Introduction to Philosophy
Ned Hettinger, Fall 2009

 

Syllabus
Library's ereserve
Paper Assignment & Some Topics
Suggestions for Writing Your Philosophy Paper

Revised Schedule
Original Schedule
MIDTERM STUDY QUESTIONS
FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS

 
READING NOTES
READINGS FOR CLASS
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
Rachels, Ch 1: What is Morality?
 
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
about James Rachels
Rachels, Ch 2: Cultural Relativism

Battle Over Patriotism Curriculum
Men Stoned to Death for Adultery
The Ritual: Disfiguring, Hurtful, Wildly Festive
Village by Village, Circumcising a Ritual

Philosopher's Index

Female Genital_Cutting:_Tolerating_the Intolerable by_Xiaorong Li

Humor: Kant attack add
Pro Kierkegaard ad
Aesthetics
Aesthetics
    
Holmes Rolston, Does the Aesthetic Appreciation of Landscapes Need to be Science-Based?
Holmes Rolston, “Does the Aesthetic Appreciation of Landscapes Need to be Science-Based?”
 
Bio on Holmes Rolston III
       
Rachels, Ch 3: Subjectivism in Ethics
     
Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of Religion
    
Richard Taylor, "God" (Taylor's Cosmological Argument)
     
The Kalam Cosmological Argument
     
Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not A Christian

Bertrand Russell "Why I Am Not A Christian"
“Can Nonbelievers Be Saved?”
“More Atheists Shout from the Rooftops”

 
about Bertrand Russell
James, The Will to Believe
William James, "The Will to Believe"
 
about William James
Pojman, Faith, Hope, and Doubt
Louis Pojman, "Faith, Hope, and Doubt"
   
Dostoevsky on The Problem of Evil
Dostoevsky, "The Sufferings of Little Children"
  
about Fyodor Dostoevsky
Possible Theodicies
Hick, "The Problem of Evil"
 
about John Hick
Hick's Theodicy
Hick, "Evil and the Infinite Future Good"
   
       
Rachels, Ch 4: Does Morality Depend on Religion?
     
Rachels, Ch 5: Ethical (and Psychological) Egoism
     
Rachels, Ch 6: Idea of a Social Contract
     
Feinberg, "Hard Cases for Harm Principle"
Joel Feinberg, "Hard Cases for the Harm Principle"
Articles on Drug Legalization
about Joel Feinberg
   
Drugs, Moralitly, and Law
 
After Midterm Exam
After Midterm Exam
Doug Husak, "Liberal Neutrality, Autonomy, and Drug Prohibition"
 
Rachels, Ch 7: The Utilitarian Approach
Doug Husak, "Four Points About Drug Decriminalization"
Sagoff, "Animal Liberation and Environmental Ethics....."
Mark Sagoff, Animal Liberation and Environmental Ethics: Bad Marriage, Quick Divorce
  about Mark Sagoff
Rachels, Ch 8: The Debate Over Utilitarianism
     
Rachels, Ch 9: Are There Absolute Moral Rules?
     
Rachels, Ch 10: Kant and Respect for Persons
     
Rachels, Ch 10: Utilitarianism and Kantianism Retributivism
      
Metaphysics
Metaphysics
    
Nagel, "The Mind-Body Problem"
Thomas Nagel, "The Mind-Body Problem"
 
about Tom Nagel
Dennett, "Where Am I?"
Daniel Dennett, "Where Am I?"
 
about Dan Dennett
Nagel, "Free Will"
Thomas Nagel, "Free Will"
   
Feminism
Feminism
Feminist Philosophy Resources
 
Rachels, Ch 11: Feminism and the Ethics of Care
 
Battered Women seek U.S. Asylum
 
Mill, The Subjection of Women
John Stuart Mill, "The Subjection of Women" (1869)
Church Bans Nun From Teaching
about John Stuart Mill
Virtue Ethics
Virtue Ethics
   
Rachels, Ch 12: The Ethics of Virtue
     
Cafaro, Gluttony, Arrogance, Greed, and Apathy: An Exploration of Environmental Vice
Philip Cafaro, “Gluttony, Arrogance, Greed and Apathy: An Exploration of Environmental Vice”
Environmental Philosophy Resources
The Story of Stuff (video)
Children Speaking to Adults: How We Have Failed (you tube)
about Phil Cafaro
Rachels, Ch 13: What Would A Satisfactory Moral Thoery Be Like?