Introduction to Philosophy, Spr 2006
Dr. Kyoo Lee, Manget 205 (Phone 8198), Office Hrs: Tu/Th 4:20-5:50pm, LaGrange College
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Logical Fallacies- The Adam Smith Institute (Link Introduced by Prof. Tracy Lightcap, LaGrange College)
Sample of solid, acceptable journal submission (that received full, 2.0 points): JN03 JN06
0. Introduction
2/7 Administrative Orientation: Introducing the Course; advance planning
2/9 Thematic Orientation: What is philosophy?
[JN01] First, look for propositional definitions of philosophy in various sources and introduce three or four that interest you most. And then explain in your own words such definitions by providing specific examples: for instance, differences between philosophy and empirical sciences, philosophy and theology, philosophy and arts, philosophy and literature, etc. Conclude your journal essay by formulating one philosophical question of your own, with a brief attempt at answering it; you must also clearly show why and how the question you're proposing is philosophical, as opposed to, say, mythical or common sensical, for instance.
[JN02] Pick up any piece of writing (news articles, newspaper editorial, talk shows, debates, political speeches, wisdom talk, self-help manuals, etc.) that makes certain propositional claims, and provide a point by point critique of that piece by drawing on your study of logical fallacies; show what kind of fallacies you have discovered there. Alternatively, you can use any list of clichés or ordinary fragments as examples. Just make sure (1) you come up with examples you yourself have found, not the ones already shown in the reading material, and (2) you analyse each problem case as precisely and closely as possible. Extra credit for originality and incisiveness.
[JN03] Socrates’ Apology : Choose and discuss one question.
3.1 So, who won?
3.2 Could there be something like a “healthy” disrespect? (towards authority) Is philosophy ultimately/fundamentally anti-authoritarian? (e.g., in the sense that it is devoid of or resistance to any authority). Or is there something like a “philosophical” authority? If so, what is it? Or Why/how should we accept it?
3.3 Is Socrates focusing too much on the individual, on his own sense of selfhood?, neglecting public duties, or the mental health of the other less intelligent folks?, to the extent, for instance, that he is practically enacting a death-wish? That is, is he self-destructive, rather than critical, to the point of being suicidal?
3.4 Plato writes to the deadline: he records the incidents with all literal urgency. In a sense, philosophy, as a recorded/known tradition of intellectual activities of the human mind, began with the death of Socrates. Is mortal sacrifice structurally necessary to the institution of philosophy, or similarly, of religion? (Think of Jesus the Christ, too.) What can, and should, philosophy tell you about mortality?
[JN04] Summary, with a critical response to: "In Praise of Phil" or "Socrates' Mistake" or both; bonus for those writing on both and well.
[JN05] Rewrite all three samples: your version has to be better than them.
II. Metaphysical Question of Being
3/2 Parmenides [V 227-32]
Sample Classnotes:
[JN06] Parmenides vs. Heraclitus: “Nothing is” makes no sense whatsoever for Parmenides, whereas it makes a perfect sense for Heraclitus – in fact, in a sense, that is the only sentence he could make sense of! (or at least the only thought that, he thought, is worth philosophizing over). How can we make sense of that difference?, this cosmic nonsense? What is the issue here? What sort of different world-views are revealed in that difference? What are the similarities, though, if any, between the thought of Parmenides and that of Heralcitus?
Sample Classnotes:
Sample Journals:
3/9 Plato on Forms (in Phaedo, Symposium, Republic & Parmenides) [V 234-53]
[JN07] Plato on Knowledge as “Recollection”: 1. Why does he think so? 2. What does he mean by recollection?
Sample Journals:
3/14 Lao Tzu [T 1 and 3; and choose your own three favorites]
[JN08] “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao”: Which way? What way? What is Tao? And interpret this line: “The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled (verse no.4).”
Recommended:
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[JN09] Buddhism: Relate what you have learned about Buddhism in class to your understanding of the film, "Spring, Summer..." .
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3/21 Time: Aristotle, The Stoics and St. Augustine [V 280-7]
[JN10] Summary (3-4 paragraph) Account of Aristotle’s/the Stoic’s/St. Augustine’s Conception of Time
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3/23 No Class: Prepare for your take-home midterm: Midterm: e-mail due 3/27, 9:40am
III. Epistemological Questions
3/28 Plato on Knowledge in Meno and Theaetetus [V 143-56]
Sample Classnotes:
3/30 Knowledge and Experience: Epicurus and the Stoics [V 200-7]
[JN11] Epicurus argues that “all perceptions are true. But beliefs are not all true; they allow a difference.” What does he mean? What is his point? Compare this “empiricist” view of the foundation of knowledge with the “rationalist” or “idealist” counterpart held by Plato, who argues that all perceptions are partially true.
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4/4 Spring Break: No Class
4/6 Spring Break: No Class
[JN12] Answer all three questions; otherwise, your journal submission will be incomplete.
12.1 Give me one good reason why you think you are awake, i.e., not asleep.
12.2 Give me one good reason why you might be, in fact, asleep/dreaming.
12.3 In what sense can you say, if you will, the philosopher is a dreamer?
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IV. Ethico-Political Questions on Self/Society
4/13 Plato [V 302-19, 377-87]
[JN13] Are Plato’s ethics and politics compatible at all? Or if not, can they be made so? Asked differently: are ethics and politics, according to Plato, in direct conflict?
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4/18 Aristotle, Rhetoric/ Ethics/ Politics [V 297/ 319-28/ 387-93]
[JN14] A Summary of, with a Critical Response to, Aristotle’s “doctrine of the mean”: 1. What is it? 2. How does that differ from Plato’s thesis, “virtue is knowledge”. 3. Use the example discussed in class, “righteous anger is a mean between envy and spite.”
Sample Classnotes:
Sample Journals:
4/20 The Stoics, Cicero and the Epicureans [V 328-51, 393-403]
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4/25 Buddha and Monastic Restraint [B 69-97]; Buddhist Med [B 98-144]
[JN15] Try a Buddhist meditation at home - and describe as philosophically as possible the inner experience of "watching my own mind."
[JN16] A thematic preoccupation with human mortality (namely, that we all die) is common to both Eastern and Western philosophies. Compare Socrates’ and Buddhists’ thoughts on death and the immortality of the soul: how similar? How different?
Recommended: Thich Nhat Hanh, Anger
Sample Classnotes:
Sample Journals:
4/27 Lao Tzu and Pragmatic Ethical Insights [T]
[JN17] Why is the Daoist way of being good “naturalistic”? Explain it by using the key concepts such as the ethics of (1) wu-wei (non-striving/straining), (2) non-violence, (3) non-egoism and (4) moderation. Make sure you quote at least one relevant passage from the Tao De Jing for each point (1-4).
[JN18] Free Topic
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V. Existential/Spiritual Questions
5/2 Film: Wit ; John Donne's poem, Death
[JN 19] Write on Wit: explore the meanings of "wit" in this film; also incorporate your reading of John Donne, Death.
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[JN20] Discuss a passage from Confessions: explain what it means, and why it matters.
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5/9 In-Class Final Exam
