PHI 208 ASH Course Material - phi208dotcom

1. PHI 208 ASH Course Material - phi208dotcom

2. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • PHI 208 Week 1 DQ 1 What is Philosophy?PHI 208 Week 1 DQ 2 Justifying BeliefsPHI 208 Week 2 DQ 1 Ethics and RelativismPHI 208 Week 2 DQ 2 Animal RightsPHI 208 Week 2 Assignment Famine, Affluence, and MoralityPHI 208 Week 3 DQ 1 The Limits of SkepticismPHI 208 Week 3 DQ 2 Truth and the Limits of Knowledge • What is Philosophy • Most people have views that are strongly influenced and informed by philosophy, often without realizing it. Identify a view you have—whether on politics, religion, science, culture, or even the media and entertainment—that might be regarded as being related to philosophy. What kind of reasons do you have for holding that belief? PHI 208 Entire Course PHI 208 Week 1 DQ 1 What is Philosophy

3. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • Justifying Beliefs • Many philosophers insist that our most strongly held beliefs should be examined and critically evaluated. Using the required text and outside sources, explain what philosophers mean when they say that beliefs need justification? What is the importance of subjecting our beliefs to critical scrutiny? What are the advantages of believing something without examining it? What are the disadvantages? • Peter Singer – “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”Please read the article “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” by Peter Singer and complete the following tasks: • Explain Singer’s goal in this article, and then present his argument in relation to this issue. Explain three counter-arguments to Singer’s position that he addresses in his article, and then indicate Singer’s responses to those counter-arguments. PHI 208 Week 1 DQ 2 Justifying Beliefs PHI 208 Week 2 Assignment Famine, Affluence, and Morality

4. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • Ethics and Relativism • Our text discusses the challenge relativism presents to various ethical and religious viewpoints. Consider a specific moral question which might make it difficult to accept the relativist's response. State the moral issue involved, and provide an explanation as to why you think a relativist might have a problem giving a justified response to it. • Animal Rights • Do human beings have any obligations to animals in terms of their treatment? If it is wrong to treat animals cruelly, why is it not wrong to eat them? Explain if, and how, you think humans can find a balance between treating animals ethically while also raising them for food and for other reasons, such as the testing of pharmaceuticals. PHI 208 Week 2 DQ 1 Ethics and Relativism PHI 208 Week 2 DQ 2 Animal Rights

5. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • Euthyphro – PlatoIn the Euthyphro, Socrates and Euthyphro discuss the concept of piety/holiness. This essay will not only test your ability to recognize and engage philosophical concepts and analysis, but also brings you into the dialogue as a participant, asking you to create your own definition of holiness. • The Limits of Skepticism • Can a person be skeptical about everything, or are there limits? Is it possible to doubt everything or almost everything? Does a person have an obligation to use ethical and moral reasoning when examining ones beliefs. Are there beliefs you possess that cannot be challenged or shown to be false? How might the skeptic respond to your claim that such a belief cannot be doubted? PHI 208 Week 3 Assignment The Euthyphro by Plato PHI 208 Week 3 DQ 1 The Limits of Skepticism

6. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • Truth and the Limits of Knowledge • Explain the epistemological perspective from the text (or outside sources) that most coincides with your view of truth and the way that the human mind grasps reality. Explain why you find it to be the best explanation of the way that the human mind is able to understand its world. • Proof of God’s Existence • After reading about the various proofs of the existence of God, identify which of these arguments seems to be the best, and explain why you think so. If you find none of them convincing, present your best argument against one of these proofs and why it fails to accomplish its task. PHI 208 Week 3 DQ 2 Truth and the Limits of Knowledge PHI 208 Week 4 DQ 1 Proof of God's Existence

7. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • The Turing Test • Present three specific questions that you would ask in the Turing Test to determine if something is real or artificial intelligence. Explain why you think these questions would be the type to reveal the computer to be a computer? Why would these responses have to be given by a human being? • Final Argumentative PaperThree important sub-disciplines of philosophy are addressed in this course: ethics, epistemology, and religion. For this paper, you will develop an argument that includes your own view on one specific topic relating to one of these sub-disciplines. Below is a list of topics from which you must choose. Feel free to combine topics that seem to fit with one another. PHI 208 Week 4 DQ 2 The Turing Test PHI 208 Week 5 Assignment Final paper The existence of God

8. PHI 208 ASH Course Material • The Meaning of Life • Chapter 5 is focused on the meaning of human life. Present your view on the ultimate meaning of life. Be sure to back up your view with logical reasoning and as much evidence as you can. What gives human life meaning? How do you know? How should one act in the world once one realizes this meaning? • Philosophy and Society • After watching Relationship of Philosophy to Other Fields, reflect on the relationship of philosophy to your life in terms of your future education and career goals. What value does philosophy have? How can people benefit from thinking more philosophically? How does philosophy affect ethical issues? PHI 208 Week 5 DQ 1 The Meaning of Life PHI 208 Week 5 DQ 2 Philosophy and Society

9. PHI 208 ASH Course Material