Philosophy 100: Introduction to Philosophy

Spring 2006

Will Heusser

Webpage: http://socialscience.cypresscollege.edu/~wheusser

Philosophy and Religious Studies Dept: http://socialscience.cypresscollege.edu/~philosophy

 

1. Contact and Info:

  1. Email: wheu@charter.net Always Use subject “Online” and include name
  2. Office phone: 714.484.7010 Note: I am able to respond more quickly to email.
  3. Campus Mail: Social Science Mail Room (2nd Floor Humanities).
  4. Office Hours at H277 are: 12:30-1:30pm Tuesd  ay and Thursday. 3:30-4:30 Wednesday. Virtual hours (Online) are Sunday and Monday 9:00-10:00pm. See me for info. In addition, I am available by appointment.

 

2. Course Description: This philosophy course emphasizes topics in metaphysics and epistemology including the following: the nature of reasoning, the existence of God, the problem of evil, the mind-body problem, the nature and limits of knowledge, the Freedom vs. Determinism debate, the Absolutism vs. Relativism debate in ethics, and personal identity. Prerequisites: None; however, good reading and writing skills are essential. Eligibility for English 100 is advised. Familiarity with Computer operating systems, such as Windows, is needed to a degree.

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   3. Reading Materials:

  1. Required Items: The Big Questions 2003 by Rauhut. 0321332334. Note: Ultimate Questions  0321108930 is virtually identical although it is priced more.
  2. What if… 2005 by Tittle. ISBN: 0321202783
  3. I will provide my own Study Guides (SG), which are free of charge, but you will need to download them from our website listed above.
  4. We will see 2 films: Run Lola Run and another TBA. If missed, you must rent.
  5. Recommended Items:  The Story of Philosophy 2001 by Magee. 078947994X
  6. The Trial and Death of Socrates 1992 by Plato. 0486270661
  7. Beyond Good and Evil by Nietzsche. 048629868X
  8. Various Internet Articles. Those indicated by an *** are required for anyone expecting a “B” or more in the course. This is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a “B”. Print and show me a copy of those indicated by Exam 2 day.

 

 

4. Course Objectives:

  1. Gain a comprehensive overview of Western metaphysics, ethics, and epistemology.
  2. Reflect on your own philosophy in relation to others.
  3. Develop arguments for your positions through interactive engagements with other students in the course.
  4. Explore philosophy online.
  5. Develop an understanding of and present a selected philosopher of your choice.

 

5. Course Requirements:                                                                                          Points

1. Philosophy Journal: “Reason and Experience” (Submissions: 3 x 20 points)    60

2. 3 In-Class Exams (Objective exams cover readings and lectures: 3 x 60)                  180

3. Class Mini-Presentation (an experiment from Tittle or a listed philosopher)     60

4. Analysis Paper (about 3-4 pages)                                                                               60

    Note: A lowest or missed Assignment or Exam can be dropped if all are done.  300

 

All work will be graded on a standard 10% scale out of 300 points. A = Excellent 90%: 270 points, B = Good 80%: 240, C = Fair 70%: 210, D = Marginal 55%: 165, F = Failing: <165.

6. Important Dates:               MW Section  

Presentation: SG 1                 ____    Sign in for date

President’s Day                    2/20

Journal: Part I: SG 2                2/22     at start of class 

Exam I:                                   2/27     at start of class 

Film: Run Lola Run              3/01

Journal: Part II: SG 2              4/05     at start of class 

Spring Break                           4/10

Exam II:                                 4/17     at start of class 

Film: TBA                              4/19

Journal: Part III: SG 2             5/17     at start of class
Analysis Paper                       Anytime up until 5/22   

