Final Exam Study Guide - UPDATED Mon 12 Mar 8:41 pm

... I've deleted Question #6 from the study guide, because I don't think I've prepared you well enough to answer it.

Final Exam Study Questions Now Posted

... on the PolyLearn site in the section called "Study Questions and Course Materials" at the very bottom of the page!

Good luck with all your studies and projects!

Office Hours for Finals Week

My office hours for finals week will be:

M 10:10 - Noon
T 10:10 - 11:00 am
W 10:10 - 11:00 am

Hume Test Questions Modified Thurs 8 Mar 8:44am

I have made some minor changes to questions #9 and #10 in light of some of your own questions. Please download and read carefully the modified study guide.

Hume Test Study Questions Now Posted!

The study questions for your Hume test are now posted on PolyLearn.

Please READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY, as I have edited the document since I last displayed it in class.

Preparing for Tue 6 Mar

On Tue 6 Mar, we will complete our investigation of Hume's philosophy by discussing Section XII of Enquiry. Please be sure to read Section XII before you come to class!

15 mins to a better grade!

Try this. Instead of struggling to read Hume's Enquiry on your own, listen to it being read while you follow along.

The audiobook of Hume's Enquiry is available for free on the Internet Archive!

For example, it takes only 14 mins to listen and read along to Section II. And my guess is that your enjoyment and understanding of this section will significantly increase.

Post a comment to let us all know what you thought of the experience of reading philosophy this way!

Preparing for Thurs 1 Mar

On Thurs 1 Mar, we will focus primarily on Section IV of Hume's Enquiry, which contains Hume's influential analysis of causation. Please do the following to prepare for class.

Read

• Section IV, Enquiry 

Think About

• What is the distinction between relations of ideas and matters of fact?
• What is an inference concerning matters of fact and why does Hume focus on these?
• What are the three main claims Hume establishes concerning inferences concerning matter of fact?
• Why is the analysis of causation so important to Hume's epistemology?

Preparing for Tues 28 Feb

On Tues 28 Feb, we will discuss Section II of Hume's Enquiry. Section II has only nine paragraphs, but it is really worthwhile to study it carefully. As you start reading, please remember the main purpose of Hume's philosophical project, which we discussed last class.

Read

• Section II, Enquiry

Think About

1. What observations lead Hume to state the distinction between impressions and ideas?
2. According to Hume, what is an impression? What is an idea?
3. What observations lead Hume to establishing the relationship between impressions and ideas? How are impressions and ideas related?
4. What arguments does Hume provide to defend the relationship he discovers between impressions and ideas?
5. What does the difference between impressions and ideas have to do with the meaning of terms in metaphysics? 

Preparing for Thurs 23 Feb

 On Thurs 24 Feb, we will begin our discussion of Hume's Enquiry by discussing Section I and II. Please see the post for Tues 22 Feb for reading questions for Section I and try to get a general sense of what Hume is trying to accomplish in Section II.

Preparing for Tue 21 Feb 2012

On Tue 21 Feb, we will finish our discussion of Descartes' Meditations and start our discussion of Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Enquiry). Because we will be very selective about what parts of Meditations we discuss, you don't need to read anything from Descartes. You will want to have your book handy, though, as I'll be discussing some important passages.

To prepare for Tuesday's class, please do the following.

Read

• Hume, Enquiry, Section I

Think About

• What are the main features of the "easy" philosophy?
• What are the main features of the "asbtract" philosophy?
• What are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of both the "easy" and "abstract" philosophy?
• What features of which philosophy does Hume want to preserve?
• What is the main overall project of Hume's philosophy?

Descartes Study Questions Posted

Study questions for the Descartes Mid-Term are now posted on the PolyLearn web site.

Preparing for Tues 14 Feb

On Tue 14 Feb we will aim to finish our discussion of Descartes. This might seem ambitious but we will be rather selective about which parts of "Meditation V" and "Meditation VI" we read. To prepare for Tuesday's class, please do the following:

Read

• The rest of "Meditation III"
• "Meditation IV" - all of it

Think about

• Why does Descartes think that the idea of God is a "positive" idea? Why is this significant?
• What reasons does the thinker give for his conclusion that the idea of God is innate?
• Why must the thinker give an account of human error in "Meditation IV"?
• How does the thinker account for human error and why is this important?

Preparing for Thurs 9 Feb

Today we will continue our journey through Descartes' Meditations. Having seen the motivations the thinker has for proving that God exists, and the general rule, we will continue to study "Meditation III" until we understand how the thinker arrives at the conclusion that God exists.

I'll post questions on "Meditation III" once we have seen it. As you read it, just try to follow the general argument and read at least until the thinker concludes that God exists (bottom of p. 87)

Preparing for Tue 7b Feb

On Tues 7 Feb, we will continue our discussion of Meditation II.

In an effort to help you learn Descartes' philosophy, I have now posted a different translation (Cottingham) of the first three meditations on PolyLearn. I'm very interested in your feedback about whether Cottingham's translation is easier to understand.

To prepare for Tuesday's class, please do the following.

