Mon. 1/18

Wed. 1/20

Fri. 1/22

Course introduction. The problem of nature and human nature as springing from the problem of how to lead a fulfilling life.

The Greek Tragic view of Life: The problem of nature and human nature arises from the problem of how to lead a fulfilling life.

Subjectivity, Objectivity, and Human Happiness. Plato's Apology, pp. 423-446 in Great Dialogues of Plato *

Mon. 1/25

Wed. 1/27

Fri. 1/29

Presentation 1: Is it possible to think that you are happy and not really be happy?

Death. Part 1: Death without an after-life. Thomas Nagel, "Death"

Presentation 2
If death is the end of all consciousness and there is no afterlife, is death a bad thing?

Mon. 2/1

Wed. 2/3

Fri. 2/5

Death. Part 2: Could we exist for eternity without becoming bored or losing our identity?
Death. Part 3: How does Death affect us while we are alive

Philosophy as the practice of dying.

Plato's argument from opposites for the immortality of the soul. Plato's Phaedo 57a-72d (pp. 460-476 in Great Dialogues of Plato).

Plato's arguments for objective value. Aristophanes's speech from Plato's Symposium, pp. 85-89 in Great Dialogues of Plato

Mon. 2/8

Wed. 2/10

Fri. 2/12

Knowledge, recollection, and immortality. Plato's Phaedo 72e-95a (pp. 476-499 in GD of Plato)*

"Plato's Theory of Forms"

The Divided Line. Plato's Republic Book V, 473e to end (pp. 273-281) and Book VI, 505a to end (pp. 303-311). The cave. Book VII, 514a-519e (pp. 312-318).

Plato’s arguments for the Forms.

Plato on the senses.

Mon. 2/15

Wed. 2/17

Fri. 2/19

Introduction to Aristotle. Matter and Form. "Some Main Points of Aristotle's Thought,".
Aristotle's Physics.

Aristotle on human happiness.
Aristotle's Ethics.

Presentation 3: Is Plato correct that all reality and values are objective?

Mon. 2/22

Wed. 2/24

Fri. 2/26

The Christian view of man and his place in nature. "Some Main Points of Christianity," Selections from the New Testament,

Free Will and the Virtues.

The Seven Deadly Sins.

Selection from C.S. Lewis. Perelandra

Mon. 3/1

Wed. 3/3

Fri. 3/5

NO CLASS

MID-SEMESTER RECESS

NO CLASS

MID-SEMESTER RECESS

NO CLASS

MID-SEMESTER RECESS

Mon. 3/8

Wed. 3/10

Fri. 3/12

Love, Faith, and Free Will. Soren Kierkegaard, “The Knight of Faith”
J.D Salinger, Franny and Zooey: “Franny”

Christian Existentialism.
J.D Salinger, Franny and Zooey: “Zooey”

The place of reason in Christianity. Proofs for the existence of God,
St. Thomas, "Five
Ways," St. Anselm, "The Ontological Argument

Mon. 3/15

Wed. 3/17

Fri. 3/19

Criticisms of the proofs: " Jim Holt. "Nothing Ventured,
Hume's Dialogue on Natural Religion, Part IX

Presentation 4: Can God’s Existence be Proven?

Introduction to the problem of evil.
Hume's Dialogues, Parts X-XI.

Mon. 3/22

Wed. 3/24

Fri. 3/26

MODIFIED SCHEDULE

Christian Existentialism and the Problem of Evil: Book of Job
Dostoevsky, "Rebellion,"

Presentation 5: Is God’s existence compatible with the existence of evil?.

The Method of the Scientific Revolution.

The Scientific View of Nature.

Galileo, "Two Kinds of Properties

Mon. 3/29

Wed. 3/31

Fri. 4/2

Descartes and the new scientific method. Meditations, Preface and Meditations 1-2, pp. 1-23

Presentation 6: Could we be in the Matrix?

EASTER RECESS

Mon. 4/5

Wed. 4/7

Fri. 4/9

EASTER RECESS

Descartes and the mind-body problem. Meditations, Meditation 6, pp. 45-56. Different Views on the Relationship between Mind and Body

Free Will, Emotions, and the Brain.

Frank Jackson "What Mary Doesn’t Know"

Mon. 4/12

Wed. 4/14

Fri. 4/16

Personal Identity and Science.

Hume, "Of Personal Identity,"

Presentation 7: Are you more than your Brain?

Existentialism, personal identity, and happiness.
Sartre, "Existentialism and Human Emotions”

Mon. 4/19

Wed. 4/21

Fri. 4/23

Existentialism and the problem of happiness.
Camus, "The Myth of Sisyphus,"
The Stranger, Part I, pp. 1-59.

Bad Faith and Human relations. The Master-Slave Dialectic. Sartre, "Sincerity,"

The Stranger, Part II, p. 60 to end.

Presentation 8: Does life have a meaning?

Tuesday 4/26

Wed. 4/28

Fri. 4/30

Immanuel Kant and Romanticism: Imagination, Perception, and Reality

Poems

Quiz

Romanticism and Love.
Film: A Room with a View

Presentation 9: Is Love Possible?.

Mon. 5/3

Wed. 5/5

Fri. 5/1

So What?

The value of objective self-examination.

David Foster Wallace: Gradutation Speech

Reading Day