PHL1020 Introduction to Philosophy B
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Handbook entry- a brief description of the subject can be found in the handbook entry. The handbook also provides information about the unit leader, the semester and mode in which the unit is available, the contact hours and the assessment requirements.
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MUSO/Blackboard - there is a MUSO/Blackboard site for this unit where assessment tasks, lecture notes and other unit resources will be posted. Once enrolled, students taking this unit are advised to check MUSO/Blackboard regularly.
Subject description:
PHL1020 consists of two distinct components, which may vary from year to year. The components offered will be drawn from the following list: (i) Time, Self and Freedom; (ii) God, Freedom and Evil; (iii) Greeks and the Good Life; (iv) Philosophy of Sex; and (v) Crime and Punishment.
In 2009, the components to be offered are:
Time, Self and Freedom
Lecturers: Monima Chadha and Jakob Hohwy.
What is this component about?
Time, Self and Freedom provides an introduction to metaphysics. It deals with questions about the nature of time, causation, human freedom, personal identity and the nature of mind and consciousness. We approach these issues in an unusual way, for each topic is introduced by way of science fiction stories in which metaphysical issues are explored. So the first topic takes off from a discussion of time travel, and this quickly raises questions about what time must be like if time travel is possible, and whether human freedom is compromised by that possibility. Further details about Time, Self and Freedom and Metaphysics are available here.
God, Freedom and Evil
Lecturer: Graham Oppy.
What is this component about?
In this component we start by asking this question: is belief in God rationally defensible? We examine some arguments in favour of the existence of God, and then move to consider a difficulty for anyone who believes that God is all-powerful and wholly good: the problem posed by existence of evil. One traditional solution to this problem is to say that God is not responsible for the moral evil in this world. God gave us freedom, the capacity to choose between good and evil; moral evils are due entirely to the bad choices made by human beings. This raises the central questions concerning human freedom: what exactly does free action involve? Are we ever genuinely free, or is our sense of freedom no more than an illusion?