Course Description. Student Learning Outcomes. Course Expectations and Requirements

Transcription

1 Syllabus: Phil 002 Intrductin t Philsphy: Mrals and Plitics De Anza Cllege Winter Quarter, 2011 Instructr: Tñ Ramirez ramireztn@fhda.edu Office Hurs: M/T/W/Th 9-10 AM, r by appintment Office Lcatin: Frum Building, rm 2D Curse Descriptin This curse intrduces students t the methds and practices f philsphy thrugh a rigrus investigatin f central tpics pertaining t traditinal themes in epistemlgy and metaphysics. Students will engage key readings and ideas frm the histry f philsphy, and will find that the themes encuntered bear heavily n current issues, events and ppular culture. The curse will fcus n three primary tpics: The nature and scpe f knwledge, understandings f reality, and the nature f persnhd. Our discussins will culminate in an investigatin f the relevance f these tpics t the pssibility f a meaningful life. Student Learning Outcmes Students wh successfully engage with the curse and its cntent will be able t: Identify and analyze the philsphical prblems pertaining t scial and plitical philsphy Analyze and assess slutins t these prblems frm a variety f philsphical traditins Articulate and defend an riginal psitin n at least ne issue in scial and plitical philsphy Identify applicatins f philsphical tls t real-wrld actins and decisins Curse Expectatins and Requirements Students wh are cnsidering drpping the curse fr persnal reasns are encuraged t meet with me first I m happy t d what I can t help yu succeed in this class! T this end, I strngly encurage yu t take advantage f ffice hurs. Students may miss a ttal f fur class meetings withut penalty during the term. A fifth absence will result in the lss f the attendance buffer (explained belw) when final grades are calculated. A seventh absence will result in dismissal frm the curse. Students are nt required t prvide the instructr with a reasn fr absence, nr are aplgies necessary. I assume that absences will nly ccur under legitimate circumstances. Students wh miss a class meeting are respnsible fr btaining any infrmatin r assignments they may have missed. Attendance will be taken at the beginning f class n a daily basis. It is the student s respnsibility t ensure that his/her name has been recrded accurately n daily attendance sheets. Students are expected t cme t class n time. Three late arrivals will be cnsidered equivalent t ne absence n the attendance recrd. Reading assignments are required in this curse. I understand that sme f the reading will be challenging, and that it may nt be fully understd withut subsequent in-class explanatin. Nevertheless, I expect that students will read the texts assigned.

2 As a significant prtin f the curse will invlve class discussin f texts, it is expected that students will have cmpleted assigned readings befre the crrespnding class meeting. Participatin in discussins will be evaluated accrding t the quality f student cmments, and nt quantity. Students wh demnstrate excellence in discussins will attend clsely t the cmments f ther students, and ffer remarks that are f relevance t the discussin at hand. It is expected that students will engage ne anther s ideas in discussin, and that this will be dne in a respectful manner. Neither disparaging remarks nr persnal attacks will be tlerated in any way. Class discussins will frequently feature small-grup wrk. It is expected that students will participate actively in these grups. Cell phnes must be turned ff during class. Students wh need t leave a phne n fr emergency purpses shuld let me knw at the beginning f the class sessin. Text messaging is incmpatible with active participatin in class activities, and will nt be permitted during class time. Student Assessment: Evaluatins will be based upn the quality f individual student participatin in discussins and written wrk. The final grade will be awarded accrding t the fllwing criteria: Written wrk: Written wrk will cnsist f a series f hmewrk assignments ne shrt essay, and ne lnger essay. Hmewrk assignments will be based upn curse readings. Fr each assigned reading, questins will be psted n the curse website (explained belw) pertaining t the text. Questins highlighted in bld shuld be answered fr the hmewrk assignment. Yu d nt need t submit written respnses fr questins that are nt highlighted in bld. Respnses may be brief and infrmal, but must reflect that the reading has been dne. I will cllect respnses at the beginning f class. Students wh are late will be expected t submit hmewrk respnses upn arrival. Students wh are absent will be expected t submit respnses via prir t returning t class n the fllwing day. Late respnses will nt be accepted. Hmewrk assignments accunt fr 20% f yur final grade in this curse. The number f percentage pints yu earn tward the hmewrk prtin f yur grade will crrespnd t the percentage f satisfactry hmewrk assignments yu submit (i.e. if yu submit 10 satisfactry assignments ut 20 assigned, yu will earn 10 f the 20 pssible pints tward the final grade). Assignments will nt be handed back t yu, but I will read them. If yur respnse is satisfactry (i.e. it demnstrates that yu have bth read and understd the assigned reading), it will be reflected as x n the curse grade tracker (which I will update n the curse website n a regular basis). If yur respnse is nt satisfactry, it will be reflected as - in the grade tracker. Yu may me r meet me at my ffice t crrect unsatisfactry respnses. If this is dne within ne week f the riginal questin date, yu will be given full credit fr the respnse. Crrectins submitted beynd this ne week perid will nt be accepted. Yu may crrect a maximum f three respnses in this manner. Essays will be evaluated accrding t standards prvided with assignment prmpts. Standards fr each paper will als be addressed verbally in class at the time f assignment. It is expected that students wh remain unclear as t the standards f excellent written wrk will meet with the instructr befre the assignment is due. Re-writes are nt accepted fr paper assignments. I am happy t review advance drafts f papers with yu in persn, but nt via . Academic hnesty is imperative in written wrk. Any plagiarized paper will autmatically result in a grade f F fr the curse, and will be reprted t the

