Erasmus University Rotterdam - Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy
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Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy at Coursera Overview
Duration | 16 hours |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Difficulty level | Intermediate |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy at Coursera Highlights
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Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy at Coursera Course details
- 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
- Address 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?
- - what is justice?
- Learn how to use your imagination to develop your worldview and speculate about what might explain experiences, ranging from the commonsense explanation in terms of a mind-independent world, to sceptical alternatives
- 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
Thought Experiments: An introduction to philosophy at Coursera Curriculum
The problems of philosophy
"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
Plato, Theaetetus, 148e-151d
Glossary Week 1
Week 1
The Gettier problem
"Rear Window" and the Gettier problem (optional)
Prof. Dr. Sofie Van Bauwel on "Rear Window" (optional)
The traditional analysis
Gettier-style cases
Alternative analyses
Plato, Theaetetus, 200d-201c
Glossary Week 2
Week 2
The problems of scepticism
"The Matrix" and the problems of scepticism (optional)
Cartesian scepticism
Three ways
Knowledge in context
Descartes, Meditation 1
Glossary Week 3
Week 3
The mind-body problem
"Wings of Desire" and the mind-body problem (optional)
Varieties of dualism
Two reductive theories
Supervenience and qualia
Descartes, Meditation 2
Glossary Week 4
Week 4
The problem of free will
"A Serious Man" and the problem of free will (optional)
Alexander De Man on "A Serious Man" (optional)
The consequence argument
Hierarchical compatibilism
Excerpt from van Inwagen
Glossary Week 5
Week 5
The problem of personal identity
"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
Excerpt from Casey's Remembering
Glossary Week 6
Week 6
The is-ought problem
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
Excerpts from Judith Jarvis Thomson
Glossary Week 7
Week 7
The problem of justice
"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
MOOC Credits (optional)
Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapter XIII
Glossary Week 8
Week 8
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