Delaware County Community College Fall 2010

Transcription

1 Delaware County Community College Fall 2010 Phi 100 Introduction to Philosophy Instructor: Paul D.J. Harris M.A. Course Website: Teaching hours: Mondays, Wednesdays PM; PM Course Details Course: PHI 100 Section #: 1852 Location: Pennock s Bridge Campus Day(s): Mondays, Wednesdays Time: 5.00 to 6.25 PM Course Description This course is intended for the beginning student in philosophy. This course is an investigation of philosophical problems as they are treated either by historical or contemporary authors. The philosophical problems discussed may include issues taken from the following areas of philosophy; ethics (moral theory and its applications), metaphysics (the study of the basic properties of reality), epistemology (the theory of knowledge), natural theology (arguments for the existence of God that take the natural world as evidence for God s existence), aesthetics (the theory of beauty and its manifestation in art) and political philosophy (the study of ethical principles to govern human society). Prerequisite A C or better in English Composition 1 (Eng 100) Course Competencies Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: Identify the basic elements of sound reasoning and make a cogent argument for a position. Present and analyze the major philosophical problems discussed in class. Analyze the major philosophical problems discussed in class. Identify the philosophers discussed in class and present their views. Critique the views of the philosophers discussed in class. 1

2 Apply the philosophical method of argumentation to issues in daily life. Required Textbook(s) Melchert, N. (2009) Philosophical Conversations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Available in college bookstore) Course Procedures This class will be a combination of textbook study, lectures, discussion, audio/visual presentations, and group workshops. You are expected to read all assigned material ahead of class. All assignments must be handed in on time. Late assignments will suffer a lowering of one grade point for that assignment. Exams: There will be two exams; A Midterm and a Final Argument paper: An argument paper assignment will be handed out on the 22 nd of ember. A draft of this paper must be handed in to the professor by December 1 st. The final copy must be handed in at the beginning of the final exam. Oral presentation; In the final two lectures students will give oral presentations of their argument paper. This will allow students to receive feedback on their paper before submitting the final copy. N.B. presentations are mandatory and will contribute towards your class participation grade. Quizzes; A quiz will be given on the last lecture of each topic. Final Course Grade o Midterm 20% o Final Exam 20% o Argument paper 20% o Class/Group participation 20% o Quizzes 20% Extra credit is offered (see below) Assignments and Exams % of Final Grade EXAMPLE Grade Calculation (based on Midterm Final Exam Argument paper Class/group participation Quizzes FINAL GRADE 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 100% B 2

3 hypothetical scores) Final Grade = 0.2(85) + 0.2(75) + 0.2(90) + 0.2(78) + 0.2(92) = 84.7 Final Average Final Grade A B C D 59 and less F Students with Disabilities In compliance with Delaware County Community College policy, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, I am available to discuss your accommodation letter regarding approved academic accommodations that you may require in this course. Students who need to arrange accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services for verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations. If you have any questions contact Ann Binder, Director of Disability Services at or by at abinder@dccc.edu. Students on Chester County Campuses can contact Shammah Bermudez, Coordinator of Disability Services for Chester County Campuses at or by at sbermudez@dccc.edu Academic Support Services Tutoring may be available for this course at one of our Learning Centers. Call one of these numbers for more information: Downingtown ( ); Exton ( ); Pennocks Bridge ( ). DCCC s Commitment to Diversity Students are expected to show respect for their classmates, themselves, and their instructors by conducting themselves with maturity, demonstrating sincere interest in the ideas of others, and employing good manners. Students are expected to show appreciation for the diversity of backgrounds and skills of their classmates. Violations of equal educational opportunities should be reported according to procedures given on pages 2 and 56 of the Student Handbook. General complaint and sexual harassment complaint procedures are detailed on pages of the Student Handbook. Attendance 3

