PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE AND MAN SYLLABUS

Course originally designed and taught by Dr. Michel Accad

Currently taught by Dr. Lucy Knouse, Senior Tutor, Pontifex University

laknouse77@gmail.com

The ordering of the cosmos and of man by God toward Himself is an essential item of the Christian faith which is strengthened when man’s faculty of reason recognizes this order through philosophical reflection. This course, which assumes little prior knowledge of philosophy, covers the basic principles of the philosophy of nature and man, including basic principles of metaphysics. Such a philosophy, developed by Aristotle and clarified by St Thomas Aquinas, provides students of theology the rational tools and framework to deepen their understanding of revealed truths.
Some of the lectures refer to the Master of Sacred Arts program for which some of this material was originally created. This material is appropriate to this course too and so the decision was made to keep it intact. 

NOTE: The assignments have been updated for this course. Please complete the Essay Assignments marked by the pencil icon. Disregard the Offline Assignments by the same names. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this course the students will be able to discuss the basic principles of the philosophy of nature and man.

Texts for the course:

1. Dodds, M. The Philosophy of Nature.  Available at Lulu.com.  Paperback: http://bit.ly/2DvBxuD eBook: http://bit.ly/2CjBV2d
2. Dodds, M. Philosophical Anthropology. Available at Lulu.com. Paperback: http://bit.ly/2liVspW
3. Searle, John. Minds, Brains, and Science. Harvard University Press.  Available on Amazon.com
4. Clarke, W. Norris. Person and Being. Marquette University Press. Available on Amazon.com
5. Readings assignments for selected texts from Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas are available free online at http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/browse-Aristotle.html and http://dhspriory.org/thomas.
6. Other reading assignments will be provided in each lesson’s folder as downloadable material. 

Introduction to the course

1. Introduction to the philosophical approach

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Discuss the position of the philosophy of nature in the study of "The Book of Nature" versus "The Book of Scripture"

      2. Distinguish the philosophical approach to nature from the scientific (experimental) approach

      3. Discuss the starting point of the philosophy of nature

2. First principles of accidental change 

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Identify the principles of intelligibility employed in the philosophical study of nature

      2. Recognize and articulate the philosophical "problem of change" and its treatment by Parmenides and Heraclitus

      3. Discuss the principles of change proposed by Aristotle applied to accidental change

3. Substantial change

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Contrast "substantial change" with "accidental change"

      2. Identify the principles of substantial change

      3. Recognize the composite nature of material substances

4. Prime matter

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Recognize the Aristotelian concept of "prime matter" and distinguish it from the materialist view of matter

      2. Identify the role and "properties" (i.e., what can be said)  of prime matter

      3. Discuss the disposition of matter by form

5. Substantial form

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Recognize the Aristotelian concept of "form" and distinguish it from the common language concept (i.e., shape)

      2. Recognize the various philosophical meanings present in the common language root concept of "form" (e.g., specification, indentity, etc.)

      3. Identify the role and "properties" (i.e., what can be said)  of form

      4. Discuss the metaphysical process of "eduction" of form from matter

6. Platonic forms

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Relate the problem of universals (“the one and the many”) and the problem of knowledge

      2. Discuss in broad outlines Plato’s solution to the problem of universals

      3. Discuss some limitations to Plato’s solution

      4. Contrast Aristotle’s concept of forms to that of Plato’s

7. Ancient philosophical accounts of nature

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Record chronologically the “Pre-Socratic” timeline

      2. Identify key figures among Pre-Socratic philosophers

      3. Identify some of the major contributions made by pre-Socratic philosophers

8. Substances: reductionism and emergentism versus hylomorphism

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Discuss the philosophical concepts of substance and accident and their relationship

      2. Contrast the substance to the artifact in terms of the relationship between the parts and the whole

      3. Contrast the philosophical concept of substance to the modern, reductionist, scientific idea of a material being

      4. Identify shortcomings of the reductionist concept of a material being

9. Elements and the doctrine of “virtual presence” part 1

   1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

      1. Distinguish the metaphysical composition of a material body from its physical or elemental composition.

      2. Recognize the definition of an element in the philosophy of nature

      3. Discuss the concept of the “virtual presence” of elements in complex bodies

10. Elements and the doctrine of “virtual presence” part 2

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student be able to:

       1. Discuss the relationship of elements to the bodies they are present in and constitute.

       2. Appraise the recovery of the element “in act” upon corruption of the body

       3. Discuss the role that elements play in the disposition of the matter of a complex body

11. Nature

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Distinguish the many senses of the concept of nature from the one employed in the philosophy of nature

       2. Use the concept of natural motion to draw a distinction between natural beings and artifacts

       3. Contrast natural motion, violent motion, self motion, active motion, and passive motion.

       4. Discuss the source of motion in 1) living things versus 2) inanimate things

12. Principles of causality

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Discuss and distinguish the four causes that operate in nature

       2. Discuss efficient causality and explain the principle of efficient causality and how it relates to the principle of intelligibility.

       3. Discuss the relationship between cause and effect

       4. Discuss final causality, its centrality in nature, and its relationship to the other four causes.

       5. Discuss the concept of chance

13. REVIEW!
14. Quantity and motion

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Discuss the notion of quantity and know its various divisions

       2. Contrast the Aristotelian perspective on the void to that of the atomists

       3. Discuss motion as a continuum and as having unity

       4. Explain how the Aristotelian concept of motion solves Zeno’s paradox

15. Scientific challenges I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Recognize modern challenges to the Aristotelian concept of motion

       2. Discuss inertial motion as proposed by Newton and contrast it to the Aristotelian idea of natural motion

       3. Identify problems with Newtonian motion

16. Scientific challenges II

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Discuss the challenges of geocentrism for natural philosophy and how to respond to the astronomical developments of the modern era

       2. Define Buridan’s theory of “impetus” and contrast it to Aristotle’s theory for the movement of projectiles.

       3. Distinguish the approach of the natural sciences from that of natural philosophy and understand their relationship

       4. Relate atomic theory to the elemental theory of Aristotle and Aquinas

17. Life I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Give a proper definition of “life”

       2. List characteristics of living things

       3. List the four basic kinds of activities in living things

       4. Identify the kind of motion that is specific to living things

18. Life II

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Explain the “unity” of living things and contrast it to other kinds of unity

       2. Propose alternative philosophical conceptions of life

       3. Identify the main feature of the modern scientific conception of life and what its presuppositions are

19. The soul

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Explain why living and non-living things are essentially” different

       2. Explain why the soul is also the form of the living body

       3. Discuss the operative powers of the soul and why the soul is not a “motor” for the body

       4. Identify what diversifies the different operative powers of the soul

20. Vegetative life

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Explain the vegetative powers of the soul

       2. Discuss the philosophical difficulty of the power of reproduction

       3. Discuss the relationship between the operative power of the soul and its organs of operation

       4. Explain why vegetative souls are “material,” i.e., dependent on matter

21. Vegetative life and cells

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student be able to:

       1. Relate the basic tenets of modern cell theory

       2. Recognize the “elemental” nature of modern cell theory

       3. Relate modern cell theory to hylomorphic elemental theory

22. Knowledge

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Give a philosophical definition of knowledge

       2. Discuss how knowledge unites the knower to the thing known

       3. Explain why knowledge implies immateriality

       4. List the sequence of steps that occur in an act of cognition

23. Sense knowledge I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Give a philosophical definition of a sense

       2. List and distinguish the external senses

       3. List and distinguish the internal senses

       4. List the primary and secondary sensibles

       5. Explain how modern philosophers have changed the primacy of the sensible qualities

       6. Distinguish sensation for perception

       7. Explain the dependence of sensation on matter

24. Colors and reality

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Explain the modern understanding of color sensation

       2. Contrast realist versus color anti-realist positions

       3. Propose some arguments in favor of color realism

25. Internal senses I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1. Give a definition of internal sense

       2. List the 4 internal senses and explain their role

       3. Explain how an object of sense knowledge produces a phantasm in the imagination

       4. Recognize the interdependence of the internal senses

26. Sense appetite

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Explain what an appetite is

       2. Distinguish a natural appetite from an elicited appetite

       3. Explain how sentient being benefit from having appetites

       4. Distinguish the concupiscible and irascible appetites

       5. Distinguish appetite from passion

       6. Explain the role of the passions in life

27. The Intellect I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Contrast Intellectual Knowledge versus Sense Knowledge.

