Reading list
PY1005 | PY1105 | PY2001 | PY2002 | PY2003 | PY3701 | PY4604 | PY4606 | PY4614 | PY4625 | PY4638 | PY4639
PY1005 Mind and Reality
PY1005 Mind and Reality 2011-12
Preparatory Reading
This module assumes no prior knowledge of philosophy, and it is not essential to do any reading in advance. If you want to get ahead, however - which is always a good idea - then the best way to do so would be to read as much as possible from the following texts:
1. Metaphysics, A Guide and Anthology, by Tim Crane and Katalin Farkas, published by Oxford University Press, 2004. This will be a main source of readings for the module; pay particular attention to parts IV, VIII, IX and X (some other parts will also be relevant to the course; further details will be announced before the start of the semester).
You may, however, find some of the above readings quite difficult at first, especially prior to attending the lectures. For a slightly more gentle (though by no means too easy) introduction to the issues covered by this module you may find it helpful to consult the following introductory texts:
For for a single book covering many of the relevant issues:
2. Metaphysics, 3rd edition, by Peter van Inwagen, Westview press (the earlier editions are also good).
For more detail on the ‘reality' part of the module:
3. A Survey of Metaphysics, by E. J. Lowe. Oxford University Press 2002 (this is excellent and goes well beyond the issues in metaphysics covered by the module, but it doesn't cover the ‘mind' related topics such as the mind-body problem, free will, or (in depth) personal identity).
A full reading list will be available before the start of the semester. In the meantime if you have any questions please contact Simon Prosser (sjp7@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Full details for PY1005
PY1105 Ethical Controversies
The following are quality, accessible texts that provide a good introduction to normative and applied ethics. These would be good preparatory reading for the module:
• Christopher Bennett, What is this thing called Ethics? (London and New York:
Routledge, 2010)
• James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 5th edition, edited by Stuart Rachels
(McGraw-Hill, 2007). [An accessible introduction to, and overview of, ethical
Theories]
• James Rachels, The Right Thing to Do, 4th edition, edited by Stuart Rachels (McGraw-
Hill, 2007). [An anthology of short-ish papers dealing with a wide range of ethical
Problems]
The following are the essential module texts (you need to have access to these):
- Hugh LaFollette (ed.), Ethics in Practice: An Anthology, 3rd edn. (Blackwell, 2006)
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (various editions, Hackett is very cheap) also available online via links at http://ethics.sandiego.edu/theories/Aristotle/index.asp (choose the link to the translation by W. D. Ross)
- Immanuel Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals trans. by H. J. Paton as "The Moral Law", (Routledge, 2007)
J. S. Mill, Utilitarianism (available in many editions, Hackett is very cheap) also available online: www.utilitarian.net or http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill1.htm
Full details for PY1105
PY2001 Formal and Philosophical Logic
Preparatory Reading:
Greg Restall (2006) 'Logic: An Introduction', Routledge.
Peter Smith (2003) 'An Introduction to Formal Logic', CUP, Cambridge.
Key Course Texts:
Graham Priest (2008, 2nd ed) 'An Introduction to Non-Classical Logic', CUP, Cambridge.
Stephen Read (1995) 'Thinking About Logic', OUP, Oxford.
Pre-sessional Task:
Please prepare in pre-sessional week by reading the Mathematical Prolegomenon and Ch. 1 of Graham Priest's 'An Introduction to Non-Classical Logic'. Then do exercises 1 - 3. (This is more or less material from PY1006, so should be a refresher rather than a challenge.)
Full details for PY2001
PY2002 Metaphysics and Science
Preparatory Reading:
Bird, A. (1998) Philosophy of Science (London: Routledge).
Chalmers, A. (1999) What Is This Thing Called Science? (Maidenhead: Open University Press).
Rosenberg, A. (2000) Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction (London: Routledge).
Key Course Texts:
Ladyman, J. (2002) Understanding Philosophy of Science (London: Routledge).
Psillos, S. (2002) Causation and Explanation (Chesham: Acumen).
