Philosophy 100, Spring, 2009

Philosophy 100A


Introduction to Philosophy



MW 2:30
Thompson 104
Fred Feldman
Fall, 2009

 


Administrative Information

Welcome to the online document center for Philosophy 100A, Introduction to Philosophy. Here you will find the syllabus, handouts, studyguides, scheduling information, notes and news, some of the readings, and other information for the class. We will try to keep this site up-to-date. However, we make no guarantee that all the relevant material will be here! We encourage students to check this site, but reading this material is no substitute for attending lectures and discussion sections regularly.

We welcome your suggestions and comments, whether you are a student or just a visitor browsing this site. Please e-mail ffeldman@philos.umass.edu (or if your web browser supports e-mail, you can select the above address).

Notes and News

Quiz 3 will be held on Wednesday, December 9. A preliminary version of the studyguide is already posted. Schedule information will be posted soon.

Reading Assignments: Read the essay by William Paley, "The Watch and the Human Eye"; also the essay by St. Anselm and the essay by John Mackie.

Viewing Assignment for Wednesday November 25: Go to YouTube. Find the video of William Lane Craig talking about the Fine Tuning Argument for the existence of God.

Information about Take Over Day is now posted below under "Take Over Day". Iinformation about how final grades in Phil 100A are calculated is also posted there.

Syllabus 100

  1. Missed Quiz Policy
  2. Electronic Communications Policy
  1. Tutoring Policy
  2. Schedule of Discussion Sections
  3. Baier Reading for Phil 563
  4. Harwood Reading for Phil 563
  5. Brandt Reading for Phil 563

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  • Quiz #1

  • Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 7:00pm.

  • Schedule Information for Quiz #1 Fall, 2009
  • Scores on Quiz #1 Spring, 2009
  • Final, Official Study Guide for Quiz 1, Fall, 2009

    Quiz #2

  • Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 7:00pm.

  • Final, Official Study Guide for Quiz 2, Fall, 2009
  • Schedule Information for Quiz 2, Fall, 2009
  • Scores from Quiz 2, Spring, 2007

    Quiz #3

  • Wednesday, December 9 , 2009, 7:00pm.

  • Preliminary Study Guide for Quiz 3, Fall, 2009
  • Schedule Information for Quiz 3, Spring, 2009

    Take Over Day

  • Take Over Day is going to be Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:30am in Boyden Main Gym. Each student will be permitted to take over one quiz on Take Over Day. When you come to Take Over Day, please bring a valid ID. Also a blue or black ballpoint pen. We will have plenty of Take Over Quizzes, so you don't need to tell us anything in advance. You don't need a ticket. Just show up ready to take a quiz.
  • Information on Takeover Day and Grade Calculation

    Handouts

    Course Introduction
  • Handout CI-1 (General Introduction to Philosophy)
  • Handout CI-2 (Arguments, Validity & Soundness)
  • Handout CI-3 (Logic #1)
  • Handout CI-4 (Logic #2)
  • Handout CI-5 (Logic #3)

    Freedom and Determinism
  • Handout FD-1 (The Problem of Freedom and Determinism)
  • Handout FD-2 (Hard Determinism)
  • Handout FD-3 (Indeterminism)
  • Handout FD-4 (Soft Determinism)
  • Handout FD-5 (Libertarianism)

    Philosophical Anthropology
  • Handout PA-1 (Fundamentals of Philosophical Anthropology)
  • Handout PA-2 (Objections to Materialism)
  • Handout PA-3 (Cartesian Dualism)
  • Handout PA-4 (Arguments Pro and Con Cartesian Dualism)

    Philosophical Theology
  • Handout PT-1 (Fundamentals of Philosophical Theology)
  • Handout PT-2 (Cosmological Arguments)
  • Handout PT-3 (The Argument from Sufficient Reason)
  • Handout PT-4 (Ontological Arguments)
  • Handout PT-5 (Design Arguments)
    To UMass Philosophy Department home page