4 I will be making regular records of attendance and any excessive absences or lateness may result in being dropped from the class. As a courtesy please try to give me prior notice if you are unable to attend any lectures. Academic Honesty I will be strictly enforcing the DCCC academic honesty policy which can be found on pages of the 2009/2010 DCCC Student handbook. All cases of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, those found in the student handbook will be reported to the provost and all infractions will be enforced with zero tolerance. Please familiarize yourself with the college s policy, particularly as it pertains to plagiarism. Course Schedule Date Lecture Assignments/Homework 30- Aug 1-Sep 6-Sep Course Introduction Origins of Philosophy & Science No Class Topic 1: The origins of philosophy 8-Sep The Pre-Socratic Philosophers pp Sep Socrates and the Sophists pp Sep The Trial and Death of Socrates Topic 2: The scope and limits of reason Read: handout; Plato s Euthyphro pp Quiz #1 due 20-Sep Plato pp Sep Plato pp , Sep Aristotle pp Sep Anselm & Aquinas pp Oct Descartes pp Oct Empiricism (Locke and Bacon) pp , Handout Bacon s um Organon 11-Oct Hume and Kant pp , Oct Exam review and review of Quiz s 1&2 Quiz #2 due 18-Oct Mid-Term Exam 4

5 Topic 3: Moral Philosophy 20-Oct Virtue Theory pp , , Handout 25-Oct Kantian moral theory pp Oct Utilitarianism pp Criticisms of traditional ethical theories Handout 3- Criticisms of traditional ethical theories Handout 8- Application of moral theories Handout. Quiz #3 due Dec 6-Dec Kierkegaard Nietzsche Existentialism Existentialism Topic 4: The meaning of Human existence The end of philosophy (Wittgenstein and Logical Positivism) Whither Philosophy? Paper presentations Paper presentations pp , Handout; Kierkegaard s Fear and Trembling pp pp , Argument paper assignment handed out pp pp pp Draft of argument paper due. Quiz #4 due. 8-Dec 15- Dec Exam/quiz review December 15 th : Final Exam; 4.30 to 6.30 Final argument paper due Miscellaneous Policies/Procedures Reading Requirements: Each lecture has a reading requirement from the course textbook (listed above) based on the topic of that lecture. You are expected to have read the listed section of the book before each lecture. You should come to class prepared (with textbooks, notebook, ready to ask questions, etc.). For tests and exams: You must use and submit scratch paper along with test, all books and notes away, follow MSLC rules for testing. 5

6 Classroom conduct: Help maintain a healthy learning environment by doing the following: avoid unnecessary talking, turn off pagers and cell phones or use vibrate mode, no eating, be courteous/respectful to instructor and classmates. If there is some reason that you should not turn off a pager or cell phone, please discuss with me in advance so that the appropriate arrangements can be made. You must maintain and actively check your DCCC student account. All will be sent to your DCCC account only! Resources for Success in PHI 100 Google scholar: Miniature Library of Philosophy: Philosopher s Index: Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy: (Wikipedia is NOT a valid resource) 6

7 Extra Credit Opportunities Extra credit may be earned by completing a paper on one of the following books or movies. Extra credit papers must be handed in by the beginning of the final exam at the latest. Your paper must: o Provide a summary of the book or movie o Outline and describe what makes this particular book or movie philosophical o Try to isolate or identify a particular philosophical argument or theme o Provide your own opinion/argument on the philosophical views expressed in the book or movie. Movies (3 points) Crimes and Misdemeanors The Matrix The Seventh Seal Waking Life Ghost in the Shell Ikiru Fight Club Gandhi Inception 12 Angry Men I (Heart) Huckabees Winter Light Total Recall Harvey Blade Runner Eternal Sunshine of the eternal mind Gattaca The Life Aquatic Eat, Pray, Love Books (5 points) Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) Animal Farm (George Orwell) Brave new world (Aldous Huxley) Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury) Anything by Philip K. Dick The Beach (Alex Garland) Hamlet (Shakespeare) 1984 (George Orwell) Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) Fear and Trembling (Søren Kierkegaard) Existentialism Humanism (Jean Paul Sartre) Notes from the Underground (Fyodor Dostoevsky) The metamorphoses (Franz Kafka) Howards End (E.M. Forster) Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance (Robert M. Persig) (Other books/movies may be used in consultation with the professor) 7