Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
|
|
Tuesday |
- Journal: What questions do you have regarding the concepts and ideas in Kant E? What stands out to you?
- Lecture/Discussion - Perfect and imperfect duties
|
Taylor 3 - Due Tomorrow;
Read and annotate Kant F - Tomorrow |
Wednesday |
- In small groups: Recall this situation from the ethics opening activity:
John was captured in a country that supports terrorism against the US. The US government believes that John has knowledge of a terror plot that, if successful, would kill thousands of people in New York City. The government wants to imprison John in a secret prison, and torture him to gain information about the plot. This would violate US law. If they do, there is a 75% likelihood that the attack will be avoided. As advisor to the President, what do you recommend?
Based on the sections of Kant you have read so far, what principles and ideas might Kant provide the President if he were advising them? Explain your answer with reference to the Kant document.
- Discussion of Kant/torture situation
- Lecture/Discussion - The second version of the categorical imperative
|
|
Thursday |
- Wrap up and assessment of Kant
|
Taylor 4 study guide - due Tuesday, February 26 |
Friday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Taylor 3
|
Read and annotate Levinas article - Monday, February 25;
Taylor 4 study guide - due Tuesday, February 26 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
|
|
Tuesday |
- Journal: What is the good will? Explain in your own words. What is the connection between the good will and human dignity?
- Questions regarding Kant section B
- Lecture/Discussion - Kant B
|
Based on our discussion today, list two actions you have taken in the last year for each of Kant's four categories. Be prepared to explain why you categorized them as you did (nothing deeply personal or confidential, please);
Read and annotate Kant C and D - Thursday |
Wednesday |
- Discussion of HW examples
|
Read and annotate Kant C and D - Thursday |
Thursday |
- Journal: What questions do you have regarding the concepts and ideas in Kant C and D? What stands out to you?
- Lecture/Discussion - Imperatives: hypothetical and categorical
|
Read and annotate Kant E - Due Tuesday, February 19 |
Friday |
- Substitute
- Read Taylor 3 and complete the Taylor 3 study guide
|
Read and annotate Kant E - Due Tuesday, February 19;
Taylor 3 - due Wednesday, February 20 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Collect Taylor 2 study guide
- Read the post modernist excerpts. What is the position regarding ethics implied by the post modernism excerpts?
- Lecture/Discussion - Subjectivism and post modernism
|
Taylor 3 - due Tuesday, February 19 |
Tuesday |
- Lecture discussion - The quest for an objective system of ethics: Duty, Reason and Kant (overview of Kant)
|
Read and annotate Kant, section A - tomorrow;
Taylor 3 - due Tuesday, February 19 |
Wednesday |
- In your groups - How do the ideas discussed by Kant in section A relate to issues raised by Taylor in chapter 1? Try to provide specific examples and quotations from both documents to illustrate you points.
- Lecture/Discussion - Kant and the good will
|
Read and annotate Kant section B - Tuesday, February 12;
Taylor 3 - due Tuesday, February 19 |
Thursday |
- Questions - Taylor chapter 2
|
Read and annotate Kant section B - Tuesday, February 12;
Taylor 3 - due Tuesday, February 19 |
Friday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Taylor chapter 2
|
Read and annotate Kant section B - Tuesday, February 12;
Taylor 3 - due Wednesday, February 13 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Collect Taylor 1 study guides
- Journal: Think of an action that is right in our culture but wrong in other cultures. Likewise, think of an action that would be wrong in our culture but acceptable elsewhere. Do you believe that whether or not such actions are right or wrong is determined by culture, or do you believe that whether they are right or wrong can be objectively determined. Are there any actions that challenge your beliefs on this issue?
|
Read and annotate Rachels to the beginning of section 2.4 - Tuesday, January 29;
|
Tuesday |
- Make up day - Both lunches
- Small group discussion - Assessing the cultural differences argument
- Post modernism readings
|
Rachels from 2.4 - end- Wednesday, January 30;
Taylor 2 - due Monday, February 4 |
Wednesday |
- Get into color groups. What are the major objections to cultural relativism? Which of these do you think is the most significant?
