The Elements of Philosophy

"An ideal anthology for an introductory course. Gendler, Siegel, and Cahn pair classic texts with readings of more recent vintage, preparing students for further courses in contemporary philosophy. I like every selection; discussions of trolley problems, The Matrix, consciousness, and time travel join familiar selections from Plato, Anselm, Descartes, and Mill in a balanced and comprehensive collection."--Ted Sider, New York University"The Elements of Philosophy is an outstanding book on all fronts. The top-notch introductory essays and extensive glossary make the book extremely user-friendly from the student's perspective. The detailed set of high-quality instructors' materials do the same from the perspective of the professor. The readings are chosen with both care and creativity: I know of no comprehensive anthology that does such an excellent job of juxtaposing old and newmaterials. Elements is destined to become a standard."--Jason Stanley, Rutgers University"The Elements of Philosophy is a carefully composed and arranged collection with useful introductions, notes, and glossary. With such an impressive range and variety of selections, any introductory class on philosophy can hardly do better than to start here."--Alex Byrne, Massachusetts Institute of Technology"An ideal anthology for an introductory course. Gendler, Siegel, and Cahn pair classic texts with readings of more recent vintage, preparing students for further courses in contemporary philosophy. I like every selection; discussions of trolley problems, The Matrix, consciousness, and time travel join familiar selections from Plato, Anselm, Descartes, and Mill in a balanced and comprehensive collection."--Ted Sider, New York University"The Elements of Philosophy is an outstanding book on all fronts. The top-notch introductory essays and extensive glossary make the book extremely user-friendly from the student's perspective. The detailed set of high-quality instructors' materials do the same from the perspective of the professor. The readings are chosen with both care and creativity: I know of no comprehensive anthology that does such an excellent job of juxtaposing old and newmaterials. Elements is destined to become a standard."--Jason Stanley, Rutgers University"The Elements of Philosophy is a carefully composed and arranged collection with useful introductions, notes, and glossary. With such an impressive range and variety of selections, any introductory class on philosophy can hardly do better than to start here."--Alex Byrne, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Preface: Note to the Reader: Note to the Instructor: Acknowledgments: About the Editors: INTRODUCTIONWhat Is Philosophy?: Simon BlackburnThe Elements of Logic: Simon BlackburnI. RELIGION AND BELIEFIntroductionA. TRADITIONAL ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE EXISTENCE OF GODThe Ontological Argument--and RepliesThe Ontological Argument: Saint AnselmIn Behalf of the Fool: GauniloIs Existence a Predicate?: G.E. MooreWhy the Ontological Argument Fails: William RoweThe Cosmological Argument, the Argument from Design--and RepliesThe Cosmological Argument: Richard TaylorThe Argument from Design: William PaleyDoes God Exist?: Ernest NagelThe Problem of Evil--and RepliesThe Problem of Evil: John HickThe Problem of Goodness: Steven M. CahnB. GROUNDS FOR BELIEFThe Wager: Blaise PascalThe Ethics of Belief: W.K. CliffordThe Will to Believe: William JamesThe Hiddenness of God: Robert McKimC. GOD AND SCIENCE: CONTEMPORARY DISCUSSIONSTheism and Modern Science: Nicholas EverittII. MORAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHYMORAL PHILOSOPHYIntroductionA. THREE MAJOR ETHICAL THEORIESUtilitarianismJohn Stuart Mill, Selections from UtilitarianismExtreme and Restricted Utilitarianism: J.J.C. SmartUtilitarianism, Integrity and Responsibility: Bernard WilliamsDeontologyImmanuel Kant, Selections from Grounding for the Metaphysics of MoralsA Simplified Account of Kant's Ethics: Onora O'NeillVirtue EthicsAristotle, Selections from the Nicomachean EthicsNormative Virtue Ethics: Rosalind HursthouseB. SOME APPLICATIONSMoral