Phil 101: Introduction to Philosophy

Freddoso
304 Malloy
Phone:  631-7327
E-mail: freddoso.1@nd.edu
Home page: http://www.nd.edu/~afreddos/
 
 
Purpose of Course
Texts
Requirements
Reading Assignments
Lecture Outlines
Optional supplementary readings
Next Paper Assignment
Key to Paper Comments
Study questions for exam

Purpose of Course:

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to philosophy through an examination of a sampling of philosophical classics. Some recurrent themes: the nature of philosophy and of philosophical wisdom; the distinctiveness of the philosophical life; the relation between intellection and affection in the pursuit of wisdom; the existence and nature of God; the relation between intellectual virtue and truth; the relation between faith and reason; the nature of human flourishing; the role of individuality in the pursuit of human flourishing; the relation between moral virtue and happiness. The philosophers to be discussed include Plato, St. Thomas Aquinas (and through him Aristotle), St. Augustine, Descartes, Hume, Mill, and Nietzsche.

Texts (other editions and/or translations are acceptable):

  • Plato, Five Dialogues (Hackett)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles, Book One: God (Notre Dame) and Treatise on Happiness (Notre Dame)
  • Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method (Hackett)
  • David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (Hackett)
  • John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (Hackett)
  • Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (Penguin)
  • St. Augustine, Confessions (Hackett)

Requirements:

  • Careful reading and re-reading of all assignments and scrupulous class attendance at both lectures and discussion groups.
  • Five 4-5 page papers on assigned topics, due in discussion sections on 1/25 (rewrite due on 2/8), 3/7, 4/5, and 4/19 (each paper, including re-write of first paper, worth 10% of grade).
  • Two exams, the first on 2/19 and the second on 5/10 (each worth 20% of grade).
  • Class participation in the discussion groups (worth 10% of the grade)

Tentative outline with reading assignments:

I. Plato (428 BC-348 BC)

  • 1/15 & 1/17:  Apology, in Five Dialogues, 23-44, and Phaedo, in Five Dialogues, 93-134 (57A-95E)
  • 1/22 & 1/24: Phaedo, in Five Dialogues, 135-155 (96A-end)

II. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

  • 1/29 & 1/31: Summa Contra Gentiles, Book One: God, 59-78 (chaps. 1-9)
  • 2/5 & 2/7: Summa Contra Gentiles, Book One: God, 85-99 (chaps. 13-15) and 135-149 (chaps. 28-35)
  • 2/12: Treatise on Happiness, 3-40 (ques. 1-3)
  • 2/14: Treatise on Happiness, 41-67 (ques. 4-5)
2/19  Exam

III. Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

  • 2/21 & 2/26: Discourse on Method, 1-12 (Pts. 1-2)
  • 2/28: Discourse on Method, 12-17 (Pt. 3)
  • 3/5: Discourse on Method, 17-21 (Pt. 4)

IV. David Hume (1711-1776)

  • 3/7: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 3-12 (Part I)
  • 3/19: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 13-38 (Parts II-V)
  • 3/21 & 3/26: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 54-89 (Parts IX-XII)

V. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

  • 3/28 & 4/2: On Liberty, 1-52 (chaps. 1-2)
  • 4/4: On Liberty, 53-71 (chap. 3)
VI. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)
  • 4/9:  Beyond Good and Evil, 13-14 and 37-55 (Preface & Part Two)
  • 4/11:  Beyond Good and Evil, 56-71 (Part Three)
  • 4/16:  Beyond Good and Evil, 90-109 (Part Five)

VI. St. Augustine (354-430)

  • 4/18: Confessions, 3-47 (Bks. 1-3)
  • 4/23: Confessions, 51-83 (Bks. 4-5)
  • 4/25: Confessions, 87-125 (Bks. 6-7)
  • 4/30: Confessions, 129-170 (Bks. 8-9)


5/10 FINAL EXAM 10:30 AM-12:30 PM