- Lecture/Discussion - Assessing cultural relativism
- In small groups - Post modernism/subjectivism activity
|
Taylor 2 - due Monday, February 4 |
Thursday |
- Make up day - Both lunches and after school
- Journal: What questions do you have about Taylor chapter 1? What most struck you about the chapter? What do you think Taylor's point is?
- Taylor 1 questions
|
Taylor 2 - due Monday, February 4 |
Friday |
|
Taylor 2 - due Monday, February 4 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
|
|
Tuesday |
|
Read and annotate Rachels - Tuesday, January 29;
Taylor 1 - Due Monday, January, 28 |
Wednesday |
- Journal: What did the Maxman article illustrate about ethics and culture? Support your answer with examples from the article and other examples you develop on your own.
- Whole class discussion - Are ethical decisions relative to the culture in which we live?
|
Read and annotate Rachels - Tuesday, January 29;
Taylor 1 - Due Monday, January, 28 |
Thursday |
|
Read and annotate Rachels - Tuesday, January 29;
Taylor 1 - Due Monday, January, 28 |
Friday |
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
|
Read and annotate Hume - Tomorrow |
Tuesday |
- Journal - What questions do you have regarding Hume?
- Lecture/Discussion - Hume
|
|
Wednesday |
- Journal - What does Hume mean when he refers to the idea of the persistent self as a grammatical fiction?
- Lecture/Discussion - Hume
|
Read and annotate the Maxman article from Nature online and watch the embedded video (4 min.) - Due Tuesday, January 22 |
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Introduction to ethics
- Begin FFF - What principles can be found to guide our decisions?
|
Read and annotate the Maxman article from Nature online and watch the embedded video (4 min.) - Due Tuesday, January 22 |
Friday |
|
Read and annotate the Maxman article from Nature online and watch the embedded video (4 min.) - Due Tuesday, January 22 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Elderly killer activity
- Core theme 5 - the problem of personal identity - readings packet
|
Read and annotate textbook readings and body and soul theory, Rauhut 173-180 |
Tuesday |
- Wrap up elderly killer discussion
- Journal - What, if anything, makes you the same person today that you were when you were five? Explain
|
Read and annotate Locke - Tomorrow |
Wednesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - The problem of personal identity: introduction
- Journal - Consider the following: A great and powerful djinn offers you the following bargain: When you wake up tomorrow, you will be the world's richest and most powerful person. The only catch is you will have no memory of your past life and no possible way of recovery those memories. Do you take the djinn's offer? Why or why not?
- Discussion of journal
|
Read and annotate "the social self - Friday |
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Memory theory of personal identity
|
Read and annotate Hume - Monday, January 14 |
Friday |
- Journal: Based on the social self reading and your own ideas, answer the following questions:
- What are the social/historical factors that push us toward a definition of self that is individual or contained within us?
- How does the article argue for a social rather than an individual definition of self? What are the major points of this argument?
- From your perspective, which is more important in defining the authentic self - the self or social and cultural factors?
- Are the following aspects of our identity generated internally (by our thoughts or our biology) or socially:
- Political attitudes
- Ethics
- Gender
- Sexuality
- Lecture/Discussion - Self and culture
- Journal - What is Hume's argument? What questions do you have regarding the Hume reading?
- Lecture/Discussion - Illusion theory of personal identity
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
|
Read and annotate Frankfurt - Tomorrow |
Tuesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Deep self compatiblism
|
Read and annotate Chisholm - Tomorrow |
Wednesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Libertarianism and Chisholm
|
Read and annotate Kane pt 1 - Thursday |
Thursday |
- In your groups, discuss the following questions:
- What is the distinction Kane makes between surface and deeper freedom?
- Is Walden II a good society? Would you want to live there?
- What does Kane say is the relationship between free will, determinism and responsibility?
- What is Kane's point regarding our character? How does this relate to his ideas regarding responsibility?
