Philosophy An Innovative Introduction: Fictive Narrative, Primary Texts, and Responsive Writing

Philosophy: An Innovative Introduction features a unique, engaging approach to introduce students to philosophy. It combines traditional readings and exercises with fictive narratives starring central figures in the history of the field from Plato to Martin Luther King, Jr. The book makes innovative use of compelling short stories from two writers who have prominently combined philosophy and fiction in their work. These narratives illuminate pivotal aspects of the carefully selected classic readings that follow. This gives students two ways to understand the philosophical positions: through indirect argument in fiction and through direct, deductive presentations. Study questions and writing exercises accompany each set of readings and help students grasp the material and create their own arguments.

CONTENTSPrefaceGlossary Part 1: Direct and Indirect Discourse in Philosophy * 1. Direct and Indirect Discourse in PhilosophyReading and Discussion Questions * 2. How Can I Respond to Claims Using Direct Logical Discourse?Reading and Discussion Questions * 3. How Can I Respond to Claims Using Indirect Fictive Narrative Discourse?Reading and Discussion Questions Part 2: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy * 4. PlatoShort Story: The Cynic, Charles JohnsonReading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Plato, The Myth of the Charioteer Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: Plato, CritoReading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 5. AristotleShort Story: Aristotle the Outsider, Michael BoylanReading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Aristotle, The Nature of Mind Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 6. BuddhaShort Story: Prince of the Ascetics, Charles JohnsonReading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: From the Dhmmapada Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 7. AquinasShort Story: The Murder of Thomas Aquinas, Michael Boylan Reading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Thomas Aquinas, On the Natural Law Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises MIDTERM PROJECT Part 3: Modern and Contemporary Philosophy * 8. DescartesShort Story: The Queen and the Philosopher, Charles Johnson Reading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Ren Descartes, Finding a Foundation for Knowledge Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 9. Kant Short Story: Kant Awakened, Michael Boylan Reading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Gottfried Leibniz, On Geometrical Method and the Method of MetaphysicsReading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: Christian Wolff, Three Types of Human Knowledge Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: David Hume Of the Academical or Skeptical PhilosophyReading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: Immanuel Kant, The Possibility of Metaphysics Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 10. Marx Short Story: A Game of Chess in Paris, Michael Boylan Reading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: G.W.F. Hegel, Preface Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: G.W.F. Hegel, Lordship and Bondage Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: G.W.F. Hegel, Morality and the Ethical CommunityReading and Discussion QuestionsClass ExercisesPrimary Text: Karl Marx, Alienated Labor Reading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises Primary Text: Karl Marx, Private Property and LaborReading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 11. Heidegger and ArendtShort Story: Eichmann and Heidegger in Jerusalem, Michael Boylan Reading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Martin Heidegger, The Exposition of the Question of the Meaning of BeingReading and Discussion Questions Class ExercisesPrimary Text: Hannah Arendt, An Expert on the Jewish QuestionReading and Discussion Questions Class Exercises * 12. MurdochShort Story: An Accidental Woman, Michael BoylanReading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Iris Murdoch, Ludwigs ConundrumReading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises * 13. KingShort Story: Dr. Kings Refrigerator, Charles JohnsonReading and Discussion QuestionsFictive-Narrative Philosophy FeedbackPrimary Text: Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from a Birmingham JailReading and Discussion QuestionsClass Exercises FINAL PROJECTAppendix: Some Philosophy GamesAbout the AuthorsCredits and AcknowledgmentsIndex

Michael Boylan