PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Richard Garrett
TO BE OFFERED: Section 012, Tuesday/Thursday, 2:10 p.m. - 3:25p.m.
Section 013, Tuesday/ Thursday, 3:35 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course will focus upon the notion that the key to everything distinctively human and really worthwhile and meaningful flows from our distinctively human ability to discern and act upon the TRUTH. We will begin the course by considering what is called the FREE WILL controversy. It will be argued that the practical question of the freedom of the will needs to be decoupled from all metaphysical debates concerning the ULTIMATE nature of things, since, on the one hand, such debates can never be resolved and since, on the other hand, they need not be resolved in order to settle the practical question concerning the free will. The freedom flowing from the ability to discern and act upon the TRUTH is all the freedom that we humans could ever need.
Finally, it will further be argued throughout the course that there is, indeed, a single truth which stands out among all others as the most essential truth for us to know, understand, master and live by in order to have the very best life possible. This truth can be stated quite simply as follows: In order to live the very best life possible (the only life really worth living) we must, to the best of our ability, love others as we all love ourselves. There are many (e.g. certain Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims, including atheists and agnostics) who believe in this central truth. Nonetheless, it has also been contested by many. Therefore, I shall seek to provide an argument which will be intended to show that we can KNOW (and not simply believe) that this is the central practical TRUTH.
COURSE GOALS: The course is designed to challenge students to think about life’s most basic questions in a reasonable and critical way that is challenging to each other and to their professor. Accordingly, lecturing will be kept to a minimum. Rather, students will be broken down into discussion groups and encouraged to discuss everything with one another and with their professor in the most careful, extensive and reasonable way possible. Wherever they disagree with one another or with their professor they will be encouraged to speak out and state their case fully and in depth. So, the course will be designed so that students will learn from one another as much as from their professor and their professor in turn hopes to learn from his students. Finally, throughout the course we will watch numerous films that illuminate the philosophic points being discussed.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Jacqueline Gately
TO BE OFFERED: Section 014, Tuesday & Thursday 5:00 p.m-6:15 p.m
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores issues that philosophers have traditionally considered, including morality, reality, and knowledge. We will begin by discussing what philosophy is and why people engage in it. Through an overview of the history of Western philosophy, with an emphasis on the development of ethics, we will examine three philosophical time periods (ancient, modern, and contemporary) by studying some of the major figures in each period. This will allow students to examine the similarities and differences of the philosophers’ arguments, as well as their own, on a variety of topics through in-class discussions as well as written work.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: James B. Hart
TO BE OFFERED: Section 015, Wednesday/Friday 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Section 016, Wednesday/Friday 9:55 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course to focus solely on moral issues. Part will be an overview of the classic ethical theories of Western philosophy (Kant, Mill, Aristotle, Hobbes, etc.). Part will be an application of these theories to contemporary moral questions (immigration, abortion, torture, among others). There will be significant student presentations and interaction.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Ranjoo Herr
TO BE OFFERED: Section 006, Monday & Wednesday 3:35 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
Section 008, Monday & Wednesday 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The aim of the course is not simply to help you expand your knowledge about philosophers and philosophical issues, but, more importantly, to teach you to think critically, reflectively, and deeply with an open-mind. This is what the philosophical method enables you to do. Philosophy is the discipline that has developed the philosophical method to perfection. The ability to think critically, reflectively and deeply with an open-mind is an invaluable asset highly valued by leaders of the world, whether in academia, politics, law, or business.
Bentley University emphasizes ethics and social responsibility of business people. Therefore, this course will focus on moral philosophy which examines some fundamentals of ethics and social responsibility. First, questions about egoism and relativism will be considered in depth. Secondly, two major ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology will be examined. Thirdly, some ethical issues, such as drug legalization, animal rights, gun ownership, abortion, and consumption will be discussed that exemplify how the two theories are applied.
Classes will be discussion-oriented following the philosophical method. I expect you to have done the readings for each class by the time you come to class so that class discussions are informed and focused. Quizzes will be administered to ensure that you do the daily readings. Class discussions will not cover the entire reading material, but rather focus on its major points.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Jesse Hughes
TO BE OFFERED: Section 02,Monday, 9:55 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. & Thursday 11:20 a.m-12:35 p.m.
Section 005, Monday & Thursday 12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is a broad introduction to philosophy, in which we will touch on many traditional subjects. We will begin with a section on epistemology (What stuff can we know and how?) and metaphysics (What stuff is there anyway?). This section includes an introduction to philosophy of self (Did yesterday really happen?) and artificial intelligence (Can a machine think?). Our second section is an overview of classical ethical theories (What should one do? Why should one try to be good anyway?), and our final section discusses certain problems of applied ethics (Is abortion morally acceptable? What moral duties apply in a state of war?)
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Carolyn Magid
TO BE OFFERED: Section 001,Monday 9:55 a.m.-11:10 a.m. & Thursday 11:20 a.m.–12:35 p.m.
