Introduction to Philosophy Readings

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (V83.0001-002)

Reading Assignments
(Readings from Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings (Third Edition), edited by Perry and Bratman, are listed by selection title and pages numbers. Readings from What Does It All Mean? by Nagel are listed by author and chapter number.)

For Sept. 12: Read "On the Study of Philosophy" (1-6) and "The Value of Philosophy" (9-12). Start Apology: Defense of Socrates (27-42).
For Sept. 14: Finish Apology: Defense of Socrates (27-42). Also check out my Logic Poem.
For Sept. 19: Read "The Ontological Argument" (45-46) and "Meditation V" from Meditations on First Philosophy (131-133).
For Sept. 21: Read "The Existence of God" (47-49).

For Sept. 26: Read Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (57-71).
For Sept. 28: Read "The Wager" (49-52).
For Oct. 3: Read "Evil and Omnipotence" (103-107).
For Oct. 5: Read Nagel, Chapter 2. Start work on the First Paper.
For Oct. 10: Get Started on Meditations on First Philosophy (116-139).
For Oct. 12: Finish Meditations on First Philosophy. First Paper due.
For Oct. 19: Read An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Sections IV and V (193-205).
For Oct. 31: Read "The Existence of Matter" from The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell and also Nagel, Chapter 6.
For Nov. 2: Read "Has the Self 'Free Will'?" (417-426).
For Nov. 7: Read "Freedom and Determinism" (437-449). Also, be working on the Second Paper.
For Nov. 9: Read "Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person" (450-459).
For Nov. 14: Second Paper due. Read Nagel, Chapter 7.
For Nov. 21: Read Utilitarianism (486-502).
For Nov. 28: Read "Criticisms of Utilitarianism" (503-505) and "Utilitarianism and Integrity" (512-520).
For Nov. 30: Start Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (529-545).
For Dec. 5: Finish Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (529-545). Read "Kantian Approaches to Some Famine Problems" (546-551). Also, get started on the Third Paper.
For Dec. 12: Work on papers.
For Dec. 13: Final Exam. Note: This is a Wednesday that runs like a Thursday.
For Dec. 15: Third Papers due in the Philosophy Dept. office (503 Main Building) no later than 4pm. I will be in my office (503-O Main Building) from 3pm to 4pm.

Last updated November 28, 2000

This site is maintained by James A. Woodbridge.

This document was created on September 5, 2000.