Pre-sessional Task:
Read the entries on ‘Normative Epistemology' and 'Naturalized Epistemology' in the Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy: http://www.rep.routledge.com/
Summarise each and note at least one interesting point from each. Discussion of this material will form part of the first tutorial.
Full details for PY2002
PY2003 Ancient Philosophy
PY2003, 2011-12
Preparatory reading and pre-sessional task
One of the required books for the module is Plato, Five Dialogues (Hackett paperback) The dialogues in question are: Euthyphro, Apology of Socrates, Crito, Meno, and Phaedo.
You can, of course, read these dialogues in any translation and any format. (However, once lectures and tutorials start, it's better if we all use the Hackett Five Dialogues, so that we can all refer to exactly the same words and phrases in the text.
Prepare for the start of the module by studying the Apology and the Crito.
Make a list of the features of Socrates, as presented here by Plato, that seem to you important and distinctively philosophical. Also, if you wish, write brief comments saying more about the features on your list.
In addition, make a summary of the main points of the case for which Socrates argues in the Crito. (His position is that he should stay in prison and await execution rather than take the opportunity of escaping.) Give your own assessment of the quality of this case.
I shall be very happy to look at and respond to anything you write for this assignment; simply e mail me. As you know, these materials have nothing to do with your formal assessment.
Sarah Broadie Co-ordinator for PY2003 sjb15@st-andrews.ac.uk
Full details for PY2003
PY3701 Language and Reality
* For PY3701, the presessional task is to read the following:
John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book 3, Chapters 1-3 (available for free on Google Books)
* The complete reading list for the module is the following:
John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book 3, Chapters 1-3 (available for free on Google Books)
George Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, Introduction (available for free on Google Books)
John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, Ch. 1-2.5 of Book 1 (available for free on Google Books)
Gottlob Frege, "On Sense and Reference", in The Frege Reader, ed. Michael Beaney, Blackwell, 1997
Bertrand Russell, "On Denoting", in Mind 14:4
Saul Kripke, Naming and Necessity, Wiley-Blackwell, 1981
Paul Grice, "Logic and Conversation" in Studies in the Ways of Words, Harvard, 1991
Sider, T., Hawthorne, J., and Zimmerman D., eds. Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics. OUP.
Full details for PY3701
PY4604 Political Philosophy
PY4604 Preparatory Reading List and Pre-sessional Tasks
Suggested Reading
Have a look at one of the following general introductions to contemporary political philosophy:
D. Knowles Political Philosophy
W. Kymlicka Contemporary Political Philosophy
R. Plant Modern Political Thought
N. Barry An Introduction to Modern Political Theory
R.E. Goodin & P. Pettit Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Anthology
R.E. Goodin & P. Pettit A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy
J. Hampton Political Philosophy
M. Lessnoff Political Philosophers of the Twentieth Century
Pre-sessional Task
Read David Miller's Political Philosophy a very short introduction
Full details for PY4604
PY4606 Contemporary Epistemology
Suggested Preliminary Reading
Richard Feldman, Epistemology
John Hawthorne, Knowledge and Lotteries
Hartry Field, 'Recent debates about the a priori'
Full details for PY4606
PY4614 Philosophy of Mind
PY4614 Philosophy of Mind 2011-12
Preparatory Reading and Pre-sessional task
Preparatory Reading
A good way to prepare for this module would be to read as much as possible of the following textbook:
David Braddon-Mitchell and Frank Jackson, Philosophy of Mind and Cognition, 2nd edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 2007).
This book will be the main recommended textbook for the course, and it covers many of the main topics (though not quite all of them).
We'll also be using the following anthology (or, at least, the readings that it contains) as a source of primary readings:
David J. Chalmers (ed.), Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings (Oxford University Press, 2002).
However you should probably only purchase this once you're confident that you'll be taking the module. A more detailed reading list will be provided nearer the start of the semester.
