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This Is Philosophy: an Introduction Steven D This is Philosophy: An Introduction Steven D. Hales Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2013 Table of Contents Dedication Table of contents How to use this book Preface Chapter one. Ethics: Preliminary Theories I. The normative universe II. Is morality just acting on principles? III. Divine Command Theory (Is morality just what God tells me to do?) IV. Egoism (Is morality just my own personal code?) A. psychological and ethical egoism B. objections a. horrible consequences b. subjectivity c. equal treatment V. Moral relativism (Is morality just how society says we should act?) A. descriptive and moral relativism B. criticism objection VI. Annotated bibliography Chapter two. Ethics: The Big Three Theories I. Utilitarianism (Is morality doing what I can to make this the best world possible?) A. consequentialism and hedonism B. measuring pains and pleasures C. quality and quantity D. objections a. practicality b. invasiveness c. supererogation d. Simpson’s paradox e. agent-relative intuitions f. nothing is absolutely wrong II. Deontology, or Kantianism (Is there an absolute moral law?) A. imperatives and good motives B. categorical imperative, version 1 a. ways a principle of action can violate the categorical imperative i. inconsistency ii. inconsistent willing C. categorical imperative, version 2 D. objections a. generality b. agent-neutral intuitions c. horrible consequences III. Virtue Ethics (Is morality all about having a virtuous character?) A. what is virtue? B. what is character? C. objections a. virtue is compatible with evil b. clashing virtues c. relativism about virtues d. there is no such thing as character IV. Conclusion V. Annotated bibliography Chapter three. God I. Faith A. confidence B. belief without reason II. The attributes of God III. Why there is a God A. argument from scripture B. ontological argument a. presentation of the argument b. objections i. the fool’s response ii. reverse parody iii. existence is not a property C. cosmological argument a. presentation of the argument b. objections i. inconsistency ii. problem of the attributes iii. alternative scientific explanations D. Teleological argument or the argument from design a. presentation of the argument b. objections i. weaknesses in the watch analogy ii. alternative scientific explanations iii. problem of the attributes iv. problem of uniqueness v. explaining the complexity of God E. Pascal’s Wager a. presentation of the argument b. objections i. unforced wagering ii. the odds of God iii. assumes loads of Christian theology without argument iv. the value of your life v. an alternate ending vi. problem of other Gods vii. involuntarism of belief and self-deception IV. Why there is no God A. proving a negative B. argument from religious pluralism a. objection from scientific analogy b. response C. problem of evil a. presentation of argument b. objections i. just give up an attribute ii. it’s all part of God’s greater plan iii. free will 1. presentation of argument 2. responses a. moral vs. natural evil b. what’s the value of free will? c. the irresponsible owner d. why doesn’t God intervene? V. Conclusion VI. Annotated bibliography Chapter four. Freedom I. Definition of free will II. Why there is no free will, part 1: divine foreknowledge A. presentation of the argument B. objections a. atheism and agnosticism b. Aristotle’s answer III. Why there is no free will, part 2: a regress of reasons for acting A. previous decisions vs. outside forces B. the argument against free will C. the digger wasp IV. Why there is no free will, part 3: the dilemma argument A. the threat of determinism B. will randomness make us free? C. the dilemma argument against free will D. free will and moral responsibility E. agent causation a. objections i. mystery ii. magic F. compatibilism a. objections i. too little freedom ii. too much freedom V. The feeling of freedom VI. Conclusion VII. Annotated bibliography Chapter five. Self I. The problem of difference and the problem of sameness II. Preliminary positions A. the luz bone B. fingerprints C. DNA III. The soul criterion A. conceptions of the soul a. soul = mind b. soul = ghost c. soul = vitalist force d. soul = supernatural stuff B. objections a. definition b. evidence c. identification IV. The physicalist criterion A. Abigail—the case of ordinary aging B. closest physical continuer relation a. causation b. similarity C. Kenny—the case of loss D. brain transplants V. The psychological criterion A. closest psychological continuer relation a. the memory interpretation i. objections 1. sleep 2. brave officer paradox 3. circularity b. broader psychological connections i. severe psychological disruption 1. the case of Clive Wearing 2. the case of Phineas Gage VI. The bundle theory A. split-brain surgery B. Buddha and Hume C. The Sex Pistols V. Conclusion VI. Annotated bibliography Chapter six. Mind I. The rare and mysterious mind II. First theory of the mind: substance dualism A. physical and mental substances B. Descartes’s conceivability argument for dualism C. objections a. conceivability and possibility b. the mind-body problem c. other minds III. Second theory of the mind: behaviorism A. explanation of the theory B. objection: mental states without behavior a. saying and asserting b. dispositions IV. Third theory of the mind: mind-brain identity theory A. explanation of the theory B. objections a. the subjectivity of experience i. different pathways to the same facts response 1. knowledge argument rejoinder b. multiple realizability V. Fourth theory of the mind: functionalism A. explanation of the theory a. the mind as software b. the Turing Test B. objections a. emotions, feelings, and sensations i. replies 1. emotionless human beings 2. the evidence for emotions is behavioral b. creativity i. reply: Deep Blue, Experiments in Musical Intelligence, Watson c. the Chinese room VI. Conclusion VII. Annotated bibliography Chapter seven. Knowledge I. The value of truth A. the rational principle B. the hedonist’s challenge a. the hedonist’s principle b. intrinsic and instrumental value II. The value of evidence A. fraud and quackery B. ways we can go wrong III. How much evidence do we need? A. part 1: we need a lot a. Clifford’s dictum b. parable of the shipowner B. part 2: go on, take a chance a. options with mixed evidence b. the risk averse and risk positive principles i. truth and error version ii. pain and pleasure version iii. guilt and innocence version c. surprising results i. evidence against P = evidence for not-P ii. case of zero evidence IV. Sources of evidence A. perception, testimony, memory, reason B. empiricism a. criticisms i. knowledge not grounded in experience ii. a priori knowledge V. The nature of knowledge A. analysis of knowledge, first attempt a. problem of luck B. analysis of knowledge, second attempt a. problem of luck redux VI. The skeptic’s challenge A. modest skepticism and radical skepticism B. dreamers, demons, and movies a. dream argument b. the Demon c. The Matrix C. the theater of the mind a. metaphysical and epistemic principles b. skeptic’s argument c. what can we know anyway? 1. cogito ergo sum 2. phenomenal states 3. intentional states d. Moore’s response VII. The counterfeit detector A. genuine and counterfeit money B. particularism and methodism C. problem of the circle a. for money b. for beliefs D. the wheel VIII. Annotated bibliography .
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