Philosophy

2022-2023 Philosophy syllabus

Unit 4 presentation Unit 4 readings

Final exam prompts

Week of November 29

Date Agenda Homework
Monday Read and annotate d'Holbach (double annotation)(PDF pages K-P) - due Tuesday, November, 29
Tuesday
  • SMG/lecture/discussion - d'Holbach and hard determinism
 Read and annotate Stace (PDF pages Q-T)(double annotation) - due Friday
Wednesday
  • Finish hard determinism
Thursday
  • Substitute
  • Read and annotate Stace (PDF pages Q-T)(double annotation) - due Friday
 Read and annotate Frankfurt (PDF U-W) - Monday, December 5
Friday
  • Stace and soft determinism (reading time)
  • SMG/lecture/discussion - Stace and soft determinism
  • Frankfurt and soft determinism
 Read and annotate Frankfurt (PDF U-W)- Monday, December 5

Week of November 15

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Lecture/Discussion - Turing

Read and annotate Turing - due Tuesday November 15 (double annotation)

Read these sections only:

D-E (everything between the first red Turing reading 1 and the second red Turing reading 1)

G. The paragraph under the last Turing reading 1

H-K - Objections to Turings argument (objections 1,2,4,6 as numbered in the original)

M-N - learning machines - start on the first full paragraph on M.

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Tuesday
  • SMG/lecture/discussion - Turing

Read and anotate Bostrum ( Sections titled: Consciousness and Metaphysics, Respecting AI interests, Status of existing AI systems, recomendations)- Thursday;

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Wednesday
  • SMG/lecture/discussion - Turing

Read and anotate Bostrum - Thursday;

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Thursday
  • Lecture/discussion - major philosophical issues in the future of AI
 Midterm - Friday, November 18
Friday
  • Midterm
 Read and annotate d'Holbach (double annotation)(PDF pages 11-16) - due Tuesday, November, 29

Week of November 7

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Lecture/discussion - Sartre
  • Midterm prompts

Red and annotate, Descartes on Animal minds (slides A-C, double annotation) - tomorrow;

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Tuesday
  • Election day - Remember to vote if you are 18!
  • Introduction to unit three
  • SMG - Descartes on animal minds

Read and Annotate Carruthers 1 - tomorrow;

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Wednesday
  • SMG/lecture/discussion - Carruthers on animal minds

Read and annotate Singer - Tomorrow;

Midterm - Friday, November 18
Thursday

Read and annotate Turing - due Tuesday November 15 (double annotation)

Read these sections only:

D-E (everything between the first red Turing reading 1 and the second red Turing reading 1)

G. The paragraph under the last Turing reading 1

H-K - Objections to Turings argument (objections 1,2,4,6 as numbered in the original)

M-N - learning machines - start on the first full paragraph on M.

 

Midterm - Friday, November 18

Friday
  • Veterans' Day - No School

Week of October 31

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Submit Nietszche on Teams
  • Lecture/Discussion - Kierkegarrd
  • Midterm 2 stimuli
 Midterm 2 - Thursday, November 17
Tuesday
  • Substitute
  • Read and annotate Sartre (double annotation - packet 29-30)

Sartre annotation - due Thursday;

Midterm 2 - Thursday, November 17
Wednesday
  • Lecture discussion Nietzsche
 Sartre annotation - due Thursday;

Midterm 2 - Thursday, November 17
Thursday Read and annotate Descartes - due Monday, November 7;

Midterm 2 - Thursday, November 17

Friday
  • Lecture discussion - Nietszche
  • SGD - Sartre
 Read and annotate Descartes on Animals - due Monday, November 7;

Midterm 2 - Thursday, November 17

Week of December 12 (finals)

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Memory theory
Tuesday
  • Illusion theory
Wednesday
  • Final exam
Thursday
  • No class
Friday
  • No class

Week of December 5

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Libertarianism - Chisholm
Tuesday
  • Libertarianism - Kane
Wednesday
  • Libertarianism - Kane
Thursday
  • Libertarianism - Kane
Friday
  • Elderly killer and the problem of personal identity - body and soul theory

 

 

