Course Syllabus, Fall 2019, Loyola University New Orleans PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON PHIL-R122-008 // MWF 01:30-02:20PM // Monroe Hall 528

Instructor: Joel MacClellan, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy Office: Bobet 437 Office Hours: T 1-3pm and by appointment Email: [email protected] Office Phone: (504) 865-2032 Philosophy Department’s Phone: (504) 865-3940

Prerequisite for the Course: N/A.

Textbook(s): None. All required and recommended readings are available via Blackboard. It is highly recommended that you print out the readings rather than reading them on a computer screen.

Key Dates: Exam 1: 09/27; Exam 2: 11/08; Exam 3: 12/13, 11:30-1:30 p.m.

Course Description: This is an introductory course in philosophy, which may be roughly defined as the study of the ultimate questions for which we have no scientific techniques to answer. This has at least two important implications: (1) philosophy is a field of lively debate, not of settled facts, and (2) philosophy is tremendously diverse. This course is neither a broad introduction to philosophy nor a course in the history of philosophy. Rather, it will be a relatively focused introduction to a select few philosophical questions at the intersection of value and reality. The questions we will deal with in this course are: Does God exist? Are we really “free?” If freedom is an illusion, are we still responsible for our actions? What is morality and how is it justified? Is morality relative to one’s culture or does it transcend this relativism? Notice how these philosophical questions all involve our place in the world and its meaning: the human condition. This course will not give you “The Answers” to these questions, since no one knows them with certainty. Rather, what you should get from this course are: (1) a better understanding of philosophical questions in general and the above in particular, (2) knowledge of the answers given by some of the best philosophers – past and present – to these questions, (3) increased skill in reasoning, abstract thinking, and reading comprehension, and (4) a deepened appreciation of the limitations of human knowledge. These questions are of fundamental importance, and for this reason they generate controversy and debate, both of which are encouraged in classroom discussions. You will gain the most from this course by involving yourself personally through examining and challenging ideas of your own and those of others.

Student Learning Outcomes: - Critical Thinking: Articulate and explain central arguments to perennial philosophical questions; Articulate, clarify, and defend your own responses to these questions. - Philosophical Problems: Explain the nature of a philosophical problem in general and the particular philosophical problems concerning dieties, human nature, and morality. - Written Communication: Write clear and cogent responses to quiz and exam questions. - Oral Communication: Express and rationally defend responses to philosophical questions in class discussions. Articulate philosophical questions of one’s own. - Course Objectives: The Department of Philosophy has identified specific goals and objectives for majors, minors, which pertains to such students in this course. Explanations of these goals and objectives are available online here.

Important Note: Please familiarize with the University-wide “Syllabus Part 2” on LORA. This contains important information about university policies and procedures about Academic Honesty and Plagiarism, Course Drop and Withdrawal Policy, Administrative Drop Policy for Online Students, Office for Accessible Education, Emergency Procedures, University Counseling Center, Title IX, etc. that apply to all courses.

Classroom Decorum: - Arrive on time and do not leave class early. Class will always begin and end on time. - Stay focused and eliminate distractions. The use of electronics such as laptops for note-taking purposes is prohibited without prior permission. The use of cell-phones is strictly prohibited Turn your phones off (do not merely placed on vibrate) and store them out of sight for the duration of the class. Do not read the newspaper, do work for other classes, eat disruptively, or 2 nap during class time. It is distracting to others, including me, and means you’re not getting out of the class what you could be. - Being polite is a way of expressing kindness and respect for another human being. This is something each of us wants, including me. We will cover some controversial subjects. Keep an open mind and always keep discussion civil. - Contact me early if you are having problems, not at the end of the semester or after the semester has ended. - Reread the syllabus before emailing the instructor with logistical questions about the course.

Email and Blackboard Access: You will need an active my.loyno email account in order to receive email announcements from me via Blackboard, and you should check this email regularly during the semester. You will also need access to Blackboard for several required and recommended course readings. You should also regularly check Blackboard for announcements and updates about the course. Please contact IT at http://academicaffairs.loyno.edu/infotech/ if you require assistance with your Network ID, email account, or access to Blackboard.

Missed Work, Late Work, and Incompletes: Students must complete all major coursework (i.e. exams) in order to receive a passing grade. Quizzes cannot be made up. However, the lowest few quiz scores will be dropped. Make-up exams and Incompletes will not be given except in extraordinary circumstances and require documentation. Inadequate preparation is not sufficient grounds for a make-up exam. If you miss a scheduled exam, you must contact me, preferably in advance, and never later than three days after the exam. Make up exams may be perceived as harder than the original. Final exams will not be given early. Making early (or late) travel arrangements – including booking flights in advance – does not constitute adequate grounds for an early or make-up exam. A grade of Incomplete (I) will only be given to a passing student who has completed a majority of the coursework, faces extraordinary circumstances, and with permission from the instructor before the end of the semester.

