Office: Mendocino 3020 Office Hours email: mccormick@csus.edu Webpage: www.csus.edu/indiv/m/mccormickm
Office phone: 278-7372
Philosophy Department Office: Mendocino 3032, 278-6424, Philosophy Department Homepage
Catalog Description for Philosophy of Religion. This course also satisfies GE Area C3, Introduction to the Humanities
Required Text: there are no texts for this course in the bookstore. All readings will be linked on the syllabus below in the weekly schedule, or the indicated reading will be available in WebCT in the folder marked "Course Readings" You will need reliable computer and Internet access for SacCT.
The Course:
Religion is perhaps one of the most widespread and familiar of human behaviors.
For as long as humans have been recognizably human, they have been religious.
Religious claims are of particular interest to philosophers because they raise
so many important metaphysical issues. That is, religious claims often make
assertions about the ultimate nature of reality, the existence of souls, an
afterlife, and most importantly, the existence of a God or gods. Part of the
reason people have such a strong interest in religion is because of the
implications religious claims would have on our lives if they are true.
We will discuss the philosophical and
metaphysical tenets of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, as well as Buddhism and
Hinduism. Our primary focus in the first third of the course will be on the
notion of an all powerful, all knowing, and all good God that is central to the
predominant western and non-western monotheistic traditions. We will consider
various philosophical approaches to many religious issues, arguments for and
against the existence of God, the problem of evil, faith, revelation,
mysticism, the Creation-Evolution debate, the attributes of God, miracles, the
relationship of religion to ethics, the relationship between religiousness and
rationality, the different forms of religious beliefs, and so on. We will
operate with the justified assumption that serious, rational inquiry and
respectful dialogue on these issues can help us learn about God, religion, and
ourselves, and that we can obtain better, more reasonable positions regarding
these topics. In all of these discussions and readings we will consider the
contributions and perspectives of persons from various ethnic, socio-economic,
and religious groups.
Student
Outcome Goals: This course has several major goals for students.
These goals will be met and assessed with
reading assignments, tests, vocabulary assessment, quizzes, paper assignments,
class discussions, lectures, and philosophical research.
Assignments and Course Requirements:
| Grading Structure |
Number |
Value |
| Papers | 2 | 10% |
| Reading Questions | 6 | 5% |
| Midterm | 1 | 10% |
| Final Exam | 1 | 10% |
| Attendance and Participation |
10% |
|
| Google Groups discussion board |
10% |
|
| Friday Projects |
10% |
|
| Total |
100% |
To calculate your grade during the semester:
1. Take all reading question set scores and
multiply by .05.
2. Take all paper grade scores and multiply
by .10 (A=95, A-=92, B+=88, B=85, B-=82, and so on.)
3. Estimate your class attendance and
participation grade: 10 = best, 0=worst.
4. Estimate scores for any assignments yet to
be completed and multiply by the appropriate %.
5. Add all of those results. A=100-90,
B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, F=59-50.
Google Docs: To submit an assignment using Google Docs, use the following proceedure:
1. Go to your Google account: https://www.google.com/accounts/
2. Click on Documents
3. Click on New.
4. Click on Untitled and title your essay as follows: Name, Course, Essay # e.g. John Pastrami, 153, Title. Write your essay.
5. Save your essay.
6. Click Share >> Share with others
7. Be sure the as collaborators radio button is filled.
8. Type: mccormick@csus.edu.
9. Click: Invite collaborators
When you complete step 9, I will have access to the file and be able to comment on it and grade it. I will grade it online and you will receive an email in your Google account when I am finished.
Important: Google records the revision history of your paper. The last date of your work on it will be treated as the submission date. If you revise the paper after the date and time when it is due, it will be treated as late.
Google Groups Discussions:
All students are required to make regular, constructive, and considered contributions to our discussion board on Google Groups:
http://groups.google.com/group/philosophy-of-religion-csus
Getting Started: Create a Google Account:
1. Go to: https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount If you don't already have an account, create one with the link on the lower right.
2. Once you have an account and you are logged in you can join the group at this address: http://groups.google.com/group/philosophy-of-religion-csus
3. Posting questions, comments, and ideas: Under "Discussions," there will be different threads of conversation with questions and comments from Prof. McCormick and other students. Choose topics and questions that you find interesting and make a post, or ask new questions and start a thread of your own.
