PHIL 101

Self, World, & God

Fall Quarter 2010

Dr. Jeff Johnson

NEW WITHDRAW POLICY

A student may drop from a course for any reason with no record on the student's transcript before the end of the 4th week of the term. Thereafter, a student must withdraw from the course (see withdrawal policy).

Drop fees will be assessed in accordance with the fee policies stated in the Schedule of Classes.

Withdrawal Policy (effective Winter, 2010):

There are two types of withdrawal - withdrawal from a course and withdrawal from the University.

From a course:

A student may withdraw from the 5th week of the term through the 7th week with a grade of "W" indicated on the transcript.

No withdrawals will be issued after the 7th week of the term. Instructors will issue a letter grade (A-F, or I) for all students enrolled after the 7th week. A student making adequate academic progress during the term and needing to withdraw after the 7th week may request an incomplete from the instructor.

Withdrawal forms [for on campus courses] are available in the Registrar's Office.

Who are we?  What is our relationship to the world?  Were we created by God?  Are we the product of evolution?  Questions of self almost automatically raise questions of the world we live in, and of religion.  This quarter Self, World, and God will focus on two classical philosophical questions.  "What evidence do we have for or against the existence of God?" and "What evidence do we have about the relationship between mind and body?"  In order to even begin to address these questions we will need some theory of what evidence is, and when it counts as good evidence.  Thus, we will begin our course by investigating a theory of evidence called inference to the best explanation. I hope to convince you that this short, non-technical, model of evidence evaluation can be of value to you, not just in our course, but for the rest of your academic, and indeed, professional careers.  We will then apply this model to the fascinating historical and contemporary attempts to provide evidence for, but also against, the existence of the God of western theism.  Finally we will investigate the emerging field of cognitive science and I hope discover that all sorts of relevant evidence is beginning to show us how our minds work.

The three sections of our course will be utilizing three related "texts" two of which I am in the process of writing.  Neither of them are yet complete, but each is in a very different stage.  We will begin with what is now the third full draft of my manuscript Inferring and Explaining.

Here's a link to the book

I am counting on you to help me improve it with your comments and questions.  The second part of our course will a few of my professional articles and PowerPoint slides that will constitute the outline of the first draft of my new manuscript Religious Evidence. These are available in the Course Documents folder   You will be the first group of students I have shared this basic outline with, and I am anxious to see what your feedback is.  Eventually I hope to have a third manuscript, but for now we will use "reserve readings" available in the Course Documents folder

For almost two decades now I have been using Hollywood cinema in this course to show how this fun and exciting medium deals with, and indeed furthers the discussion of, traditional philosophical issues.  We will be seeing nine films this quarter. You are responsible for joining us as a group on Wednesday evenings for the collective viewing of each week's film.

OUTCOMES, ASSESSMENTS, & GRADES

 

UWR Writing Intensive Outcomes:

 

    1. Students will produce at least 3,000 words (including drafts, in-class writing, informal papers, and polished papers); 1,000 words of this total should be in polished papers which students have revised after receiving feedback and criticism.
    2. Students will be introduced to the discourse forms appropriate to the discipline the course represents.
    3. Students will write at least one paper integrating information from at least one source, employing the appropriate documentation style for the discipline represented by the course.
    4. Students will draft, revise, and edit their formal written work.
      Students will seek assistance from a Writing Tutor in the Writing Lab when needed and when referred by the instructor.

 

General Education Outcomes:

 

    1. Learn and use the vocabulary, content, and conceptual knowledge in a variety of disciplines. (CONTENT KNOWLEDGE)
    2. Think clearly, critically, and effectively, taking into consideration purpose, audience, and occasion. (CRITICAL THINKING)
    3. An appreciation for aesthetic expressions of humanity and the ability to analyze texts. (AEH)

 

Additional Outcomes:

 

    1. Understand "inference to the best explanation" as a tool for evidence evaluation.
    2. Understand some of the standard arguments for and against the existence of the God of western theism.
    3. Appreciate the philosophical implications of contemporary cognitive science
    4. Read philosophical texts critically and with understanding.
    5. Critically view cinema dealing with philosophical issues.
    6. Write effectively about philosophical and scientific controversies.
    7. Write effectively about philosophical issues in contemporary cinema