       2.       Discuss the immateriality of the intellect.
28. The intellect II

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Discuss the steps by which a concept is formed.

       2.       Discuss the 3 acts of the intellect.
       3.       Discuss the formation of concepts of abstract ideas.
29. The intellect III

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Discuss how we know material things.

       2.       Discuss how we know spiritual things.
30. The will I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Define the will.

       2.       Define freedom.
       3.       Discuss how the intellect and will interact in the process of a free choice.

     

31. The will II
    

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to

       1. Discuss the interactions between the will and the other powers of the human soul.

       2.       Discuss the limits on the freedom of the will.
32. Review
33. Artificial Intelligence, mind and brain I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Define mental activities according to J. Searle.

       2.       Discuss the way in which human thinking is unlike a computer.
34.  Artificial Intelligence, mind and brain II

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Define Searle's meaning of intention.

       2.       Discuss the role of intention in human action.
35.  The Human Soul and its Immortality

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss how we know the human soul survives after death.

       2.       Discuss how we know that God creates the human soul.
36. The Orogon of the Human Soul and Being

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss the timing of ensoulment.

37. Biological Evolution

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       List the major classes of material being: inanimate, vegetative, sensitive, and intellectual.

       2.       Discuss the effect of natural causes on classes of material being.
38. Person and Being I

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Contrast "essence" versus "existence."

39.  Person and Being II

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Define "person" according to W. Norris Clarke.

       2.       Discuss Human Nature according to W. Norris Clarke.
40. Person and Being III 

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss "self-determination" according to W. Norris Clarke.

       2.       Discuss "self-communication" according to W. Norris Clarke.
41. Person and Being IV

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss the relationship between the observer and the observed in sacred art.

42. SPECIAL TOPIC I: Natural philosophy and the artist

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss how artists incorporate color realism.

       2.       Discuss how artists use visual perception.

43.  SPECIAL TOPIC II: The Creative imagination 

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Contrast imagination versus intellect.

44. SPECIAL TOPIC III: Health

    1. Objectives: By the end of this lesson the student will be able to:

       1.       Discuss the drawbacks of viewing the the human person as a "machine."

The course is offered asynchronously on our LMS, NEO.  To access the course and complete it successfully, you will need an internet capable device with sound and a current internet browser: either the current or the previous release of Chrome, Firefox and Safari, or Internet Explorer 11+ (for Windows 8 and previous versions), and Microsoft Edge (for Windows 10+) to run the LMS.  In addition, courses require the use of, a PDF viewer, word-processing software compatible with Microsoft Office suite and a current email address. For help with the NEO platform see the Help Center in the LMS, found by clicking on the “?” in the upper right hand corner after you have logged in.  For log in questions, registration questions, or problems with missing content or content malfunctions, contact the teaching assistant, Elizabeth Froula at efroula@pontifex.university.

Proprietary Interest Policy:

Faculty are permitted to refer to notable past work and achievements (including publications and educational activities not offered by Pontifex University, and even those offered for personal profit) in their published biography on the Pontifex website and course promotions. In the context of educational activities undertaken for Pontifex University, including videos, live or recorded, teachers, can recommend or bring to the attention such work for students (even if for personal profit, for example, books or podcasts) but only with approval by Pontifex University and when it is related to the teaching purpose of the class.  An instructor’s related work will be noted in the syllabus as appropriate.  Instructors may use their own materials as required in their courses and learning events as long as the materials are appropriate for the particular learning event.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in a warning or administration modification of course materials. Violations of this policy should be reported to the Provost.