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.

The Universe Began, Again

Still wondering whether the universe has a beginning or regresses infinitely? Here's an entire episode of Closer to Truth devoted to the question "Did the Universe Have a Beginning?" If you can get past the weird host, there are some nice explanations of the science of the origins of the universe by current cosmologists.

Wacka Wacka

When a philosopher announced that the title of his talk was “Why is there Something rather than Nothing?” Sydney Morgenbesser said to the man sitting next to him, “If there was Nothing he would still complain.”

-from Gerald Dworkin's list of philosophy quips

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.

10/29 Class Cancelled

Class is cancelled for tonight (October 29th). Sorry for the late notice; I'm sick.

This means the midterm won't be next week, as originally scheduled. We'll have it in 2 weeks (on November 12th). We'll review for the midterm in November 5th's class.

Enjoy your night off... and GO PHILS!

Why Is Anything Anything?

The website Closer to Truth has a ton of short interviews with modern-day philosophers (and other smart people) on their thoughts about god. For instance, there's a whole section on the cosmological argument titled "Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?" Here are some videos from that section:

• Theist John Leslie says God best explains why there is something.
  
• Theist Peter van Inwagen believes in God, but doesn't like this arg.
  
• Atheist Colin McGinn thinks it's a meaningless question.
• Physicist Steven Weisberg says we should wait for science's answer.
  

And here's a video on the relationship between philosophy and religion:

• Does Philosophy Illuminate Religion?

God Stuff

If you've read a good article on god stuff, recommend it to us by emailing me or posting the link in the comments section of this post. In the meantime, I have something for you.

The National Public Radio show Fresh Air ran a pair of interviews with two scientists talking about whether God exists. (Since they're not trained philosophers, some of their arguments aren't the best. Try to spot their mistakes!) The conversations touch on a lot of things we'll be discussing in class.

• Richard Dawkins pushing atheism
  
• Francis Collins pushing theism
  

Hey, where's the interview with an agnostic? The media are so biased toward those with opinions.

Innate Ideas? I've Had a Few

Here are two articles by psychologist Steven Pinker that offer some psychological insights on the innate ideas debate we've been discussing in class:

The Brain’s Versatile Toolbox (1997)

Grammar Puss (1994)

But again, why read when you can watch a video? With that in mind, here's Pinker's appearance on The Colbert Report:


Pinker has a few books on this stuff, and a lot of other interesting articles, too. Not everyone agrees with Pinker, though. Here's an article about a South American tribe that might be a counterexample to the claim that there are innate aspects of language development.

The Interpreter
(The linguist researching the tribe explains his case more here. Steven Pinker and others respond to him here.)

One more link. Here's an advanced survey article on the rationalism/empiricism debate from my favorite free online philosophy encyclopedia:

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Rationalism vs. Empiricism

Yes, there is more than one free online philosophy encyclopedia.

The Philosophical Baby

Psychologist Alison Gopnik just wrote a new book called The Philosophical Baby. It's loaded with cool insights on the rationalism-empiricism debate. Here's an interview with Gopnik about the book, and here's a review. Below is her appearance on The Colbert Report.

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.