Archive

= = Hempel's Raven Paradox = **ARCHIVE TERM 2, 2011** =


 * SAC Notification:**


 * New SAC date - Mon. 22/08/11**
 * Topic: Utilitarianism**
 * Nature of SAC:** Scenario based questions, drawing on your understanding of Act and Rule Utilitarianism and possible objections to Utilitarianism (e.g. Nozick's 'Experience Machine' thought experiment.
 * No notes.**
 * 1 session in class time.**

The Trolley Problem Thought Experiment (Utilitarianism)
= TERM 2 2011 =

= Week 1 - 3 =

= Introduction to Metaphysics =



Journal entry Due 13/5/11



Due: 27/05/11


 * Week**


 * Week 4-7**


 * 'Mind, Brain or Soul?'**

(See A3 Handout)




 * Due: 10/06/11**


 * Week 8: Exam Revision**



=

= TERM 1 2011 =

Week 1:

 * Ethics of the Broken CD Player**

In class: read and discuss the scenarios


 * Blog entry #1**

For homework: Complete the questions and thinking for blog entry #1


 * Due:** **14/02/11**






 * Week 2: Fallacies of Reasoning**


 * Blog entry #2** - "Got a Problem With That"?


 * Due: Fri. 18/02/10**


 * Instructions:** Choose 4 of the scenarios listed on the handout and explain why / why they are not examples of good reasoning. Describe each argument in written form and in Standard Form argument (i.e. P1, P2, C)

Week 3: Techniques of Argument and Reasoning

 * Classwork / Homework:**


 * **Identifying Arguments:** Exercises, p. 5-6
 * **Standard Form and Extended Arguments:** Exercises 1-4 p. 10-11


 * Due: Tues. 22/02/11**

Week 4:
Techniques of Argument and Reasoning Continued ...


 * Classwork / Homework:**


 * **Evaluating Arguments:** Exercises 1, 2, 4, 5 p. 20-21


 * Week 5:**


 * Plato's Allegory of the Cave**


 * In class:** read the original text from Plato, //The Republic, Book VII// (+ puppet show!)

Poster Assignment:


 * Resources (Downloadable): [[file:Plato Allegory of The Cave from Republic BOOK VII.docx]]**


 * Online Version (with diagram): Plato's Allegory of the Cave**

Assessment / Project Options:

Create your own poster and diagram of the story of the Cave. (Individual or pair work)

In groups (max. 4): Produce a short film or animation about the Allegory of the Cave. You can use still shots + an audio track or video. These will be screened in class on completion.


 * Due date for assessment piece: 07/03/11**

Also from Week 5:

Plato's Theory of the Forms

Questions:

Handout / text:

What is Knowledge?
Read the handout "What is Knowledge?" from //The Philosophy Gym// (Stephen Law)


 * Journal:** Complete the questions on chapter


 * Due: 15/03/11**

Journal Questions:

Remember to list the criteria you have chosen to address at the start of your journal.


 * Reading:**













Descartes' Meditations - Skepticism and the Method of Doubt
In class: Read the First and Second Meditation


 * Journal:** Complete the questions on the handout.


 * Due: 28/03/11**

Link to the online text of The Meditations I & II




 * Week 8**


 * Empiricism and Rationlism**


 * In class:** discussion of //a priori// and innate ideas, versus knowledge derived entirely from experience.


 * Activity:** Reading and responding to John Locke's 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding'


 * Homework + 1 session in class time: Journal**


 * Due: 01/04/11**


 * Complete the tasks (taken from p. 54 of the Philosophy Textbook, including Qus. 1-6 on Locke's Essay + qu. 7-10) below**

Analysing Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Answer the questions below by clicking on the link Guide to Locke's Essay. Use it to guide you through the key ideas Locke explores in this class text.

For each question, include an **original quote** from the Essay to support your response, and provide your own **example** from real life (or other example as relevant) to back up what you are explaining / arguing.

