Welcome to the Homepage for Valdosta State
University's Honors Introduction to Philosophy---PHI 290
Dr. Ron Barnette
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PHI 290 Cybernauts in our High-tech Classroom
The medium of cyberspace will be our chosen one, as we
pursue together an important theme in philosophy: the concept of free
will and individual responsibility. Using the World
Wide Web for research, course dialogue, class materials, class presentations, and for the development of
a class website on the course theme, we will be pioneers in this electronic
voyage which transcends traditional space/time constraints on classroom
dialogue, coursework and lecture. All materials will be available on-line,
and all written work will be exchanged via e-mail or through the WWW, accessed
through the VSU
Philosophy Department. As such, it is critical that all honors members
have e-mail accounts, and are familiar with surfing the WWW. More advanced
web-savvy will be part of the course objectives, as we construct together
a first-rate website to share our research with the global Internet community.
In brief, our course will be largely experimental, and will be totally
paperless---as such, it will be the first such honors course taught at
Valdosta State University.
You are venturing on the maiden voyage as honors cybernauts, and will
help forge the path for other electronic classrooms to follow.
As soon as possible, send me an e-mail message so I can establish a mailing list for our electronic forum; each of you needs to notify me of your presence in the class by sending an initial message to me here:
Dr. Ron Barnette
This will also serve to confirm your cyber-existence!
Initial Topic: Heaven's Gate Cult
In light of recent
tragedies involving the San Diego cult mass suicides, we will begin our
exploration together by asking the question of how, and why, people might
be inclined to accept the prospect of a world and life so meaningful that
they would be willing to give up their lives. Uncritical thinking?
Brainwashing? Religous commitment? We will begin our dialogue by exploring
these questions. For a start on this topic, check out this website which
contains the Heaven's Gate
Homepage, together with other relevant information. Also review these
sites: U.S. News
and World Report Article--"Lost Souls", and The Skeptic's
Resources.
Our next topic for analysis and debate concerns the
topic of Free Will and Foreknowledge, a philosophical issue that has been
debated for some time. Does the existence of an all-knowing being
necessarily preclude your having the ability to choose freely, and thus be
responsible for your actions? Here's an essay I
wrote which makes such a
case---take a look and send me your critical responses? Good luck!
Extending the topic on free will, I want us next to explore examples of a
familiar argument that runs:"Since my actions are the products of
environmental factors I have confronted over the course of my life, not
under my control, my acts are not truly done freely by me, for I couldn't
have done otherwise than to react as I do to my environmental
conditions." Personal responsibilty is thus denied--or at least
diminished significantly. We see this line of thought in a variety of
areas, including some very famous legal cases. Can you think of some?
Check here
for an interesting idea on the concept of free will, along with an
educational interactive tool.
"Is it possible for a machine to think?," "Could a computer ever truly be
said to be conscious," "Are we biological machines?." These may seem to
be unusual questions, but we will see just how important they are. The
topic of Minds
and Machines will be our next one, and
check out this site at Earlham College for a wealth of links. Enjoy!
After our discussion on technology and thought, our discussion will evolve into a thought-provoking dialogue on individual responsiblity, and current events related to this topic. As we explore the ins and outs of this matter, let us draw upon critical arguments in the news, and relate such dialogue to our cyber-exchanges. We will end with a variety of personal challenges, I trust, and will open the doors for further thought and reflection.
For now, I remain as your guide virtually present,
Barnette