Exam III:                                5/22     3:30-5:30pm                   

7. It is your responsibility to:

  1. Fill out provided notecard with the following: Your name, this Course, Major (if any), Philosophy courses (if any), your primary language (if other than English), your phone # and (write twice!) email address (if any), and a brief paragraph on the back with your answers to: 1. “What is the “Big Question” you would like to discover an answer to?” and  2. “What is the “Biggest thing” you would like to do in your life?”
  2. Properly enroll in the course as well as officially withdraw if you wish to drop the course; students who simply stop attending risk receiving an F as a final grade in the course.
  3. Attend class regularly, participate in class discussions, and participate in group work.
  4. Be clear on any announcements made in class regarding changes in the course outline, scheduling changes, etc. If you miss a class, make sure to get notes from a classmate.
  5. Bring the Rauhut and Tittle books and all required Study Guides (Noted as “SG”) from our website to class every non-exam day. (Note: Not all guides posted are required.)
  6. Keep up with the material. Traditional 3 unit Course guidelines involve 3 hours a week in class and about 6 hours on readings and assignments. Thus, you should expect about 9 hours a week to complete assignments.
  7. Be sure to keep all graded material for your records.

 

8. Participation and Class Etiquette: I would like to rely upon class discussion and participation just as much as formal lecture. I strongly encourage questions during lecture. No question is silly or naïve if it comes from a sincere attempt to understand. Treat one another with kindness and make any criticisms (e.g. of individual students) constructive. Do not have pagers or phones on in class. Students using cell phones or habitually late will be asked to leave. Bottled water is okay, but please utilize restroom opportunities before class. Attendance and participation will be considered in the determination of the final grade in borderline cases. You should weigh the burden of participation when considering whether to take this course.

 

9. Attendance: Essential. Accurate attendance is your responsibility; be sure to sign the roll sheet. It will be passed around at the beginning of class after about the 2nd week. Under no circumstances should you sign in for someone else. You get 4 absences for “free” –i.e. they will not directly harm your course grade. Your 5th The Eyeabsence (whether all of them are excused or unexcused) will lower your final course grade by 1/3 of a grade. Each additional absence past the 5th lowers your final course grade an additional 1/3 of a grade. Hence, if your coursework average up to that point is a B-, four absences lowers it to a C+, five lowers it to a C, etc. If you miss 4 unit weeks, however, you will receive a fail. Of course, any absences may indirectly harm your grade. Insights that are generated by class discussion may be extremely beneficial to your understanding of the material; unfortunately, these cannot be recreated outside the class. If you are late, please take a spot near the door so as not to disturb your classmates. The inevitable happens, but keep in mind that each time late after the 1st “grace” is counted as an absence. It is a distraction to classes and presenters to have latecomers squeezing past desks. If you need to leave early, let me know before class and sit near an exit.

 

10. Internet Use and Email: Study Guides (or “SG”) can be found and downloaded from our website. Click on “Courses” à “Philosophy 100” to reach the Handouts. Handouts should be downloaded before class as we will be going over them in class. Learning Center H303 may allow some printouts with school ID. Some handouts not posted on the website will be handed out in class. It is your responsibility to retrieve these if you miss a class session. Note: Handouts marked “Recommended” are optional as extra practice. Likewise, those marked “Web Help” are extra links to vocabulary, etc. but are not required. Email accounts are available through our computer labs at http://registration.excite.com/ , www.netzero.net , www.juno.com , http://login.mail.eudoramail.com/ , www.hotmail.com , www.yahoo.com , www.msn.com , etc.

 

11. Exams: Exams are a combination of multiple-choice, true/false and short essay. Exam study guides and old exam questions are posted on our website. You will need scantrons (#882, but not Parscore) for all three exams. You may reuse the back side of any salvageable scantron to save paper. Late work including make-ups will be penalized 10% per class session late. Make-ups (usually more difficult) may be given if there is adequate evidence of an acceptable excuse, e.g., sickness, car trouble, death of suitably close relative, a war in which you are called to participate, or a natural disaster that targets you. After exams are given back, there are no make-ups.