Week of October 24

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • No school - Parent conferences
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 1 (packet page 21 this is actually 2 pages) - due Wednesday, October 26
Tuesday
  • First exam thoughts
  • Wrapping up Taoism
  • Lecture/Discussion - The Crisis of the modern
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 1 (packet page 21 this is actually 2 pages) - due Wednesday, October 26
Wednesday
  • Lecture/SGD - Kierkegaard: The first existentialist
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 2 (packet page 22-24) - due Wednesday, October 26
Thursday
  • Lecture/SGD - Kierkegaard: The first existentialist
 Read and annotate Nietzsche - Packet pp. 25-28 (double annotation) - Due Tuesday, November 1
Friday
  • Lecture/SGD - Kierkegaard: The first existentialist
 Read and annotate Nietzsche - Packet pp. 25-28 (double annotation) - Due Tuesday, November 1

Week of October 17

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Lecture/Discussion - An Overview of Ancient China
  • Taoism group activity
    • Read your assigned chapter(s) of the Tao Te 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?
    • Your group should discuss and prepare three observations and a question:
      • One of these observations should explain the central metaphor (s) used in this chapter (if possible).
      • A second observation should explain how this chapter rejects or reacts to the Confucian ideal discussed in lecture yesterday
      • A third observation should relate to what groups considered to be the main argument of the chapter
      • Additionally, groups developed and wrote a question pertaining to human nature and their chapter. The question could be either something the group would like to know or doesn't understand or something that probed more deeply into the Taoist concept of human nature.
Tuesday
  • Finish taoism group activity share out
  • Your group should discuss and prepare three observations and a question:
    • One of these observations should explain the central metaphor (s) used in this chapter (if possible).
    • A second observation should explain how this chapter rejects or reacts to the Confucian ideal discussed in lecture yesterday
    • A third observation should relate to what groups considered to be the main argument of the chapter
    • Additionally, groups developed and wrote a question pertaining to human nature and their chapter. The question could be either something the group would like to know or doesn't understand or something that probed more deeply into the Taoist concept of human nature.
Wednesday
  • Finish chapter share out and Tao discussion
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 1 (packet page 21 this is actually 2 pages) - due Wednesday, October 26
Thursday
  • Finish Tao presentations
  • Lecture/Discussion - Human nature and Taoism
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 1 (packet page 21 this is actually 2 pages) - due Wednesday, October 26
Friday
  • Lecture/discussion - The crisis of the modern
 Read and annotate Kierkegaard 1 (packet page 21 this is actually 2 pages) - due Wednesday, October 26

Week of October 10

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Journal: Re-read the passage from Dostoevsky. What is the argument being made here by Ivan? What is Alyosha's response?
  • Lecture/discussion - The problem of evil
 Finish E.O. Wilson (packet 13-16) (if you didn't already)
Tuesday
  • Wilson SGD
 Read and annotate Buddhist scripture (packet 17 - due Thursday
Wednesday
  • Wilson SGD (continued)
 Read and annotate Buddhist scripture - due Thursday
Thursday
  • Lecture/ discussion the Buddhist view of human nature
Friday
  • Introduction to ancient China: Confucianism and responses to it

Week of October 3

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Lecture/discussion - Plato and Aristotle on the centrality of reason to the human experience
  • Submit Kant annotation today
  • Discussion of the situation in Ukraine
 Read and annotate readings on the problem of evil (packet pp 6-8 + Dostoevsky reading from link (problem of evil pp.11-13) - due Thursday
Tuesday
  • Lecture/discussion - Kant's "What is Enlightenment"
  • SGD - Kant: nonage, public reason and the paradox of freedom
 Read and annotate readings on the problem of evil (packet pp 6-8 + Dostoevsky reading from link (problem of evil pp.11-13) - due Thursday
Wednesday
  • Lecture/discussion - The monotheistic view of human nature
 Read and annotate readings on the problem of evil (packet pp 6-8 + Dostoevsky reading from link (problem of evil pp.11-13) - due Thursday
Thursday
  • Lecture /discussion - Key to Kant's conception of Human nature
  • Read the scriptures from Jewish and Christian tradition found on p. 5 of the reading packet. What ideas regarding human nature emerge from these passages?
  • Discuss scripture
  • Lecture/discussion - A history of monotheism
 Read and annotate Wilson - due Monday, October 10
Friday
  • Lecture/discussion - The naturalistic view of human nature
 Read and annotate Wilson - due Monday, October 10

