IB Philosophy – Syllabus (John Russey)

IB Philosophy Programme - Year 1 

Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?

(Gaugin, 1897)

IB Philosophy Guide

the guide (in full) - if you want to check something...

Suggestions from IB Philosophy Guide

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!!! IB Exam Dates - 2015 !!!

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Paper 1

CoreTheme: What is a Human Being? 
(This theme includes EVERYTHING that we will cover - including the Republic, Ethics and Political Philosophy)

Optional Theme 1: Political Philosophy

Optional Theme 2: Ethics

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For Paper 1 students will be required to write 800 words on each applicable theme

SL - There will be two themes covered during the next two years (Core Theme and Political Philosophy)
HL - There will be three themes covered during the next two years (Core Theme, Political Philosophy and Ethics)

Paper 2

Plato's "Republic"

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Plato's "Republic" is the philosophical text that will be analyzed in detail and students will be required to write 800 words on this during the IB exam.

SL and HL

Paper 3

Unseen text

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HL Students only - will be required to write 800 words over "doing philosophy"

Internal Assessment exercise

Internal Assessment Assignment

SL and HL

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WEEK 1

Class 1 (SL-HL)

“Clearing the ground” for philosophical discussion; opening up the field with radical questioning...

Students will be able to recognize and analyze the concept of the Self, Identity (and Difference) in various modes of application.

Discuss concepts of:

Identity <--> Difference

Consciousness <--> Unconsciousness

Self <--> Other

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Class 2 (SL-HL)

Continue from Class One

Rehash (questions of Self-Other, ID-Difference)...

Discuss the truth of Science vs truth of Aboriginals; compare “Big Bang” w/ Myth; discuss concept of evolution; ...

What is Colonialism? [How can you describe it? [definition, etymology, stories, history class, news,....]]

Can you describe instances of colonialism that you know about?

What happens/happened with colonialism? Is it still happening today do you think?

1. Read the Case Study on Father Bartholomé de Las Casas / Marquis de Sade : discuss in class

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Class 3 (SL-HL)

Socratic Discussion

1. Handout : Quote of De Sade on history vs novel

2. Form a circle with chairs; read text in group and hold a “Socratic Discussion”

3. Discuss questions:

• Can fiction portray “truths” that history, science and media (“facts”) cannot?

• Who writes history books? Do things “happen” if historians don’t write about them?

• Is the media ever unbiased? Who owns the media?

• Can science ever be truly objective? Who do scientists work for?

Class 3a (HL)

Write an essay on the questions discussed during “Socratic Discussion” (200+ words)

1. Handout : Quote of De Sade on history vs novel

2. Discuss questions:

• Can fiction portray “truths” that history, science and media (“facts”) cannot?

• Who writes history books? Do things “happen” if historians don’t write about them?

• Is the media ever unbiased? Who owns the media?

• Can science ever be truly objective? Who do scientists work for?

Class 3b (HL)

1. Discuss and critique the assigned essay.

2. Give handouts for further discussion:

• “Who Owns the Media” , “The Illusion of Journalistic Neutrality” , “Manufacturing Consent on Syria”

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WEEK 2

Class 4 (SL-HL)

Reflect on the last class when HL & SL were together (Socratic Discussion over history, novels, truth, in relation to the Self & Other(s), ID & Difference,…), whereby most students have claimed that truth is relative (to point of view), i.e., there is no Truth in itself.

• Is it True to say that “truth” is relative? Or are you contradicting yourself?

• If Truth does not exist, how can we know or believe anything?

• If there is no Truth, is it possible to Lie? What is a Lie?

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Handouts:

• Plato on the “Noble Lie”

• Goebbels on the necessity of lying (to preserve the State)

1. Discuss these texts in class.

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Class 5 (SL-HL)

1. Give assignment on Kievan Rus’ – write an analysis/critique of a historical text; question "truth" of text (e.g. source); relate to colonialism; include discussion of question of Identity (and Difference), Self (& Other) in this context.

2. Give out “Philosophical Journal” assignment

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Class 6 (SL-HL)

Meditation on Micro-cosmos-Macro-cosmos

Group forms a circle and we hold a group meditation session (teacher as leader).

1. Everyone holds hands and closes eyes

2. Get grounded (aware of body) – focus on breath; blood flow

3. Become aware of others in group (focus on touching/being touched)

4. Return to self; focus on heart…

5. Go into heart and proceed to get “smaller and smaller” on journey to internal source…

6. Return to heart.

7. Proceed to others/group/school/city/country… until reach the outer limits of the universe.

8. Return to heart; to self.

9. Open eyes.

10. Write about experience.

Class 6a (HL)

Defending yourself: Seeking balance

Read text (example text with quotes/citations) to learn how to defend argument – “Predictable Distortions: Pirates, Profits and Propaganda” by Jeff Nygaard.