- Discussion - Responsibility and freedom, Kane pt. 1
|
Read and annotate Kane pt. 2 - Friday |
Friday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Kane's Libertarianism
|
Final exam - Tuesday, December 18 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal/Discussion - What is it about our use of language that makes language difficult for computers to use naturally?
- Lecture/Discussion - Counter arguments to Turing's position.
- Unit 4 reading packet
|
Read and annotate d'Holbach - Wednesday |
Tuesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Introduction to freedom - overview of major issues and theories
|
Read and annotate d'Holbach - Wednesday |
Wednesday |
- Journal - In small groups, answer the following questions:
- What struck you about the article? What questions do you have (try to identify a quote to support this observation)
- Put d’Holbach’s argument into standard form (numbered premises and a conclusion). What evidence does d’Holbach present for each of the components of this argument? Be specific and use quotations from the document.
- What counter arguments does d'Holbach respond to? What are his responses?
- Lecture/Discussion - d'Holbach's argument for hard determinism
|
Read and annotate Stace - Friday |
Thursday |
- Journal - What are the weaknesses of d'Holbach's argument?
- Lecture/Discussion - Weaknesses of Hard determinism
- Stace reading time
|
Read and annotate Stace - Friday |
Friday |
- Journal - Answer the following questions in writing with your group based on your reading of Stace:
- Questions on Stace?
- What Does Stace mean when he says on p. 420 that the “dispute (over freedom) is merely verbal”? In this vein, explain what Stace means by the five legged man example.
- Explain what Stace means when he says that the question of whether the world is deterministic or indeterministic is “wholly irrelevant to the problem of free will.”
- Based on Staceʼs definition of free will, what makes an action free?
- According to Stace, is punishment compatible with determinism? Why or why not?
- Discussion of Stace and soft determinism
|
Read and annotate Frankfurt - Tuesday - December 11 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: How does Singer propose to broaden the circle of respect? Explain
- Lecture/Discussion - review Singer
|
|
Tuesday |
- Journal - What questions do you have regarding Carruthers? Do you agree with Carruthers argument?
- lecture/discussion - Carruthers
|
Read and annotate Turing his numbers 1-5 with omissions noted in class - due Thursday |
Wednesday |
- Journal - What is the HOT theory of consciousness? What role does it play in Carruthers' theory of animal minds?
- Lecture/Discussion - Finish Caruthers
|
|
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Alan Turing, his background and his argument regarding machine minds
- Turing reading time (time allowing)
|
|
Friday |
- Journal: What is Turing's argument? How is this argument similar to and different from the argument made by Descartes?
- Lecture/Discussion - The Turing test
- Mitsuku conversation - Have a brief conversation with Rose. To what extent is she convincing? What is it about her use of language that makes it clear she is not human?
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Substitute - Read Descartes (unit 3 packet)/Work on midterm outlines.
|
Midterm - Wednesday, November 14 |
Tuesday |
- Substitute - Read Descartes (unit 3 packet)/Work on midterm outlines.
|
Midterm - Wednesday, November 14 |
Wednesday |
- Journal: Review Sartre - What questions do you have regarding this reading? What similarities do you see between Sartre, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard?
- Lecture/Discussion - Sartre
|
|
Thursday |
- Lecture/discussion - Sartre/The existentialist conception of human nature
|
Descartes reading - Due Tuesday, November 13 |
Friday |
- Review human nature and plan for exam
|
Descartes reading - Due Tuesday, November 13 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Lecture/Discussion - Four keys to understanding the thought of Soren Kierkegaard
|
Read and annotate Nietzsche - tomorrow |
Tuesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Kierkegaard
|
Read and annotate Sartre - Thursday |
Wednesday |
- Journal (in small groups) 1) What questions do you have regarding Nietzsche? 2) How does Nietzsche reflect the themes of existentialism? Identify specific examples. 3) What similarities/differences do you see between Nietzsche and Kierkegaard?
