PHIL101-05, 07 -- Reasoning and Value, Spring 2005

Click here for the syllabus.

Scroll to bottom for newest entry.  Please check this page weekly for announcements, assignments, web links of interest, and so on.

To begin with, here are some sites you ought to get to know.  Our department web site includes this list of student research tools (with some amusements at the bottom).  Note especially William Stephens' guidelines for paper writing.

Why is philosophy important at all?  Socrates offers one answer in the "Apology," which is in the Trial and Death of Socrates volume.  Here is another approach to thinking about the value of philosophy: Ayn Rand's essay  "Philosophy: Who Needs It?", based on a speech she made to the senior class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1974.  Note that the answer is "everyone."  This essay isn't so much a plug for her own views as much as a plug for philosophy generally as a vital activity.

Regarding the academic honesty policy mentioned on the syllabus: Why it's wrong to cheat

Aristotle HW:  Note that there are marginal reference numbers (called Bekker numbers) for Aristotle similar to the Stephanus numbers used in Plato.
Here are the Aristotle selections which pertain to reality and reasoning, and some supporting material:
Metaphysics bk 1, ch 1, 980a21-981a5 (in your text on p.115) ; bk 4, ch 1-5, 1003a21-1011a2, (in your text on pp.128-147)
Topics bk 1 ch 1, 100a18-102b27, (in your text on p. 31-35)
Prior Analtyics bk 1 ch 1-11 on-line here.  Suggestion: use copy/paste to transfer those selections to a Word document, then print that, rather than trying to pint from the web site directly, since there's a lot more to the Pr. An. than what I've assigned.  (That's a good Aristotle e-resource in general -- the main page is here.)
This article on the Square of Opposition.
Optional but highly recommended: This article comparing Aristotelian and Medieval systems
Optional but highly recommended: this general survey of logic, esp. the section on informal fallacies.  This link also has useful review of syllogism rules, and converse/obverse/contrapositive, which will help with the material we've been doing in class the last couple days.

Here are some sample syllogisms to do for practice, with solutions.

Study guide for first film screening is here.  Remember - sometime next week, go to the library to access the film.  Print out the study sheet - many of the questions are simply food for thought, but one is your writing assignment.  Paper is due March 1, which is also the next time I'll see you.  In the meantime, I may post some additional tips on writing, so check again here later, but meanwhile, don't forget about the Stephens guide linked above.
NOTE: if you have access to high-speed internet, you can see the movie on your computer as streaming video by clicking here.  Note also please, for both library viewers and on-line viewers --  the beginning has about 1 minute of audio narrative without any video on screen.  So even if there's nothing to see, there's something to hear.

NOTE: Due to the snow day, the paper is now due Thurs, 3/3, and the midterm exam has been rescheduled for Tues 3/22.

For the midterm exam, I'll expect you to be able to answer short, objective questions about the following:
Definition of:  philosophy; Socratic method; function; virtue; craft; argument
Aristotle's 3 "laws of thought"
Validity, truth, soundness
Difference between inductive and deductive methods
Occam's Razor
Reductio ad absurdum
Square of opposition
Immediate inferences (converse, obverse, contrapositive)
Determining whether an an argument is valid or invalid
Why philosophy is important
Knowledge and Ignorance; Socrates' motives
Main point of the argument in Euthyphro
Key arguments in Book I of Republic
And perhaps something from the film review sheet

Second film screening: "A Simple Plan"
This will be shown in the library as with last time, and also will be available on a streaming video - the URL is: http://vidserve.bridgew.edu:8080/ramgen/smplplan.rm
In book I (and later in II-IV) of the Republic, Plato argues that by being unjust, one harms oneself, and that to look after oneself properly requires justice.  According to the theory Plato develops, being just and virtuous is one’s self-interest, and being unjust and vicious is destructive of the self, not likely to promote one's happiness.  Do you think the movie A Simple Plan is a dramatization of this theme?  Why or why not?    This should be 2-3 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font, stapled) and due May 3rd.

Readings for Kant, Bentham, Mill:
The Kant book which you purchased contains an essay called "Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals," pp. 7-62.  Read that.  The short follow-up piece on 63-67 is optional.
For Bentham, go here and read chapters I-IV, and also this.
For Mill, go here and read at least chapters 1-3, or the whole thing if time permits.

BTW, here's the info on Fall 05 Philosophy classes