AP-1403: Central Issues in Philosophy

2023/2024 Semester I

Lecture and tutorial (combined)

• Time: Wednesdays, 0800 to 0940
• Venue: CLT 1.17
  

Lecturer

Dr. Daniel Wee

Office: FASS 1.74

Email: daniel.wee@ubd.edu.bn

Office Hours: Please email (at least one day in advance) for appointments.

Module Aims

This module aims to

• Introduce you to a number of central issues in contemporary western analytical philosophy.
• Teach you how to think critically about these issues from a theoretical perspective.
• Develop your ability to interpret, analyze, and justify judgements and decisions through abstract reasoning.

Module Content (tentative)

• Week 2 Introduction
• Week 3 Knowledge and truth: What makes something true? What distinguishes knowledge from a lucky guess?
• Week 4 & 5 Radical skepticism: Can we really know anything about the world?
• Week 7 & 9 Morality: Are there moral facts? Or is right and wrong simply dependent on culture?
• Week 10 & 11 Philosophy of Religion: What are some arguments for and against the existence of a supreme being? How should we understand religious and theological statements?
• Week 12 & 13 Free will and determinism: Is free will just an illusion? Are we responsible for any of our actions?
• Week 14 Personal identity: What makes you the same person you were yesterday, or a year ago, or when you were born?

Assessment

• Online quizzes (held every 2-3 weeks): 30%
  • These quizzes are intended to test your understanding of each of the module topics
  • There will be 6 quizzes, and your final mark will be the average of these 6 quizzes.

• Individual essay: 20%

  • Refer to Essay Instructions below.

• Final exam: 50%

  • The final exam will be held on Wednesday 29 November, 2023, 9am to 11am.
  • Please ensure that this exam does not clash with your other exams. If it does clash, then you will need to decide which exam to sit for.

Individual essay requirements

• You are required to write one essay between 1800 to 2200 words, due by Sunday 12 November, 2023.
• For suggested essay titles, see below.
• You may choose your own essay title that is not in the list below but please confirm the title with me first, either via email or Canvas message.
• Submit via Turnitin using instructions provided here

Essay outline (optional)

• You may submit an optional essay outline to me by 29 October 2023 via Canvas.
• The outline should be in the form of bullet points, and be less than two pages in length.
• The main purpose of submitting the essay outline is for me to give you feedback for your essay plan.
• The essay outline should provide an introduction, main body (explanations, arguments, replies to objections), conclusion, and at least two references. 
• Ensure that your main points are detailed. E.g., Don't just write "Argument in favour of X". Instead, explain what the argument in favour of X is. This will help me give you feedback on your understanding of the argument.

Suggested essay topics. This list will be updated depending on lecture content. 

**Each topic requires you to argue in support of a position. So whichever topic you choose, make sure you discuss objections to your position and defend your position against those objections.**

• An attempt to rescue the JTB theory of knowledge from Gettier problems and other objections.
• Defending the correspondence theory of truth against the coherence theory.
• Defending the coherence theory of truth against the correspondence theory.
• Radical skepticism: evaluating and deciding the case for it.
• Radical skepticism: evaluating and deciding the case against it.
• Can the Cosmological argument be saved from its objections?
• Can the Teleological argument be saved from its objections?
• Does the problem of evil jeopardize belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent God?
• How factual is the narrow theist's claim?
• The problem of free will and why Libertarianism is the most rational response to it.
• The problem of free will and why Compatibilism is the most rational response to it.
• The problem of free will and why Hard Determinism is the most rational response to it.
• The problem of personal identity and why Spatiotemporal Continuity theory is the most rational response to it.
• The problem of personal identity and why Psychological Continuity theory is the most rational response to it.

• The problem of personal identity and why Derek Parfit's view is the most rational response to it.

Guidelines for essay writing

• **A sample philosophy essay has been uploaded to the files section for your reference.**

Essay Objectives

• Demonstrate a clear and comprehensive understanding of a philosophical issue that we have covered.
• Show that you can argue for a position on that philosophical issue, as well as defend it against alternative views and objections.

The Introduction

• • Introduce the philosophical issue that you intend to discuss.
  • Define the key terms and concepts of the essay.
  • Indicate the plan of your essay.
  • Clarify and specify the conclusion or view you will ultimately argue in support for in this essay (don't take on more aims than you can achieve).

The main body

• • Go through the topic in an organized and step by step manner. The essay should have clear structure. Use topic sentences and ensure that paragraphs flow into each other.
  • Clearly express your points and especially their reasons. Do not leave points hanging without any justification or reason for them!
  • Use examples to help illustrate your points.
  • Consider opinions or perspectives different from yours and respond to them. The essay will not succeed unless this is done.

The Conclusion

• • Summarize your points.
  • Don’t add too many points that you haven’t argued or considered in the main body.

Citations

• Include, if needed, those quotations that you think are very helpful for your essay.
• These quotations should not be too lengthy (try not to exceed 5 lines).
• You should explain what you cite to show that you understand what the original author said and why it is relevant and significant to the point you are making.
• Provide the source (including the page number), and include the full reference at the end of your essay.

Notes

• You may add footnotes or endnotes.

Academic Integrity

• Students must only claim work that they have actually produced themselves. Claiming the work of others is considered plagiarism, and will incur severe penalties with the possibility of getting zero marks for the essay.
• This rule also applies to work where a substantial portion (more than 30%) is copied and pasted (or modified slightly) from other sources, even if those sources are cited and referenced. This is due to the fact that a significant portion of the work would not be your own but rather the work of others.
• This rule also applies to work written by AI (Artificial Intelligence). Note that Turnitin has an AI detection tool.

General advice

• Write clearly and straightforwardly, and define your key terms and phrases. Clarity is more important than sounding ‘deep’ or mysterious.
• Use examples to help explain a concept or philosophical position.
• Give reasons for your claims, consider alternative views and respond to these alternative views.
• Try and give your essay to another person to read. If they can understand your explanations and how your arguments relate to a philosophical issue, then this is a promising indication of a good essay.
• Do the readings associated with your topic.

Submission

• Deadline: 12^th November, 2023 (Sunday), before midnight
• Submit via Turnitin using instructions provided here. (be sure to submit well before the deadline in case there are problems with internet connection, power outages, etc.)
• There is a penalty for late submissions. The essay is worth 20 marks, and each day the essay is delayed will cost 1 mark. Essays will not be accepted one week after the due date.
  

Remember to put your Name and Student Number on the front page, and insert the word count on the last page