- Lecture/Discussion - Nietzsche
|
Read and annotate Sartre - Thursday |
Thursday |
- Journal: 1) What questions do you have regarding Sartre? 2) To what extent is Sartre similar to or different from the two other existentialist thinkers we have examined? 3) How does Sartre reflect the themes of existentialism?
- Discussion of Sartre
|
|
Friday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Finish Nietzsche
- Fall midterm stimuli - Online only - if you need a hard copy - ask.
- Unit three reading packet
- Journal: 1) What questions do you have regarding Sartre? 2) To what extent is Sartre similar to or different from the two other existentialist thinkers we have examined? 3) How does Sartre reflect the themes of existentialism?
- Discussion of Sartre
|
On Monday and Tuesday of next week, there will be a substitute and you will be reading Descartes and Carruthers from the reading packet and/or working on your midterm outlines;
Midterm exam - Wednesday, November 14 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- No School - Parent Conferences
|
|
Tuesday |
- Sit in your groups
- Finish 3 observations and a question
- Lecture/discussion - Themes of Taoism
- Taoism concept sorting activity and discussion
|
|
Wednesday |
- Lecture/Discussion: Themes of Taoism and The Tao and human nature
- Taoism sorting activity
|
|
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - The Crisis of the Modern and the existentialist conception of human nature
|
Answer Kierkegaard questions from presentation - due tomorrow:
1. How are these passages different from what we have read in class before (try to pin down the essential difference)?
2. How do the Kierkegaard excerpts illustrate the themes of existentialism we discussed in class? Identify examples for as many of the themes as you can.
3. What is Kierkegaard’s relationship to religion?
4. What is Kierkegaard’s position on the relative importance of reason and faith in human life?
5. What questions emerge as you read these brief passages?
|
Friday |
- Journal: 1) Based on what we discussed yesterday what is meant by the "crisis of the modern?" 2)Note down two questions you have regarding the Kierkegaard reading - then propose answers to each. Rate your understanding of the reading on a scale of 1 (least) to 10 (most)
- Questions regarding Kierkegaard?
- In small groups - What examples of the themes of existentialism can be seen in Kierkegaard? Identify as many as you can and be prepared to support your assertion with quotes from the document.
- Brainstorm examples of the themes of existentialism from Kierkegaard
- Lecture/Discussion - Introduction to Kierkegaard
|
Read and annotate Nietzsche - Due Tuesday October 30 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: What is the essential aspect of the Buddhist Conception of Human Nature? What questions do you have regarding this document?
- Lecture/Discussion - The Buddhist Conception of Human nature
|
|
Tuesday |
- Journal: Think about what the first paragraph of the first part of the Samutta Nikaya says about clinging and its relation to suffering. Think about your own life and describe three specific ways that clinging has caused you suffering. Then think about how the way our society is set up encourages clinging and thus suffering. Describe one specific example from contemporary American society that leads to suffering in this way.
- Lecture/Discussion - Buddhism and human nature
|
|
Wednesday |
- In small groups:
- Read your assigned chapter(s) of the Tao Teh Ching.
- Discuss the chapter with your group and decide what you think the meaning of the chapter is.
- Using this link, look up your assigned chapter(s) and read through the three additional translations. How do the translations differ in terms of meaning? Which translation seems clearest? In light of the four translations together, how has your assessment of the meaning of the chapter changed?
- Be prepared to share 3 observations and pose one question regarding your chapter
- Group share out - 3 observations and a question
|
Read and annotate Kierkegaard - Tuesday, October 23 |
Thursday |
- Finish 3 observations and a question
- Lecture/Discussion - Historical context for Taoism
- Taoism concept sorting activity
|
Read and annotate Kierkegaard - Tuesday, October 23 |
Friday |
- Sit in the circle with your group members
- Taoism and the paradoxical nature of humanity - Discussion - each group should explain one of their contrasting pairs. What does Taoism seem to be saying with this contrast? Is there a paradox in this pairing? Explain (Does Taoism share the societal assessment (or Confucian assessment) of the relative value of each concepts in this pair?) What is the meaning of the seeming paradox?
