This study group uses as its foundation the PHILOSOPHY 201: The Philosophy of Death course at the Saylor Foundation (www.saylor.org).

You may access the study group materials for Unit 1: The Metaphysics of Death at: http://www.saylor.org/courses/phil201/

Please note that there are additional materials on the Saylor Foundation website for this course.  However, we will only be focusing on the following subunits.  The hyperlinks for the materials are provided within the Saylor Foundation website.  Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages.

Read, watch and listen to the following materials embedded within each subunit at http://www.saylor.org/courses/phil201/

UNIT 1: THE METAPHYSICS OF DEATH (September 24^th-October 5^th)

1.1       What Is Death? What Are Persons?

                            1.1.1    Introducing the Questions

Lecture: You Tube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Course Introduction” Lecture

                            1.1.2    What Is a Person? The Dualist View

Reading: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Professor Scott Calef’s “Dualism and Mind” Article

                             1.1.3    What Is a Person? The Physicalist View

Reading: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Professor Daniel Stoljar’s “Physicalism” Article

Lecture: You Tube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “The Nature of Persons: Dualism vs. Physicalism” Lecture 

                             1.1.4  Many Versions of the Soul

                             Reading: New Advent's The Catholic Encyclopedia: Kevin Knight's "Soul"

1.2       The Existence of the Soul

                            1.2.1    The Soul as “The Best Explanation”

                            Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Arguments for

                            the Existence of the Soul, Part I” Lecture

                           1.2.2    What Is Free Will?

                           Reading: University of Tennessee, Martin’s Internet Encyclopedia of

                           Philosophy: Kevin Timpe’s “Free Will”

                           1.2.3    The Soul as the Source of Free Will

                           Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Arguments for

                           the Existence of the Soul, Part II” Lecture

                          1.2.4    Near-Death Experiences as Evidence of the Soul?

Reading: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Professor William Hasker’s “Afterlife” Article

                          1.2.5    How Should Near-Death Experiences be Explained?

Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Arguments for the Existence of the Soul, Part III: Free Will and Near-Death Experiences” Lecture

1.3       Plato’s Arguments for the Existence of the Soul

                             1.3.1    Evaluating Descartes’ Argument for Dualism and Introducing Plato

Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Arguments for the Existence of the Soul, Part IV; Plato, Part I” Lecture.

1.3.2    Plato: Metaphysical Reasons for Embracing Death

Reading: MIT: The Internet Classics Archive’s version of Plato’s Phaedo

1.3.3    The Soul and the Forms

 Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Plato, Part II: Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul” Lecture

                            1.3.5    The Soul’s Simplicity

Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Plato, Part III: Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul (cont.)” Lecture

                            1.3.6    Being Alive as an Essential Property of the Soul

Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Shelly Kagan’s “Plato, Part IV: Arguments for the Immortality of the Soul (cont.)” Lecture

DISCUSSION #1 on ACTIVITY WALL

(Initial comments by October 2^nd; follow-up comments by October 5^th)

Core Reading:  Plato’s Phaedo

After completing Unit 1, please post your comments on the following philosophical issues on the P2PU Activity Wall for this study group:

• Describe the philosophical questions that surround the inevitable biological event of death.
• Compare the philosophical notion of mind/body dualism with the idea of physicalism and how these doctrines imply different attitudes about death.
• Discuss the fundamental arguments that Plato makes in his work Phaedo in regards to the immortality of the soul. 

Post your initial comments on the P2PU Activity Wall by midnight (Eastern time) on October 2^nd Then, between October 2^nd and October 5^th please make certain to read the comments of other study group members and post a few follow-up comments that engage your colleague’s comments.  Please make sure to reply to the initial posts by midnight (Eastern time) on October 5^th