Duties to the PoorRich and Poor: Peter SingerLifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor: Garrett Hardin"Aiding" the Global Poor: Thomas W. PoggeVegetarianism and AnimalsPuppies, Pigs, and People: Eating Meat and Marginal Cases: Alastair NorcrossA Critique of the Alleged Moral Basis of Vegetarianism: Carl CohenC. PUZZLES AND CHALLENGESPuzzling CasesThe Trolley Problem: Judith Jarvis ThomsonMoral Luck: Thomas NagelThe Value of MoralityPlato, "Glaucon's Challenge" from The RepublicMoral Saints: Susan WolfThe Universality of MoralityEgoism and Moral Skepticism: James RachelsThe Challenge of Cultural Relativism: James RachelsMorality and Social ScienceWomen's "Different Voice": Jennifer SaulMorality and Heuristics: Cass R. SunsteinPOLITICAL PHILOSOPHYIntroductionD. JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND THE STATEThomas Hobbes, "Contract and Commonwealth" from LeviathanJohn Rawls, "Justice as Fairness" from A Theory of JusticeRobert Nozick, "Distributive Justice" from Anarchy, State and UtopiaE. JUST WARConventions and the Morality of War: George I. MavrodesWar and Innocence: Robert K. FullinwiderSelf-Defense and the Killing of Non-Combatants: A Reply to Fullinwider: Lawrence A. AlexanderIII. METAPHYSICS AND EPISTEMOLOGYKNOWLEDGE AND REALITYIntroductionA. DEFINING "KNOWLEDGE"Plato, "What is Knowledge?" from The MenoIs Justified True Belief Knowledge?: Edmund GettierRobert Nozick, "Knowledge" from Philosophical ExplanationsB. SKEPTICISM AND RESPONSESMeditations 1 and 2: René DescartesProof of an External World: G.E. MooreCertainty: G.E. MooreRobert Nozick, "Skepticism" from Philosophical ExplanationsCartesian Skepticism and Inference to the Best Explanation: Jonathan VogelC. KNOWLEDGE AND THE NATURE OF REALITYPlato, "The Allegory of the Cave" from The RepublicGeorge Berkeley, Selections from Of the Principles of Human KnowledgePosits and Reality: W.V.O. QuineBrains in a Vat: Hilary PutnamThe Matrix as Metaphysics: David J. ChalmersFiction: Robert NozickD. INDUCTIONDavid Hume, "Induction" from An Enquiry Concerning Human UnderstandingWesley Salmon, Selections from The Problem of InductionThe New Riddle of Induction: Nelson GoodmanMETAPHYSICAL PERPLEXITIESIntroductionE. TIME AND TIME TRAVELTime and the Relativity of Simultaneity: Albert EinsteinTime: Theodore SiderThe Paradoxes of Time Travel: David LewisF. FREE WILLFreedom and Necessity: A.J. AyerHuman Freedom and the Self: Roderick M. ChisholmFreedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person: Harry FrankfurtFreedom and Resentment: Peter StrawsonG. IDENTITY AND PERSONAL IDENTITYJohn Locke, "Of Identity and Diversity" from An Essay Concerning Human UnderstandingThe Self and the Future: Bernard WilliamsDerek Parfit, "Personal Identity" from Reasons and PersonsIV. PHILOSOPHY OF MIND AND LANGUAGEMINDIntroductionA. METAPHYSICS OF MINDDualism and BehaviorismSixth Meditation: René DescartesUnderstanding Nyaya-Vaisesika Dualism: Kisor Kumar ChakrabartiDescartes' Myth: Gilbert RylePhysicalismPhysicalism: Daniel StoljarSensations and Brain Processes: J.J.C. SmartEliminative Materialism and the Propositional Attitudes: Paul M. ChurchlandChallenges to PhysicalismSaul Kripke, The Modal ArgumentThe Knowledge Argument: Frank JacksonB. CONSCIOUSNESS AND PERCEPTIONConsciousnessWhat Is It Like to Be a Bat?: Thomas NagelQuining Qualia: Daniel C. DennettConcepts of Consciousness: Ned BlockMinds and MachinesComputing Machinery and Intelligence: A.M. TuringCan Computers Think?: John SearlePerceptionReasoning About Our Experience: J.J. ValbergThe Argument from Illusion: A Defense of Sense Data: A.J. AyerThe Argument from Illusion: A Critique of Sense Data: J.L. AustinLANGUAGEIntroductionC. LANGUAGE, MEANING, AND REFERENCELogic and Conversation: H.P. GriceLanguage and Problems of Knowledge: Noam ChomskyThe Problem of the Essential Indexical: John PerryV. LIFE AND DEATHIntroductionA. LIFEPlato, "On the Harmony of the Soul" from The RepublicExistentialism: Jean-Paul SartreWhat Makes Someone's Life Go Best: Derek ParfitThe Absurd: Thomas NagelB. DEATHDeath: Thomas NagelDeath Without Dread: Walter KaufmannGlossary: Notes: Resources: