on Lust

Cultural Relativism

Tuesday, Jan 19: CH 2, The Challenge of Cultural Relativism, EMP 15-32

Cultural Relativism

Rachels, Ch 2, Cultural Relativism

 

12:15 sign-ups
1:40 sign ups

Thursday, Jan 14: Class discussion about cultural relativism examples. Procedure for discussions

American superiority? "Battle Over Patriotism Curriculum

Cruel and unusual punishments? “Men Stoned to Death for Adultery

Female genital cutting? “The Ritual: Disfiguring, Hurtful, Wildly Festive” and “Village by Village, Circumcising a Ritual

Husbands beating wives? “Do Korean Men Still Beat Their Wives? Definitely

Women wearing a veil in public? Should there be restrictions on wearing the niqab? - five-minute video debate

Study Questions about Cases related to Cultural Relativism

American exceptionalism

Wiki on prevalence of female genital cutting

Female Genital _Mutilation: Tolerating_the Intolerable by_Xiaorong Li

"As a Muslim woman, I see the veil as a rejection of progressive values" by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

 

The Nature of Morality

Tuesday, Jan 12: CH 1, What is Morality? James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 8th edition, (hereafter, EMP), pp. 1-14

 

The Nature of Morality

Rachels, Ch 1

David Wasserman, “Killing Mary to Save Jodie: Conjoined Twins and Individual Rights

Peggy Battin: Choosing the Least Worst Death (20 min Ted Talk)

Difference between 8th and 7th editions of Rachels Text Page 1 Page 2

**Midterm Exam Study Questions**
Answer key to Midterm

   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
   

 

   

 

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
   

Feminism


Women/Gender Studies at CofC

Melinda Gates on Unpaid Work
Catherine McKinnon, Are Woman Human?

U.S. Women's Soccer Team Members File Federal Equal-Pay Complaint

Feminist Perspectives on Objectification

Wiki on Bechdel Test
Bechdel Test Movie List

Why Women Still Can't Have It All

Myths That Make It Hard To Stop Campus Rape

"As a Muslim woman, I see the veil as a rejection of progressive values" by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown


Myth of Male Decline
Why Do They Hate Us?
Feminist Follies: Facing Facts at Fifty
When we Hated Mom
Miss Representation Trailer
America the Beautiful trailer
SC Among Top Ten States in Which Women Killed by Men

Brazil's Obsession with Plastic Surgery

(Anti)Feminist Humor: Is this funny? (video)

David Benatar, “The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys” (35 pages)

     
   

Help With Writing

Chicago Footnote Style link

     
   

Racial Equality

Freedom Summer Links

The New Jim Crow:  Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

Legal Scholar: Jim Crow Still Exists In America (audio)

White Privilege
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh

     
   

Virtue Ethics

Martha Nussbaum, Transitional Anger (Is Anger Rational?)

     
   

Sex

Simon Blackburn's book on Lust
Book Review of Blackburn's Lust

   

Trans-sexuality

Talia Mae Bettcher, "Without a Net: Starting Points for Trans Stories"

Alison Bechdel, "Trans-Dykes to Watch Out For" (comic strip article)

Elinor Burkett, What Makes a Woman? (Feminism versus Trans?)
Critique of "What Makes a Woman" (above)

Julia Serano, "Intrinsic Inclinations: Explaining Gender and Sexual Diversity"

Juggling Gender (25 min video interview with Jennifer Miller, circus entertainer, professor, and woman with a beard)

   

Animals

New York Times Essay Contest on Why Ethical to Eat Meat

Give Thanks for Meat (Pro eating meat essay contest winner; if interested see also other finalists essays)

     
   

Death Penalty

Flaws in Death Penalty Research

20 Years Defending Death Row Inmates

     
   

Philosophy of Religion

Site with Phil of Religion articles (all pro?)

Religion and Environment
Pope Francis on Environment (Cafaro summary of his views)
For Faithful, Social Justice Goals Demand Action on Environment

Religion and Science
Faith and Science Can Find Common Ground
Beliefs in Evolution/Creationism
Michael Dowd talk at CofC on "Religious Naturalism" (video)

Religion and Violence:
'Not In God's Name' Confronts Religious Violence With A 'Different Voice' NPR author interview
Wiki on Sam Harris' The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

Religion and Politics
Limits on Discrimination based on 1st Amendment Religious Freedom: Baker Must Bake Cake for Homosexuals
Courts rule against Religion Based Discrimination against Homosexuals
Christians Debate: Was Jesus for Small Government?
Alabama Governor: Only Christians are my Brothers

Atheism and Secular Humanism
“Can Nonbelievers Be Saved?
“More Atheists Shout from the Rooftops”
Woodstock for Atheists
Debate between Atheist and Theist at CofC
Review of Philip Kitcher's Life After Faith: The Case for Secular Humanism
Richard Dawkins, How an Atheists Looks at Sex, Death, and the Meaning of Life (video)
Do the New Atheists Have Any New Ideas? (5 min video debate with Dan Dennett)

Local Humanist and Atheists Groups
Secular Humanists of the Low Country
CofC Atheist-Humanist Alliance
CofC Secular Student Alliance Facebook page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darwin Week

 

The Origin of The Controversy:
Revisiting the Battlefields of Science and Religion

Monday, February 8 at 7:00 PM
Gage Hall
Dr. Ronald L. Numbers

 

 

The Antievolutionists:
From the Scopes Trial to Intelligent Design

Tuesday, February 9 at 4:30 PM
CofC School of Sciences and Math Auditorium
Dr. Ronald L. Numbers

 

EVOLUTION SUNDAY
A Religious Naturalist Goes to
the State Board of Education

Sunday, February 14
Two services – 8:30 and 11:00 AM
Circular Congregational Church
150 Meeting Street
Rev. Dr. Jeremy Rutledge

 

 

 

   

Environment

Jamieson, "The Anthropocene" from Love in the Anthropocene

Jamieson, "Respect for Nature" from Reason in a DarkTime: Why The Struggle Against Climate Change Failed and What it Means for our Future

Hettinger, "Defending Aesthetic Protectionism"

Climate Change and (some, not all, in) the Republican Party

Marty's Place

Faith, Morality, and the Environment: Portrait Global Warming's Six Americas

     
    Why Major in Philosophy?
GRE scores by Major
Discussion of above
Philosophy a Practical Major?
Reasons to Major in Philosophy
Liberal Arts Grads Win Long-Term
About the CofC Philosophy Major
     
   

Euthanasia

Peggy Battin: Choosing the Least Worst Death (20 min Ted Talk)

     
   

Egoism

https://cdn.popdust.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Dead-Syrian-Boy-Turkish-Beach-Photo_2015-09-03_23-15-25.jpg