Discuss concepts of: racism, Eurocentrism, threats (to social status), tendency to simplify and individualize human behavior; in relation to the text.

Emphasize the elements the author has utilized to defend his arguments in critique of the current media (social) structure.

Note: this is a rather socially critical, “left-wing” text. Seeking balance: Next class we will look at a more “(ultra)conservative” piece from the NY Times.

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Class 6b (HL)

Defending yourself: Seeking balance II

 Read text (example text with quotes/citations) to learn how to defend argument  (from the other extreme -- a more “(ultra)conservative” piece from the NY Times) – "Pirates and the Law"

By ROBERT BECKMAN and TOMMY KOH

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Class 7 (SL-HL)

Socratic discussion -

* Machiaveli – leadership

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Machiaveli-excerpt.jpg

   http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Machiaveli-questions.jpg

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Class 8 (SL-HL)

reading and discussion over The One and the Many

• East-West Beginnings...

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+ Following Weeks

• Sacred Geometry - Flower of Life – Platonic Solids

• Platonic Solids

• Relationship of Elements : Hindu, Japanese, Greek and Chinese Systems

• Relationship of Elements to Chakras

• Microcosmic Orbit (Taoism)

• http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/4-humors.htm

• Altogether governed by humours: The four ancient
  temperaments in Shakespeare
  

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+ HL Questions about medicine (healing)

• http://wakeup-world.com/2011/08/19/what-the-pharmaceutical-industry-does-not-want-you-to-know-about-healing/

• http://wakeup-world.com/2012/10/19/positivity-authenticity-coding-dna-for-higher-vibrational-programs/

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+ HL Myth, Religion and Philosophy

• http://friesian.com/myth.htm

+ Induction-deduction (SL-HL)

* discussion and handouts (Philosophy in Practice by Morton, Adam, Blackwell Publ.: Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1996; pp. 125-153).

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+ Presentaions – Philosphical Timeline

multiple classes

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+ Writing Composition : linking words

*

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+ Circle Discussion – Human Being (HB) vs animal

http://www.united-academics.org/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Differences-between-humans-and-animals.jpg

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+ Essay assignment : HB vs animal

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/essay_human-being.jpg

* 1^st draft – 250 words

* 2^nd draft (500 words)

* 3^rd draft (750 words)

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4 Nov – HL begin watching Sandel on “Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 01”

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdfcR-8hEY

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6 Nov – books arrive – start Plato's Euthyphro in class

continue Euthyphro

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+ HL critique and rewrite essays

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+ What the Bleep do We Know

* watch film over Quantum Physics and Spirituality

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18 november -- HL

* Fractals: handout: How Mandelbrot's fractals changed the world

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11564766

Film: Fractals: The Colors of Infinity

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25 November FINAL ESSAYS due

+ HL -- machines vs humans

* http://www.mnn.com/leaderboard/stories/7-real-life-human-cyborgs

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/man-machine_links.html

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29 Nov –read Guthrie Greek Philosophy through to Democritus

+ Greek concepts

* Virtue (arete) is knowledge (epsteme)

+ read Guthrie Greek Philosophy through Parmenides

+ Test over Greek concepts ...

http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/test_greek-concepts.jpg

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2 December -- Philosophy test due

Questions over Sendal “Do the Right Thing” - part 1 (take home qns)

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Ethics_Questions_for_HL_Philosophy.html

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4 December – go over test questions – concepts – only a few were handed in...

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5 December – myth of Er

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/myth_of_er.html

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9 December (Monday) - HL ethics qns due, but... only a few...

Internal Assessment Assignment – give examples, criteria and requirements

Example A – student excerpt

Example A – student commentary

Grading scheme Example A

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Example B - student commentary

Grading scheme Example B

11 December – Apology discussion

* http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Plato-apology.html

http://www.geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Gadfly_on_Trial.html

12 December – Apology + Crito discussed

* focus on “Social Contract” in Crito

18 Dec -- Analysis of Plato's Crito: Why does Socrates Accept Execution? Or: The beginning of Polical Philosophy.
Borrowed from: http://www.philosophy.ucsb.edu/websites/phil4/Crito.pdf

Questions to prepare:

• Discussion questions over Plato’s Crito 

SL: Discuss Plato’s “Meno” – read parts together in class

--- discuss elements that Plato has added to Socrates: 

• Theory of Forms
• Theia Morai
• Mathematics and Geometry (as analogy to achieving Ideal Knowledge)
• Theory of Recollection
• Pythagorean elements (of purification and immortality of soul, role of Mathematics, Musike)

Questions to prepare:

• Meno questions

 Summary of Sandel’s Justice :

Consequentialist vs. Categorical Ethics -- Sandel: Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 01

(Introduction to Morality and Justice with case studies comparing two common strains of Ethics: 

Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) vs. Categorical (Deontological) Ethics)

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Ethics_Questions_for_HL_Philosophy.html

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Utilitarianism -- Sandel: Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 02

 (Questioning the "values" of Utilitarianism - Can a price tag be put on life? Is it possible to measure pleasure?)

