PHI 110    INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

 

Instructor: David Makinster, University of Hartford

Fall 2009, Wednesdays  7:30 – 9:40

AGENDA/OBJECTIVES

1.  Issues -- become familiar with some main problems of Philosophy, regarding knowledge, reality, and values.
2.  Literacy -- carefully, creatively, critically read examples of classic and contemporary Philosophy.
3.  Toolkit -- gain basic logical skills, to facilitate recognizing and evaluating arguments and evidence.

BOOKS

All of the following books are required.

1.  Plato, THE REPUBLIC (Penguin Classics edition, translated by H.D.P. Lee)
2.  Russell, THE PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY
3.  Weston, A PRACTICAL COMPANION TO ETHICS

I will also provide study guides for each part of the course.

METHOD OF EVALUATION

Each of the following will count for approximately 20% of your grade.
1.  Logic Exam. Multiple choice/true-false/short answer
2.  Paper: Plato 1
3.  Paper: Plato 2
4.  Take-home, essay exam: Russell
5.  Final exam, comprehensive. Multiple choice/true-false/essay (Note: your grades for the Weston definitions and the Rashomon essay will be rolled into your grade for the final exam.

At my discretion, I may raise your grade for the course because of improvement, regular attendance, quality participation, or outstanding work on a particular assignment. In general, extra credit is not an option.

BASIC EXPECTATIONS

• You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all requirements explained in your current Student Handbook.
• Plan to attend class regularly. If you must miss class, speak to me, preferably in advance, about making up the work. Undue, unexcused absence can lead to a grade of "F."  If you arrive after I have taken attendance, it is your responsibility to make sure I count you as present.
• Plan to submit work on time. If this is ever impossible, speak to me about it. Allowances can be made for legitimate reasons, but I reserve the right to penalize for lateness.
• Although substance is more important than style, if your work is illegible or otherwise unacceptable in form, you may be asked to resubmit it.
• I may, at my discretion, require an oral examination over some part of the material, for a particular student, if warranted by uneven or anomalous performance.
• If you choose to drop the course, you must do the required paperwork to avoid an "F."
• If you need to take an "I" for the course, you MUST discuss this with me before the end of the semester. Failure to do so may result in an "F" for the course.
• Cheating, including plagiarism, will result in an automatic "F"…FOR THE COURSE. Please refer to your current Student Handbook for more information on academic honesty/academic offences. Plagiarism is defined by the Modern Language Association as the “act of using another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source...” Other academic offenses consist of dishonesty, fraud, cheating, disruption of teaching or any other activity which adversely affects the academic process.”
• In order to avoid class disruption, please turn off cell phones and beepers during class time, and do not leave class to answer cell phone calls. If you are on-call for work and therefore need an exception, please talk to me. It goes without saying that iPods and similar devices should be left home.
• If you do not understand any part of these rules, or are unsure of your current status in relation to them, it is YOUR responsibility to ask me for clarification.
• If you have any special needs regarding health or learning, please let me know ASAP. Self-disclosure is voluntary, but would help me to address your needs.

ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

• ·No penalty will be applied for “excused” absences, when legitimate reasons for missing class are evident.  Legitimate reasons can typically include illness, court appearances, transportation mishaps, family crisis, abduction by space aliens, and cosmic apocalypse. I may request documentation.
•  Unexcused absences will result in a deduction from your final grade at the rate of 0.5 grade points per absence.
• ·Arriving late will treated in the same way as an absence  - no penalty with a legitimate reason, possible penalty for unexcused tardiness with the penalty varying (at my discretion) based on how late you arrive. In general, you are better off coming late than not at all.

HOW TO CONTACT ME

 Email:   [email protected] (preferred)
                [email protected]
Voicemail: 413-775-1265.

***   This syllabus is not a contract, and may be changed without prior notice.   ***

CALENDAR - (subject to change as needed)

DATE	TOPIC	ASSIGNMENTS
	Introduction – What is Philosophy?
	The examined life.	Read: * Plato, The Common Prejudice Against Philosophy
	Problems of Deductive Reasoning	Study Guide / Homework
	Problems of Inductive Reasoning + Informal Logic	Study Guide / Homework
	Pre-test/Review
	Logic Exam; Universals	Plato Essay #1 due.
	Cosmological problems: Plato’s Sun/Line/Cave	Read: * Russell, IX, X * Plato, Part VII, #5, #6, and #7
	Skepticism	Read: * Russell, I
	“how do we know…”	Read: * Russell, V & VI
	“truth”… or something like it	Read: * Russell, VII & XII
	1. Rashomon 2. Problems of Ethical Reasoning	Plato Essay #2 due. Read: * Weston (entire)
	Pulling it all together with a Socratic dialogue: REPUBLIC, Book I (begin)	Take-home exam is due  Read: * Plato, Book One
	Pulling it all together with a Socratic dialogue: REPUBLIC, Book I (finish)	Read: * Plato, Book One
	Final Exam	Any late work must be submitted!