Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy

Instructor: James Skidmore, Ph.D
Office:  LA 251
Office phone: 282-4661
E-mail: skidjame@isu.edu
Web page:  www.isu.edu/~skidjame (course materials available there)

Office hours:    --Monday/Wednesday:  2:30-3:30 (Pocatello)
                          --Tuesday/Thursday:  2:30-3:30 (Idaho Falls)
                          --Gladly by appointment

You are more than welcome to see me during office hours for any reason (and I'm often in my office outside those hours). If you have a question, concern, complaint, or even if you just want to chat, feel free to drop in.

Required Texts:

--Adler and Elgin (eds.), Philosophical Inquiry:  Classical and Contemporary Readings.
--Vaughn, Writing Philosophy:  A Student's Guide to Writing Philosophy Essays

Course Description and Objectives:

The goal of the course is to live up to its name, that is, to provide you with a solid introduction to the strange and wonderful practice of philosophy. Philosophy seeks answers to questions that may often seem trivial, far removed from our everyday lives; yet they are some of the most fundamental questions we can ask. Does God exist? If so, what is God's nature? How can we know?  What is the nature of the human mind? How is it related to the brain and the rest of the body?  What justifies the existence of the state, and what limits are there on its authority?  How, and under what circumstances, might it be permissible to defy state power?  These are a few of the difficult questions we will be trying to answer this semester.

Fortunately, we have help in the form of some of the great philosophers of the past and present. We will examine carefully their own answers to these questions, and we will critically evaluate the arguments they provide in defense of those answers.  Thus, at the end of the course you will not only have a solid grasp of some of the major problems and figures in the field of philosophy, but you will also have developed your own philosophical skills--your ability to think carefully and critically about these and other questions, analyze and evaluate arguments,  and develop and defend your own philosophical views. With any luck, philosophical questions will haunt you for the rest of your life, and this course will help you develop the skills you need to struggle with them.  

Grading

For better or worse, one of my duties in this class is to give you a grade. Your grade will be determined by your performance on the following assignments:

             Assignments:                                          % of Final Grade

                --1st short essay                                              20
                --2nd short essay                                             25
                --3rd short essay                                              25
                --Final Exam                                                    30

Note on Grading:  I am aware  that grading standards vary widely across the university.  I will do my best to follow the university's guidelines.  Grades in the 'A'-range represent genuinely outb standing or excellent work.  Grades in the 'B'-range represent good work.  Grades in the 'C'-range represent adequate work.  I do not think you will find my grading unfair, but if you are expecting an "easy 'A' or 'B'" you may be disappointed.  If at any point in the class you become concerned about your grade, please see me immediately.  I will do everything I can to help you earn the grade you seek.

Late work:  In fairness to other students, essays that are handed in late will be assessed a penalty of 2 points per day.

Rewrite policy: Any essay (turned in on time) that receives less than a 'C' may be rewritten for a grade of no higher than 'C'.

Tentative Schedule of Weekly Readings and Assignments

Weeks 1-3: Introduction and Socratic Dialogues

Jan. 15th  --No reading
Jan. 17th  --Milgram, "The Perils of Obedience" (internet)

Jan. 22nd  --Vaughn, Chpts. 1 and 2
Jan. 24th  --Plato, "Euthyphro" (pp. 450-58)

Jan. 29th  --"Apology" (pp. 517-29)
Jan. 31st  -- "Crito" (online)

Feb. 5th  --Vaughn, Chpts. 3 and 4
Feb. 7th  --Descartes, Meditations I and II in Meditations on First Philosophy (pp. 50-56)
                  --Vaughn, Chpts. 5 and 6

Feb. 12th  --Meditation III (pp. 56-63)
Feb. 14th  --Meditations IV and V (pp. 63-69)

Feb. 19th  --Meditation VI (pp. 69-76)
Feb. 21st  --no reading

Feb. 26th  --Hobbes, from Leviathan (pp. 636-47)
Feb. 28th  --Hobbes, from Leviathan (pp. 647-53)
                 --Locke, from Second Treatise on Government, Chpt. 2 (pp. 653-56)

Mar. 4th  --Finish Locke, from Second Treatise on Government (pp. 656-64)
Mar. 6th  --reread Locke

Mar. 11th  --Hume, Parts II-III of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (pp. 719-27)
Mar. 13th  --Parts IV-VII of Dialogues... (pp. 727-735)

Mar. 18th  --Parts. X and XI of Dialogues... (pp. 735-744)
Mar. 20th  --Review Hume

March 24-28:  Spring Break (no classes)

Apr. 1st  --Mill, "Social Liberty" (pp. 664-677)
Apr. 3rd  --Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience" (online)

Apr. 8th  --Perry, A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality (pp. 321-334)
Apr. 10th  --Parfit, "Personal Identity" (pp. 334-345)

Apr. 15th  --Review Parfit
Apr. 17th  --Rawls, "The Original Position and the Principles of Justice" (pp. 684-93)

Apr. 22nd  --Rawls, "Definition and Justification of Civil Disobedience" (on reserve)
Apr. 24th  --Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence" (pp. 757-63)

Apr. 29th  --Van Inwagen, "The Magnitude, Duration and Distribution of Evil:  A Theodicy"
                      (pp. 764-71)
May 1st  --

May 5-9:  Finals Week

Miscellaneous Announcements

Message from ADA Disabilities & Resource:  Our program is committed to helping all students achieve their potential.  If you have a disability or think you have a disability (physical, learning disability, hearing, vision, psychiatric) which may need a reasonable accommodation, please contact the ADA Disabilities & Resource Center located in Gravely Hall, Room 123 (282-3599) as early as possible.

Class attendance:  You will notice that attendance is not included in the calculation of your grade. However, I do expect you to attend class, and I encourage you to participate actively. Doing so will not only allow you to get the most out of the class, but may tip the scales in borderline grade situations. Please note that if you must miss class, you are responsible for handing in ahead of time any assignments due. Otherwise the late work policy will take effect.

Plagiarism:  The university (and I) view plagiarism and cheating as academic dishonesty, extremely serious offenses that can quickly bring an end to your college career. In writing papers for this class, please make sure that you document appropriately all quoted and paraphrased passages from other authors. I am not picky about how you do it, and I am not going to crucify you for an innocent mistake; but if you decide to turn in a paper that tries to hide a number of quotes from other texts (or the internet), you are playing a very dangerous game.  Similarly for cheating on an exam:  Penalty for intentionally plagiarized work, or cheating on an exam, is an 'F' in the course and referral to the Dean of Student Affairs for further action.