 

12. Analysis Paper:  One essay, about 3-4 pages long. Details will follow shortly, but will focus on analysis of a film in conjunction with our readings. Type double-spaced, 10-12 pt type, use 1" margins (top/bottom/sides) and properly document sources. Use a complete bibliography and parenthetical references (e.g., name of author, page of reference). You are not required to use any references, so just focus on analyzing the piece yourself, unless further research is necessary.

 

13. Mini-Presentation: My rationale for presentations is three-fold: It is an opportunity to do research on a topic you are interested in, it is an opportunity for the class to hear alternative voices than mine, and this is an opportunity for you to work with other students if you so choose. Conversations outside of the classroom are often just as important as anything we do in class. Presentations can be made individually or as a pair. You should sign-up for a presentation topic from a sign-up sheet I provide early in the semester (topics are first-come-first-serve). You will not be graded on your wit or creativity; in fact, half of your presentation is self-graded. However, I strongly encourage a choice based on your interests. Details are in Study Guide 1. The library provides codes for database access if desired.

 

14. Philosophy Journal (SG 2): You are asked to keep a journal with your thoughts on relevant questions (“Reason and Experience”) throughout the semester. This is a rough journal of your thoughts and does not need to be typed IF you purchase a small notebook separate from your thoughts and class notes. Choose something that is bound or can be when collected. I suggest something that can be written on when you don’t have a desk. The “Reason” section asks for your input on a variety of philosophical questions we will discuss in class and in groups. The “Experience” section asks for your observations about philosophical ideas found in student presentations or the internet as well as media components that I introduce during class.

 

15. Group Work: Journal questions will sometimes be given in class as “Socratic Dialogues” for you to consider in groups of two or three (as time permits). You should attempt together to establish at least 2 responses to the question. After a few minutes, groups will choose one of the responses to share with the rest of the class. Your response can be included in your philosophy journal. Keep in mind, our objective is not to refute or belittle responses from others. Our goal is to get increasingly closer to a reasonable answer.

 

16. Documentation & Academic Honesty: Honesty is expected and dishonesty taken seriously. Intellectual theft is still theft. All paper sources must be cited. Any time you quote, paraphrase, or use anyone else's ideas, put in a citation to that effect. It is easy to buy papers online and it is just as easy to locate those sources using various search engines. See the Academic Honesty policy in the Catalog if you do not know what academic integrity involves. See me, if you are still unclear. Plagiarism, copying, modifying yours or others previous work, or buying papers or exams is considered Academic Dishonesty. Cheating is unethical and will be penalized in accordance with the Code of Academic Conduct. For your Presentation: When you use an Internet source, you must include the web address plus use quotation marks around all cited material. Do not merely cite the search engine you used. Use footnotes: Your audience does not wish to hunt for more info. More details will be provided.

 

17. Extra Credit: There will be an opportunity in the form of a paper (about 3 pages). I’ll provide more information. It will be similar to a Book report but it will tie in on a specific topic in our class. You may choose one of two books listed. Each is about $2. You can’t go wrong (other than copying your report from the internet).

 

  1. Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil
  2. Plato’s The Trial and Death of Socrates

18. Assistance: I am happy to view a rough draft or help with material. This can usually take place right after class either in class or during my office hours. DO ask questions in class about portions that are confusing or obscure. Others may have the same question. If you have a disability and believe that you will need accommodations, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Disabled Student Programs & Services, SEM 129, (714) 484-7104 (voice) (714) 761-0961 (TDD), as soon as possible.

 

19. Tentative Schedule of Readings: It is not possible nor, I think, desirable to assign exact dates. Units last approximately one week each so we will be splitting each Unit up. All readings should be completed before class meetings. If our discussion of topics takes more time than I have planned for, some later ones may be skipped.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit I. Introduction and Preliminaries

Readings: View the next Unit’s material to see what we will be covered the next class.

Question: What is Philosophy? (Note: Actual Journal questions are in Journal SG 2)

Study Guides to view: 2 (Journal) Note: Some guides will be indicated as “Optional”. Others with an * will be provided in class. Some are merely helpful links. See details on our website.
                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit II. Philosophical Tools: Branches

Question: What is Metaphysics and Epistemology?

