|
SAMPLE SYLLABUS |
SYLLABUS
METAPHYSICS
(0125-301-01)
R. Dennehy |
| Course Aim |
| The aim of this course is to
introduce the student to the subject matter and method of the branch of philosophy known
as "metaphysics." Topics to be covered in the course include wisdom,
philosophical knowledge and how it differs from scientific and theological knowledge,
being and its principles, the problem of the one and the many, essence and existence,
causality, the proofs for God’s existence, the criticism of the proofs, the problem
of evil, as well as the significance of metaphysics for culture. |
| Although this is a lecture course,
student participation in class by questions, comments, and discussion is encouraged. |
| Text |
| Raymond Dennehy, Introduction to
Metaphysics The text is available in the St. Ignatius Institute and is required for the
course. |
| Course Outline |
| Freedom & the Relation Between
Possibility and Reality |
| Text: |
Prologue, Introduction to Metaphysics
& Ch 12 |
| What Is Metaphysics? |
| Text: |
Ch 1 |
| Being As Being |
| Text: |
Ch 2 |
| The Problem of the One and the Many |
| Text: |
Ch 3 |
| Plato’s Theory of the Pure
Forms |
| Text: |
Chs 3 & 13 |
| Aristotle’s Hylemorphic Theory |
| Text: |
Ch 4 |
| Thomas Aquinas & the Real
Distinction Between Essence and Existence |
| Text: |
Chs 5, 14, & 15 |
| Being and the Foundations of
Knowledge |
| Text: |
Ch 6 & Ch 11 |
| From Metaphysics to Epistemology:
The Road to Anti-Metaphysics |
| Text: |
Ch 7 |
| Moderate Realism’s Reply to
Kant’s Rejection of the Proof’s For God’s Existence |
| Text: |
Ch 10 & class handout (Aquinas, Summa
Theologia, I, Q.2, a.3 |
| Analogical Knowledge |
| Text: |
Ch 8 |
| The Problem of Evil |
| Text: |
Ch 9 |
| Class Attendance |
| Attendance records will not be
kept. This is not to be interpreted to mean that the student’s presence in class is a
matter of indifference to the teacher or as implicit support for the principle that
performance in the course is unrelated to attendance. Rather it means no more than that
the teacher prefers not to adopt a policy of mandatory attendance. At all events, the
student will be held responsible for whatever is said in class about the content and
policies of the course. |
| Grading and Assignments |
| Grading for the course will be
based on 1 midterm test (3 essay topics) and a final examination (3 essay topics). The
midterm will count for 1/3 of the course grade and the final examination will for 2/3. |
| All examinations must be written in
a bluebook; otherwise they will be treated as a failure to take the examination. |
| The student must take the midterm
and final examinations on the date, time and at the place assigned for the class. Failure
to do so, for either test, will result in an "F" for the course. No make-up
examinations will be given except in cases of a physician’s written statement of the
student’s incapacity to take the test and where the teacher judges that the
student’s circumstances justify a make-up. |
| The midterm test date is FRIDAY,
OCT. 13, 11:10 AM; the final examination date is MONDAY, DEC. 11, 8AM. (I MAY SUBSTITUTE A
TAKE-HOME EXAMINATION, WHICH WOULD BE DUE BY 5PM ON THAT DATE.) |
Office Hours
MW 2-3pm & by appt.
CA D6; x6456
dennehyr@usfca.edu |
