This is an introductory philosophy course. This course uses the four texts and additional readings on this google drive link
(https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19EkfBPP5IPNHFDeZ5SJEFXwzagGTOT2K?usp=sharing).
NO SECONDARY SOURCES ARE ALLOWED, it’s a requirement:
four texts:
1. Plato, Republic, 2. Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, 3. Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, 4. Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy.
in the google drive link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19EkfBPP5IPNHFDeZ5SJEFXwzagGTOT2K?usp=sharing
There are folders containing readings for each class. There is also a “Powerpoint Slides” folder that contains the information for each class in a more digestible format.
There are 5 short answer questions where the answers should be 1-2 paragraphs long. There are 2 essay questions where each answer should be 2-3 pages long. There is no hard word count for this assignment.
I’m expecting the 5 short answer questions to fit in 2-3 pages and the 2 essay questions to fit into 4-6 pages, for a total of around 8 pages.
The 2 essay questions need to be the format of:
step 1: introductory paragraph
step 2: present the argument in standard form (Refer to attached “Paper Writing Guide.docx” file)
step 3: Motivate the argument
step 4: object to the argument
step 5: assess your argument
I have attached a document (“Paper Writing Guide.docx”) which gives more detailed instructions for how to do this. I have also attached a sample short essay which shows the format needed (“Sample Short Paper – Is Every Good Deed Selfish.docx”).
PART I: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Answer FIVE questions
1. According to Descartess what is the source of error? Is error avoidable? How?
2. Why does Nagel think that consciousness experience is subjective? How does he support this claim? What implications does his view have for the scientific study of consciousness?
3. What is Shame? What causes shame and what impact does the experience of shame have on our cognition?
4. What is the difference between strong and weak AI? What is Searles argument against strong AI?
5. What is the Dream argument? Why does Descartes revisit it in meditation 6?
6. What is Empathy? In what way is Steins account of empathy different from arguments from analogy or inferential arguments? How does Empathy overcome or avoid the problems inherent to these types of arguments?
7. What is physicalism? What is one argument against physicalism?
PART II: ESSAY QUESTIONS
Answer TWO questions
1. Briefly explain Sartres account of the look and either Fanon or Beauvoirs (choose one) application of the look to race or gender. Are Fanon and Beauvoir simply expanding on Sartres account or are they providing a critique of it? How may Sartre respond to their position?
2. What is the strongest argument Berkeley advances in his critique of the concept of material substance and in support of his idealism? Does his argument successfully prove idealism? Why or why not?
3. By the age of five most normally developed children can pass linguistic versions of the Sally-Anne test. Explain how the Nativist may interpret these findings. Consider what the Constructivist would say in response. Which position offers the better explanation of the empirical findings? Why?
4. What is anthropodenial and why does de Waal think anthropodenial is problematic? How may an opponent of anthropomorphism object to de Waal? Do you think this objection is successful? Why or why not?
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|