Grading: Students who make frequent, reflective, and helpful posts (at least 10 for the semester) will receive a full 10% for this portion of the grade. Lesser contributions will be graded proportionally lower. Contributions will be evaluated on the basis of these criteria:
Rules of Engagement:
A. Be polite and respectful of other views.
B. Don't post or email in anger. Reflect on it and cool off before you hit "Send."
C. Take some time to consider what's correct, helpful, or interesting in other people's posts.
D. Give reasons and arguments for conclusions, don't preach.
E. Be prepared to change your mind if there are good grounds for it.
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Course
Schedule: Here is an outline of the authors and topics in the assigned
text that we will be discussing. Topics and reading assignments are subject to
change.
Week 1: Introduction: The concept of God in different religious traditions.
Philosophical theology.
Readings: none
Friday project #1: Religiousness Survey It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 2: Science and Religion
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Steven Jay Gould: Nonoverlapping Magisteria
Paul Kurtz, Are Science and Religion Compatible?
Assignment: Reading Questions due at the beginning of class Monday: Science, Religion, and Morality (they cover readings through week 3)
Friday project #2: Sam Harris has a lecture in two parts here: http://www.samharris.org/site/full_text/can-we-ever-be-right-about-right-and-wrong/
Study both parts of this lecture. Then write a brief (200-400 words) synopsis of his argument. Post the synopsis into a document in Google Docs labeled: Harris on Science and Well-Being, share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google Docs. It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 3: Religion and Morality
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Plato http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html
Stephen Pinker: The Morality Instinct: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/magazine/13Psychology-t.html?scp=1&sq=pinker
De Waal, Frans: Morality and Social Instincts: Continuity with the Other Primates
http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/volume25/deWaal_2005.pdf
Going to church is good for you: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/science/30tier.html?_r=1&ref=science
Friday project #3: Go to www.yourmorals.org, create an account, take the first quiz: Moral Foundations Questionnaire. Email a link to the results page of your questionnaire to: mccormick@csus.edu (all results will be kept confidential) It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 4: Cosmological Arguments
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
The Kalam Cosmological Argument. http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth11.html
Critique of the Cosmological Argument, http://spot.colorado.edu/~morristo/kalam-not.html
Assignment: Reading questions are due at the beginning of class Monday: Cosmological Arguments
Friday Project #4: In a short essay, answer this question: Do people believe in God on the basis of arguments or reasons like the Kalam argument? Post your answer to Google Docs in a document labeled: Why Do People Believe? Save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google Docs. It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 5:
Teleological
Arguments for the Existence of God
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Fine Tuning Argument
Robin Collins: God, Design, and Fine Tuning in WebCT: Readings Folder.
Victor Stenger: The Anthropic Coincidences, a Natural Explanation
Steven Weinberg A Designer Universe? http://www.physlink.com/Education/essay_weinberg.cfm
Assignment: Reading questions are due at the beginning of class Monday: Teleological Arguments
Friday project #5. Consider the brief survey of arguments for God here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/july/13.22.html
In a short essay, state and explain a philosophical objection to one of these arguments. A good philosophical objection to an argument is one that gives substantial reasons to doubt or reject one of the premises of the argument, or one that challenges the logical validity of the argument. A good objection will not: ask open, unanswered questions; analyze the writing style of the argument; comment that the argument is vague or that terms are not defined; will not offer rhetorical questions like "who's to say. . . ", and so on. See the Writing Guidelines for more guidance. Post your answer to a file in Google Docs and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu. It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 6: Intelligent Design
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Richard Swinburne, http://www.mrrena.com/misc/Swinburne.shtml
Evolution:
"15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense": http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000D4FEC-7D5B-1D07-8E49809EC588EEDF
Misunderstandings about Evolution: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-misconceptions.html
Friday Project #6: Answer this essay question in a Google Doc labeled: "God and Evolution." A substantial percentage of the American population believes that the evolution of life on Earth was somehow aided by God. Do you agree that God helped? How could God have assisted the process of evolution? Save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google docs. It must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 7: The Argument from Design continued
Review Sheet: Midterm Exam Questions
Assignment: Midterm, in class on Wednesday. Bring a blue book.
