Doing Philosophy An Introduction Through Thought Experiments

Preface CHAPTER 1 The Philosophical Enterprise Section 1.1 Explaining the Possibility of the Impossible: Philosophical Problems and Theories Philosophical Problems The Stakes in Philosophical Inquiry The Mind-Body Problem The Problem of Free Will The Problem of Personal Identity The Problem of Moral Relativism The Problem of Evil The Problem of Skepticism Necessary and Sufficient Conditions Socrates and the Socratic Method Science and the Scientific Method Logical versus Causal Possibility Section 1.2 Evidence and Inference: Proving Your Point Deductive Arguments Inductive Arguments Informal Fallacies Section 1.3 The Laboratory of the Mind: Thought Experiments How Are Thought Experiments Possible? Criticizing Thought Experiments Conceivability and Possibility Scientific Thought Experiments Readings: Bertrand Russell, "The Value of Philosophy" Brand Blanshard, "The Philosophic Enterprise" Robert Nozick, "Philosophy as an Art Form" CHAPTER 2 The Mind-Body Problem Section 2.1 The Ghost in the Machine: Mind as Soul Descartes's Doubt I Think, Therefore I Am The Conceivability Argument The Divisibility Argument The Problem of Interaction The Causal Closure of the Physical The Problem of Other Minds Section 2.2 You Are What You Eat: Mind as Body Empiricism Logical Positivism Logical Behaviorism The Identity Theory Section 2.3 I, Robot: Mind as Software Artificial Intelligence Functionalism and Feeling The Turing Test Intentionality Section 2.4 There Ain't No Such Things as Ghosts: Mind as Myth Folk Psychology Subjective Knowledge Section 2.5 The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: Mind as Quality Primitive Intentionality Mental Dependence The Causal Exclusion Problem Emergentism Readings: Rene Descartes, "Meditations on First Philosophy: Meditation II" Richard Taylor, "Materialism vs. Dualism" David Chalmers, "The Puzzle of Concious Experience" Terry Bisson, "They're Made of Meat" CHAPTER 3 Free Will and Determinism Section 3.1 The Luck of the Draw: Freedom as Chance Hard Determinism Indeterminism Section 3.2 The Mother of Invention: Freedom as Necessity Traditional Compatibilism Hierarchical Compatibilism Section 3.3 Control Yourself: Freedom as Self-Determination The Case for Freedom Agent-Causation Readings: Robert Blatchford, "The Delusion of Free Will" W. T. Stace, "The Problem of Free Will" Corliss Lamont, "Freedom of Choice and Human Responsibility" Thomas D. Davis, "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" CHAPTER 4 The Problem of Personal Identity Section 4.1 We Are Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On: Self as Substance Animalism The Soul Theory Section 4.2 Golden Memories: Self as Psyche The Memory Theory The Reduplication Problem Section 4.3 You Can't Step into the Same River Twice: Self as Process The Brain Theory Split Brains Closest Continuer Theories Identity and What Matters in Survival Identity and What Matters in Responsibility Explaining the Self Readings: John Locke, "Of Identity and Diversity" Thomas Reid, "On Mr. Locke's Account of Personal Identity" Derek Parfit, "Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons" Ray Kurzweil, "Live Forever" CHAPTER 5 The Problem of Relativism and Morality Section 5.1 Don't Question Authority: Might Makes Right Subjective Absolutism Subjective Relativism Emotivism Cultural Relativism The Divine Command Theory Are There Universal Moral Principles? Section 5.2 The End Justifies the Means: Good Makes Right Ethical Egoism Act-Utilitarianism Rule-Utilitarianism Section 5.3 Much Obliged: Duty Makes Right Kant's Categorical Imperative Ross's Prima Facie[read more]