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INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Baton Rouge Community College Philosophy 201, Section 2 Mon., Wed., Fri., 3-3:50 Louisiana building 213 Emily Cogburn, instructor e-mail: When emailing me, please let me know the course and section you are taking: [email protected]. Web site: www.geocities.com/cogburn83 About the course: In this course, we will talk about what philosophy is and explore the major problems philosophers attempt to address, including what we can know, whether there is a God, and how we should act. Students will be introduced to critical thinking and careful reading of texts. Together we will tackle some of the problems people have been worried about for thousands of years. Both doing the assigned reading and coming to class are absolute necessities in this course. You are responsible for keeping up with all information conveyed in each class. Below I have listed the required reading for each week.You are required to do the reading indicated for that class period before coming to class. Readings from Philosophy Through Fiction and Film by Burton Porter are indicated by (Porter). Readings from Ultimate Questions by Nils Rauhut are indicated by (Rauhut). Reading philosophy is not like reading fiction for fun. You may find you have to read something more than once and think about it before you understand it fully. This is especially true of the selections from the Porter book. Try reading the assignment and then writing in your own words what you think the author is saying and don't be afraid to read something more than once or even a few times! I do not use Blackboard since there have been problems with it in the past. You are responsible for checking my website at www.geocities.com/cogburn83 for updates to the syllabus and important information throughout the semester. You also must access the web site to complete the assignment. You are responsible for coming to class to receive grades on all tests. I will not post the grades to my web site (a violation of privacy) or email them to you. Final and midterm grades are available through Banner (the same way you registered for the class) or by mail. I cannot email midterm or final grades. Policies: Talking (except during class discussion), reading, cell phone usage, and electronic games are distracting to both instructor and students and will not be allowed during class time. Academic dishonesty (cheating and plagiarism) may take various forms, including copying other students' work, copying from the text or other sources, and using cheat sheets during exams. None of them will be tolerated in this course. Cheating on any assignments or tests will result in an F in the course. You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the rules and regulations of this College. You may find these in the Student Handbook on BRCC's website. You are required to attend every class. Attendance will be taken at the end of class. If you do not sign the roll, you will be marked absent. You must present a doctor's excuse (or similar documentation) in order to have an absence excused. Make-ups on exams will only be given in the case of excused absences (doctor's note etc.) All make-up exams will be in short answer format (unlike the exams given at scheduled exam times). For exams, one make-up time may be scheduled with the instructor (at her discretion). If you fail to keep this appointment, another will not be scheduled. Baton Rouge Community College and I are dedicated to making reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students should notify the Office of Special Programs of any special needs. You should notify me as soon as possible that you are working with the Office of Special Programs. The telephone number there is 216-8503. Required texts: You must acquire the textbooks for this course. They are available in the BRCC bookstore and also from www.amazon.com. It will be impossible to pass the class without them. If you cannot afford the texts, at least get an earlier edition from www.amazon.com. Cheap used books are usually available this way. Porter, Burton F., Philosophy Through Fiction and Film, Pearson, ISBN 0130975060 Rauhut, Nils Ch., Ultimate Questions: Thinking About Philosophy, Second Edition, Pearson, ISBN 0321412982   Grading: Keeping track of your grade in the class is your responsibility. If you are worried about whether I received an assignment or if you have a documented excuse for missing a class period or assignment, please feel free to contact me. However, I will return all tests and assignments, so you will be able to figure out your current grade or what you need to get on a test or assignment to get a certain grade in the class. You should also keep track of your own attendance record as well.   