- Lecture/Discussion - Taoism and human nature
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: What, from your perspective, was the most significant argument made regarding the problem of evil on Friday?
- Lecture/Discussion - Theodicy
|
Read and annotate Wilson - Wednesday |
Tuesday |
- Label the Hobbes excerpts A-D. Then individually, read each passage, underlining what you consider to be the critical sections of each
- In your groups, discuss each passage and agree on what you believe the main idea of each section is. Record this on your document. Then discuss the following questions,
- 1) What does Hobbes suggest about human nature?
- 2) Is the outline of Human nature suggested by Hobbes similar to or different from each of the two theories on human nature we have discussed so far? Be prepared to explain your group's answer.
- Discuss/brainstorm main ideas from Hobbes document (whole class)
|
Read and annotate Wilson - Wednesday |
Wednesday |
- Sit in color groups
- Small group scored discussion of Wilson
|
Read and annotate Buddhism document - Friday |
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - The naturalist view of human nature from Hobbes to E.O. Wilson
|
Read and annotate Buddhism document - Friday |
Friday |
- Journal: What questions do you have regarding the Buddhist documents?
- Lecture/Discussion - Buddhism and human nature
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: For Kant, what is the relationship between reason, freedom and responsibility?
- Lecture/Discussion - Kant's conception of Human nature
|
Read and annotate - the logical problem of evil - Wednesday |
Tuesday |
- Journal: Read the excerpts from Christian/Jewish scripture from your packet. In small groups, discuss (and record) what these excerpts suggest is the monotheistic view of Human nature. To what extent is this view different from that of Plato and Kant?
- Lecture/Discussion - The monotheistic view of Human Nature
|
Read and annotate - the logical problem of evil - Wednesday |
Wednesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - History of W. Monotheism
|
Read and annotate Augustine - Friday |
Thursday |
- Journal: What is the logical problem of evil?
- Lecture/Discussion - The logical problem of evil
- Four Corners - The problem of evil proves there is no perfect God (Agree = 1, Agree with reservations = 2, disagree with reservations = 3, disagree = 4)
- In small groups, brainstorm and discuss arguments for your position. Make sure to include examples to support your stand. Be prepared to make a 2 minute presentation (as a group) to explain your position.
|
Read and annotate Augustine - Friday |
Friday |
- Whole class debate/Discussion of Logical problem of evil:
- Discussion theme: Does the problem of evil logically disprove the existence of God? How might the problem of evil be repaired (think ACAR)?
- Group presentations followed by questions and discussion after each presentation
- Keep in mind we are discussing ideas, not beliefs. Questioning an idea is not the same as questioning a belief
- Journal: What is Augustine's argument regarding the logical problem of evil? Do you agree?
- Lecture/Discussion - Theodicy
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: In you groups brainstorm/discuss and record answers to the following questions:
- What is essence of humanity? What characteristic is most critical to establishing what it means to be human?
- Are humans inherently inclined toward good or evil?
- What, if anything, is the purpose of humanity?
- What are the central conflicts, ironies or paradoxes that define the human condition?
- What makes us who we are? Nature v. Nurture.
- What are humans not?
- Whole class brainstorm/discussion of human nature questions
|
|
Tuesday |
- Journal - Plato's Allegory of the Cave
- In small groups - 1) Plato's Allegory can be viewed as a journey. In your groups, discuss and agree to the steps of this journey. What is the defining characteristics of each step? 2) Based on this journey, what do you think Plato's argument is about the defining element of human nature? 3) From Plato's perspective, What counts as true knowledge? What does this mean for the Human condition? 4) Questions regarding the Cave?
- Discussion - Plato's AotC
|
|
Wednesday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Plato's conception of Human nature
|
|
Thursday |
- Substitute - read and annotate Kant's "What is Enlightenment?" and answer the following questions:
- What is nonage? How and why is nonage perpetuated? (there are multiple reasons)
- Why does Kant say “Sapere aude . . . Is the motto of the Enlightenment”?
- What is essential for Enlightenment to occur? Why does this make Enlightenment almost inevitable? What does this assertion reveal about Kant’s philosophy?