Required: Rauhut: Ch. 1 Main Branches of Philosophy pp. 1-20 (from “Big Questions”)

Recommended Readings: Magee: An Invitation to Philosophy and the Greeks pp. 6-17

Internet: James Christian: “What Do You Mean Philosophy???”*** http://www.zeroaltitude.org/philosophy/intro/readings/what_do_you_mean_philosophy.htm Russell: "The Value of Philosophy" http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/phil/russell/15.php

Some Important Concepts: (Most are listed in the Magee Glossary and/or the Rauhut Index) Aesthetics, Analytic Philosophy, Axiology, Epistemology, Ethics, Logic, Metaphysics/Ontology, Philosophy

Study Guides: 0, 1a-e (Presentation), 3a-g (Philosophy)

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit IIIa. Philosophical Tools: Arguments I

Question: What is Good Reasoning?

Required Readings: Rauhut: Ch. 1 to p. 36 Testing Hypotheses + Liebnitz’ Law p. 207

Recommended Readings: Magee: Socratic Method, Plato, Aristotle: pp. 20-35, 42-43

Tittle: The Liar Paradox pp. 134-135; The Barber Paradox pp. 136-137

(Tittle Section’s underlined should be read before class. Others are recommended only.)

Concepts: Argument, Causal and Logical Possibility, Conclusion, Counterexample, Dialectical- Socratic-Philosophical Method, Law of Excluded Middle and (Non-) Contradiction, Hypothesis, Liebniz’ Law (of Identity), Necessary and Sufficient Conditions, Premise, Sophist, Statement, Tautology

Study Guides: 4a-f (Socratic Method)

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit IIIb. Philosophical Tools: Arguments II

Question: How do we determine truth? What is a good argument?

Required: Rauhut: Finish Ch. 1

Tittle: Frege’s Other Thinking Beings pp. 138-139

Recommended: Magee: Ockham’s Razor p. 61; Scientific Method pp. 74-77

Internet: Logic: http://web.nmsu.edu/~jvessel/Philosophy/Baby%20Logic-aw.html

Concepts: Ockham’s Razor, Argument Types: Abductive, Analogical, Deductive, Disjunctive and Hypothetical Syllogism, Enumerative, Inductive, Invalid, Modus Ponens, Modus Tollens, Soundness, Standard Form, Strong, Weak, Validity

Study Guides: 5a-h (Logic)

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit IV. What Can We Know?: Epistemology I

Question: What can we know with absolute certainty?

Required: Rauhut: Ch. 2 to p. 89 Descartes’ Quest for Certainty

Tittle: Putnam’s Brain in a Vat pp. 62-63; Descartes’ Evil Demon pp. 102-103; Russell’s 5 minute hypothesis pp. 104-105; Descartes’ Wax pp. 108-109;

Recommended: Magee: The Myth of the Cave p. 31; Descartes pp. 84-87; Russell and the Logical Positivists pp. 196-201

Internet: Rene Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy, 1st*** and 2nd Meditations http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/descartes/meditations/meditations.html

Concepts: Knowledge (-by acquaintance, -how, -propositional), A posteriori, A priori, Cogito, Contingent, Empiricism, Essence, Evil Demon, Logical Positivism, Rationalism, Skepticism, Solipsism, Truth (analytic, contingent, necessary, synthetic)

Study Guides: 6a-f

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Unit V. What Can We Know?: Epistemology II

Question: What part of the world still exists when you close your eyes?

Required: Rauhut: Finish Ch. 2

Tittle: Nagel’s Bat pp. 54-55; Molyneux’s Blind Man pp. 110-111; Hume’s Missing Shade of Blue pp. 112-113; Hume’s Constant Conjunction pp. 114-115

Recommended: Magee: Locke: Qualities pp. 102-108; Analytic pp. 96-97; Hume pp. 112-115

Internet: John Locke: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Bk II Ch VIII #1-17