Grade Level: High School & Beyond

The Problem of Evil

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Cat walking on park bench.

In the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions, one of the major problems for theists [those who believe that there is a God] is the “Problem of Evil.”  It runs like this: If God is all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, how can there be evil in the world?  Since we witness evil of various types, this presents a problem.  There … The Problem of Evil

Can God be Happy or Sad?

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Colorful painting of swirling galaxy.

One of the central questions in Theology involves the nature of God.  While religious studies employs different standards of proof that other disciplines in philosophy, one longstanding method has involved looking for logical consistency among different traits proposed.  In this lesson, the Polish philosopher Leszek Kołakowski calls for us to think about the question of God’s … Can God be Happy or Sad?

Personal Identity in Memento

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Personal Identity Vocabulary Numerically Identical: When we say that two things are numerically identical, we mean that they are one and the same thing. Qualitatively Identical: When things share properties Activity I ask students to bring their baby or early childhood pictures to class. After they try matching names with images of their classmates, I … Personal Identity in Memento

Why Do We Love?

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Romantic love – beautiful and intoxicating, heart-breaking and soul-crushing… often all at the same time! If romantic love has a purpose, neither science nor psychology has discovered it yet – but over the course of history, some of the most respected philosophers have put forward some intriguing theories. This video outlines five of these philosophical … Why Do We Love?

Beliefs and Evidence

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Materials needed: Paper and pen/pencil Description: Begin by having a loose discussion about the difference between “opinion” and “knowledge.” This should bring up claims about reasons, evidence, and proof. After a brief discussion about this difference, have the students write down three things they know. For each statement, have the students write down their best … Beliefs and Evidence

Laws

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Materials needed: paper and pen/pencil Description: Start by asking “What is a law?” Allow a number of students to speak to get several ideas on the table. Likely they will talk about rules, punishments, order, peace, and the government. The central idea found in these suggestions will probably be “a rule made by the government for … Laws

Shallow Pond and Charity

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Photograph of a blue pond in a field of grass

Materials needed: Piece of paper, writing utensil Activity: (1) Ask the students what makes an action “good” and what makes an action “wrong.” Create a list on the board. Some things often brought up for good actions are that they are directed at helping others, are beneficial in some way, and that they aren’t against the … Shallow Pond and Charity

The Ethics of Self-driving Cars

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simple drawing of cars and trucks on windy road

Self-driving cars are already cruising the streets today. And while these cars will ultimately be safer and cleaner than their manual counterparts, they can’t completely avoid accidents altogether. How should the car be programmed if it encounters an unavoidable accident? Patrick Lin navigates the murky ethics of self-driving cars. Patrick Lin navigates the murky ethics … The Ethics of Self-driving Cars

Implicit Bias

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Background content: Ideally students would have read some background content on implicit bias before the conversation. One possibility is Kelly and Roedder’s 2008 paper “Racial Cognition and the Ethics of Implicit Bias.” (available on the Resources tab). Only assign the first half of the reading, as it gives some background on implicit bias and empirical … Implicit Bias

What is Philosophy?

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Introduction to Philosophy/Making Arguments Materials: True/False handout for each student (see “Handout” below for specifics) Two signs, “True” and “False,” placed on opposite sides of the room At the start of class, ask students what they know about philosophy already. Call on a few students. If students need prompting, ask “Do you know any philosophers? … What is Philosophy?