PHL 320-C: God & Persons: Philosophical Reflections

Spring 2008        Tues. Thurs. 9:30–10:45 am        Prof. Stephens        HC 212

office: HC 116      phone (with voicemail): 280-2632      stphns at creighton dot edu

Course Description

What reasons are there for thinking that God exists?  What is the nature of God?  According to traditional Christian monotheism, what attributes does this supreme being have?  What reasons are there for thinking that a being so described does not exist?  Is this God one person, three persons, or other than personal?  What is a person?  Who is a person?  Are all human beings persons?  Could dolphins be persons?  Could apes or other primates be persons?  Could artificially intelligent machines be persons?  Are Replicants (in the film Blade Runner) persons?  What constitutes the identity of a person?  We will address these questions and related issues by examining selected episodes, expressed in philosophical texts, in the historical development of the concept ‘person’.  How, philosophically, are we to understand divinity?  From a Christian personalist perspective we will study arguments about God’s attributes, three types of arguments for God’s existence, the relationship between faith and reason, the problem of evil, and whether divine foreknowledge and human freedom are compatible.  We will study an essay on reasons for doubting belief in the theistic Christian god and whether it is more reasonable to believe in deism (or polydeism) than traditional monotheism.  We will study a dialogue that presents God and adult human beings, from a Taoist perspective, as conceivable either as personal or as impersonal.  We will examine accounts of the person and personal identity by both influential Western philosophers and from a Buddhist perspective.  The course’s concluding essay analyzes various Christian-inspired arguments that God is a person alongside various Muslim-inspired arguments that God is not a person.

Course Requirements and Grade Percentages

Required Texts

• William L. Rowe, Philosophy of Religion: An Introduction, 4th ed. (Wadsworth, 2007)  ISBN 0-495-00725-0.
• William O. Stephens, The Person: Readings in Human Nature (Prentice Hall, 2006)  ISBN 978-0-13-184811-5.
• Stephen Mulhall, “Picturing the Human (Body and Soul): A Reading of Blade Runner,” Film and Philosophy 1 (1994): 87–104.
• Lewis Vaughn, Writing Philosophy: A Student’s Guide to Writing Philosophy Essays (Oxford University Press, 2006)  ISBN 0-19-517956-0.
• William O. Stephens, How to Write Philosophy Papers ($4 at Philosophy Dept.).

Required Film

• Blade Runner (1982) directed by Ridley Scott – on 2-hour reserve in Reinert Alumni Library

• Extreme lack of clarity or lack of coherence of argument or expression of thought.
• Disregard for the requirements of the assignment.
• Irrelevant use or failure to use relevant course readings.
• Submission of another's words or thoughts as if they were your own, whether in the form of plagiarism or failure to acknowledge the source of an idea.
• Very poor class attendance with no participation in discussions.

D    “Work of inferior quality, but passing” (60 to <70% average)

• Unclarity or incoherence of argument or expression of thought.
• Failure to satisfy the requirements of the assignment.
• Poor or inadequate understanding or use of relevant course readings.
• Improper acknowledgment or citation of the sources of your ideas.
• Poor class attendance with little or no participation in discussions.

C    “Satisfactory work”

• Basic clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Satisfaction of the assignment’s basic requirements.
• Fair or adequate understanding of the major views and theories in the relevant course readings and the arguments presented in support of those views and theories.
• Minimally clear and coherent evaluation of the views and arguments in the relevant course readings.
• Minimally proper acknowledgment and citation of the sources of your ideas.
• Generally consistent class attendance with occasional participation in discussions.
• 77 to <80% average for a C+; 70 to <77% average for a C.

B    “Noteworthy level of performance”    Demonstrates all of the qualities of satisfactory work plus:

• Good, above average clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Clear, logical organization of the essay’s introduction, body, and conclusion.
•  Clear, detailed, and accurate understanding of the major views and theories in the relevant course readings and of the arguments presented in support of those views
  and theories.
• Good attempt to provide argumentative support for your evaluation of the views, theories, and arguments presented in the relevant course readings.
• Regular, consistent class attendance with regular, good participation in discussions.
• 87 to <90% average for a B+; 80 to <87% average for a B.

A    “Outstanding achievement and an unusual degree of intellectual initiative”  Demonstrates all of the qualities of noteworthy performance plus:

• Excellent, superior clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Clear, rigorous, and cogent argumentative support for your evaluation of the views, theories, and arguments presented in the relevant course readings.
• Originality and creativity of interpretation, explanation, argumentation, or criticism. 
• Superior class attendance with consistent, excellent, and thoughtful participation in discussions.  
• 90% average or above.

Oral Class Participation

Punctuality is a virtue.  Prof. Stephens strives to attend every class on time.  He expects all of his students to attend every class, on time, every week, all semester long.  Being in class is a NECESSARY but not a sufficient condition for earning a good class participation grade.  Five (5) or more absences will result in an AF (failure due to excessive absence) for this course.  Each absence fewer than five will incrementally lower your class participation grade.  You are responsible for all material discussed and all announcements made in every class.  If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed.  Being tardy twice counts as one absence.  Class begins when Prof. Stephens enters the room or at 9:30 am, whichever comes second, so if you arrive after that, then you are tardy.  “Participation” means raising your hand to be called on and making comments about the reading or the discussion, or asking questions about the reading or the lecture, or responding to questions Prof. Stephens raises or comments made by other students.  Attentively listening to everything said in class is certainly expected.  But it is virtually impossible to learn how to do philosophy by merely listening.  Listening alone does not count in the least as oral participation.  You must vocalize your questions, thoughts, and comments out loud in class.  Both quality and quantity of oral remarks count; both are recorded for every class.  Since we will be closely attending to the readings in our class discussions, it is vital that everyday you bring to class your book containing that day’s reading assignment.

