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.

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

    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.

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.

The Tractatus - read the Introduction and pages 1 - 30 (Witt)

    4. The character of induction.

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)

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?

Following a Rule - read pages 99 - 119 (Witt) and Thinking  - read pages 120 - 134 (Witt)

The Will - read pages 135 - 143 (Witt)

C. What is admirable?

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.

Aspect and Image  - read pages 172 - 186 (Witt)

E. What criteria can we use to evaluate art?

The First Person  - read pages 187 - 202 (Witt)

F. Good art and bad art?

The Inner and the Outer   - read pages 203 - 215 (Witt)

III. Rightness claims in ethics

A. Basic concepts

    1. Norms

Necessity  - read pages 216 - 231 (Witt)

    2. Obligations

Skepticism and Certainty - read pages 232 - 244 (Witt)

    3. Ethical principles and rules -- Kinds of principles and their problems

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

Why bother about art? - read pages 1 - 3 (Shepp)

    2. Prudential reasoning

Imitation - read pages 4 - 17 (Shepp)

    3. Casuistry and narrative approaches

Expression - read pages 18 - 37 (Shepp)

    4. Mixed strategies

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.

Art, beauty, and aesthetic appreciation - read pages 56 - 75 (Shepp)

    2. Use of definitions

Second exam due

Criticism, interpretation, and evaluation - read pages 76 - 93 (Shepp)

    3. The role of truth claims in ethical issues

Intentions and expectations - read pages 94 - 113 (Shepp)

    4. The nature of normative claims

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.

Art and morals - read pages 135 -154 (Shepp)

B. Can aesthetic education improve our moral character?

Part 1 (Shafer)

C. How does art express truth?

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. 

Term Papers due.

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.

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.