Philosophy 95
God, Morality, and Free Will

Section BSection C
TTh 8:00 - 9:15TTh 2:00 - 3:15
70 S. Williams St., Rm. 107300 Kalkin
Final Exam: 11:45 on Thursday, December 18Final Exam: 3:30 on Tuesday, December 16

Midterm Exam Review Session: Tuesday, 10/21 at 8:15 at the philosophy department (70 S. Williams St.)

Study Guide for the Midterm Exam

SYLLABUS

Assignments

Homework #1 (click here), due in class Tuesday, 9/23. And here is an example of how to evaluate an argument, which might be useful in answering problem #3.

A Solution to Homework #1

Homework #2 (click here), due in class Thursday, 10/16. No late assignments will be accepted after 10/21!

A Solution to Homework #2

Homework #3 (click here), due in class Thursday, 11/6. No late assignments will be accepted after 11/11!

A Solution to Homework #3

Homework #4 (click here), due in class Thursday, 12/4. None accepted after 12/9!

Overhead Slides Used In Class and Miscellaneous Items

Terminology concerning arguments

Deductive, Inductive, and Abductive Arguments

How does James' argument differ from Pascal's Wager?

Tentative Schedule of Reading Assignments
DateReading To Be Done For Class On That DayNotes/Assignment
Thursday, 9/4 Aquinas, "Five Ways," especially ways 1 & 2 Notes
Tuesday, 9/9 Paley, "The Design Argument" Mini-Assignment
Thursday, 9/11 No Reading.
Tuesday, 9/16 James, "The Will to Believe" (you need to scroll down a bit) Notes
Thursday, 9/18 No Reading.
Tuesday, 9/23 No Reading. Homework due!
Thursday, 9/25 Mann, "Evil" Notes
Tuesday, 9/30 Ayer, excerpts from Language, Truth and Logic
Read Chapter 1 and the four paragraphs starting with "This mention of God ..." on p. 114		 Notes
Thursday, 10/2 No Reading.
Tuesday, 10/7 No Reading.
Thursday, 10/9 Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics" Notes
Tuesday, 10/14 Unger, Living High and Letting Die, Ch. 1 No Notes This Time
Thursday, 10/16 No Reading. Homework #2 due!
Tuesday, 10/21 Unger, Living High and Letting Die, Ch. 2, sections 1-9 & 17 Notes
Thursday, 10/23 Midterm Exam!
Tuesday, 10/28 Mill, Utilitarianism (text from bookstore), Ch. 1 and first 8 pages of Ch. 2 No Notes This Time
Thursday, 10/30 Mill, Utilitarianism, the remainder of Ch. 2 No Notes This Time
Tuesday, 11/4 Mill, Utilitarianism, first page of Ch. IV
Carritt, "Criticisms of Utilitarianism"
Williams, "Utilitarianism and Integrity"		 No Notes This Time
Thursday, 11/6 No Reading. Homework #3 due!
Tuesday, 11/11 Smart, "Extreme and Restricted Utilitarianism" Notes
Thursday, 11/13 No Reading.
Tuesday, 11/18 Robert Kane, "Introduction" to Free Will, through p. 14 Notes
Thursday, 11/20 Robert Kane, "Introduction" to Free Will, the remainder
Nagel, "Free Will" (ch. 6 of What Does It All Mean?)		 Notes
Tuesday, 11/25 Thanksgiving Break!
Thursday, 11/27 Thanksgiving Break!
Tuesday, 12/2 Campbell, "Has the Self Free Will?" Notes

Instructor:

Mr. Moyer
Room 204
70 S. Williams St. (mailbox on main floor)
656-3140
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 11:00-12:00
I can also be available after class or many other times. Simply send me email or let me know after class if you'd like to set up a time to meet.
Email: Mark.Moyer@uvm.edu

Choosing and Declaring A Major

Declaring a major isn't as big a deal as many think. For one thing, if you change your mind later, you can simply change again. Two advantages of declaring are: 1) you will be assigned an adviser in that area (within a few days), i.e., someone who knows much better than I do about the courses, requirements, and professors in that area; and 2) some courses are only open to those majoring in that area. To declare your major, simply fill out the form here. If you're unsure about which major to choose, this page has general info on the various majors. If you want to try out a course or two in an area because you're thinking of majoring in that area, this page lists recommended courses.

Choosing Classes

Above all, I recommend getting as much advice as possible when selecting courses. Courses and professors vary a lot, so asking other students and professors about what courses and professors are like is a good way to end up in a course that excites you rather than one that you find boring, too difficult, too easy, etc.

Three good things to think about when picking courses:

  1. The College of Arts and Sciences has certain distribution requirements that you must satisfy to get your degree. It's good to start knocking out some each semester so you don't have them all left in your senior year. The requirements depend upon which degree you're getting (which depends upon your major), but here are links to the requirements for a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, Handy, downloadable check-off versions of the distribution requirements are available: B.A., or B.S..
  2. Each major has its own requirements, so it's a good idea to take the core courses in a major early on. You can find the requirements for majoring (or minoring) in some area by going to the department web page for that area and then most deparment pages have a link called something like "degree requirements" or "undergraduate programs" that will take you to the list of requirements. (To find the department web page, go to the main UVM page, click on "uvm a-z" and then find the name of the department.)
  3. Finally, whether or not you already have a major, it's a good idea early on in your years at UVM to explore other areas of interest. One reason to do this is simply that there are a lot of interesting areas out there, so exploring these areas can be a good way just to find classes you find interesting (while broadening your horizons!). For those who haven't selected a major, this can be a good way to help find a major. Even those who already have a major can benefit, though, both because they need to select a minor and because they may end up finding an area they like even more than the one they've selected as their major.

Steps to Improving Your Grade

  1. Get tutoring. The Learning Cooperative provides tutors free of charge. Call 656-4075 for more info. You might also consider the Writing Center (part of the Learning Cooperative) if you're having trouble writing well.
  2. Come see me in office hours. Either accumulate specific questions to ask me, have me go over topics that you didn't understand well, or come by and tell me how you think an argument goes, so I can add or correct where needed. I'm often in the office, so feel free to call or email to suggest times that aren't official office hour times.
  3. Meet with other students on a regular basis to go over arguments.
  4. Summarize each argument on your own as clearly as you can. You'll often learn quite a bit just by forcing yourself to write down exactly how the argument goes. Plus, you can always have me check it over.
  5. Even if you're shy, force yourself to participate in class. If anything is at all unclear, raise your hand and ask for clarification!
  6. Re-read. This is philosophy, so don't expect it to be clear the first time you read it. You might read the article before class and write a short summary, come to class and hear the lecture on the article, and then go back and re-read it to make sure everything makes sense.

Steps to Becoming a Better Student

  1. Read. Read more and you will improve your written expression and perhaps even your ability to think more carefully. This, I believe, is the best way of becoming a better student overall.
  2. Here are some common basic spelling and grammar mistakes to avoid.

Want a little fun while doing a bit of philosophy? Take the following test -- click here!