Delaware County Community College
Fall 2010Phi 100
Introduction to Philosophy
Instructor: Paul D.J. Harris M.A. Email: pharris10@dccc.edu Course Website: http://pauldjharris.wordpress.com Teaching hours: Mondays, Wednesdays 8.00-12.25 PM; 5.00-6.25 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.
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 22ndof November. A draft of this paper must be handed in to the professor by December 1st. 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 Midterm Final Exam Argument paper Class/group participation Quizzes FINAL GRADE % of Final Grade 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 100% EXAMPLE Grade Calculation 85 75 90 78 92 84.7 B
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
100 - 90 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 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 610-325-2748 or by email at abinder@dccc.edu. Students on Chester County Campuses can contact Shammah
Bermudez, Coordinator of Disability Services for Chester County Campuses at 484-237-6251 or by email atsbermudez@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 (484-237-6220); Exton (610-450-6511); Pennocks Bridge (610-869-5119).
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 53-57 of the Student Handbook.
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 43-44 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
Topic 1: The origins of philosophy
30-Aug Course Introduction
1-Sep Origins of Philosophy & Science 6-Sep No Class
8-Sep The Pre-Socratic Philosophers pp. 10-37
13–Sep Socrates and the Sophists
pp. 39-65
Read: handout; Plato’s Euthyphro
15-Sep The Trial and Death of Socrates
pp. 66-93. Quiz #1 due Topic 2: The scope and limits of reason
20-Sep Plato pp. 94-109 22-Sep Plato pp. 109—115, 127-129 27-Sep Aristotle pp. 130-151
29-Sep Anselm & Aquinas pp. 212-227
4-Oct Descartes pp. 248-276
6-Oct Empiricism (Locke and Bacon)
pp. 277-294, Handout Bacon’s Novum
Organon
11-Oct Hume and Kant pp. 295-319, 323-339
13-Oct Exam review and review of Quiz’s 1&2 Quiz #2 due
Topic 3: Moral Philosophy
20-Oct Virtue Theory pp. 118-125, 156-168, Handout
25-Oct Kantian moral theory pp. 345-355
27-Oct Utilitarianism pp. 421-437
1-Nov Criticisms of traditional ethical theories
Handout
3-Nov Criticisms of traditional ethical theories
Handout
8-Nov Application of moral theories
Handout. Quiz #3 due Topic 4: The meaning of Human existence
10-Nov Kierkegaard pp. 374-393, Handout; Kierkegaard’s
Fear and Trembling
15-Nov Nietzsche pp. 393-420 17-Nov Existentialism pp. 501-520, Argument paper assignment handed out
22-Nov Existentialism
pp. 520-546
24-Nov
The end of philosophy (Wittgenstein and Logical Positivism)
pp. 462-495
29-Nov Whither Philosophy?
pp. 547-577
1-Dec Paper presentations
Draft of argument paper due. Quiz #4 due.
6-Dec Paper presentations
8-Dec Exam/quiz review
15-Dec
December 15th: 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.
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 email account. All
email will be sent to your DCCC email account only! Resources for Success in PHI 100 Google scholar:http://scholar.google.com
Miniature Library of Philosophy:
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/front_pg.htm Philosopher’s Index:http://www.philinfo.org
Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/ (Wikipedia is NOT a valid resource)
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 I (Heart) Huckabees
The Matrix Winter Light
The Seventh Seal Total Recall
Waking Life Harvey
Ghost in the Shell Blade Runner
Ikiru Eternal Sunshine of the eternal mind
Fight Club Gattaca
Gandhi The Life Aquatic
Inception Eat, Pray, Love
12 Angry Men
Books (5 points)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) Animal Farm (George Orwell) Fear and Trembling (Søren Kierkegaard) Brave new world (Aldous Huxley) Existentialism Humanism (Jean Paul Sartre)
Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury) Notes from the Underground (Fyodor Dostoevsky) Anything by Philip K. Dick The metamorphoses (Franz Kafka)
The Beach (Alex Garland) Howards End (E.M. Forster)
Hamlet (Shakespeare) Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance (Robert M. Persig)
1984 (George Orwell)