Philosophy
3370: Metaphysics, Fall 2011 §16899 MWF 12:00-12:50; 131 Harrin Hall |
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Instructor: Ron Novy Email: rnovy@uca.edu Telephone: 852-2341 |
Course Page: http://faculty.uca.edu/rnovy Office: 16 Main Hall Office Hrs: MW 1:00-3:00; TTh 1:30-3:00; by appt. |
Texts: Metaphysics
(4th ed) by Richard Taylor Additional required materials will
be available via the course webpage. Course Description: Metaphysics can be thought of as an inquiry into the most basic
features of existence. Aristotle called this inquiry "first philosophy”
– the investigation of the philosophically most fundamental of matters.
William James, on the other hand, tells us that metaphysics is “nothing but
an unusually obstinate effort to think clearly.” Taken together, metaphysics
is a field of study that attempts to clearly and systematically address a
wide-range of philosophical questions whose answers underlie our basic
understanding of reality. In this course we will explore a number of such questions
of historical and modern interest. Structure & Expectations: For the most part,
this class will follow a seminar format. As such, all members of the class
are expected to attend all class meetings, to be familiar with the day’s
assigned reading, and to actively participate in classroom discussions. Grading: Your final grade for this course will be
determined as follows: précis & presentation (10%), two evaluative
critiques (10%), a paper portfolio (40%) and two exams (20% each). See notes
at the course web page for further information on each component. ·
Exams: There will be both a mid-term and a
non-cumulative final exam in this course. ·
Evaluative Critiques: Through the course of the semester, each
student is required to submit two
critical, one-page essays on an assigned text. ·
Paper Portfolio: Each student
is expected to produce an eight-ten page conference-quality paper during the
course of the semester. ·
Précis & Presentation: Each student is expected to draw up
and present a précis on an assigned article. ·
Attendance: Roll will be taken regularly and will act as a
ceiling on the student’s grade for the course. Regardless of grades received
on the various assignments, a student’s course grade will not exceed the
percentage of classes attended. Additional Notes: ·
Classroom use of all electronic information
devices (cell phones, laptops, etc.) is prohibited. ·
The academic community regards academic
dishonesty as an extremely serious matter with serious consequences – up to
and including expulsion from the University. When in doubt regarding
plagiarism, quotation, collaboration, etc. consult with the instructor. For
further information regarding UCA’s academic misconduct policy, see the UCA
Student Handbook. ·
Sexual harassment by any faculty member, staff
member, or student is a violation of both federal law and university policy
and will not be tolerated at UCA. For further information regarding the
university’s sexual harassment policy, see the UCA Student Handbook. ·
UCA adheres to the requirements of the Americans
with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation under this act, please
contact the Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135. |
PHIL3370
Metaphysics Reading, Portfolio, & Exam Schedule – Fall 2011
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08/26 INTRODUCTORY BITS Plutarch: The Ship of
Theseus |
08/29 Taylor 12: Polarity Borges: The Library of
Babel |
08/31 No
Class Meeting |
09/02 Taylor
1: The Need for Metaphysics Aristotle: Metaphysics |
09/05 Labor
Day Holiday |
09/07 Beauvoir: “Woman as Other”
from The Second Sex |
09/09 MINDS &
BODIES Taylor 2: Persons and
Bodies Taylor 3: Interactionism |
09/12 Plato: Phaedo |
09/14 Aristotle: De Anima |
09/16 Descartes:
Second Meditation Bisson: They’re Made out of Meat Portfolio: Topic Due |
09/19 Taylor
4: The Mind as a Function of the Body Borges: Borges and I |
09/21 Locke: Of Identity &
Diversity |
09/23 Nagel: What is it like to
be a bat? |
09/26 Putnam: Brains in a Vat Portfolio: Abstract and Bibliography Due |
09/28 Dennett: Where am I? |
09/30 Hauser: Why isn’t my
Pocket Calculator a Thinking Thing? |
10/03 Novy: Iron Man in a Chinese Room |
10/05 Haraway: A Cyborg
Manifesto Kunzru: You are Cyborg Clynes: Cyborgs in Space |
10/07 FATE Taylor 5: Freedom & Determinism Taylor 6: Fate |
10/10 Study Day |
10/12 Aristotle: On Fatalism Aquinas: On Voluntary
Action |
10/14 Dennett: I Could Not Have
Done Otherwise, So What? Portfolio: Review of Sources Due |
10/17 Slater: Kafka’s Boys: A
Story of Sex and Serotonin |
10/19 EXAM
#1 |
10/21 Fall Break |
10/24 TIME & SPACE Thompson: “The Statue and the Clay” |
10/26 Verzi: Doughnuts |
10/28 Dick: How to Build a Universe That Doesn't Fall Apart Two
Days Later Portfolio: Initial Draft Due |
10/31 Taylor 7: Space and Time Taylor 8: The Relativity
of Time and Space |
11/02 Augustine: On Time Newton: Space, Time &
Motion Aristotle: Time is the
Measure of Change |
11/04 McTaggart: The Unreality of Time |
11/07 Taylor 9: Temporal Passage |
11/09 Williams: The Myth of
Passage |
11/11 Lewis: Paradoxes of Time
Travel |
11/14 GOD Taylor 11: God Asimov: The Last Question |
11/16 Anselm: Ontological
Argument Gaunilo: In Behalf of the Fool |
11/18 Rowe: Cosmological
Argument Portfolio: Revised Draft Due |
11/21 Catch-up Day |
11/23 Thanksgiving
Holiday |
11/25 Thanksgiving
Holiday |
11/28 Mackie: Evil and Omnipotence |
11/30 Feuerbach: The Essence of
Religion in General |
12/02 Swinburne: The
Justification of Theism |
12/05 SUMMING UP Foucault: The Order of Things |
12/07
Taylor Ch.13:Metaphysics & Meaning Camus: The Myth of
Sisyphus Completed Portfolio Due |
12/09 Reading
Day |
12/12 EXAM #2
(11:00-1:00) |
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All Readings may be found in either Taylor ‘s
Metaphysics or via the course
webpage |