Questions

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Justice(2).html

Summary 

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Justice_Sandel-Episode2-ANSWERS.htm

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Libertarians -- Sandel: Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 03: "FREE TO CHOOSE"

(Changing over from a strong theory of defense of ends (where the rights of the individual are called into question) to a strong theory of individual rights (Libertarianism)) 

QUESTIONS

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel_3-questions.html

Summary of episode 03:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel_Justice-Episode3.html

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John Locke – Sandel: Justice: Episode 4

 (Demostrating whether the Libertarians are correct in using John Locke as a "source" of their ideas, OR NOT...)

QUESTIONS

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/John_Locke_questions.htm

Summary:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel_4-questions.htm

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John Locke – Sandel: Justice: Episode 5

 (Discussing Locke's idea of Natural Rights and Consent in relation to Markets. 

  What are the limits of consent? (How much) can the Market influence it?)

QUESTIONS

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel-Justice-Episode5_QUESTIONS.html

Summary:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel-Justice-Episode5.html

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Immanuel Kant – Sandel: Justice: Episode 6

 ( Kant offers an account of why we have a categorical duty to respect the dignity of persons... not to use people as a means, merely, even for good ends. )

Questions:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel-Justice-Episode6_QUESTIONS.html

Summary:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel-Justice-Episode6.html

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Immanuel Kant and John Rawls – Sandel: Justice: Episode 7

 ( Part I: Within Kant's stringent account of morality, is there a way that you could avoid telling a lie, (i.e., without selling out your friend)?

Part II: Kant says that just laws arise from a certain sort of social contract; not an actual contract .  Thus, Sandel asks, what is the moral force of a hypothetical contract – a contract that never happened? 

Rawls, [perhaps] similar to Kant, offers idea that principles of social justice can be founded on a hypothetical contract... )

Questions:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Sandel-Justice-Episode7_QUESTIONS.html

Summary:

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Justice-Sandel-Episode07.html

SL: Group Discussion: Locke’s idea of Natural Rights: Focus on Property – (precedes consent & Social Contract)

SL: Discuss Plato’s “Republic” – in relation to Socrates, Greek history and what we have discussed so far...

--- Plato's Republic: Kinds of State or Person

A look at Corporatism in relation to Utilitarianism and Liberalism...

Libertarian view... Corporatism Is Not the Free Market

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SL: Discuss Plato’s “Phaedo” – read parts together in class

... discuss Pythagorean elements...

• immortality of the soul
• reincarnation
• katharsis - purification of soul (asceticism) - soul is "imprisoned" in a body
• disregard pleasure (& pain)
• Eleusinean mysteries -- cult of Dionysus
• On philosophy as the "Highest Art" (musike) vs. poetry
• Philosophy as preparation for death 

• The "ancient theory" of Opposites
• Theory of Recollection
• Theory of Forms introduced -- necessary that soul "knows" Forms 
• Vs. Harmony argument
• soul not composite vs Harmony is composite
• search for cause --> particulars share in Forms 

Questions to prepare:

• Phaedo Review & Questions
• Phaedo Review & Questions (continued)

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Essay Assignment:

• How to set up and structure an Essay

redo TEST 1

focus on question 1: 500 words...

discussion of apeiron-peras in relation to early Greek philosophers

bring in aspects of mythos-logos...

"Dictation" --- on how to approach answering "question 1" from "Test 1"

Relate Quantum Physics to questions of "Test 1" over apeiron-peras and mythos-logos...

What The Bleep Do W Know? Down the Rabbit Hole I/II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rx9ogysYfA

.57 --> Void as infinite possiblity and "actuality"

32. --> Perception determined by Consciousness --> Shaman 

1.10- 1.25… : double-slit experiment – role of observer in determining "reality" – change of properties

Mathematics—only possibilities --> role of consciousness (observer)  in determining "field"

1.35--> Quantum field thy --> Unified field thy…

TIME and SPACE (Time-reversal symmetry) --> Entanglement: illusion of space 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytyqhyZoSOM

2.09.... Flatlands – dimensional realities "side-by-side"

Panpsychism, Quantum physics, Sacred Geometry and some early Greek concepts...

The Book: Panpsychism in the West  (Skrbina, Cambridge:MIT Press, 2005)

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Panpsychism_in_the_West_Skrbina.pdf

Edited doc with extra info... 

http://geocities.ws/john_russey/philosophy/Panpsychism_in_the_West(Skrbina).html

Understanding the IS-OUGHT gap...