Week of September 26

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • MoMA field trip

Read and annotate - Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" - due Tuesday;

MoMA presentations - due Thursday
Tuesday

Read and annotate - Kant's "What is Enlightenment" - due Read and annotate - Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" - due Wednesday;

MoMA presentations - due Thursday
Wednesday
  • Lecture/discussion - Human nature as reason
  • Prep time for tomorrow's presentations
 MoMA presentations - due Thursday
Thursday
  • MoMA art and human nature presentations
Friday
  • MoMA art and human nature presentations

Week of September 19

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Lecture/discussion - Dennett
 Unit 1 test - Friday, September 23
Tuesday Unit 1 test - Friday, September 23
Wednesday Unit 1 test - Friday, September 23
Thursday Unit 1 test - Friday, September 23
Friday
  • Unit 1 exam

Week of August 12

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Journal: Read the quote from the SEP on slide 61. How is the concept of pain different from the perspective of MBI than from a functionalist perspective?
  • Lecture/discussion - Strengths and weaknesses of functionalism
  • Searle reading time - No annotation, rather, in your journal, explain how Searle's thought experiment rejects functionalism (thinking specifically about the functionalist idea that machines could have minds)

Read and annotate Chalmers and Nagel - due Wednesday (packet pp. 17-19);

Unit 1 exam - Monday, September 19
Tuesday
  • Journal - What questions do you have regarding functionalism and Searle?
  • Lecture/discussion - The Problem of consciousness
  • Reading time - Chalmers/Nagel
 Read and annotate Chalmers and Nagel - due Wednesday (packet pp. 17-19);

Unit 1 exam - Monday, September 19
Wednesday
  • SGD - Nagel

Read and annotate Dennett readings (packet p. 21);

Unit 1 exam - Monday, September 19
Thursday
  • The problems of Consciousness: Easy and Hard
  • Exam questions?
 Unit 1 exam - Monday, September 19
Friday
  • Journal - what questions do you have regarding the Dennett readings?
  • Lecture/Discussion - Dennett
 Unit 1 exam - Thursday, September 22

Week of August 5

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • No school
Tuesday
Wednesday
  • Journal - In paragraph 7 of Churchland, the author observes that, according to the behaviorist, "the mind body problem is a pseudo problem." Explain what you think this means and list any questions you have regarding Churchland
  • Lecture/Discussion - Behaviorism and MBI
 Churchland paragraphs 51-75- due Monday
Thursday
  • Journal - What does Church land mean by reduction? How does this relate to the mind body problem?
  • Lecture/Discussion - Mind Brain identity
  • Reading time - Churchland

Churchland paragraphs 51-75- due Monday;

 

Friday
  • Journal - with a partner, play a game of chess without using anything that used electricity
  • Lecture/discussion - functionalism
  • Unit one exam instructions

Read and annotate Churchland paragraphs 51-75- due Monday;

Read and annotate - Searle (packet p. 20) - Tuesday, September 13;

Unit 1 exam - Monday, September 19

Week of August 29

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • SGD - Jackson
Tuesday
  • Read Rauhut pp. 203-218 (packet pp. 3-7) beginning with "substance dualism" and stopping at "varieties of physical ism"
 Read and annotate Churchland packet pp. 22-24, paragraphs 1-25) - due Thursday
Wednesday
  • Journal - Based on your reading yesterday, brainstorm a list of problems with substance dualism. Of these, explain which you think poses the most significant problem for the theory? (the Teams assignment is now up and you can submit the sub work at this time)
  • Lecture/discussion - Arguments against substance dualism
Thursday
  • Journal: Describe why interaction is a problem for dualism, then propose a repair to this problem.
  • Lecture/discussion - Arguments against substance dualism (presentation slides 37-43)
  • FFF preview
  • Reading time - Churchland
 Read and annotate Churchland packet pp. 24-26, paragraphs 26-50) - due Tuesday, September 6
Friday
  • FFF - Privacy and school
 Read and annotate Churchland packet pp. 24-26, paragraphs 26-50) - due Tuesday, September 6

