Instructions for the final paper are available here.
The due date is December 16, 2015.
Please hand it in through email.
Presentation Schedule Available
The presentation schedule is now available (click here).
If you do not see your name or the scheduled time does not work for you, please contact me as quickly as possible.
New Assignment Due Nov 23 Available
Slides on Mind/Body available
Slides are available on the new course topic, that is, the relationship between mental states and brains states. Are they the same or are they different? The slides only formulate the question and give you some elementary background in neuroscience. Check here.
New Assignment due Nov 2 Available
The third assignment due Nov 2 is now available (check here).
Slides on Freedom and Determinism Available
Check out the slides on freedom and determinism (available here). They contain a summary of van Inwagen’s argument that if determinism is true, we do not have free will (paper available here). They also sketch another argument that if non-determinism is true, we still do not have free will. So, either way, it seems, we do not have free will.
Example of a good argument summary
If you are wondering what a good summary of a philosophical argument looks like, here is an example of a well-written summary of Anselm’s argument and Gaunilo’s objection (available here).
As said in class, a good argument summary is such that:
- All the parts and steps of the argument are described.
- Each step is satisfactorily explained, that is, it is explained why the step in question follows from previous step(s) or why the step holds or is justified.
- The writing is clear and precise throughout, so there are no vague or confusing explanations of the argument steps.
