2016-2017
Introduction to Philosophy
Code: IS254
Category: Social sciences and philosophy
Level: 4
Credits: 15
Teaching Pattern
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Seminar
3 x 2hrs
3 x 2hrs
3 x 2hrs
3 x 2hrs
Lecture
3 x 1hr
3 x 1hr
3 x 1hr
3 x 1hr
Tutorial
1 x 20mins



*in addition to the above formal teaching sessions you will be expected to do approximately 120 hours of
independent study over the 4 weeks.
Outline
This module introduces you to the central issues of Western philosophy, and to a number of classic
philosophical texts.
You begin with the particular moral problems that arise in connection with our treatment of (nonhuman) animals. You then explore more abstract issues in ethics, and some of the most
fundamental concerns of philosophy, including the nature of the self and its relation to the world.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students will be able to:
begin to understand how to study philosophy historically
demonstrate an awareness of the relevance of certain key historical debates
identify and analyse arguments
Contacts
Christos Hadjioannou
[email protected]
Indicative Reading List
Book to be purchased: J. Cottingham, Western Philosophy: An Anthology, 2nd ed (Oxford: Blackwell, 2008).
1) I. Kant, from Lectures on Ethics: ‘The Status of Non-Human Animals’ in Cottingham pp. 576-8
2) P. Singer, ‘All Animals are Equal’, at (e.g.) http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer02.htm
3) R. Crisp and T. Chappell, ‘Utilitarianism’ in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (available through Online
Resources in the Electronic Library)
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SUMMER Session 1
4) H. J. McCloskey, ‘An Examination of Restricted Utilitarianism’, Philosophical Review 66 (1957), pp. 466-85
(available online through JSTOR)
5) J. S. Mill, from Utilitarianism: ‘Happiness as the Foundation of Morality’ in Cottingham, pp. 512-6
6) W. D. Ross, from The Right and the Good: ‘Duty and Intuition’ in Cottingham, pp. 529-33
7) I. Kant, from Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals: ‘Duty and Reason as the Ultimate Principle’ in
Cottingham, pp. 506-11
8) Aristotle, from Nicomachean Ethics: ‘Ethical Virtue’in Cottingham, pp. 492-5; but read also the whole of
Books I-III (the complete translation by Ross is available on several Internet sites), and in particular Book III,
Ch V
9) R. Crisp, ‘Virtue Ethics’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (available through Online Resources in the
Electronic Library)
10) P. de Laplace, from Philosophical Essay on Probability: ‘Absolute Determinism’ in Cottingham, pp. 318-9
11) T. Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapter 21, paras 1-4 [JB 140 Hob] ; full text available on several Internet sites
12) P.F. Strawson, from Freedom and Resentment: ‘Determinism and Our Attitudes to Others’ in Cottingham, pp.
326-31
13) J-P. Sartre, from Being and Nothingness: ‘Condemned to be Free’ in Cottingham, pp. 320-5
14) G. Strawson, ‘Free Will’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
15) J. Locke, from Essay concerning Human Understanding: ‘The Self and Consciousness’ in Cottingham, pp. 2759
16) J. Butler, from Of Personal Identity: ‘The Self as Primitive Concept’ in Cottingham, pp. 280-4
17) D. Parfit, from Reasons and Persons: ‘Liberation from the Self’ in Cottingham, pp. 296-301
18) B. Garrett, ‘Personal Identity’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
19) R. Descartes, from Meditations: ‘The Incorporeal Mind’ in Cottingham, pp. 221-6; read also Meditations II
and VI in full (texts available through several Internet sites)
20) J.S. Mill, from An Examination of Sir William Hamilton’s Philosophy: ‘The Problem of Other Minds’ in
Cottingham, pp. 240-3
21) G. Ryle, from The Concept of Mind: ‘The Myth of the “Ghost in the Machine”’ in Cottingham, pp. 251-5
22) T.Nagel, 'What is it like to be a bat?', Philosophical Review 83 (1974) [B1 Phi]; and in T.Nagel, Mortal
Questions [BD431 Nag]; and in D.Hofstadter and D.Dennett, eds., The Mind's I [BD331 Min]; and in N.Block,
ed., Readings in Philosophy of Psychology, vol 1 [BF38 Rea], AVAILABLE THROUGH JSTOR
23) R. Descartes, from Meditations: ‘New Foundations for Knowledge’ in Cottingham, pp. 21-4; read also the
whole of Meditation I (available in full text through several Internet sites)
24) D. Hume, from Enquiry concerning Human Understanding: ‘Scepticism versus Human Nature’ in Cottingham,
pp. 35-9
25) S. Cohen, ‘Scepticism’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
M. Heidegger, from Being and Time: ‘Being and Involvement’ in Cottingham, pp. 115-20
University Library
The Library,
University of Sussex,
Brighton
BN1 9QL
Phone: 01273 678163
[email protected]
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SUMMER Session 1