Section 004, Monday & Thursday 12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course we will study important philosophical theories which answer moral questions about how people should live and how societies should function. We will explore the theories in the context of their application to difficult moral choices about obligation to others, killing and violence, and inequality and difference. We will also use what we have learned about moral theory and reasoning, supplemented by new reading and additional research on line, to prepare and hold debates about several very controversial contemporary moral issues.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Stephen Martin
TO BE OFFERED: Section 003 Monday & Wednesday 11:20 a.m. – 12:35 p.m,
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Philosophy aims to provide good arguments for true answers to interesting questions. Among those questions are: What is it to provide a good argument? What does it mean for an answer to be true? And what makes a question interesting? In this course, we will attempt to make progress on these questions by investigating areas of ethical concern like the nature of right and wrong and what makes a good life. You will learn the rudiments of arguing rigorously about topics that have engaged some of the world’s deepest and most insightful thinkers, and you will come to understand why the problems of philosophy have not, and perhaps will not, go away.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Linda Paglierani
TO BE OFFERED: Section 010 Tuesday & Thursday, 9:55 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
To examine, analyze, consider, compare ways of philosophical thinking. To study and apply the kinds of thinking that are associated with the various branches of philosophy. To apply systematic philosophical approaches to issues of everyday life, such as in situations of Ethics, or matters of justice, freedom, and responsibility, as well as in areas of Epistemology, Metaphysics, Perception, and Aesthetics, for example. We will consider cases that challenge students to question the sufficient and necessary choices people make to live a life worth living, with meaning and purpose. We will consider the relationship of the individual to the group, society, culture, history, and in content with world view. We will study these topics in relation to the themes that are part of the history of ideas in Philosophy, to include Naturel Nurture theory, and the variations of influence that develop character and free will. Students will have a cross section of interdisciplinary readings in the history of ideas in this discipline and in its thematic content to explore ideas and ways of thinking related to our study. Additional materials and forums for discussion beyond course content will illustrate our study. All topics will have direct application to Bentley students.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Ann E. Reeves
TO BE OFFERED: Section FN1, Tuesday & Friday 11:20 a.m.-12:35 p.m.
Section CO2, Tuesday & Thursday 3:35 p.m.-4:50 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Is killing or harming another person (or other people) ever justifiable? What about torture? If so, under what circumstances, and why?Should medical professionals be allowed to help people who are ill die?If so, what people, how, and why?If not, why not?What part should autonomy play in a person’s right to die?Does it even make sense to talk about “a right to die?”When it comes to such questions, how should severely cognitively impaired persons be treated?Are they “persons” at all?Why or why not?What IS a “person?”Does “personhood” have any bearing on the rights and moral status of a being?What are “rights?”Can animals be said to have rights or, for that matter, any moral standing at all?On what is moral standing based?Does the fetus have moral standing?If so, at what point does it attain it, and what impact does that have on the question of the legitimacy of abortion?If the fetus has no moral standing, why not, and how does that impact the moral permissibility of abortion?
The questions go on and on.They are incredibly difficult to answer, but they must be answered, and we must do our best to answer them.“Doing our best” entails framing, questioning, examining, defending, and critiquing our beliefs and actions, as well as listening to the ideas of others and reading the arguments about these and other issues made by a variety of philosophers over the years.
That is at least a part of what philosophy is about and that process is what we will be exploring.
Fall 2014
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Nicolas Rofougaran
TO BE OFFERED: Section 009 Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Section E01 Thursday 6:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is an introduction to the basic notions and thinking processes of philosophy. Negotiation, however, is the lens through which this course approaches philosophical issues. As a negotiator in any situation my dilemma is the following: in order to create value, I must reveal information about my interests, but revealing my interests can put me at a disadvantage in distributing value. Indeed, striking a balance between effective strategy and truthfulness is also an ethical challenge. We will explore issues of negotiation ethics in business, problems due to adversarial science in environmental disputes, and questions posed by the social impacts of negotiation, in order to discover the main theories of philosophy in ethics, epistemology, and political philosophy, respectively.
This course has two sections: 1. Philosophy of Knowledge; 2. Moral and Political Philosophy. Accordingly, this course has two sets of goals: to formulate, discuss, and provide elements of answers to questions such as: What is knowledge? What is truth? Is knowledge possible at all? Does knowledge require certainty? What are the sources of knowledge? for the first section; What makes an action right or wrong? What things are intrinsically good? Are ethical values intrinsic values? Are moral standards objective or subjective? What is justice? What is freedom? What is equality? Are freedom and equality the basis for social justice? for the second section.
The student objectives of this course are threefold:
1. To become better thinkers through an acquaintance with philosophical reasoning and argumentation insofar as these processes can be actually used in everyday argumentative situations such as debates and negotiations.
2. To be introduced to issues, theories, and methodology found in philosophy, and 3. to develop a critical awareness of both your own views and those of others on the relationship between ethics and metaphysics, freedom and causality, science and politics, competition and collaboration.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Axel Seeman
TO BE OFFERED: Section H02, Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00- 6:15 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Two of the most important questions in philosophy are:
1) What is the mind?
2) What is moral responsibility?
The two questions are interconnected. We need to understand what the mind is in order to understand what it means to have free will. And we need to understand free will in order to explain the possibility of moral responsibility. In this course, we will explore this connection.
(Fall 2014)
PH 101: Problems of Philosophy
INSTRUCTOR: Lorne Smith
TO BE OFFERED: Section H01, Tuesday & Friday, 11:20 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
Section 011, Tuesday & Friday, 12:45 p.m. -2:00 p.m.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Rational belief acquisition forms the core of the course's concerns. Our decisions about what to believe determine our behavior. Making belief decisions thus constitutes a central undertaking in our lives; making the right decisions determines how well we live. Argumentation plays a crucial role in our decisions about what to believe, if we want to be rational. But we acquire false beliefs as well as true ones, often through persuasion, and we want to avoid being persuaded to accept false beliefs. So the course considers the conditions under which we should not be persuaded. Beliefs, arguments, and persuasion form the subject matters of epistemology, logic, and rhetoric -- the course's main subjects. But what about morality? The course will also consider whether we can be rational about morality