This coming term, I'm teaching a special topics course entitled "The Metaphysics of Free Will." A few years ago, I taught a similar course entitled "Free Will and Character Formation," the prep-work for which lead to this article. I really enjoyed that course, and think I will this one as well. The downside for such courses, however, is that there are no official pre-requisites, and so I have a mixed bag of students in terms of preparation. As a result, I'm not able to do some readings and discussions that I'd really like to do.
The draft of the syllabus is below the fold.
Course Information:
Title: PHIL 473--The Metaphysics of Free Will
Time: MW 11:15-12:10
Location: SH 210
Prerequisites: None (though previous study of philosophy will certainly be helpful and is strongly recommended)
Instructor Information:
Dr. Kevin Timpe
ktimpe@sandiego.edu
www.sandiego.edu/~ktimpe
Office: Founders 165A
Office Hours: ???
Office Phone: 260.7768
Course Description:
This course is devoted to the exploring the intersection of metaphysics and action theory. Some of the questions we will explore are the following: What is free will? What kinds of control and causation are involved in free will? Can I be free if I'm determined? Can I be morally responsible for actions I don't do freely? Can I choose to do something that I know is not good for me to do?
The two main goals for this course are:
(i) for students to learn how contemporary philosophers approach various issues in the free will debates, and
(ii) for students themselves to think philosophically about the same topic.
To fulfill objective (i), we will examine a number of influential texts and issues in contemporary free will debates. While knowledge of what other philosophers have thought is essential to success in this course, this is not merely a course designed to get you to repeat or memorize data. Students are expected and required to engage the material themselves. Thus, (ii) is essential as well. That is, students should begin trying to understand what free will is and, if they have it, how it relates to their lives.
Texts:
(a) Kane, A Contemporary Introduction to Free Will (
(b) Kane, Fischer, Pereboom, and Vargas, Four Views on Free Will (Blackwell, 2007)
(c) Additional readings will all be available via E-reserve (ER) through Copley Library:
http://copleylib.sandiego.edu/eres/courseindex.aspx?error=&page=search
ER password: free will
This course will also make use of WebCT. Students are responsible for regularly checking WebCT to keep current with the course schedule, as well as for various handouts and assignments.
Assignments:
Part of your course grade is based on class participation. Students are to read the assigned texts prior to their discussion in class, and come to class prepared to discuss the readings. Many classes will focus on discussing a thought experiment related to the theme of the material for that week. Students who are not willing to read all the assigned materials or contribute to public discussion should not take the class. Everyone benefits from robust classroom discussion.
There will be seven pop quizzes throughout the semester. They will not be announced ahead of time and cannot be made up if missed. Your highest five quiz grades will be averaged into your course grade.
Three question sets will be given throughout the semester. Typed answers to these question sets will be turned in for evaluation. Question sets will be docked 1 full letter grade for each 24 hour period late (or part thereof), excluding official University holidays.
Course Grade:
Class Participation 15%
Quizzes 15%
Question Set I 20%
Question Set II 25%
Question Set III 25%
TOTAL 100%
Grading Scale:
A > 93%
A- 90-92%
B+ 88-89%
B 83-87%
B- 80-82%
C+ 78-79%
C 73-77%
C- 70-72%
D 60-69%
F < 60%
Academic Honesty:
This is, after all, a course concerned with truth. Academic dishonesty in any form (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) will not be tolerated. The
Academic dishonesty, and allegations of academic dishonesty, are matters of University-wide concern in the same way that academic integrity is a matter of University-wide concern. Students bear the responsibility not only for their own academic integrity but also for bringing instances of suspected academic dishonesty to the attention of the proper authorities.... Penalties imposed by the instructor or supervisor with respect to a course or academic exercise may include: reduction in grade of the affected person in the course or exercise; the requirement that the affected person withdraw from the course or exercise; the requirement that all or part of the course or exercise be retaken; the requirement that the person engage in additional work in connection with the course or exercise.
Cheating on an assignment--such as plagiarizing a paper or consulting previous semester's exams--is grounds for failure of the course. I will not hesitate to fail you if you cheat.
Miscellaneous Information:
All students must utilize their USD email accounts, as I will sometimes use email to communicate with the class. Thus, I expect you to check your email on a reasonable basis. If you normally use a different email address, you will need to set your USD account to automatically forward all received mail to your preferred account.
Students are expected to treat all others in the class with the respect that is due. This included making sure that your cell-phones are turned off during class time. Also, no laptops will be allowed in the course without prior approval of the instructor.
You should become familiar with my web-page, as it has links to E-Reserve and WebCT. Also note that email is probably the best way to communicate with me outside of class.
Rough Course Schedule (Subject to Change):
The current class schedule of readings and assignments can be found on the course WebCT site. Make sure you check this regularly!
Date: Topic(s)
M 26 Jan Syllabus
W 28 Jan Kane, chapter 1; Timpe, "The Basics" (online)
F 30 Jan van Inwagen, "Moral Responsibility and Ontology" (ER)
M 2 Feb van Inwagen, "Philosophical Failure" (ER)
W 4 Feb Lycan, "Free Will and the Burden of Proof" (ER)
F 6 Feb Menzies, "Counterfactual Theories of Causation" (online)
M 9 Feb Kane, chapter 2
W 11 Feb Neilson, "The Compatibility of Freedom and Determinism" (ER)
F 13 Feb McKenna, "Classical Compatibilism" (online)
M 16 Feb Kane, chapter 3
W 18 Feb van Inwagen, "The Incompatibility of Free Will and Determinism" (ER)
F 20 Feb Lewis, "Are We Free to Break the Laws?" (ER)
M 23 Feb Question Set I Discussion
W 25 Feb Nahmias et al., "Surveying Freedom" (online)
F 27 Feb Nahmias et al., "Free Will, Moral Responsibility, and Mechanism" (online)
M 2 Mar Kane, chapters 4 and 5
W 4 Mar O'Connor, "Agent Causation" (online)
F 6 Mar Kane, chapter 7
9-13 Mar No Class: Spring Break
M 16 Mar G. Strawson, "The Impossibility of Moral Responsibility" (ER)
W 18 Mar Clarke, "On an Argument for the Impossibility of Moral Responsibility" (online)
F 20 Mar Kane, chapter 8
M 23 Mar Dennett, "I Could Not Have Done Otherwise--So What?" (ER)
W 25 Mar
F 27 Mar Kane, chapter 9
M 30 Mar
W 1 Apr Kane, chapter 10
F 3 Apr P. Strawson, "Freedom and Resentment" (ER)
M 6 Apr
W 8 Apr No Class: Pacific APA
F 10 Apr No Class: Easter Break
M 13 Apr No Class: Easter Break
W 15 Apr Kane, chapter 11
F 17 Apr Timpe, "Sourcehood and Incompatibilism" (online)
M 20 Apr Four Views, chapter 1
W 22 Apr Four Views, chapter 1 (cont.)
F 24 Apr Four Views, chapter 2
M 27 Apr Four Views, chapter 2 (cont.)
W 29 Apr Four Views, chapter 3
F 1 May Four Views, chapter 3 (cont.)
M 4 May Four Views, chapter 4
W 6 May Four Views, chapter 4 (cont.)
F 8 May Make-up
M 11 May Make-up
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