Quizlets

To encourage you to do the assigned reading faithfully before each and every class, Prof. Stephens will sometimes, without prior announcement at the beginning of class give a small “pop” quiz on the reading assignment.  These quizlets are usually about ten true/false items.  If you are late to class or absent, then you miss the quizlet, get a zero for it, and cannot retake it.  To compensate for a missed quizlet you can boost your oral participation in class.  Sometimes Prof. Stephens rewards students for bringing their books to class by giving an open-book quizlet.

Paper Specifications

Students who have not previously written a THESIS DEFENSE PAPER for Prof. Stephens should get their hands on the How to Write Philosophy Papers manual.  Read it closely and carefully follow all its guidelines in writing your paper.  Throughout the course, you should be thinking up a good paper topic.  Discuss your topic idea(s) with me between March 19 and 27.  April 2 you will bring to class the first draft of your introductory paragraph, neatly typed and proofread.  Prof. Stephens will comment on (but not grade) your draft introductory paragraph to help you shape the paper.  You can also get additional assistance at the Writing Center (Hitchcock Communication Arts Building Room 306, phone 280-4707).  The finished, polished, carefully edited, and meticulously proofread paper should be 1400 to approximately 1700 words in length.  (You are permitted to exceed 1700 words within reason, but please don’t abuse this freedom.)  Papers of fewer than 1400 words will not be accepted.  Print your NAME, the COURSE number and section, the course name, the (properly spelled) name of your PROFESSOR, the TITLE of your paper, and the WORD COUNT on the cover page.

Submission Policy

Bring your paper to our classroom at the beginning of our Final Exam period.  “Your paper” means thin, rectangular sheets made from wood pulp, stapled together in the upper left hand corner, with paragraphs you have written legibly printed on them.  An electronic file on a storage device or an email attachment is not acceptable.  You may submit your paper earlier than the Final Exam period if you arrange to do so in advance with Prof. Stephens.  Otherwise, you (not someone else) will bring your completed paper to class at the beginning of the Final Exam period.  Papers submitted after the Final Exam period but before 5 pm the same day will be penalized 20 points.  Papers submitted before 5 pm the day after the day of the Final Exam period will be penalized 35 points.  Papers submitted after that will receive a zero.

Academic Honesty Statement

Keep in Contact with the Instructor throughout the Course

DATE        ASSIGNMENT

Jan. 10        Introduction to course and Rowe, Introduction (1–3)

Jan. 15        Rowe, Ch. 1: The Idea of God (4–18)
Jan. 17        Rowe, Ch. 2: The Cosmological Argument (19–36)

Jan. 22        Rowe, Ch. 3: The Ontological Argument (37–53)
Jan. 24        Rowe, Ch. 4: The Design Argument (54–68)

Jan. 29        Finish Rowe, Ch. 4: The Design Argument and Rowe, Ch. 6: Faith and Reason (91–111)
Jan. 31        Finish Rowe, Ch. 6: Faith and Reason (91–111)

Feb. 5         Rowe, Ch. 7: The Problem of Evil (112–132)        Review Guide for Exam #1
Feb. 7        Exam #1  ۞  BRING A PENCIL ۞ 

Feb. 12       Stephens, Ch. 23: C. D. Broad, “The Validity of Belief in a Personal God”(187–198)
Feb. 14       Broad (continued)

Feb. 19      Stephens, Ch. 28: R. M. Smullyan, “Is God a Taoist?” (241–254)
Feb. 21      Stephens, Ch. 3: Cicero (17–21), Ch. 4: Epictetus (22–29)

Feb. 26      Stephens, Ch. 4: Epictetus (22–29), Ch. 5: Clement of Alexandria (30–31),
Feb. 28      Stephens, Ch. 6: Boethius, Contra Eutychen §§ 2–4 (32–37)

Spring Recess

March 11        CANCELED due to illness
March 13        Stephens, Ch. 15: Hume (108–115); Ch. 24: Richard Taylor, “The Anattā Doctrine and Personal Identity” (199–205)
        Review Guide for Exam #2
March 18        Exam #2  ۞  BRING A PENCIL ۞
March 20        finish Ch. 24: Richard Taylor, “TAD & PI” (199–205); Ch. 36: A. O. Rorty, “Persons and Personae” (336–350)

April 1        Stephen Mulhall, “Picturing the Human (Body and Soul): A Reading of Blade Runner”
April 3        Stephens, Ch. 34: Mary Midgley, “Persons and Non-Persons” (313–320)
→  Friday April 4 introductory ¶ of paper due at 4:00 pm  ←

April 8        Stephens, Ch. 42: The Boyd Group, “The Moral Status of Non-human Primates: Are Apes Persons?” (409–415) and
                   Nicholas Wade, “Scientist Finds the Beginnings of Morality in Primate Behavior” The New York Times, March 20, 2007 (.pdf file)
                     Review Guide for Exam #3
April 10        Exam #3  ۞  BRING A PENCIL ۞

April 15       Stephens, Ch. 35: Gary Legenhausen, “Is God a Person?” (321–335)
April 17       NO CLASS

April 22        Legenhausen (continued)            Legenhausen Review Guide
April 24        Test on Legenhausen  ۞  BRING A PENCIL ۞

Papers must be presented in person on the day and at the time of the Final Exam, Monday, April 28, at 1:00 pm.
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