"Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration."
Albert Einstein
All assignments are to be turned in during the session they are due.
They are to be typewritten (including the questions!).
Please study carefully the university's position on plagiarism.
You will find it here.
These standards apply not only for homework and tests, but also for any
other written assignment, regular or extra-credit! Violation of this policy
brings severe consequences!
Assignment for Session 2 - Tuesday, 20. May, 2008
1) Answer homework
questions and have them ready to turn in during class. (This is
a Word file - so that you won't have to type out the questions! When
you click
on
it,
it
should
automatically
download to your computer. If you have trouble opening the document
once you've downloaded it, make sure the file remains '20May_HmWrkQuestions.doc'
when you download it - the file type .doc is
the key;
if
not,
change
it back to the right file type and it should open. If nothing else
works, here it is as
a pdf file).
2) Read the
article and 4 NY Times blogs by John Tierney on Bostrom before
class. The blogs are online here: #1, #2, #3, #4.
You do NOT have to read the comments (there are 400-500 comments on a couple
of them!).
You may have to sign up for the NY Times online to get to the articles,
but you should do that anyway: it is the national newspaper of record and costs
nothing.
Assignment for Session 3 - Wednesday, 21. May, 2008
1) Answer homework
questions and have them ready to turn in during class. (This is
a Word file - here
it is as a pdf file).
2) Read before class:
the
Time magazine article "God vs. Science" - this
provides a good overview of the current "religion and science" discussion
and includes an interview with Richard Dawkins and Francis Collins;
A. Plantinga's critique
of Dawkin's book (pdf file) - Plantinga is
considered by many to be
the leading philosopher of religion in the U.S.;
an interview
with Antony Flew - a fascinating documentation of the continuing
intellectual journey of the leading atheist of the past generation
(User Warning: quite "politically incorrect" at the end!).
Assignment for Session 4 - Thursday, 22. May, 2008
1) Answer homework
questions and have them ready to turn in during class. (This is
a Word file - here it is as a pdf file).
2) Print and read before class this
article on “Religious Language”.
Be prepared to discuss the article in class!
Assignment for Session 5 - Friday, 23. May, 2008
1) Answer homework
questions and have them ready to turn in during class. (This is
a Word file - here it is as a pdf file).
2) Take this "test" on spirituality.
It is the Time Magazine survey that is referred to in the articles
to be read for this week. You will not have
to turn it in or reveal your results, but be prepared to discuss it
in class!
3) Read the following articles before class:
CNN article
on "neurotheology"
Time Magazine article on "The
God Gene" (pdf file)
Scientific American review
of the book behind the article (pdf file)
Assignment for Session 6 - Tuesday, 27. May, 2008
Carefully study and develop answers to the review
questions handed out
in class.
Assignment for Session 7 - Wednesday, 28. May, 2008
Read the following articles before class:
Wikipedia articles on:
Foundationalism
Basic Belief
Reformed Epistemology
Assignment for Session 8 - Thursday, 29. May, 2008
Read this section from Descartes' Meditations before class and be prepared to discuss it.
Please print out the text and use a pen, pencil or marker when you read
it. Put your name on it, since you'll be turning in your "annotated text" that
you've printed and marked up as homework during class!
For background on the "ontological argument" and a discussion of its originator, Anselm, see the
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy article.
Assignment for Session 9 - Friday, 30. May, 2008
Read this article by William L. Craig before class. Be prepared to discuss it and to turn in
your annotated text.
Assignment for Session 10 - Monday, 02. June, 2008
Print and read before class the following articles:
NOTE: Be prepared to turn in your annotated copy of these articles. As
with previous texts, these can be simply your underlinings
and margin notes from reading.
The article in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on "The
Logical Problem of Evil"
An excerpt from Plato that discusses the basis of ethics: the so-called "Euthyphro
Dialogue" (pdf
file)
An excerpt from Pope
Benedict XVI's speech to the University of Regensburg in September
2006 that stirred up Islamists around the world. (Don't get too distracted
by the "Islam" issue; the real point of the speech
is the relation of reason and ethics in a theistic framework.) (pdf file)
Finally, since sociobiology presents the strongest current
alternative to the traditional foundation of ethics upon metaphysical
and religious
principles,
read
this New York Times
review of one prominent theory of ethics based upon sociobiology.
(pdf file)
Assignment for Session 11 - Tuesday, 03. June, 2008
Print and read before class the following two articles:
NOTE: Be prepared to turn in your annotated copy of both articles. As
with previous texts, these can be simply your underlinings
and margin notes from reading.
The article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on "Teleological
Arguments for God's Existence"
Assignment for Session 12 - Wednesday, 04. June, 2008
Once you have read that, you
can test your philosophical teeth on my
critique of Hume's critique (it's pretty stiff going
at times if you don't have a background in philosophy; we will discuss
it in class) (pdf file)
Assignment for Session 13 - Thursday, 05. June, 2008
Before class read:
David Brook's
analysis of Mitt Romney's speech on religion in public life (pdf
file).
Stanley
Fish's blog on religion and the law
Ron Suskind's article on George Bush and faith (pdf file).
Assignment for Session 14 & Final Exam - Friday, 06. June,
2008
Carefully study and develop answers to the study
guide for the final exam. (Also available as a
pdf file.)
For papers, here's an overview of what is expected:
- Minimum of 5 pages plus footnotes and list of sources
- The paper is due at the last class session before the final exam.
- Please check with the instructor for approval of your topic and tips.
To give you an example of the structure and organization of a philosophy
paper,
here is a paper written for
an advanced class by a friend of mine, Tim Gordon. It is considerably
longer than yours will need to be, but notice how he organizes his thoughts
and structures
the discussion.
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