Final Exam

Just a reminder: the final exam is Thursday, December 17th at 6:00 in our normal classroom. It should take about 90 minutes to finish it, but you'll have two hours to take it.

Reading Response #3

Reading Response #3 is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, December 3rd. Here is the assignment:

In a 250- to 500-word essay, explain and evaluate the Design Argument for God's existence.

• First, briefly explain a version of the Design Argument--whichever version you prefer--in your own words.
  
• Then, evaluate this argument. Is an intelligent designer the best explanation of this evidence? Or is there another, better explanation? Be sure to consider objections to the argument. Tell me your opinion. Do you think this version of the design argument is a good argument or a bad argument? Why? Be sure to defend your opinion with reasons.

The response is based on the design argument section of the textbook (section 4.2). Like the other reading responses, you won't be graded on your opinion. You'll be graded on how well you DEFEND your opinion.

Midterm

Just a reminder that the midterm will be held at the beginning of class on Thursday, November 12th. It's worth 25% of your overall grade. You'll have 90 minutes to complete it.

There are a variety of questions on the midterm: some multiple choice, some short answers, a variety of argument evaluation, a mini-essay, and extra credit. It covers everything we've gone over in class so far:

• Philosophy
  -Definitions
  -Doing philosophy
  
• Arguments
  -Evaluation: Check the structure and the premises
  -Types: Deductive, Inductive, and Abductive
• Knowledge
  -Definition: True belief + ?????
  -Skepticism
  -Descartes: uncertain of childhood beliefs, senses, and reasoning; certain he's thinking and he exists
  -Rationalism: reason is the main source of our knowledge
  -Plato's rationalist arg for innate ideas
  -Empiricism: sense experience is the main source of our knowledge
  -Locke's empiricist arg against innate ideas
  -Hume's empiricism
  
• God Stuff
  -Evidentialism vs. nonevidentialism
  -qualities typically included in definitions of 'god'
  -Cosmological Argument: Aquinas's version, abductive version, Taylor's version
  

Also, I expect you to stick around after the midterm, because we WILL be learning stuff in class after it's done.

Reading Response #2

Reading Response #2 is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, October 15th. Here is the assignment:

In an essay of around 250 to 500 words, explain and evaluate your thoughts about God.

• First, explain what it is you believe about the existence of God. Do you believe there is a God? If so, what kind of God or Gods? Do you believe that there is no God? Do you not have a belief one way or the other?
  
• Next, explain why you believe whatever it is you believe about God. What reasons do you have for believing what you believe? Figure out your argument in support of your belief (even if your belief is "I don't know," explain why you don't know!).
  
• Finally, philosophically evaluate your argument for what you believe. Do you think these are good reasons, or bad reasons? Why?
  

The response isn't based on any specific reading from the textbook. Instead, it's more of a chance for you to think about your own opinion before we discuss God stuff in class over the next several weeks. You won't be graded on your opinion. You'll be graded on how well you EXPLAIN and EVALUATE your reasons for your opinion.

Lonely Quiz

The quiz will be held at the beginning of class on Thursday, October 1st. You will have about 25 minutes to take it. There will be a section on evaluating deductive arguments, and 4 or 5 short answer questions on the topics we discussed in class so far:

• philosophy in general
• doing philosophy
• understanding and evaluating arguments
• types of arguments: deductive, inductive, and abductive (inferences to the best explanation)
• what is knowledge?
• skepticism
• Descartes battling skepticism

The quiz is worth 15% of your overall grade.

Reading Response #1

Reading Response #1 is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, September 24th. In a 250- to 500-word essay response, answer the following question:

• What kinds of beliefs does Descartes say he cannot be certain of? (Hint: there are 3 kinds of beliefs he says he's not certain of.) Why does he believe he can't be certain of these?
  
• What beliefs does Descartes say he can be certain of? (Hint: there are only 1 or 2 specific beliefs he says he is certain of.) Why does he believe he can be certain of these?
  
• Evaluate his reasons: do you agree with Descartes? Why or why not?

Please paraphrase Descartes's ideas in your own words. The response is based on the Descartes reading from pages 65-71 of the textbook.