Philosophy of Religion:
Syllabus
Philosophy of Religion
Phil 331 - Spring 2008 - Dr. Keith A. Korcz
How To Reach Professor Korcz:
My office is in H. L. Griffin Hall, rm. 563. My office hours are MW 12:00 - 1:00 and 2:30 - 4:30, F 12:00-12:30 and TTh 12:00 - 2:00. We can also meet at other times by arrangement - just ask. My office phone no. is 482-6806. You can also contact me (or ask questions) by e-mail at keithk@louisiana.edu.
Required Texts:1. Philosophy of Religion: An Introduction, Fourth Edition, by William L. Rowe
2. Course Pack
The course pack is available only at the Dupre Library Reserve Desk.
Assignments:Exams:Grading:
There will be two exams, each worth 20% of your course grade, and a cumulative final exam worth 25% of your course grade. The in-class exams will consist primarily of short answer and multiple choice questions. However, all make-up exams will be primarily long-essay. The exams will cover both lectures and assigned readings (material in lectures and assigned readings will not always overlap). All exams are closed book/closed note.
Paper Assignment:
The paper will be 10-15 pages long and completed in two drafts, the first draft being worth 10% of your course grade and the final draft being worth 25% of your course grade. The paper must be completed in two drafts. Each draft will consist of two parts. The first part will consist of a critique of a paper in philosophy of religion. For the second part, you will present an original argument, in standard form, on some topic in philosophy of religion. You will then have to support the premises of that argument. Complete information about the paper assignment, suggested topics, etc., will be provided later on a separate handout.
The course grades will initially be determined according to the standard scale, i.e., 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 59% and below = F, and then may be modified as follows: Course grades might be curved, but, if so, the curve would not be such that any student's grade is lowered. Such factors as improvement over the length of the course, class participation, attendance, etc., may be taken into consideration, especially where doing so may improve a borderline grade. You must complete all course assignments (namely all exams and both drafts of the paper) to receive a passing grade (i.e., a grade other than F, NC or U).Internet Resources:
The course home page (http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~kak7409/331PhiofReligionHome.html) contains links to useful sites regarding the subject matter of the course, including philosophy journals available on-line and at Dupre, the on-line syllabus, and other resources. The on-line syllabus contains links to the home pages of the authors of our readings, readings available on-line, and optional readings available on-line.Class Policies:
You are also encouraged to visit my home page, which contains a link to the home page for this class as well as hundreds of organized links to research and philosophy oriented web sites and a section on how to survive your first philosophy course, among other things, that you may find interesting and useful. The address for my home page is http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~kak7409.
If you miss class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to get class notes from another student. Missed exams or other assignments can be made up only if an appropriate excuse, e.g., illness requiring medical attention, participation in certain official university events, etc., is provided. If you know in advance that you will miss an exam or due date for an assignment, let me know beforehand. An unexcused late assignment will be dropped 2/3 of a letter grade per day it is late. Excused late assignments can only be made up if the instructor is notified within one week of either the due date of the assignment or the cessation of a medically documented persistent vegetative state. If you have a disability and require assistance with fulfilling class assignments, don't hesitate to notify the instructor and the Office for Services to Students with Disabilities at 482-5252. Finally, be sure you are familiar with all university policies described in the UL Undergraduate Bulletin. All assignments for this class must be completed individually, and any instance of academic dishonesty on any assignment will be sufficient to fail the course.
Emergency Evacuation Procedures:A map of this floor is posted near the elevator marking the evacuation route and the Designated Rescue Area. This is an area where emergency service personnel will go first to look for individuals who need assistance in exiting the building. Students who may need assistance should identify themselves to the teaching faculty.
COURSE CALENDAR & PLANNED READING ASSIGNMENTS NOTE: Topics, readings and assignments are tentative and may be changed.
CP = Course Pack LINK = see on-line syllabus for link to this article
1. Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion (Jan. 23)
LINK: "What Is Philosophy?" by Keith Korcz; Rowe: Introduction.