Read

• Cottingham translation of Meditation I and Meditation II
• Selection from Objections and Replies posted on PolyLearn

Think About

• How does the thinker arrive at the conclusion that the thinker exists? What role does the evil genius hypothesis play?
• How does the thinker arrive at the conclusion that he is a thinking thing, and what does it mean to be a thinking thing?
• Explain the thinker's thought-experiment with the piece of wax. What is the main philosophical purpose of this thought-experiment?
• Given the argument at the end of Meditation II, why is the mind known better than the body?

Preparing for Tues 31 Jan

On Tue 31 Feb we will discuss Descartes' "Meditation I." To be prepared for our discussion, please do the following

Read and Study Carefully:

• "Meditation I," pp. 66-71

Think About:

• What does the thinker set out to do in this first meditation and why?
• How does the thinker come to doubt the evidence delivered by the senses?
• What reasons does the thinker give for doubting mathematical knowledge?
• Why does the thinker suppose that there is an "evil genius" set on deceiving him?

Preparing for Thurs 26 Jan

 On Thurs 26 Jan, we will be discussing some important background material that we need in order to appreciate Descartes' philosophy. Most of what I'll talk about is not in your text; I'll very likely have a presentation and post the slides after class.

A good way to prepare for Thursday's class is to read the dedicatory letter, preface, and synopsis to Meditations.

Bring Exam Booklet & Study Questions Posted

For your Plato mid-term on Tue 24 Jan, please be sure to bring a LARGE examination booklet.

Study questions for the mid-term are now posted on the PolyLearn site for this course.

Preparing for Thurs 19 Jan

Because your mid-term is on Tues 24 Jan, we will do our best to wrap up our discussion of Phaedo tomorrow Thurs 19 Jan.

Read

• Phaedo 78a-107a

Think About

• What can learn about Plato's two-world metaphysics from Socrates' discussion about why the soul does not scatter?

• Explain Simmias' objection in which he compares the soul to a harmony. How does Socrates respond to this objection?

• Explain Cebes' objection in which he compares the soul to a weaver. how does Socrates respond to this objection?

• Now that you've seen all the arguments in Phaedo, what do you think Plato was trying to achieve and do you think he achieved it?

Preparing for Thurs 12 Jan

Tonight we will continue our discussion of Phaedo. We will finish our discussion of Plato's theory of forms and begin looking at some of the arguments for the immortality of the soul.

To prepare for tonight's class, please do the following.

Read

• Phaedo - 70a-78a

Think about

• What is Socrates' first argument for the immortality of the soul (the one that talks about opposites)?
• What does Plato mean when he says that learning is recollection?
• How does Socrates use the view that learning is recollection to argue for the immortality of the soul?
• what is the relationship between these two arguments?

Great class tonight!

Just wanted quickly to thank you all for your excellent participation and focussed attention tonight! It feels like we have a great class.

I sure hope more and more of you will feel comfortable speaking in class.

Well done!

Preparing for Tues 10 Jan

It's been great to hear all of your contributions in class so far. I'm hoping that to start our class on Tuesday, many more of you will be interested in talking a bit about your first impressions of the readings for Tuesday, or your thoughts about Apology.

On Tuesday, we will begin our discussion of Phaedo, which will be an exploration of some key early components of Plato's philosophy.

To prepare for Tuesday's class, please do the following:

Read

• Phaedo, 57a - 69e (pp. 94-107)

Think About

• Why do you think the dialogue begins with an exchange between Phaedo and Echecrates in which Phaedo explicitly reports that Plato was not present during the last few hours of Socrates' life?
• When Simmias and Cebes first ask Socrates why he is facing death so calmly, what does Socrates reply? What do you think of his reply? What does Simmias say about Socrates' reply?
• What do you think Plato means when he says that philosophy is training for dying and death, and how is this related to the activity of purifying our soul?
• According to Plato, what is a form? What are some examples of forms?
• According to Plato, what is wisdom and how does one achieve it?
• What kinds of things should you do, and what kinds of things should you avoid doing, if you want to live the type of philosophical life Plato describes as a training for dying and death?
• How does Plato's conception of wisdom in Phaedo compare to Socrates' conception of wisdom in Apology?
• According to Plato, what role do the emotions play in the quest for wisdom?

Preparing for Thurs 5 Jan

On Thurs 5 Jan, we will discuss Apology. We will focus on what we can learn about Socrates' famous view about the use and value of philosophy.

Read

• Apology - all of it

Think About

• Why is Socrates puzzled by what the oracle at Delphi says?
• How does Socrates set out to solve the Delphic riddle?
• What is Socrates' solution to the Delphic riddle?
• What does Socrates mean when he says that the unexamined life is not worth living and how is this related to Socrates' conception of philosophy?
• When Socrates describes himself as a galdfly, what is he talking about? What does this tell us about the value of philosophy?
• When it is Socrates' turn to propose a penalty, what does he propose? Why?

Welcome!

This blog will contain reading assignments and information to keep you current in the course. You're welcome, and encouraged, to post comments.

All course documents, including a copy of the syllabus and a class schedule, will be posted on the PolyLearn website for this course.