 

Means of Assessment and Grading:

  • Three, open-book, essay examinations -- 20% each (outcomes 8 through 11, and 13)

  • A 1000 to 1500 words analytical paper -- 30% of course grade. (outcomes 1 through 8 and 13)

  • A portfolio of nine short (300 to 400 words) on assigned movies -- 10% of course grade. (outcomes 12 and 14)
  • Please note: A grade of C- or better is required in order for this course to count toward the University Writing Requirement

ACADEMIC HONESTY

 

I am including below Eastern's Academic Honesty Code.  It is vitally important that you carefully read it, and that you understand that it is my intention to follow this code to the letter.  I really can't think of a better way to ruin your experience with this course, than to disregard this code.  Obviously, if you have any questions, I can't urge you too strongly to ask me.

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY CODE

 

All members of the Eastern Oregon University academic community are responsible for compliance with its Academic Honesty Code. Students are required to report violations to the respective faculty member of a course. Provisions of the Academic Honesty Code are:

 

  1. Collaboration while taking any quizzes, in-class examinations, or take home examinations without the instructor's written approval is forbidden. The faculty member is responsible for defining limits for other collaborative learning activities for each course.
  1. Plagiarism or representation of the work of others as one's own is forbidden. The faculty member will make clear the format for properly citing sources of information not original by the student.
  1. Explicit approval by all instructors is required if the same work is to be submitted to more than one course, even if is not within the same term.

Violations of the Academic Honesty Code may result in both academic and behavioral penalties including possible suspension or expulsion from the University.

An automatic grade of zero for any work which is a violation of the Academic Honesty Code will be assigned by the instructor. The instructor may also assign a grade of F for the course after discussion with the respective School Dean. Students may appeal the course grade to the respective School Dean, who is the final level of appeal on the matter of course grade penalties for academic dishonesty.

The faculty member is also required to file a disciplinary complaint to the Vice President for Student Affairs about any student believed to have violated the Academic Honesty Code. If deemed appropriate, hearing procedures will be implemented by a University Hearing Officer as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Possible sanctions considered by the Student Conduct Committee include probation, suspension, and expulsion.

 

COURSE  CALENDAR

Color Code:

Topic of lecture and reading

Assigned Reading (Course Documents folder)

Movie

9/27

Course Introduction

 Arguments

Chapter One

 Inference to the Best Explanation

Chapter Two

An Inconvenient

Truth

Inference to the Best Explanation

Chapter Two

10/4

Analytical Paper

Gore's Evidence

 New Data

Chapter Three

 Sience and Experiments

Chapter Four

The Thin Blue Line

  Darwin

Chapter Five

10/11

Darwin

Chapter Five

 Textual Interpretation

Chapter Seven

Textual Interpretation

Chapter Seven

Creation

Correlations & Causes

Chapter Eight

Midterm Exam -- Due 10/18

10/18

Natural Theology

 Three World Views

Johnson -- Nature of Religion

Shindler's List Peer Review

 10/25

Religion as a By-product

Atran reading

Bloom reading

Religion as a By-product

  Religion as Adaptive

Wade reading

Invention of Lying

 Theism and the Divine Attributes

11/1

Cosmological Argument

Analytical Paper Due 11/1

Classical Teleological Argument

Johnson -- New Teleological Argument

New  Teleological Argument

 Whale Rider

Testimony

Chapter Six

11/8

Mystical Testimony

Johnson -- Mysical Testimony

 Mystical Testimony  

Problem of Evil

Johnson --- Articles on Evil

The Third Miracle   

  Problem of Evil
Midterm Exam -- Due 11/15

11/15

Mind's Big Bang

Evolution of Consciousness

Dawkins -- Selfisth Genes

 A.I.

Turing -- "Computing Machinery and Intelligence"

Regarding Henry

A.I.

11/22

A.I.

 What about God?

 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

11/29

Language

Johnson -- "The Argument from Lanugage"

 Language

 Morality

Johnson -- "Explanation, Human Nature, and Tort Theory" pp. 347-57

Midnight Clear

Morality
Final Exam -- Due 12/6