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SAMPLE SYLLABUS
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SYLLABUS
METAPHYSICS
(0125-301-01)
R. Dennehy
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Course
Aim
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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.
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Although this
is a lecture course, student participation in class by questions,
comments, and discussion is encouraged.
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Text
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Raymond Dennehy,
Introduction to Metaphysics
The text is available in the St. Ignatius Institute and is required
for the course.
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Course
Outline
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Freedom &
the Relation Between Possibility and Reality
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Text:
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Prologue, Introduction
to Metaphysics
& Ch 12
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What Is Metaphysics?
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Text: |
Ch 1
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Being As Being
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Text: |
Ch 2
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The Problem
of the One and the Many
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Text: |
Ch 3
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Plato’s
Theory of the Pure Forms
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Text: |
Chs 3 &
13
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Aristotle’s
Hylemorphic Theory
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Text: |
Ch 4
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Thomas Aquinas
& the Real Distinction Between Essence and Existence
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Text: |
Chs 5, 14,
& 15
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Being and the
Foundations of Knowledge
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Text: |
Ch 6 &
Ch 11
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From Metaphysics
to Epistemology: The Road to Anti-Metaphysics
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Text: |
Ch 7
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Moderate Realism’s
Reply to Kant’s Rejection of the Proof’s For God’s
Existence
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Text: |
Ch 10 &
class handout (Aquinas, Summa Theologia, I, Q.2, a.3
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Analogical
Knowledge
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Text: |
Ch 8
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The Problem
of Evil
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Text: |
Ch 9
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Class
Attendance
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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.
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Grading
and Assignments
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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.
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All examinations
must be written in a bluebook; otherwise they will be treated as
a failure to take the examination.
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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.
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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.)
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Office Hours
MW 2-3pm & by appt.
CA D6; x6456
dennehyr@usfca.edu
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Department of Philosophy