Phil 1101: Introduction to Philosophy

University of Minnesota, Morris
Professor Collier

Rembrandt, Aristotle contemplating a bust of Homer

Course Description: How should we live? What happens after we die? What is the relation between our minds and bodies? How much can we know? Does God exist? Do our lives have meaning? In this course, we will examine classic works in philosophy that address these big questions. Authors include: Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Boethius, Lucretius, Sextus Empiricus, Descartes, Berkeley, and Hume. We will also focus on critical thinking, writing, reading, and speaking skills.

Required Texts:

Plato: Trial and Death of Socrates
Lucretius: The Nature of Things
Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy
Hume: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

* = electronic file available on course moodle site

CLASS SCHEDULE

Introduction

Plato (I): Euthyphro 2a-11b, 15d-16a

Plato (II): Apology

Plato (III): Crito

Plato (IV): Phaedo: “Death Scene” & “Release of the Soul” (*)

Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics I: 1, 4, 5, 7 (*) and De Anima II.3 (*)

Epictetus: Discourses Chs. 6 & 16 (*)

Boethius: Consolation of Philosophy (*)

Lucretius (I): On the Nature of Things Book I: 50-61, 615-635, 329-344, 370-383, 952-984; Book V: 158-235; Book II: 1048-1067

Lucretius (II): On the Nature of Things Book II: 215-295; Book III: 160-176

Lucretius (III): On the Nature of Things Book II: 1-61; Book III: 1-94, 830-1094

Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Pyrrhonism & “First Mode” (*)

Descartes (I): First Meditation and Second Meditation, §1-3

Descartes (II): Third Meditation

Descartes (III): Fifth Meditation & St. Anselm Supplemental Reading (*)

Descartes (IV): Second Meditation §4-12 and Sixth Meditation §4-15

Berkeley (I): Principles of Human Knowledge §1-23 (*)

Berkeley (II): Principles of Human Knowledge §25-40, 50-52, 54-55, 58-59, 60-61 (*)

Hume (I): Dialogues on Natural Religion Part II & Paley: “The Argument from Design” (*)

Hume (II): Dialogues on Natural Religion Parts III-V

Hume (III): Dialogues on Natural Religion Parts IX (54-56), X, and XI (67-71, 73-75)

Hume (IV): “Of Miracles” (107-114, 121-5)

Clifford: “The Ethics of Belief” & James: “The Will to Believe” (*)

Nagel: "The Absurd"