1. What did Locke mean by the terms **experience, sensation** and **reflection?**

2. Outline Locke's argument against innate ideas. Put this in standard form, remembering to fill in the conclusion first. (P1, P2, C)

3. Distinguish (explain the difference between) between simple and complex ideas, according to Locke.

4. In Locke's view, how are ideas related to objects? **(//See ideas of Sensation or go to: This section of the Essay)//**

5. Explain Locke's view of knowledge, including the different degrees of knowledge.

6. In Locke's view, how certain can we be?

7. What did Locke mean by the term //Tabula Rasa?//

8. Compare rationalism and empiricism. Which do you most agree with and why?

9. Can we work out truths with reason alone or is sensory experience required? Of which method can we be most certain?

10. Are humans born as 'blank slates' or do we have 'innate ideas'? Use detailed examples of your own to explore this question.

11. Which of the theories do you find most appealing - Descartes' or Locke's? Why?

12. A rationalist such as Descartes believed that **deductive logic** was the only process that could lead us to certainty. However, Locke argued that all truths are discovered **inductively,** based on our experiences. What are the advantages and disadvantages of deduction versus induction? Which do you think is more useful in discovering the truth?


 * Week 9**


 * In class reading:** pp. 64-66 "Hume's Fork" and p. 68 "Kant's Resolution of Scepticism


 * Discussion: Language and Knowledge** (Science Show Podcast - see Home page of this Wiki)


 * Homework:** "The Problem of Induction"


 * Due: Fri. 08/04/11**



Reading:













= = = = = **ARCHIVED MATERIALS FROM 2010 ....** =

**Blog entry #3 - 'What is Knowledge'?** **Due: Fri. 26/02/10 (sheet says Mon. 22 - Fri. is the class negotiated extension) **

Reading: **Read Plato's 'The Allegory of the Cave' again at home. We will be referring back to the story again next week.**

** Font too small? Try reading the original here: http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/allegory.html**

Week 2:
**Read** **the background information about Descartes** and his ideas (A3 Handout). You may also choose to read the 'First Meditation' in your own time, but we will also be reading and discussing this during class.

**Check in on the Wiki daily** and familiarise yourself with your blog.

**Blog entry #2 - Descartes - Epistemology - Metaphysics.** **Due: Fri. 19/02/10**

**Week 4:**
**Plato's Allegory of the Cave Poster** **Due: Mon. 01/03/10** **Download it here: **

**Week 5:**
**The Problem of Induction** **Due: Tues. 09/03/10**

Download it here:

**Week 6:**
**Dualism and the Mind-Body Problem** **Due: Wed. 17/03/10**

Download it here:

**Week 7:**
**SAC - Epistemology (Fri. 19/03/10)**

**No set homework this week - study for SAC.**

**Week 8:**
**Reading: 'Mind, Brain or Soul' A3 Handout** **Due: 12/04/10 (To be completed over the holidays)**

** Download questions here: **

= **TERM 2** =

**Week 3:** **Freewill and Determinism - upload your writing on either:**

**Hard Determinism** **Libertarianism** **Freedom as Ownership** **Freedom as Underdetermination**

**Week 5:** ** SAC Preparation for SAC on Mon. 24/05/10: ** **Reading, revision and further thinking about the issues of Mind, Body, Physicalism, Intentionality, etc.**

**SAC Notification here: **

**Week 6:** **Complete the sheet for 'Could a Machine Think?'** //**Philosophy Gym**//

**Week 7** **Read 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing (1950)** **Follow the instructions on the handout, including underlining key arguments and explaining on your blog.**

Handout:

Complete text of 'Computing Machinery and Intelligence' (Skip sections 4 and 5 - these will not need to be summarised)

= = = ** TERM 3 ** =

Read: "Is Morality Like a Pair of Spectacles"
Complete the questions on the handout. **Due: 23/07/10**

**Week 2** **Reading: "What's Wrong with Gay Sex?" (**//**The Philosophy Gym)**//

// Complete the questions on the handout: (paper only - see Mr. Beekman if you don't have a copy of this) //

// **Due:** **30/07/10** //

**Week 3** **Reading: "Can we Have Morality Without God and Religion?"** Complete the questions on the handout:

**Week 4**
J.S. Mill / Utilitarianism Questions **Due: 13/08/10**

**Week 5**
'Killing Mary to Save Jodie' - Reading from the //Philosophy Gym// **Questions due: Fri. 20/08/10**