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SYLLABUS Truth, Beauty and Goodness Phil A231 (also LSIC A231), section 051 - Spring 2013 William Jamison
THEME: Integrated approach to the study of critical and normative thinking, including: standards of truth in logic, mathematics and science; standards of ethical goodness, and standards for the critical appraisal of art and the beautiful. TEXTS:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Course grades are based on: Exams - 50% - nine essays showing an understanding of the materials covered in class and the assigned readings in response to questions, each with a minimum of 300 words, 25% of the grade will be based on a term project. Attendance -15%. Dialogue -10%. CLASS: Hours: MW 08:30A – 09:45A Room ADM 148 OFFICE: Administration and Humanities Building Room 261 by appointment or here is my Current Schedule. Phone: 786-4458 (office), 694-1023 (home), Philosophy Department Secretary 786-4455. The best way to get a message to me is via e-mail. Please feel free to call my home phone. My web page is located at http://wsjamison.uaa.alaska.edu and my e-mail address is wsjamison@UAA.ALASKA.EDU. All tests and the term paper should be turned in using e-mail. Please become familiar with the links from this syllabus to lecture notes and other sources for many of the topics we will discuss.
January 14: This lecture includes an introduction to the course and description of course requirements. We will discuss: the purpose of doing philosophy, the course readings as an "all you can eat buffet", and what the tests and quizzes will be like. January 16: The Nature of Truth: Intuition Lecture notes from the class I. Truth claims: read The Web of Belief (Quine) up to page 49 (end of chapter 4). A. Mathematics and logic: How do we know 2+2=4? 1. Nature of deduction a. Rules of inference b. Deductive proof January 23: The Nature of Truth: Intuition 2. Mathematical proof: read The Web of Belief (Quine) up to page 95 (end of chapter 7). a. Axioms (to see Euclid) b. Definitions c. Theorems d. Proofs 3. The nature of arguments: what makes an argument good? a. How to construct an argument. b. How to evaluate an argument. c. How to defend an argument. January 28: The Nature of Truth: Language B. Truth claims in science: why is science often successful? read The Web of Belief (Quine) to the end. 1. The assumptions of science. 2. The nature of a hypothesis. 3. How hypotheses are tested. January 30: The Nature of Truth: Language The Tractatus - read the Introduction and pages 1 - 30 (Witt) 4. The character of induction. February 4: The Nature of Truth: Narrative The Rejection of Logical Atomism - read pages 31 - 45 (Witt) and The Nature of Philosophy - read pages 46 - 69 (Witt) 5. Paradigms of doing science. (Galileo) February 6: The Nature of Truth: Narrative Meaning and Understanding - read pages 70 - 83 (Witt) and Intentionality - read pages 84 - 98 (Witt) II. Aesthetic claims A. Is art a matter of taste? February 11: The Nature of Truth: Comparative Narritiology/ Mythology Following a Rule - read pages 99 - 119 (Witt) and Thinking - read pages 120 - 134 (Witt) B. What is beauty? February 13: The Nature of Truth: Comparative Narritiology/ Mythology The Will - read pages 135 - 143 (Witt) C. What is admirable? February 18: The Nature of Truth: The winning Narrative Private Language and Private Experience - read pages 144 - 171 (Witt) D. What is considered as art? Cultural contexts of "Art"? First exam given. Take this link to the exam. February 20: First Exam due. The Nature of Truth: The winning Narrative Aspect and Image - read pages 172 - 186 (Witt) E. What criteria can we use to evaluate art? February 25: The Nature of Beauty: Intuition The First Person - read pages 187 - 202 (Witt) F. Good art and bad art? February 27: The Nature of Beauty: Intuition The Inner and the Outer - read pages 203 - 215 (Witt) III. Rightness claims in ethics A. Basic concepts 1. Norms March 4: The Nature of Beauty: Language Necessity - read pages 216 - 231 (Witt) 2. Obligations March 6: The Nature of Beauty: Language Skepticism and Certainty - read pages 232 - 244 (Witt) 3. Ethical principles and rules -- Kinds of principles and their problems March 11 - 15: Spring Break No classes March 18: The Nature of Beauty: Narrative Sense, Nonsense and Philosophy - read pages 251 - 266 (Witt) and Ethics, Life and Faith - read pages 251 - 266 (Witt) B. Ethical reasoning 1. Principle and rule approach March 20: The Nature of Beauty: Narrative Why bother about art? - read pages 1 - 3 (Shepp) 2. Prudential reasoning March 25: The Nature of Beauty: Comparative beauty Imitation - read pages 4 - 17 (Shepp) 3. Casuistry and narrative approaches March 27:
Expression - read pages 18 - 37 (Shepp) 4. Mixed strategies April 1: The Nature of Beauty: The Most Beautiful Form - read pages 38 - 55 (Shepp) C. How to argue an ethical issue 1. Developing arguments pro and con Second exam. Take this link to the exam. April 3: The Nature of Beauty: The Most Beautiful Art, beauty, and aesthetic appreciation - read pages 56 - 75 (Shepp) 2. Use of definitions April 8: The Nature of Goodness: Intuition Criticism, interpretation, and evaluation - read pages 76 - 93 (Shepp) 3. The role of truth claims in ethical issues April 10: The Nature of Goodness: Intuition Intentions and expectations - read pages 94 - 113 (Shepp) 4. The nature of normative claims April 15: The Nature of Goodness: Language Meaning and truth - read pages 114 - 134 (Shepp) IV. Summary: What is the connection, if any, between truth, beauty and goodness; between good reasoning, good deeds, and good art? A. Classic Western views of the interrelation among truth, beauty, and goodness: Plato's account. April 17: The Nature of Goodness: Language Art and morals - read pages 135 -154 (Shepp) B. Can aesthetic education improve our moral character? April 22: The Nature of Goodness: Narrative Part 1 (Shafer) C. How does art express truth? April 24: The Nature of Goodness: Comparative Goodness Part 2 (Shafer) D. Indigenous views of the role of art, and the nature of beauty? E. Gender and Beauty: the exploitative uses of beauty. April 29: The Nature of Goodness: The Ultimate Good Part 3 (Shafer) F. Gender and the matter of ethical reasoning: Kohlberg v. Gilligan. G. Is logic a species of ethics? Is being rational an ethical stance? We will discuss the postmodern dilemma. Third exam. Take this link to the exam. May 3 at final schedule on Friday 07:00A – 9:45A: Class meets for final discussions. We will watch a movie and discuss it's moral narrative. Third exam due. This syllabus may be adjusted at any time to meet the class or instructor’s requirements upon one week’s notice to students. |
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