January 21 - Martin Luther King Day - No Classes
2. The Nature of God (Week of Jan. 28)
Rowe: Chapters 1 & 10.
Monday, Feb. 4 Through Wednesday, Feb. 6 - Mardi Gras Holiday - No Classes.
3. Faith and Reason (Week of Feb. 11)
LINK: "Faith and Reason" by Keith Korcz; Rowe: Chapter 6 (pp. 91 - 104).
4. Arguments For & Against God's Existence
a. For: The Arguments From Biblical Inerrancy (Week of Feb. 18)
CP: selections from The Unauthorized Version: Truth and Fiction in the Bible by Robin Lane Fox [read an interview with Fox re: his advisory role in Oliver Stone's film Alexander], "The Great Gulf Between Scholars and the Pew" by Michael D. Coogan, "The Star of Bethlehem" by Werner Keller, "Genesis and Evolution" by Peter van Inwagen.
b. For: The Arguments From Experience (Week of Feb. 25)
Rowe: Chapter 5 & Chapter 6, pp. 104 – 110 only.
EXAM #1: WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27.
c. Against: The Problem of Divine Freedom
CP: "The Problem of Divine Perfection and Freedom" by William Rowe.
d. For: The Arguments From Miracles & Prayer (Week of March 3)
(CP): "The Case of the Weeping Madonna" by Lynn Rosellini; Rowe: Chapter 8; (CP): "David Hume and the Probability of Miracles" by George Mavrodes; "Can Science Prove That Prayer Works?" by Hector Avalos.
OPTIONAL: LINK: "On Miracles" by David Hume.
e. For: The Cosmological Arguments (Week of March 10)
Rowe: Chapter 2; CP: "The Five Ways" and "God's Perfection" by St. Thomas Aquinas; "The Moral Argument For The Existence of God" by C. S. Lewis.
f. Against: The Big Bang Argument for God's Non-Existence (Week of March 17)
CP: "A Defense of the Cosmological Argument for God's Non-Existence" by Quentin Smith.
g. For: The Ontological Arguments
Rowe: Chapter 3; CP: "A Modal Version of The Ontological Argument" by Alvin Plantinga [or click here for another Plantinga website].
FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.
Friday, March 21 through Friday, March 28 - Spring Break - No Classes
EXAM #2: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9.
h. For: The Design Arguments (Week of March 31)
Rowe: Chapter 4; CP: "The Anthropic Teleological Argument" by L. Stafford Betty and Bruce Cordell.
i. For: Prudential Arguments (Week of April 7)
(CP): "Making Believe" by Margaret P. Battin.
j. Against: The Logical Problem of Evil
Rowe: Chapter 7, pp. 112 - 119.
k. Against: The Evidential Argument Regarding Evil (Weeks of April 14 and April 21)
Rowe: Chapter 7, pp. 119 - 131; CP: "The Problem of Evil" by Richard Swinburne, "Evidential Atheological Arguments" by Alvin Plantinga [or click here for another Plantinga website].
5. Philosophy of Atheism
a. Atheism and Humanism (Week of April 28)
CP: "Humanist Manifesto II and Humanist Manifesto III.”
b. Life After Death
CP: "A Naturalistic Case for Extinction" by Linda Badham ; Rowe: Chapter 10
FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.
c. Creationism and Evolution (Week of May 5)
CP: "Science, Religion, Politics, Law and Education" by Tim M. Berra.
FINAL EXAM: THURSDAY, MAY 15 FROM 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM, IN REGULAR CLASSROOM.
Some Helpful Tips:
1. On class evaluations, students often state that they would tell friends planning to take this class that good class attendance and good class notes are essential to doing well on the exams.
2. Keep up with the readings - they further explain and help you to remember the issues you'll be tested on.
3. If you're having trouble understanding course material, do not hesitate to discuss it with the instructor!
