PHIL 1301

Examining the Human Condition: Knowledge, Religion, and

Mind
Fall 2005 Steve Hiltz

Office Hours: T TH 1:50-2:45 JO 5.712 (or by appointment)

214-883-5712 (office) (214) 696 - 6494 (home)
shiltz@mail.smu.edu

The course will investigate a variety of influential

philosophical perspectives, from Plato to the present day, on
topics of perennial interest in epistemology, metaphysics and
philosophy of mind. We will ponder the following questions,
among others: What weight should be given to the roles of sense
perception and abstract conceptual activity in our attempts to
acquire knowledge of the world? Is certainty possible? Can we
attain genuine knowledge of anything beyond Nature? Are there
any valid proofs of the existence of God? What is the most
reasonable attitude to take towards matters of faith? What,
exactly, does it mean to have a mind? What sort of relation
obtains between mental states or events and the physical
dimension of our being? What sort of inquiry is philosophy?

Required reading:
An Introduction to Modern Philosophy: Examining the Human
Condition,
Castell, Borchert, and Zucker

Course Packet (available through UTD Bookstore and Off

Campus Books)

Outline:

The following represents the order of the topics to be

discussed. Flexibility is called for with respect to how
 much time will be spent on the particular subsections. The
page numbers in the text for the relevant readings are
given in parentheses. Students are responsible for knowing
where we are in the schedule, and are expected to have
completed the relevant reading before the topics are
addressed in class. (Subsequent rereading will of course
be necessary, if even a merely adequate grasp of the
subject matter is to be attained.)

Introduction: The Nature of Philosophy; the Example of Socrates

(pp. 1-18)

Section I: Fundamental Concepts in the Investigation of Nature

A. Rationalism

1. Plato: Doxa and Episteme (handout)

2. Descartes: Reason vs. Authority (pp. 20-

38)

B. Empiricism and the Limits of Knowledge

1. Hume: Sense Data and Skepticism (pp. 456-

465)

2. Kant: The A Priori Structure of Cognition (pp.

465-475)

Test #1

Section II: Fundamental Concepts in Theological Inquiry

A. Theism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Nondescriptivism

(handout)

B. Arguments for the Existence of God

1. Anselm’s Ontological Argument (pp.137-

142)
 2. Aquinas’ Cosmological Argument (pp. 143-
150)

3. Hume’s Critique of Natural Theology

(pp. 159-168)

C. Belief Beyond Reason

1. Pascal’s Wager (pp. 151-

159)

2. Huxley’s Rejection of Belief (pp. 178-

184)

3. James’ Will to Believe (pp. 184-

193)

Test #2

Section III: Fundamental Concepts in the Analysis of Mind

A. Dualism

1. Descartes: The Independence of Res Cogitans (pp.

19-38)

B. Monistic Alternatives

1. Ryle: Logical Behaviorism (pp.

39-52)

2. Smart: The Psycho-Physical Identity Thesis

(pp. 52-56)

3. Fodor: Functionalism
(pp. 57-72)

C. Can Machines Think?

1. Turing: Simulation or the Real Thing?

(pp. 72-78)

2. Searle: Computation is Distinct from Mentality

(pp. 78-85)
 3. Churchland and Churchland: Critique of Searle
(pp. 85-94)

Test #3

Grading:

The grade will be determined by three equally weighted

tests corresponding to the three section of the course
outline, and two equally weighted writing assignments (the
first will be on the material from Section I; for the
second you can choose between Section II and III).

The tests will be composed of True-False and Fill-in-the-

Blank/Multiple Choice questions. The writing assignments
call for an organized and articulate response to a number
of questions, which you will select from a given list.
Answers must be typed. The minimum length is 1000 words.
The list of questions will be made available to you well in
advance of the due date, which will be roughly the same as
the date of the corresponding test. (Exact due dates will
be given later; late papers will be penalized.)

Attendance:

Regular (if not perfect) attendance and participation in

class is strongly recommended. If you do not show up for
class — or if you merely show up, unprepared — you cannot
expect to learn much. Past experience has taught me to
back up this advice with a sanction. Consequently, if you
accumulate four unexcused absences you will have five
 points deducted from your next test. Classes start
promptly at 9:30 and are not over until 10:45.

Incompletes:

You cannot get credit for this course without completing

all of the requirements. Moreover, getting a grade of
Incomplete is not automatic. Unless you have applied for
and received permission to take an Incomplete before the
last day of the course, you will receive an F for the
course if there are still assignments outstanding. The
requisite form is available in the Arts and Humanities
office.

Academic Dishonesty:

Cheating or plagiarism of any sort will not be tolerated.

Every piece of work you turn in must be entirely your own.
Writing a paper means both expressing your own thoughts and
expressing them in your own words. You may not copy
unquoted passages from our texts, from any other texts, or
from the internet, even if the passages are brief. No one
else may write a paper for you, whether in whole or in
part. Any cheating or plagiarism on any assignment will
automatically result in the student receiving an F for the
course. In addition to this grade penalty, the case may be
presented to the Office of the Dean of Students, in which
case the student may be subject to further disciplinary
action, such as suspension or dismissal from the
university.