- What does Kant mean when he writes “Caesar non supra grammaticos/The ruler has no authority over the grammarians?”
- What is the paradox Kant writes of in the last paragraph?
|
|
Friday |
- Journal/Discussion - To what extent does Kant build upon and develop the ideas of Plato? Explain.
- Discussion of Kant's "What is Enlightenment"
- Lecture/Discussion - Assessing reason as the basis of Human nature
|
Read and annotate "The Logical problem of evil - Tuesday, October 2 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal - Questions on the Dennett reading?
- Lecture/Discussion - Dennett and the illusion of the hard problem
|
Unit 1 exam (outlines due) - Thursday |
Tuesday |
|
Unit 1 exam (outlines due) - Thursday |
Wednesday |
- Unit 1 exam review and work time
|
Unit 1 exam (outlines due) - Thursday |
Thursday |
|
|
Friday |
|
Read and annotate Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" - due Monday, September 24 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: Based on your reading and our discussion on Friday, describe how Searle claims that the Chinese room though experiment demonstrates the impossibility of artificial minds. Do you agree or not? Explain
- Lecture/Discussion - Wrap up functionalism
- Unit 1 exam stimulus and instructions
|
Read and annotate Chalmers - due Tuesday, September 11;
Read and annotate Nagel - Wednesday (double point annotation);
Unit one exam - Tuesday, September 18 |
Tuesday |
- Journal: In table groups discuss the Jackson article, specifically:
- What counter argument does Jackson offer to materialist (physicalist) theories of mind?
- What are the two thought experiments Jackson employs? How do these illustrate weaknesses of materialist theories
- If you were a materialist philosopher, how would you respond to Jackson's thought experiment argument?
- Discussion - Does Jackson sink materialism?
|
Read and annotate Nagel - Thursday (double point annotation);
Unit one exam - Thursday, September 20 |
Wednesday |
- Journal - Begin theory review template on your own. (10 minutes)
- Lecture/Discussion - Introduction to the problem of consciousness: David Chalmers: hard and easy problems of consciousness
|
Read and annotate Nagel - Thursday (double point annotation);
Read and annotate Dennett - Monday;
Unit one exam - Thursday, September 20 |
Thursday |
- Lecture/discussion - Key concepts in Nagel
- Guided small group discussion - Nagel and what it is like to be a bat
|
Read and annotate Dennett - Monday;
Unit one exam - Thursday, September 20 |
Friday |
- Read and annotate Dennett readings (15 minutes)
- Lecture/Discussion - Dennett and the illusion of the hard problem
- Review for unit 1 exam
|
Read and annotate Dennett - Monday;
Unit one exam - Thursday, September 20 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: In your journal make a T chart. List and briefly explain what you consider to be the two most significant arguments for and against substance dualism
- Discussion - wrap up dualism
- Lecture Discussion - Introduction to materialism
|
Read and annotate Churchland to the end of the first paragraph on packet page 23. Try to identify a) what the Behaviorist theory of mind is, and B) What problems it solve and what weaknesses it has |
Tuesday |
- Journal: How does Behaviorism differ from dualism? Try to identify the essential difference. What questions did you have from the reading?
- Lecture/Discussion - Behaviorism
|
Read and annotate Churchland, packet pages 23-24 from "Reductive materialism" to "eliminative materialism." |
Wednesday |
- Slow motion bear attack
- Lecture/Discussion - finish logical behaviorism
- Journal: Based on your reading, how does identity theory seek to address the problems posed by behaviorism? Do you have any questions regarding this section?
