Spring 2000

Sophomore Tutorial

PHILOSOPHY OF ACTION

Bechtel Room Emerson 107, TH 3-4:30 p.m.

Tutor: Luca Ferrero

ferrero@fas.harvard.edu

Emerson 102

Office Hour: TH 11-12 or by appointment

phone: 495 4669

web page: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~ferrero/tut-action-00.html

 

Calendar

--ACTION AND AGENCY—

Feb 17 J. L. Austin "A Plea for Excuses", Philosophical Papers

Feb 24 A. Kenny "The Will", The Metaphysics of Mind, Ch. 3

March 2 D. Davidson, "Agency", Essays on Action and Events, Ch. 3

First paper topic distributed

--INTENTIONAL ACTION--

March 9 E. Anscombe, Intention, sections 1-2, 4-6, 22-26

March 16 J. Searle, "Intention and Action", Intentionality, Ch. 3

Malcolm, Consciousness and Causality, pp. 79-93

First 5-page paper due in class

--AGENCY AND TELEOLOGY--

March 23 F. Dretske, "Machines, Plants and Animals: The Origins of Agency"

Second paper topic distributed

March 30 Spring Break - No meeting

April 6 A. Collins "Action, Causality and Teleological Explanation"

Second 5-page paper due in class

--EXPLANATION OF ACTION--

April 13 M. Smith, "The Possibility of Philosophy of Action"

April 20 F. Stoutland, "The Real Reasons"

April 27 J.D. Velleman "Behavior, Activity and Action". Available online at

www-personal.umich.edu/~velleman/Possibility/Introduction.html

Third paper topic distributed

--NEGATIVE ACTIONS--

May 4 G. Ryle, "Negative Actions", On Thinking, Ch. 7

May 5 Last day of classes

Third 5 pages paper due by 5.00 p.m. in my mailbox

 

Readings are available for xeroxing on the reserve shelf in Robbins Library

 

Grading and Extension Policy

Each paper counts for 20% of the final grade, participation 40%

A late paper will be marked down 1/3 of a grade for every day it is late.

A 2 days advance notice and a good reason are required for extensions.

No extension can be granted on the final paper.