Pre-sessional task
During pre-sessional week it would be helpful if you would read pp. 3-23 of the Braddon-Mitchell and Jackson book, and then write one page reoplying to the following question:
To what extent could the truth or falsity of substance dualism be investigated by empirical science?
(This will not be marked; it is purely to help you to start thinking about the mind-body problem).
If you have any questions please contact Simon Prosser (sjp7@st-andrews.ac.uk)
Full details for PY4614
PY4625 Philosophy and Public Affairs
PY4625 Pre-sessional reading and task
Three useful texts as preparatory reading for the honours global justice course are: Thomas Pogge, World Poverty and Human Rights (Polity Press 2002), Charles Jones, Global Justice (Oxford University Press 1999), and Henry Shue, Basic Rights (Princeton University Press 1996), which are all available in the library as multiple copies.
The preparatory task is to read the introduction of Thomas Pogge's book.
Full details for PY4625
PY4638 Philosophy of Religion
PY4638: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION - Martinmas Semester 2011
Pre-sessional reading and task
READING: Alston, W., Perceiving God, Cornell University Press, 1991, pp. 226-254. [On MMS.]
BACKGROUND: Alston develops an epistemology based on doxastic practices - social practices within which individuals acquire beliefs. Alston argues that, unless it is rational to treat established doxastic practices as prima facie reliable, we cannot hope to escape scepticism. These established doxastic practices include sense perception, memory, introspection, deduction, and our practice of forming beliefs about other minds. Alston adds another established doxastic practice - Christian Mystical Practice (CMP) - which captures the way that indviduals within the Christian religion acquire perceptual beliefs about God. (Alston argues that each religion has its own distinct mystical doxastic practice.) Alston argues that, because CMP is an established doxastic practice, it is rational for its practitioners to treat it as prima facie reliable. In the present chapter, Alston asks whether this presumption in favour of CMP is rebutted. Is there reason to believe that CMP is unreliable?
TASK: Read the chapter from Alston, and think about the following questions.
1. Is it rational to treat established doxastic practices as prima facie reliable? If not, how do you think we can escape scepticism? 2. Is CMP an established doxastic practice? 3. Is CMP comparable to SP (the established doxastic practices whereby we form perceptual believes about the external world via our senses)? What are the most important similarities and differences between CMP and SP? Is it rational to treat SP as prima facie reliable without also treating CMP as prima facie reliable? 4. Is there a deflationary naturalistic explanation of mystical experience? If so, would that undermine the reliability of CMP? 5. Does CMP produce inconsistent beliefs? 6. Does SP undermine CMP?
Reading List.
The essential readings will be available on MMS.
All other books and articles listed below are available through the university library system - many of them electronically.
Introductory readings provide an overview of the topic, while advanced readings are more specialised.
The Philosophy Library in Edgecliffe has copies of all the main reference works.
Full details for PY4638
PY4639 Philosophy of Creativity
PY 4639 Philosophy of Creativity
Berys Gaut
Preparatory reading is listed below. Please read at least two of the following in the pre-sessional week:
Margaret Boden, "Creativity" in B. Gaut and D. Lopes (eds.), Routledge Companion to Aesthetics, 2nd ed (Routledge, 2005). (SL, DL and e-book)
Margaret Boden, "In a Nutshell" in her The Creative Mind: Myths and Mechanisms, 2nd ed. (Routledge, 2004), pp. 1-10. (SL, DL)
Berys Gaut, "The Philosophy of Creativity", Philosophy Compass, 5: 12 (December 2010), pp. 1034-46. (Accessible online through SAULCAT.)
Aaron Kozbelt, Ronald Beghetto and Mark Runco, "Theories of Creativity" in J. Kaufman and R. Sternberg (eds), The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity (CUP, 2010), pp. 20-47. (SL)
Robert Weisberg, Creativity (Wiley, 2006): ch. 2, "The Study of Creativity", pp. 59-103. (SL)
SL=Short Loan in Main Library
DL=Departmental Library in Philosophy Department
e-books can be accessed via SAULCAT
Full details for PY4639