Summer 2013

The reading assignment will provide you with textual support as well as additional information in support of the video discussions. The assigned readings will be woven into videos. The times the videos will be broadcast is listed under Weekly Video Schedule. These videos are an important part of the course. You should carefully read the assignments especially those that relate directly to the video discussion/lecture. Also, taking notes on the video discussion is essential. If you have difficulty please contact me as soon as possible or post your question to Blackboard's Discussion Forum. Each 30 minutes video will take about 45 minutes to view and to take notes over. The page numbers in parenthesis are for the 10th edition. If you have questions please contact me.

Week 1: "What is Philosophy?" video and pages 3 - 38 (3 - 37)

"What is Human Nature?" video and pages 47 - 74 (45 - 73)
Read So, This is Philosophy

Week 2: "Is Mind Distinct From body? video and pages 75 - 88 (74 - 89)
"Is There an Enduring Self?" video and pages 88 - 98 (89 - 109)
"Are We Social Beings" video and pages 98 - 109

FIRST TEST WILL COVER THE ABOVE MATERIAL - five videos and approximately 150 pages of reading. This is a lot of difficult material to absorb, so try not to get behind on this test. Given the number of videos and pages to read, this is usually the hardest exam.

Week 3: "What is Real?" video and pages 134 - 170 (133 - 170)
"How Do We Encounter the World?" video and pages 178 - 186 (171 - 185)
"Do We Have Free Will? video and pages 186 - 196 (186 - 194)

Week 4: "Is Time Real? video and pages 196 - 205 (195 - 204)
"Does God Exist?" video and pages 222 - 250 (221 - 249)
"Can We Know God Through Experience?" video and pages 251 - 272 (250 - 283)

Week 5: "Is Reason the Source of Knowledge?" video and pages 296 - 313 (316 - 328)
"Does Knowledge Depend on Experience?" and pages 313 - 327 (328 - 343)
"Does the Mind shape the World?" and pages 327 - 338 (343 - 352)

Week 6: "How Does Science Add to Knowledge?" video and pages 339 - 349 (352 - 364)
"Does Science Give Us Truth?" videoand pages 376 - 404 (381 - 416)
"Are Interpretations True?" video and pages 404 - 408 (417 - 426)

THE SECOND TEST WILL COVER THE ABOVE MATERIAL - twelve videos and approximately 200 pages of reading. This is a lot of difficult material to absorb, so try not to get behind on this test.

Week 7: "Is Morality Relative?" and pages 430 - 437 (451 - 460)
"Does the End Justify the Means?" and pages 437 - 447 (460 - 469)
"Can Rules Define Morality?" and pages 447 - 468 (470 - 493)

Week 8: "Is Ethics Based on Virtue?" video and pages 468 - 483 (493 - 509)
"Moral Dilemmas. . . Can Ethics Help?" video and pages 484 - 505 (509 - 525)
"What Justifies the State?" and pages 517 - 537 (545 - 565)

Week 9: "What is Justice?" video and pages 538 - 554 & 563 - 579 (566 - 609)
"What is Art?" video
"What is the Meaning of Life?" video and pages 598 - 610 (646 - 658)

Week 10: Repeats Week 9

THE THIRD TEST WILL COVER THE ABOVE MATERIAL - nine videos and approximately 125 pages of reading. This is a lot of difficult material to absorb, so try not to get behind on this test.

Be aware of the deadline. Failure to meet a deadline will result in . . . .

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Last Updated May 23, 2013