First-Year Courses in Philosophy This page was created at 6:56 PM on Mon, Jan 21, 2002. Winter Academic Term, 2002 (January 7 - April 26) Open courses in Philosophy (*Not real-time Information. Review the "Data current as of: " statement at the bottom of hyperlinked page) Wolverine Access Subject listing for PHIL Winter Academic Term '02 Time Schedule for Philosophy. PHIL 180. Introductory Logic. Instructor(s): Prerequisites & Distribution: Credit is granted for only one of Phil. 180 or 201. (3). (HU). (BS). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This course is designed both to improve critical reasoning skills that could be of use in a wide range of disciplines and careers, and to provide an introduction to formal logic. The course examines some of the problems and fallacies which arise in informal reasoning, some of the elements of formal (symbolic) logic, and logical concepts used in the analysis and criticism of arguments. This course may also give some attention to issues in branches of philosophy germane to logic, for example, the theory of knowledge, philosophy of language, and metaphysics. There will be lectures, demonstrations of problem-solving techniques, and a variety of exercises. The course is limited to 50 students, which should permit opportunity for discussion. Texts and methods of evaluation to be determined. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 181. Philosophical Issues: An Introduction. Instructor(s): Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 182, 202, 231, 232, 234, or 297. (3). (HU). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This course examines some of the main problems of philosophy, such as: How do we know that anything exists, other than ourselves? Are minds immaterial spirits, or are minds brains and hence nothing but complex physical objects? If human actions are causally determined by heredity and environment, is there any free will or moral responsibility? Is abortion, or euthanasia, or suicide, morally permissible? Is the nature and extent of our moral obligations determined by our feelings, self-interest, social convention, Divine commands, or something else? What are the different kinds of social, political, and economic organization, and what reasons are there for preferring one to another? How should one live one's life? What is the meaning of life, and what does this question mean? Are there good reasons for believing that God exists? Students will write papers discussing a number of these topics. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 196. First Year Seminar. Section 001 – Nature and Virtue in Chinese and Western Philosophy. Instructor(s): Philip Ivanhoe Prerequisites & Distribution: Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may pre-register for First-Year Seminars. All others need permission of instructor. (3). (HU). First-Year Seminar Credits: (3). Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ivanhoe/phil196.htm This course is an introduction to various views, taken from both traditional Chinese and Western philosophy, about the character of human nature and its relationship to conceptions of the virtues. Most thinkers who can be described as "virtue ethicists" ground their views about the virtues in an understanding of human nature. The idea is that in one way or another virtues are those traits of character that facilitate and encourage the flourishing of human nature and lead to the living of good human lives. In addition to exploring and comparing a number of examples of eastern and western philosophers who espouse different versions of virtue ethics, we will also examine more recent philosophical writings on virtue ethics. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 196. First Year Seminar. Section 002 – Character. Instructor(s): Rachana Kamtekar (rkamteka@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may pre-register for First-Year Seminars. All others need permission of instructor. (3). (HU). First-Year Seminar Credits: (3). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. When we judge that one person is friendly and another generous, are we merely summarizing their behavior, or also attributing certain character-traits to them? What is a character-trait? For example, is it a 'disposition,' and how should we understand a disposition? What is the relationship between having a disposition to behave in a certain way and actually behaving in that way? How broad is a character-trait – should a person's character be described as 'honest' or 'honest on tests?' Does how you reason count as part of your character or not? What does empirical psychology show us about whether such things as character-traits exist? If they do exist, how do they arise, and can we alter our characters? If not, how ought we understand people's behavior – what, for example, is the role of people's environments, both in the short and long run? Readings for this course will be in moral philosophy and social psychology. Students will be expected to write a number of short (approx. 2 pp.) papers and to participate actively in class discussion. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 201. Introduction to Logic. Instructor(s): Prerequisites & Distribution: Credit is granted for only one of Phil. 180 or 201. (3). (HU). (BS). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This course aims to give students a thorough understanding of the fundamental forms of reasoning and rational argument, and to improve critical reasoning skills that could be of use in a wide range of disciplines and careers. The course examines some of the problems and fallacies which arise in informal reasoning and logical concepts used in the analysis and criticism of arguments. Some elements of formal (symbolic) logic might be introduced. Though students will be expected to master some technical detail, the course emphasizes informal logical techniques applicable to problem solving and argument in any area of inquiry. Both deductive and inductive patterns of argument will be examined. The small section size (25 students) is conducive to informality and considerable student participation. There will also be lectures, demonstrations of problem-solving techniques, and a variety of exercises. Normally, there are weekly assignments and short, periodic quizzes. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 202. Introduction to Philosophy. Instructor(s): Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 181, 182, 231, 232, 234, or 297. (3). (HU). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This course introduces students to philosophy through an examination of some central philosophical problems. Topics might include: Are minds immaterial spirits, or are minds brains and hence nothing but complex physical objects? If human actions are causally determined by heredity and environment, is there any moral responsibility? Is abortion, or euthanasia, or suicide, morally permissible? Is the nature and extent of our moral obligations determined by our feelings, self-interest, social convention, Divine commands, or something else? What are the reasons for preferring one kind of social, political, and economic organization to another? Are there good reasons for believing that God exists? How do we know that anything exists, other than ourselves? In addressing these questions, some sections focus on major historical figures, e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, and Kant; others focus on writings of twentieth century philosophers. Requirements usually include a number of short, critical papers. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 232. Problems of Philosophy. Section 001. Instructor(s): James M Joyce (jjoyce@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 181, 182, 202, 231, 234, or 297. (4). (HU). Credits: (4; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jjoyce/phil232.htm This course provides undergraduates with a broad overview of modern philosophy. Topics to be covered will include at least some of the following: The problem of knowledge: How are we able to know things about aspects of the world that go beyond facts about our immediate experiences? The problem of free will: Do we choose our actions freely, or is what we do determined by past events? Can a person be held morally responsible for actions that s/he did not freely perform? The problem of our knowledge of the external world: How can we gain knowledge of the world external to our minds given that we have access to nothing but our thoughts and experiences? The problem of morality: What features of actions make them morally right or morally wrong? Is there any reason for us to act morally? The problem of God: It is possible to establish God's existence by argument alone? Is the existence of God confirmed by what we know about the world? The problem of the state: On what is the state's authority based? Under what conditions can a government restrict individual freedoms for the purpose of securing collective benefits? Students will be asked to read about 30 pages of material per week, to write two 7-8 page papers, and to take a midterm examination and a cumulative final exam. TEXTS: Feinberg, J. and Shafer-Landau, R. Reason and Responsibility, 11th ed. (Wadsworth Press, 2001) Feinberg, J. Doing Philosophy, 2nd ed. (Wadsworth Press, 2002) Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 296. Honors Introduction to Logic. Section 001 – Symbolic Logic. Instructor(s): Allan F Gibbard (gibbard@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: Honors students or permission of instructor. Credit is granted for only one of Phil. 203, 303, or 296. (3). (MSA). (BS). (QR/1). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This is a course in modern symbolic logic. The guiding idea is to use a symbolic language to examine such logical properties and relations as valid inference, consistency and inconsistency, and logical truth. We will study ways of reasoning about reasoning. There will be two in-class exams and a final exam. Homework will be assigned weekly, and satisfactory completion of the homework is a requirement of the course. Many good honors students will find this course challenging, and working with course material should help students to develop skills in understanding concepts and methods of argumentation that are initially difficult. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 297. Honors Introduction to Philosophy. Section 001 – Free Will, God, and Ethics. Instructor(s): Jessica M Wilson (jwils@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: Honors students or permission of instructor. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 181, 182, 202, 231, 232, or 234. (3). (HU). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. In this course, we'll focus on a central debate in each of three broad area divisions of philosophy. In metaphysics, we'll consider the question: Is there such a thing as free will? In epistemology, we'll consider the question: What evidence is there, or could there be, for the existence of God? In ethics, we'll consider the question: What serves as the ground for our moral judgments? These debates interestingly inform each other. For example, if we have reason to believe that an omniscient God exists, so that it is now known what I will be doing in the future, then how can any of my actions be free? And if none of my actions are free, then in what sense can I be said to be morally responsible? On the other hand, God has, throughout history, been looked to as the source of objective moral law. If God doesn't exist, then are there non-relativistic standards that can serve as such a source of morality? One of the meta-goals of this course will be for students to arrive at answers to these questions that sit well together. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 297. Honors Introduction to Philosophy. Section 002. Instructor(s): Kendall L Walton (klwalton@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: Honors students or permission of instructor. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 181, 182, 202, 231, 232, or 234. (3). (HU). Credits: (3; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. This course will introduce the student to several major areas of philosophy, including ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind, concentrating on issues concerning values and morality, our knowledge of the external world, the nature of persons, and relations between the mental and the physical. We will explore such questions as: How are we to decide what we ought to do and how to live our lives? Is there any such thing as "objective" morality? What is value? Is there a real world independent of our ways of thinking and talking about it? What kinds of evidence do we have about the world? How is a person's mental life, her thoughts, desires, intentions, etc., related to her physical and verbal behavior, and to her physiological or neurological states? Can machines think? Can we be mistaken about our own mental states? How can we know about the mental lives of other people? We will discuss what a number of philosophers have said on these topics, including important historical figures such as René Descartes, David Hume, and J.S. Mill, and a variety of recent and contemporary philosophers. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. PHIL 355. Contemporary Moral Problems. Section 001 – Meets with Philosophy 455.001. Instructor(s): Rebecca Walker (walkerrl@umich.edu) Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Phil. 455. (4). (HU). Credits: (4; 2 in the half-term). Course Homepage: No homepage submitted. In contemporary life, we are faced with many questions that have moral dimensions only some of which may be obvious to us. In this course, we will delve into the moral dimensions of a range of contemporary issues, including biotechnology and modern medicine, equality, affirmative action, freedom of expression, justice across national boundaries and across generations, and the treatment of animals. In the process, we will also be examining different conceptions of morality and justice, and the presuppositions about human nature, society, and value that underlie them. Throughout the course we will be concerned with issues of race and gender and how these categories interplay with the moral issues that we grapple with in contemporary society. Check Times, Location, and Availability Cost: No Data Given. Waitlist Code: No Data Given. This page was created at 6:56 PM on Mon, Jan 21, 2002. 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