3 Dean f Academics. Students wh are unsure abut standards fr academic hnesty shuld cnsult with me. In shrt, any uncited material, presented as yur wn riginal wrk, cnstitutes plagiarism. This includes uncited qutes frm internet and print surces. There will be n exceptins t this plicy. Assignments turned in n time will be graded and returned with cmments within ne week f the due date. Students may submit assignments the Mnday after the due date at n penalty, but I make n guarantees fr a prmpt return. I will nt accept any papers that are turned in after this time. I practice blind grading t ensure impartiality in evaluating student wrk. Students shuld nt write their names n the frnt f any written assignment. Rather, the name shuld be written lightly in pencil n the back f the last page. Mid-Term and Final Exams: A make-up exam will nly be available under certifiable emergency circumstances, as determined by the instructr. Students wh miss either exam fr nnemergency reasns will nt have the ptin fr a make-up. Argument Paper: 3 pts extra credit (OPTIONAL) Students may earn up t 3 extra percentage pints in the curse by submitting an argument paper. Argument papers are described in detail n the Assignments page f the curse website, and will be explained verbally in class. Only ne argument paper may be submitted fr the curse. Attendance Buffer and Grade Calculatin: Students wh miss fur r fewer classes will autmatically keep an attendance buffer, which will be used in calculating the final grade. Final grades will be calculated as fllws With attendance buffer Withut attendance buffer HW Assignments Shrt Essay Lnger Essay Midterm Exam Final Exam Attendance Buffer 15 0 GRADE SCALE: A+ (100-97), A (96-93), A- (92-90), B+ (89-87), B (86-83), B- (82-80), C+ (79-77), C (76-73), D+ (73-70), D (69-67), D- (66-63), F (62-0)

4 Curse Reading Schedule (n.b.: The schedule is subject t change at my discretin) Intrductin and Overview 1/3: Intrductin t curse 1/4: Read Plat, Aplgy (in reader) 1/5: Read Plat, Aplgy (in reader) 1/6: In-class assignment and discussin Argument paper assigned and explained Mral Actin and Evaluatin 1/10: Read Rachels, Cultural Relativism (in reader) 1/11: Class Plat, The Myth f Gyges (in reader) Read Cahn/Murphy, Happiness and Immrality (in reader) 1/12: Read Nietzsche, Master Mrality and Slave Mrality (in reader) 1/13: In-class assignment and discussin Argument Paper Date 1/17: NO CLASS Mtg. 1/18: Read Mill, Utilitarianism (in reader) 1/19: Read Le Guin, The Ones Wh Walk Away frm Omelas (in reader) 1/20: Read Kant, The Categrical Imperative (in reader) Argument Paper Date First essay assigned 1/24: In class film: Gne Baby Gne 1/25: Film cnt. 1/26: Film cnt. 1/27: Class discussin f film (film jurnal due) Authrity and Plitical Legitimacy 1/31: Read Plat, Crit (in reader) 2/1: Read Brecher & Smith, Watada s War (in reader) 2/2: Read Rachels, Psychlgical Egism (in reader) 2/3: In-class film and discussin: Balance Argument Paper Date FIRST ESSAY DUE 2/7: Read Wlff, pgs /8: Read Wlff, pgs /9: Read Wlff, pgs /10: Read Wlff, pgs Argument Paper Date MID-TERM EXAM 2/14: In class film: V fr Vendetta 2/15: Film cnt. 2/16: Film cnt. 2/17: Class discussin f film (film jurnal due) Argument Paper Date Final paper assigned

5 2/21: NO CLASS 2/22: Read Wlff, pgs /23: Read Wlff, pgs /24: Read Wlff, pgs LAST DAY TO SUBMIT ARGUMENT PAPER Freedm, Punishment, and Frce 2/28: Read Wlff, pgs /1: Read Wlff, pgs /2: Read Wlff, pgs /3 Read Singer, Vide Crime vs. Virtual Pedphilia (in reader) 3/7: In class film: A Clckwrk Orange 3/8: Film cnt. 3/9 Film cnt. 3/10: Class discussin f film (film jurnal due) 3/14: Read Rachels, Kant and Respect fr Persns (in reader) 3/15: Read van den Haag, In Defense f the Death Penalty (in reader) Read Bedau, Capital Punishment (in reader) 3/16: Please read this article and respnd t the fllwing questins in yur jurnal: Accrding t Singer, exactly hw much f my mney/wealth am I suppsed t give t relieve wrld pverty? D YOU think that Singer s central argument cntains any flaws/mistakes? If s, what are these mistakes? If nt, hw wuld yu respnd t the bjectin that his demands are t strng? 3/17: Read King, Letter frm a Birmingham Cunty Jail (in reader) Curse Review FINAL PAPER DUE 3/21: FINAL EXAM Texts The majrity f readings will cme frm the fllwing bks, which are available fr purchase at the bkstre: Wlff, Jnathan. An Intrductin t Plitical Philsphy. Oxfrd University Press, Curse Reader Additinal curse readings will be distributed n the curse website. Curse Website Annuncements, grade trackers, and electrnic versins f mst class materials will be available at