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Philosophy and Human Nature (Spring 2018)

 

INSTRUCTOR: Dr Bradley Rettler

CONTACT: rettlerb@gmail.com

OFFICE: Lowenstein 921B

OFFICE HOURS: Monday 11:15-12:30, Tuesday 1-3, and by appointment

 

Course Website: http://philosophy.bradleyrettler.com

 

Resources

 

 
Schedule and Readings (readings are to be done by the day they are listed)

Jan 18: Introduction: What is Philosophy? 

What do we know?
  
Jan 22: Meno (especially 58-64, 70-78, 89-92) -- Sample Critical Paper
Jan 25: Meno, continued (especially 96 to the end)


Jan 29: Gettier, Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?
Feb 1:  NO CLASS

Feb 5:  Logic -- Common Argument Forms   
Feb 8: Descartes,
Meditation I

Excellent Student Papers: 1, 2, 3, 4

What kinds of things are we?
    
Feb 12: Descartes, Meditation II
Feb 15: Meditation II, continued 

Feb 20 (TUESDAY): Plato - Phaedo
Feb 22: Phaedo, Continued


Feb 26: Aristotle, Physics 
March 1: Aristotle, On the Soul 


March 5: Aquinas -- Summa Theologiae 
March 8: Aquinas / What are We, concluded

 

 

Are we free?

March 12: Augustine -- On Free Choice of the Will, pp.1-30, especially 21-30
March 15: Midterm Exam Review 

March 19: MIDTERM EXAM
March 22: NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK

March 26: NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK
March 29: NO CLASS -- EASTER

April 2: NO CLASS -- EASTER
April 5: van Inwagen - The Consequence Argument  

April 9: Nelkin - The Consequence Argument and the Mind Argument
April 12: Frankfurt - Principle of Alternative Possibilities

 

Is there a God?


April 16: Descartes -- Meditation 5
April 19: NO CLASS

April 23: Zagzebski - Does Ethics Need God?
April 26: Collins - Fine-tuning

April 30: Adams - Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God
May 3: Review

FINAL EXAM

    May 10, 1:30pm (2:30 section)

    May 14, 1:30pm (4:00 section)

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