The Extended Phenotype

We'll talk about the idea of free will tonight in class to some extent as we explore the question of consciousness and its relationship to evolutionary theory. In the meantime, check this out:

Gordian worms live inside crickets for long periods, feeding on the cricket's diet. Once fully grown, they inject chemicals into the cricket's brain brainwashing it and forcing it to kill itself by jumping into the water. Once in water, the worm wriggles out of the writhing body and swims off in search of a mate.

.

Richard Dawkins

For those of you not familiar with Richard Dawkins, here is an interesting lecture he gave about two years ago. Not much specifically related to what we are doing this semester (except perhaps in relation to Hume and Berkeley's epistemology). He is currently receiving a lot of media attention for his latest book, The God Delusion, but his more substantial work has been in evolutionary biology.

Here is the link to the article that we'll start covering this week (after Dawkins) and will continue next week. I'm trying to upload an audio lecture recently given by Leda Cosmides, which I'll post tomorrow. It should help you give you a clearer idea of the implications of the findings of evolutionary psychology and the question of consciousness.

Term Paper

Due date: Thursday, May 3rd (earlier papers will be accepted, and appreciated)

Font: Verdana
Size: 10 (this is the same as Times New Roman 12, but easier for me to read)
Double Spaced
Margins: One inch top, bottom, left and right
Header: Your name
Footer: Page Number

Write a 8-10 page paper on any philosophical issue of your choice. This paper requires no outside sources. In fact, I am discouraging them. I am not interested in what other people think about this issue, but in how you can support your claims through well reasoned and clearly articulated arguments.

If you do end up having to reference something (like the material we have covered during the semester), be sure to acknowledge that in citations. Plagiarism, defined as the use of sources other than your own ideas, whether in verbatum copying or in paraphrasing, is a very serious academic offence, which will not be tolerated. I am very good at catching instances of plagiarism, and will fail papers that are plagiarized, so just be honest with your work.

The assignment is for you to take a position on the philosophical issue you choose and attempt to convince your readers that your point of view on the matter is the one they should adopt themselves. Throughout your college career you will very seldom get the opportunity to write about something purely based on your own beliefs. Take advantage of this opportunity to express yourself and your take on reality, as well as to test how reasonable your beliefs are.

This is an exercise in rational persuasion, which means that you must provide well thought out arguments that reasonable people would be willing to entertain, and possibly even adopt, considering your arguments are good. In other words, you must attempt to explain why your position is correct by providing reasons and well constructed logical arguments.

This assignment requires, as one of its purposes, that you think hard about some idea and provide some sort of principle (or set of principles) that justifies your position. Does using the principle you propose deductively entail some logical consequence that you would not be willing to accept? If so, then that is probably not a very good principle, and may require modification or rejection. Are there counterexamples someone can bring up to show your principle does not account for all possible scenarios? Are there counterexamples someone can bring up to show your principle is probably false? How would you respond to such objections?

Before you start writing your papers, run your topics by me for approval. I’d like to have an idea of what you’re working on, and how you’re approaching your papers, so that you don’t waste your time doing something that will not help your paper, like write a paper on a topic that is not actually philosophical…

Order of Oral Presentations

Here is the order in which we'll do the oral presentations.

Presentations are to last about 10 minutes. Remember, you must present on the day you are scheduled; no exceptions.

If you haven't done so already, go to the original entry and in the comments enter the presentation you'll be doing, providing no one has already chosen it.

Let me know if you don't see your name below.

Week 1

1. Karan
2. Pam
3. Jennifer
4. Helen

Week 2

1. Violeta
2. Tad
3. Ben Newberg
4. Angel
5. Ian

Week 3

1. Ryan
2. Benny
3. Christian
4. Alexandra
5. Jumel

Week 4

1. Michael Shore
2. Mary
3. Joseph Cain
4. Joe Masuck
5. Valerie

Notes for test

Class, Mary has asked me to post a link to this file containing the notes she's put together for tonight's study group session so that everyone can print it. The link will take you to a file hosting service. Simply click on the "start download" button on the right hand side; it's safe.

By the way, tonight we are choosing the order in which the oral presentations will be given.

Exam Questions

Could someone please post the list of what topic areas are on the exam for tommorrow;I have a list Iwrote, but I feel as though I am missing something. I can not make the study group

Thanks Pamela

Notes for Test

Hey guys - I was just wondering if anyone would be able to bring their notes on Hume to the study-group tomorrow? It would be massively appreciated. Also wanted to let you know that I am working on a master note-sheet that will help us in the group tomorrow for the test. It's a combination of most of the notes given in class (minus Hume) and other main ideas from the text that I added.

See you tomorrow. :)

~Mary