Cognitive Science 0114 - Introduction to Philosophy

Kafka wrote, "Belief is a frozen sea. Philosophy is an axe." I would like students to get to know the ins and outs of philosophical problems, so that they can wield their own "axes" with skill and accuracy. This introduction to philosophy aims to get to the bottom of each of the philosophical problems discussed, without any sacrifice of technical correctness or historical sensitivity. The problems to be discussed will be: the nature of philosophy; the nature of logic; the problem of evil; the existence of God; what knowledge is; personal identity; the mind-body problem; freewill and determinism; and the meaning of life. There will be two papers, question sets, a one-hour mid-term and a one-hour final. The questions on the exams will be drawn from the question sets. Also required are two short (6-page) papers.

Mind, Brain, and Information Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research In this course, students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time. This time includes reading, writing, research.