[A very general] history of the gap...

•     Discussion of Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle:

the "gap" begins "hypothetically" with the move from "Panpsychism" (Milesians) --> Pythagoras and Plato (with "separation" of soul (psyche) from body (hyle))

• Descartes
• Primary-secondary quality distinction

Hume's fork...   

• Hume's Fork

Kant's (very in-depth & complex) solution...

• Kant

[an excellent text by Stephen Hicks] ... http://www.stephenhicks.org/tag/is-ought-gap/

Post-Kant

• Marx
• Nietztsche: On Truth and Lies in an Extra-Moral Context
  

• More Questions for the Republic

• A good summary of the Republic

Daimon and Eros

Useful docs:

• Excerpt from Steiner's "Christianity as a Mystical Fact"
• HERMETIC  - ESOTERIC - MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHIES: WHO AND WHAT IS THE DAEMON OR  DAЇMON? 
• The Nature of Eros
• Mousike and Daimon

Introducing Philosophy: A text with Integrated Readings, by Robert Solomon, International 9th ed., Oxford: Oxford U. Press, 2009, pp. 551-605.

Student Resources 

Chapter 8: Political Philosophy

http://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199764860/student/chapt8/

Introducing Philosophy: A text with Integrated Readings, by Robert Solomon, International 9th ed., Oxford: Oxford U. Press, 2009, pp. 551-605.

Student Resources 

Chapter 7: Ethics

http://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199764860/student/chapt7/

IB Exam Dates

Wednesday, 6 May (Afternoon examinations -- must start after 1200 hours and finish by 1800 hours local time.) : 

Philosophy HL paper 1  -- 2h 30m
Philosophy SL paper 1  -- 1h 45m

Thursday, 7 May (Morning examinations -- must start after 0700 hours and finish by 1300 hours local time.):

Philosophy HL/SL paper 2  -- 1h
Philosophy HL paper 3        -- 1h 30m

http://www.ibo.org/diploma/exams/documents/May-2015-exam-en.pdf

Suggestions from IB Philosophy Guide

Doing philosophy—an independent approach

Learning philosophy can be achieved through a study of the history of philosophy or by doing philosophy.

The emphasis of the Diploma Programme philosophy course is on doing philosophy within an international context. The aim is to encourage students to develop the ability to reason and argue and to take a personal and independent position on philosophical issues. Below is a suggested approach that will enable students to study themes or texts in a consistent way. It is not the only approach available, but it provides a starting point from which students can develop into independent thinkers. This approach is suitable for all the tasks included in the syllabus.

•  Essays on a theme
•  Essay on a text
•  Internal assessment exercise
• Response to an unseen text (HL only)

Formulating arguments

The philosophy course does not include logic as a specific topic for study. However, students should be familiar with the basic features of reasoning necessary to formulate their own philosophical arguments and to develop and evaluate those of others. Teachers should develop their students’ skills so that they are able to construct personal philosophical arguments.

When formulating philosophical arguments students should:

•  identify the problem(s)/issue(s) and possible assumptions present in the activity
• ask themselves what they think about these problem(s)/issue(s), taking into account their own and other perspectives
• present reasons that support their position
• put forward possible objections or counter-arguments that could be levelled against their position
• suggest strategies for overcoming these objections or counter-arguments
• illustrate their position and counter-positions with supporting examples
• offer possible and consistent resolutions to the problem(s)/issue(s) present in the activity, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the positions they encounter.

 Using texts

Students should adopt the same approach when they examine a classic philosophical issue or use a philosophical argument presented in a text. They should always be careful not to refer to the text or the author as an authority. In addition, students are expected to:

• identify the philosophical problem(s)/issue(s) raised by the text
•  identify the author’s standpoint in the text
•  state what they think about the author’s standpoint
•  develop and explore their own position on the author’s standpoint by:
• acknowledging alternative approaches to the text
• considering how different approaches to the text might enable them to extend their own thinking about the problem(s)/issue(s) posed.

This approach goes beyond the mere presentation of arguments and counter-arguments from philosophers’ texts, and insists on students developing their own line of reasoning. Students must always demonstrate how their own personal reasoning underpins their argument.

Some common mistakes made by students include:

•  engaging in a superficial analysis
•  focusing on description rather than argumentation
•  failing to take into account personal and cultural influences in analysing the text.

 While the course prescribes that one philosophical text (from a list of 12) must be studied, this does not preclude incorporating other philosophical texts into the study of the core theme and the optional themes.

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IB Exam Examples

Unseen Text

Paper 3 (HL):  Unseen Text - Exploring Philosophical Activity + criteria for marking
Paper 3 (HL):  Unseen Text - Example 1
Paper 3 (HL):  Unseen Text - Example 2

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