No Friday project.
Week 8: The Problem of Evil, and Theodicies
Assignment: Reading questions are due at the beginning of class Monday: The Problem of Evil
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Leibniz, The Argument Reduced to Syllogistic Form, Leibniz, in WebCT: Readings Folder.
Evil and Soul Making, Hick, in in WebCT: Readings Folder.
Friday project #7: Start writing your paper on The Problem of Evil in a Google Doc. Save this draft and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google Docs. The first draft must be completed before class on Monday.
Week 9: Arguments for Atheism
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Rowe, William: The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism in WebCT: Readings Folder.
Rowe, William: Friendly Atheism, Skeptical Theism, and the Problem of Evil in WebCT: Readings Folder.
Assignment: Paper due: The Problem of Evil (Complete the Google Doc you began earlier, save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu though Google Docs. It must be completed by 12:00 midnight, Friday.)
No Friday project
Week 10: Atheism continued.
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
The Santa Argument: Scriven's Santa Claus Principle Powerpoint presentation.
Drange, Theodore. Incompatible-Properties Arguments: A Survey
Assignment: Reading questions are due at the begining of class Monday: Atheism, Faith, and Reason
No Friday project
Week of April 27: Faith:
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
William Lane Craig: Video Clip on Faith and Doubt
Antony Flew: The Parable of the Invisible Gardener
Sam Harris: Believing the Unbelievable
Harris: excerpt from The End of Faith, http://www.samharris.org/site/full_text/chapter-one/
Friday project #8: Watch this You Tube video: Jug of Milk Fallacy. Answer this question in a Google Doc labeled "Milk." What is the fallacy? Save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google docs. It must be completed before class on Monday, May 4.
Week of May 4: Souls and the Afterlife:
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
McCormick, "Against the Immortality of the Soul"
Penn and Teller on Near Death Experiences (If the link isn't active, search on www.YouTube.com for "Penn and Teller Near Death Experiences")
Friday project #9: Answer this question in a Google Doc labeled: "Proof." Hypothetically, what sort of evidence could make immortality or life after death reasonable to believe? Save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google Docs. It must be completed before class on Monday, May 11.
Week of May 11: Miracles
Assignment: Reading questions are due at the beginning of class Monday, May 11: Miracles and Pragmatic Justifications
Readings: (all readings need to be completed by the first class of the week)
Against Miracles, David Hume, in WebCT: Readings Folder.
McCormick: Miracles (Powerpoint)
Pragmatic
Justifications for Belief
Pascal,
The Wager in
WebCT: Readings
Folder
Cllifford, The Ethics of Belief. WebCT: Readings Folder
Second paper assignment due Friday, May 15th: Deductive Atheology (Complete the paper as a Google Doc, save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu though Google Docs. It must be completed by 12:00 midnight, Friday.)
Reminder: all sources should be cited, and quotation marks should be used for any passages that are not your own. Instructions for how to cite are on the Philosophy Department Writing Guidelines.
Final Exam: Due by Friday, May 22 5:00 Save it and share it with me: mccormick@csus.edu through Google Docs (or turn in a hard copy to my office MND 3020. No late final exams will be accepted, and you may not use your extension on the final.)
Reminder: all sources should be cited, and quotation marks should be used for any passages that are not your own. Instructions for how to cite are on the Philosophy Department Writing Guidelines.
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Step 1: Create a Google Account: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount
Step 2: Once you have a Google Account, you can open Google Docs here: http://docs.google.com/#all
Step 3: Using the New tab on the upper left, you can create a new document and then write, edit, proofread, and revise just as you would with Word or another word processor.
Step 4: Once you're done with your document, and you have saved it, you can hit the Share tab on the upper right and enter Prof. McCormick's email address: mccormick@csus.edu When the program prompts you to attach a message about the document you are sharing, enter the name of the assignment. I will make comments by inserting them into the document.
Some Links:
Prof. McCormick's Atheism Blog: www.atheismblog.blogspot.com
Don Cupitt
http://philosophybites.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=408237
Jug of Milk Fallacy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk6ILZAaAMI
Jonathan Haidt on Innate Moral Values: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html
Gilbert on agency and explanations: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/gilbert05/gilbert05_index.html