Students have informed me in the past that they cannot figure out their grade when I tell them an assignment is worth a certain percentage of the final grade. With that in mind, I have devised a new (and entirely equivalent) system based on points instead (though each can, of course, be converted to the other- something you should learn to do for your own knowlege). There will be 700 total points in the class (or 100%). Each assignment etc. will be worth a certain number of points toward this total. If you want to know what grade you have at any given time, you will have to convert to percentages, however, it should be fairly simple to see what you need to make on your tests etc. to get a certain grade.   When midterm grades are due, there will be 348 points. So, 348-313 will be an A (or 100-90%), 312-278 a B (89-80%), 277-244 a C (79-70%), and 243-209 a D (69-60%)   Final grades will be calculated as follows: Attendance: 100 points. Each class period is worth 2 points, so if you miss one class, you lose 2 points. This may leave us a few points short of 100, but I'll add whatever extra there is to everyone's grade. This includes test days and the days of midterms and finals, but not holidays. You must sign the roll to receive attendance credit for that day.   Tests: 500 points. There will be 5 tests, each worth 100 points. All tests will be consist of short answer, multiple choice, and essay questions (except for make-up exams which will be all short answer and essay). Tests cannot be made up without a documented excuse. Tests cannot be retaken after the next test has been given. If I allow you to reschedule a test and you do not show up, you have forfited your right to take that test.   Assignment: 100 points. Assignments turned in late (without a documented excuse) will be worth 1/2 credit maximum. I will not accept emailed assignments. They must be printed out and brought to class. No assignments will be accepted after the last day of class.   Total: 700 points (100%) A- 700-630 (100-90%) B- 629-560 (89-80%) C- 559-490 (79-70%) D- 489-420 (69-60%)   If you are coming up on the last test and want to know what you have to get on it to get an A, say, then add up the points you made on all the other things and try plugging in different grades for the final test and see what you get. For example, if I have perfect attendance, I have 92 points, then say I got 90 on the first assignment, 80 on the first test, 85 on the second test, 100 on the second assignment, 90 on the third test. My total is 537 points. Even if I get zero on the last test, I get a C. I need 93 on the final test to get an A. Or if you like percentages, add everything up and divide it by how many things we have done so far (don't forget attendance). So if we've taken two tests and the assignment, add those together plus your attendance grade and divide by 4.     Schedule:   Jan. 17-19 Chapter 1: What is Philosophy?, p. 1-15 (Rauhut) Excerpt from Plato's Republic, p. 4-9 (Porter)   Jan. 22-26 Chapter 2: Philosophical Tools, p. 17-43 (Rauhut) Assignment due January 26   Jan. 29-Feb.2 Chapter 2: Philosophical Tools, p. 17-43 (Rauhut)   Feb. 5-7 Chapter 2: Philosophical Tools, p. 17-43 (Rauhut)   Feb.9 Test 1   Feb. 12-16 Chapter 5: The Problem of Personal Identity, p. 113-136 (Rauhut)   Feb. 19-21 Mardi Gras   Feb. 23 Chapter 5: The Problem of Personal Identity, p. 113-136 (Rauhut)   Feb. 26 Chapter 5: The Problem of Personal Identity, p. 113-136 (Rauhut)   Feb. 28 Test 2   Mar. 2 Chapter 6: The Mind/Body Problem, p. 137-172 (Rauhut)   Mar. 5-9 Chapter 6: The Mind/Body Problem, p. 137-172 (Rauhut)   Mar. 12-14 Chapter 6: The Mind/Body Problem, p. 137-172 (Rauhut) 2001, A Space Odyssey, p. 101-109 (Porter)   Mar. 16 Test 3 (Midterm)   Mar. 19-23 Chapter 7: Does God Exist?, p. 173-213 (Rauhut) Contact, p. 283-292 (Porter)   Mar. 26-30 Chapter 7: Does God Exist?, p. 173-213 (Rauhut)   April 2-7 Spring Break   April 9-13 Chapter 7: Does God Exist?, p. 173-213 (Rauhut) C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, p. 298-305 (Porter)   April 16 Fedor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, p. 306-322 (Porter)   April 18 Test 4   April 20 Chapter 8: What Ought We to Do?, p. 214-255 (Rauhut)   April 23-27 Chapter 8: What Ought We to Do?, p. 214-255 (Rauhut) Ursula K. Le Guin, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, p. 174-180 (Porter)   April 30-May 4 Chapter 8: What Ought We to Do?, p. 214-255 (Rauhut)   May 7-11 Chapter 8: What Ought We to Do?, p. 214-255 (Rauhut) Jean Anouilh, Antigone, p. 222-234 (Porter)   May 12-18 Test 5 (Finals)