Welcome!

Welcome to the exciting world of philosophy!

In this class we are going to learn a number of very fascinating philosophical theories, some of which have revolutionized and shaped the conceptual foundations of science and the modern world, and some of which have brought into question many of our most deeply-held beliefs.

One of the most important things you will get out of this course, I hope, is the ability to think critically and rationally. Unlike most other classes, which emphasize the memorization of large sets of data, this class will require you, instead, to apply your brain to a small, but varied typology of conceptual problems that have puzzled thinkers for centuries. You will learn to analyze a seemingly simple idea, such as motion, for instance, and understand its logical implications, as well as the conceptual problems it might produce for some other idea. At first you might find this difficult (in some cases, maybe even painful), but as you start to develop your critical thinking skills, you will find that, with practice, it becomes much easier and even fun. You will probably also find yourself applying these skills in other classes, as well as out of the academic world, and that's the idea.

As with any given population, some of you are probably not computer literate, some of you are probably trying to hack into this blog as we speak, and most of you are probably somewhere in between. I have chosen this medium for many reasons, perhaps the most important of which are that, unlike with most regular web-sites, updating it does not require anyone to be in a specific physical location, and because it is extremely easy for you to participate.

This means that all of us can access it and interact as frequently as we may find it necessary. Since we only meet once a week, and the reading material might be difficult to understand on occasion, this blog will provide a helpful tool to clarify any ambiguities and roadblocks you might encounter along the way.

The idea behind this blog is that anyone can post entries here (I'll go over the details and limitations of how to do this in class). Occasionally I'll post entries clarifying and expanding on some of the ideas we discuss in class, as well as providing links to secondary material from which you might benefit.

However, I will not be the only person to "blog" here. If you find yourself confused about any given topic, or if you want to throw an interesting idea out there to stimulate some discussion, you can post your own entries and someone will respond in the "comments" section below your post, creating a discussion thread to which everyone can contribute. I urge everyone to participate.

On the right side of the blog, you will also find some relevant links, such as the class syllabus (in the form of an online calendar). You will also find various ways of subscribing to this blog, either through an rss reader or through your e-mail address, whatever you think will be easier and more convenient for you. When you subscribe to a web-page such as this, your subscription system will automatically notify you when changes have been made to the site, keeping you up to date with any new entries that are posted here.

So, play around with the links, and if you have any questions, just go to the "comments" section below and ask away. See you next week!