Week of August 22

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
  • Get into groups from Thursday
  • Finish Theory ACAR and 500 character summary
  • Group theory presentations (500 character/3-5 minutes) and discussion.
Tuesday
  • Sub assignment
  • Finish/debrief group theory discussion
  • Lecture/discussion - ontology - the study of what exists (slides 1-5)
Wednesday Read and annotate Descartes excerpts (packet pp. 14-15) - due tomorrow
Thursday
  • Journal - What did you understand from Descartes (list one thing), what questions did you have regarding Descartes (list as many as you can)
  • Lecture/Discussion - substance dualism (slides 4-18)
Friday Read and annotate Jackson - due Monday, August 29

Week of August 15

Date Agenda Homework
Monday

The mind body project Due Wednesday, August 17;

Me in a bag - due Friday, August 19
Tuesday

The mind body project Due Wednesday, August 17;

Me in a bag - due Friday, August 19
Wednesday
  • Mind Body project activity (survey of theories)
    • Sit in groups
    • Score your six questions in the following way: For each SA +2, for each A +1 for each D -1 for each SD -2. Total your score write it next to the six questions and circle it.
    • On your desk, arrange your written theory and your illustration so that both are visible at once (side by side). Make sure that your name is clearly visible.
    • Visit each other theory. Note down the name and score. Identify the four theories closest to your score and complete the additional information on your MB theory record sheet. Then find four theories where the score is most distant from yours and complete the additional information on your MB theory record sheet.
    • Find four people whose theories are most similar to yours. In these groups, identify what your key similarities are. Then construct a 500 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 your MB theory record sheet. Be prepared to argue for your group's ideas tomorrow.
 Me in a bag - due Friday, August 19
Thursday
  • Cogito
  • Meet with people whose theories are most similar to yours
  • Small group theory development and presentation preparation
    1. Discuss your theories
    2. Talk through the outlines of a group theory you can all agree to
    3. Complete the mind body ACAR template for the group theory (remember, this is an outline)
    4. We will present and discuss these group theories on Monday

Me in a bag - due Friday, August 19;

Small group theory presentation and discussion - Monday, August 22

Friday Small group theory presentation and discussion - Monday, August 22

Week of August 8, 2022

 

Date Agenda Homework
Monday
Tuesday
  • Sit with your groups from yesterday (push your chairs together)
  • Groups plan how they will share their issue - Key: What is the concrete issue and how did you derive a philosophical question from it?
  • Group sharing and discussion of Philosophy in the news activity
  • Lecture/Discussion - How these issues reflect what we will learn in this class
  • Annotating documents in this class and our first reading
 Read and annotate Russell - "The Value of Philosophy" - due Friday
Wednesday
  • Introducing Mr. Haydock
  • Seating charts
  • Syllabus
 Read and annotate Russell - "The Value of Philosophy" - due Friday
Thursday Read and annotate Russell - "The Value of Philosophy" - due Friday
Friday The mind body project Due Wednesday, August 17
 

Site Links

Psychology World Philosophy ToK 11 ToK 12 Resources

 

 

Unit 4 - Freedom

Unit 4 presentation Unit 4 readings

Unit 3 - Machine and animal minds

Unit 3 presentation Unit 3 readings Midterm Exam

Fall midterm stimuli

Unit 2 - Human Nature

Unit 2 presentation Unit 2 outline Unit 2 readings

Art and human nature project

 

Unit 1 The Mind Body problem

Unit 1 presentation Unit 1 outline Unit 1 readings Unit 1 Exam

Practicing ACAR

The mind body project

MB theory record sheet

Unit 0 - Introduction

2022-2023 Philosophy syllabus Unit 0 presentation

Practicing ACAR

"The Value of Philosophy"

Annotating documents in this class

Philosophy in the news activity

IB Philosophy Guide, 2016+

dhaydock.org

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