Overview

This semester we will discuss a variety of core topics of interest to thoughtful people: moral philosophy, God, science and religion, knowledge, freedom of the will, and the nature of the mind. We will ask such questions as: What does it mean to be rational? Are all values relative? Does morality depend on religion? Are we really free in any way worth wanting? What am I? What is the nature of my mind? Do I have any reason to believe that I will survive the death of my body?

 You might wonder whether philosophical questions have answers or whether it makes sense to say that philosophical pronouncements are either true or false. From a more practical standpoint, you might wonder how someone could grade work done in a philosophy class. These are certainly reasonable concerns. As you will soon discover, there are many possible answers that one could give to every philosophical question that could be asked. But every answer comes with a different price: To accept a certain answer to one philosophical question will commit you (unless you are inconsistent and, so, irrational) to a certain answer to another philosophical question – this is what I mean by ‘the price’. I suppose that the real issue in every case is whether, all things considered, you are willing to pay the price.

 Ultimately, philosophy is really about the costs of being rational: We start with the assumption that no one wants to be irrational (or to willingly believe inconsistent things). We then turn to examining various fundamental questions about the physical universe, human nature, etc. in order to see whether our considered opinions are really consistent.

 You might think that this sounds like a grand game – perhaps it is a fun game, but still a game. I do not think that would be a poor analogy. As an activity, philosophy certainly has game-like qualities. If you want to think about it that way, then I would say that a student who gets a good grade is one who learns the game and plays it well. On the other hand, as Socrates said, “we are discussing no small matter, but how to live.” Part of being rational is holding consistent beliefs and then consciously trying to act on the basis of those consistent beliefs. In that way, pursuing philosophy is more than just a game because it can (and should) change your life.

Textbook

 Adam Morton, Philosophy in Practice: An Introduction to the Main Questions, Second Edition (Blackwell, 2004).

 This book is available at the campus bookstore and through various on-line sources such as Amazon.com. Other materials will be available via the course Blackboard web site in a downloadable format. Look under “Course Documents.”

Topics

Philosophy of Mind
The Mind-body Problem | The Nature of Consciousness | Minds and Machines | The Freedom of the Will

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