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Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy
  • Level Professional
  • Duration 16 hours
  • Course by Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Offered by

About

Doing philosophy is like seeing a movie and wondering what will happen next, or what you would do in the same situation, or what’s real and what’s merely make-believe. You’re probably not aware of it, but since you already know how to see movies and use your imagination, you’re well on your way to becoming a good philosopher. The only thing you still need and want to develop though, is the ability to use your imagination in the philosophical way, and that’s exactly what you’ll learn in this MOOC. Firstly, you’ll learn how to use your imagination to put definitions, analyses or conceptions of philosophically relevant notions to the test by means of imaginary examples and counterexamples, addressing questions that have been part and parcel of Western philosophy since its very inception, such as - ‘what is knowledge?’; - ‘what is the mind?’; - ’what is moral responsibility?’; and - ‘what is justice?’. Subsequently, you’ll learn how to use your imagination to develop your worldview. You’ll learn to speculate about what might explain your experiences, ranging from the commonsense explanation in terms of a mind-independent world, to sceptical alternatives, such as that you’re systematically misled by an evil demon or that only your mind exists and that it confabulates all the rest. Finally, since philosophy is not only about interpreting the world, but also about changing it -and hopefully, for the better- you’ll also learn how to use your imagination to evaluate what the right thing to do is in a given situation, what the criteria are to evaluate actions, and whether such criteria are established evermore or remain an open question.

Modules

The problems of philosophy

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Define your hobby

5 Videos

  • "Mr. Nobody" and the problems of philosophy (optional)
  • Dr. Gertjan Willems on "Mr. Nobody" (optional)
  • Footnotes to Plato
  • An analysis of analysis
  • Types of thought experiments

2 Readings

  • Plato, Theaetetus, 148e-151d
  • Glossary Week 1

Quiz Week 1

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 1

The Gettier Problem

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Your Gettier case

5 Videos

  • "Rear Window" and the Gettier problem (optional)
  • Prof. Dr. Sofie Van Bauwel on "Rear Window" (optional)
  • The traditional analysis
  • Gettier-style cases
  • Alternative analyses

2 Readings

  • Plato, Theaetetus, 200d-201c
  • Glossary Week 2

Quiz Week 2

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 2

The problems of scepticism

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Your response to Cartesian scepticism

4 Videos

  • "The Matrix" and the problems of scepticism (optional)
  • Cartesian scepticism
  • Three ways
  • Knowledge in context

2 Readings

  • Descartes, Meditation 1
  • Glossary Week 3

Quiz Week 3

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 3

The mind-body problem

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • The explanatory gap

4 Videos

  • "Wings of Desire" and the mind-body problem (optional)
  • Varieties of dualism
  • Two reductive theories
  • Supervenience and qualia

2 Readings

  • Descartes, Meditation 2
  • Glossary Week 4

Quiz Week 4

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 4

The problem of free will

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Akrasia

4 Videos

  • "A Serious Man" and the problem of free will (optional)
  • Alexander De Man on "A Serious Man" (optional)
  • The consequence argument
  • Hierarchical compatibilism

2 Readings

  • Excerpt from van Inwagen
  • Glossary Week 5

Quiz Week 5

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 5

The problem of personal identity

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Memory loss

5 Videos

  • "The Skin I Live In" and the problem of personal identity
  • Hanne Van Haelter on "The Skin I Live In"
  • Identity and change
  • Memory theory and its critics
  • Quasi-memory and its critics

2 Readings

  • Excerpt from Casey's Remembering
  • Glossary Week 6

Quiz Week 6

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 6

The is-ought problem

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Your deontologies

5 Videos

  • Prof. Dr. Daniel Biltereyst on "The Crime of Monsieur Lange" (1)
  • "The Crime of Monsieur Lange" and the is-ought problem
  • Intentions and consequences
  • Duties and virtues
  • The naturalistic fallacy

2 Readings

  • Excerpts from Judith Jarvis Thomson
  • Glossary Week 7

Quiz Week 7

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 7

Introduction Week 8 (optional)

    • 5 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Should utopias be rehabilitated?

5 Videos

  • "The Crime of Monsieur Lange" and the problem of justice (optional)
  • Prof. Dr. Daniel Biltereyst on "The Crime of Monsieur Lange" (optional)
  • Powers and limits of utopias
  • Social contract theories
  • The veil of ignorance

3 Readings

  • Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapter XIII
  • Glossary Week 8
  • MOOC Credits (optional)

Quiz Week 8 and Peer Review

    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 8

1 Peer Review

  • Design your own thought experiment

Auto Summary

Explore the fascinating world of philosophy with "Thought Experiments: An Introduction to Philosophy." This course, led by expert instructors, delves into essential philosophical questions such as knowledge, the mind, moral responsibility, and justice. Over 960 minutes, you'll develop your imagination to test philosophical notions, speculate about your worldview, and evaluate ethical actions. Available through Coursera with Starter and Professional subscriptions, this professional-level course is perfect for those eager to deepen their philosophical understanding and critical thinking skills.

Tim De Mey
Instructor

Tim De Mey