SOME INITIAL WISDOM: Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors." Thomas Henry Huxley
"All men have opinions, but few think." George Berkeley
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry
off as if nothing ever happened."  Sir Winston Churchill 
"One of the proofs of the immortality of the soul is that myriads have believed in it.  They
have also believed the world was flat."  Mark Twain
"the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous"  David Hume
"...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you...." I Peter 3:15
"Philosophy consists largely of the history of failed models of the brain." E.O. Wilson

August  23    Introduction to the Course.  Read Judging Authority and type a one page reaction in 12-point type with your name, course and class time at the top of the page: 
                      what did you learn about critical thinking and distinguishing who or what constitutes a legitimate authority figure? (due next class period).  Critical Thinking

                      Order out of Chaos: Man's Need to Explain His Environment.    (lecture) Read
                              Why Smart People Believe Weird Things. and CHAPTER ONE.
                                   
August  25    Presocratics: The Ionians.   (lecture)   Read CHAPTER TWO.

August  30    Presocratics: The Italians. Read CHAPTER THREE.

September  1  Presocratics: The Pluralists. Read CHAPTER FOUR.

September  6 REVIEW.

September  8 FIRST MAJOR EXAM.

September  13 The Sophists. (lecture)   Read CHAPTER FIVE..

September 15 Socrates. (lecture)  Read CHAPTER SIX.

September 20 Plato: Metaphysics and Theology. (lecture) Read CHAPTER SEVEN.  Afterlife:  MicharShermer v. Deepak Chopra

September 22 Plato: Theory of Knowledge. (lecture) Read CHAPTER EIGHT.

September 27 Plato: Ethics and Politics. (lecture) Read CHAPTER NINE. Paper topics due.
                     Plato's brilliant take down of Divine Command theory

September 29 REVIEW.

October      4  SECOND MAJOR EXAM

October      6  Aristotle: Metaphysics.  (lecture)  Read CHAPTER TEN.

October      11  Aristotle: Physics, Biology, and Psychology.   (lecture)  Read CHAPTER ELEVEN.

October     13  Aristotle: Knowledge and Logic. (lecture)  Read CHAPTER TWELVE.

October     18  Aristotle: Ethics and Politics. (lecture)  Read CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

October     20  REVIEW.

October     25 THIRD MAJOR EXAM.

October     27 Hellenistic Philosophers: Epicureanism. (lecture)  Read CHAPTERS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN.  Freewill?  NPR on Lucretius

November  1  Hellenistic Philosophers: Stoicism. (lecture) Read CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
                        Outline & Thesis Statement due.

November  3  Hellenistic Philosophers: Skepticism. (lecture) Read CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

November  8  Philo of Alexandria.  (lecture)

November 10  Plotinus. (lecture)   REVIEW

November  15  FOURTH MAJOR EXAM.

November  17 St. Paul and the Early Christian Fathers.   (lecture) 

November  22  Augustine: Metaphysics and Logic. (lecture)    PAPERS DUE.

November 23-27  THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS

November  29 Augustine: Ethics.

December  1  Aquinas: Metaphysic and Epistemology. (lecture)

December  6  Aquinas: Ethics,    Free will? 

December  8 .REVIEW

Wisdom to take from Dr. B's class (and Epictetus Enchiridion): "This was how Socrates attained perfection, paying heed to nothing but reason, in all that he encountered. 
And if you are not yet Socrates, yet ought you to live as one who would wish to be a Socrates." 

When studying for finals, remember Mark Twain's advice: 
“Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.”