Bradley Rettler
Introduction to Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Bradley Rettler
CONTACT: rettlerb@gmail.com
OFFICE HOURS: Monday 4-5, Tuesday 3-4, and by appointment
OFFICE: Malloy 205
Resources
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Course Syllabus
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On How to Write Good Philosophy Papers
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On How To Read Philosophy
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On How to Understand Philosophy
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What is a Good Argument?
Schedule and Readings
Jan 15: Course Overview
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Glossary of Philosophy Terms
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Jan 17: NO CLASS
Jan 22: Proofs of the Existence of God
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Rea and Murray, p. 123-156
Jan 24: Ontological Argument
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Anselm, The Ontological Argument
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Rea and Murray, p. 124-135 (again)
INTERLUDE: LOGIC AND ARGUMENTS
Jan 29: Informal Logic
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Good and Bad Arguments
Jan 31: Formal Logic
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Validity and Soundness
BACK TO THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Feb 5: Cosmological Arguments
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Aquinas, Five Ways, particularly ways 1-3
Feb 7: Cosmological Arguments, continued
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Aquinas, Five Ways
Feb 12: Fine-Tuning Argument
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Rea and Murray, p. 146-155
Feb 14: Problem of Evil
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Rea and Murray, p. 158-180
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van Inwagen, The Problem of Evil (excerpt)
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Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence (excerpt)
Feb 19: Problem of Hiddenness
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Rea and Murray, p. 180-189
Feb 21: Miracles -- FIRST PAPER ASSIGNED
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Hume, "Of Miracles"
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van Inwagen, "Of 'Of Miracles'"
KNOWLEDGE
Feb 26: What Can We Know?
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Descartes, Meditations 1 and 2
Feb 28: Skepticism
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SEP, "Brains in Vats'"
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SEP, "Moore's Proof"
March 5: Lotteries
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Hawthorne, "Knowledge and Lotteries" (excerpt)
HUMAN PERSONS
March 7: Dualism and Physicalism -- FIRST PAPER DUE
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van Inwagen, "The Nature of Rational Beings"
March 19: D & M, continued
March 21: Midterm Review
March 25: Midterm Exam
FREE WILL
March 27: NO CLASS
April 2: Fatalism
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Taylor, "Fate"
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SEP, "Fatalism", Section 5
April 4: Incompatibilism
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van Inwagen, "The Consequence Argument"
April 9: Compatibilism
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Frankfurt, "Alternative Possibilities and Moral Responsibility"
April 11: Free will and Indeterminism -- SECOND PAPER ASSIGNED
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van Inwagen, "Free will remains a mystery", Just Section 2
MORALITY
April 16: Moral Relativism
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S-L, Introduction, Chapters 15 & 19
April 18: Consequentialism
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S-L, Chapters 9 & 10
April 23: Deontology
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S-L, Chapters 11 & 12
April 25: Virtue Ethics -- SECOND PAPER DUE if you want time for revisions
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S-L, Chapter 17
April 29: Divine Command Theory
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S-L, Chapter 5
May 8: Final Examination -- DeBartolo 421, 1:45-3:45pm. SECOND PAPER DUE FOR REAL.