- Lecture/Discussion - Mind-Brain identity theory (reductive materialism)
|
Read and annotate Churchland, packet pages 24-26 from "Eliminative materialism" to "functionalism." You may skip th middle section on arguments for Eliminative materialism if you wish, as the arguments for it are also contained in the other two sections. |
Thursday |
- Lecture/Discussion - Mind-Brain Identity theory
- Journal: Based on your reading, what is the basic argument made by eliminative materialists and what historical parallels to they make for their case? Do you have any questions regarding this section
- Lecture/Discussion - Eliminative materialism
|
Read and annotate Churchland, packet pages 26-28 - section titled "functionalism" - due Tuesday, September 4 |
Friday |
|
None |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal - Read the unit 1 packet from 1.2 to 2.4. What is the "problem" at the center of the mind-body problem? Explain your answer and then answer the ten true-false questions on 2.4
- Lecture/Discussion - Ontology
|
Read and annotate Descartes passages - due tomorrow |
Tuesday |
- Journal - In your train color groups, discuss and answer the following questions:
- What questions do you have about the excerpt? Try to be as specific as possible by identifying particular passages from the document.
- What is Descartes' purpose in these passages? What is he trying to demonstrate?
- How does this relate to the mind body problem?
- Lecture/Discussion - Descartes and systematic doubt
|
|
Wednesday |
- Journal: In a paragraph, explain how Descartes uses the concept of doubt to arrive at certainty. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this argument?
- Lecture/Discussion - Descartes and systematic doubt
|
|
Thursday |
- Journal: How does Descartes's concept of systematic doubt lead to the idea that the mind and the body are not the same? Please explain. Do you have any questions from yesterday?
- Lecture/Discussion: Descartes' substance dualism and arguments for it (Rauhut 4.1-6.1)
|
|
Friday |
- Without consulting the reading packet, what counter arguments could you raise against Descartes' theory of substance dualism?
- Lecture/Discussion - Arguments for and against Descartes' theory
- Discuss journal responses (before looking at the packet)
|
|
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Journal: In your table groups, discuss and record answers to the following questions in your journal:
- What stood out about Friday's discussion? What could be improved as we do Socratic discussions in the future?
- What questions do you still have regarding Russell?
- Lecture/Discussion - Key ideas from Russell and how they relate to the rest of the year
- Mind body project reminder
|
Mind-Body project - Due tomorrow |
Tuesday |
- Move desks to quad formation
- Display you project face up on your desk
- Circulate around the room examining the other theories and completing your investigation template. Remember to rate how close each theory is to you own. Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree.
- Last 15 minutes. Find people whose theories are most similar to yours (6 max). In these groups identify what your key similarities are. Then construct a 280 character statement that concretely describes your group's theory on the relationship between the mind and the body (including key definitions). Your theory must address what composes the various elements. Write your completed statement neatly on the paper provided.
|
|
Wednesday |
- Find people whose theories are most similar to yours (6 max). In these groups identify what your key similarities are. Then construct a 180 character statement that concretely describes your group's theory on the relationship between the mind and the body (including key definitions). Your theory must address what composes the various elements. Write your completed statement neatly on the template provided.
|
|
Thursday |
|
Read and annotate Descartes readings - due Tuesday, August 21 |
Friday |
- FFF - Has the internet made the world better? Read the short article from the economist and brainstorm 3 arguments on each side of the question (these arguments may or may not relate to the issues discussed in the article).
|
Read and annotate Descartes readings - due Tuesday, August 21 |
Date |
Agenda |
Homework |
Monday |
- Welcome!
- Sit with the other people who share your train card color
- Doing philosophy activity
|
|
Tuesday |
- Sit in your color groups/seating charts
- In your groups discuss and be prepared to share what the group considers to be the most significant/interesting philosophical question and ideas that arose from yesterday's discussion (use the template from yesterday). Be prepared to explain why your question is a philosophical question.
- Doing philosophy group presentations and structure of the class
|
|
Wednesday |
|
|
Thursday |
|
Mind-Body project - due Tuesday, August 14 |
Friday |
- Russell Discussion
- In your groups -10 minutes:
- Share what passage most struck you in this document. Explain why this passage struck you? (B)
- What questions arise from this document? (A)
- Why is this this document relevant in 2018?
- Large group - Using the document and your small group discussion address the following question, "What is the value of philosophy in 2018?
|
Mind-Body project - due Tuesday, August 14 |