Course Requirements: Attendance: 10%; Quizzes 30%; Exams: 60%

1. Attendance (10%): Attendance will be taken via a sign-in sheet or roll call each day. It is your responsibility to sign in each class. If you arrive late or leave early, you will receive ½ credit at my discretion. If you arrive late, it is your responsibility to assure that your attendance for that day has been recorded. If you know that you need to leave early, please inform me before class. The grading policy for attendance is as follows for unexcused absences: 1 or fewer (100%, A+), 3 or fewer (90%, A-); 4 (85%, B); 5 (75, C); 7 (65%, D); 8 (F, 55%); 10 or more (0%). Note that this is only for the attendance portion of the grade. There are many good reasons to miss class, including illness, particularly those with flu-like systems: flu.gov/symptoms-treatment, family emergency, funeral, or a conflict with sponsored school activities. You are expected to attend class unless you have such a reason. There is no need to notify me via email about routine absences, but if you have an extended illness or some other documentable crisis which will require you to miss more than 6 classes, please contact me for accommodation. Excused absences will only be given in cases of documented illness, university-related travel, and similarly legitimate reasons at my discretion.

2. Quizzes (20%): Classes will occasionally include a brief announced or unannounced quiz over course material, often on the week’s material or the day's reading assignment. These quizzes provide incentive to attending class and participating in its content. Since quizzes are given at the beginning of class, it is important for you to be there on time. There is no predetermined number of quizzes, but there will be more quizzes if people aren’t completing the reading assignments.

3. Examinations (60%; 20% each): The three noncumulative exams will consist of a mix of true/false, multiple choice, and short answer questions. Exams solely test your comprehension of course material. Generally, the questions will require you to identify a concept or relationship, explain some idea or argument, or compare several different arguments or perspectives to one another. All exams are taken in class. Study Guides will be distributed prior to each exam.

The grading rubric for short answer responses is as follows: A Well-written, thorough, and accurate. Answers all aspects of the question and does so well. B Well-written, thorough, and generally accurate, but doesn’t fully capture the idea, or contains a minor inaccuracy. C Gets the main idea, but contains problems of accuracy or completeness, such as failing to answer part of a question. 3 D Serious problems with accuracy or completeness. F Egregious problems with accuracy and completeness.

*4. Participation: Participation in class discussions is a value-added proposition (it cannot hurt your grade but can help it). The purpose of this is to encourage participation while not creating an atmosphere where students may feel that their grade is on the line with what they say or that they are being judged for what they say, and is in response to class size. Participation is worth up to 3% added to your final grade. Philosophy is an area of live inquiry and this policy is designed to facilitate such an open spirit.

Course Calendar: Below is a course calendar of exams and a brief synopsis of topics to be covered. The instructor reserves the right to revise the schedule. Any and all such changes will be announced in class and via Blackboard accompanying a revised reading schedule.

Part 0 (08/19-08/23): Introduction to Philosophy 08/19 Course Introduction; No Readings 08/21 Baker, “Introduction to Philosophical Thinking” Recommended: “How to Read Philosophy” 08/23 Nolt, “Fundamentals of Logic” Part 1 (08/26-09/27): God, Nature, Belief 08/26 & 08/28: Richard Taylor, “The Cosmological Argument: A Defense” . 08/30: David Hume, “Problems with the Cosmological Argument” 09/04: William Paley, “The Argument from Design” 09/06: Stephen Jay Gould, "The Panda's Peculiar Thumb" 09/09 Antony Flew, "Critique of the Global Argument from Design" 09/11 J.L. Mackie, "Evil and Omnipotence" 09/13 John Hick, "The Problem of Evil" 09/16 Kaufmann, “Pascal’s Wager" 09/18 Clifford, "Ethics of Belief" 09/20 James, "The Will to Believe" 09/23 Rauser, "A Defense of Apatheism (Sort of)". Recommended: Jonathan Rauch, "Let it Be", linked early in the article. 09/25 Exam Review 09/27: Exam 1 Part 2 (09/30-11/08): Mind, Will, World 09/30 Foster, “A Defense of Dualism” 10/02 Churchland, “A Critique of Dualism” 10/04 Elliot, “Materialism” 10/07 Jackson, “What Mary Didn’t Know” and Nagel, “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” 10/09 Campbell, “In Defence of Free Will” 10/11 Machan, “A Brief Defense of Free Will” and Corwin, “Robert Harris” 10/14 Fall Break 10/16 Blatchford, “A Defense of Hard Determinism” 10/18 Stace, “The Problem of Free Will” 10/21 Frankfurt, “Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility” 10/23-10/25 Locke, "Of Identity and Diversity" 10/28 Parfit, "Personal Identity" (focus on first section) 10/30 Descartes, “First Meditation” and Grau, “Bad Dreams, Evil Demons, and the Experience Machine” 11/01 Locke, Excerpts from An Essay Concerning Human Understanding 11/04 Moore “Proof of an External World” 11/06 Review for Exam 2 11/08 Exam 2

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Part 3 (11/11-12/13): Action and Responsibility 11/13 Rachels, "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism" 11/15 No Class (Ethics Bowl Travel); take-home assignment on Blackboard. 11/18 Rachels, "Does Morality Depend on Religion?" 11/20 Shaw, "Consequentialism" 11/22 Brad Hooker, “Rule-Utilitarianism and Euthanasia" 11/25 M. Battin, “Sex & Consequences: World Population Growth vs. Reproductive Rights” 12/02 David McNaughton and Piers Rawling, “Deontology” 12/04 Phillip Kitcher, “Human Cloning: A Kantian Approach” 12/06 Denis Arnold, “Sweatshops and Respect for Persons” and Exam Review 12/13 Exam 3: 11:30-1:30 p.m., 12/13