• Essay Writing Pointers
• Essay Assignment #1
• Reading Questions #1
• Reading Questions #2
• Midterm Review

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• To come to an understanding of relevant issues and arguments surrounding some of the deepest and most enduring philosophical problems, e.g., Is there an eternal self? How can I distinguish right from wrong? What are my obligations to other people and the world around me? What role should religion play in society?

• To explore the diverse perspectives and positions on these issues across a wide range of cultures and time periods.

 
• To introduce you to the specific ways of thinking appropriate for philosophical questions and train you to think and write critically about philosophical issues.

 
• To encourage you to reflect philosophically on these and other significant issues which confront us all today.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• average of weekly short quizzes                            = 30%
• 2 600-word take-home essays @ 15% each         = 30%
• mid-term and final exams @ 20% each                  = 40%

2. You are expected to be in command of the assigned readings PRIOR to the class period in which we will discuss them, since you cannot intelligently discuss what you have not read. Some of the readings will be quite dense and require effort on your part to understand them. Give yourself time to read difficult passages more than once. To encourage you to read the assigned material before class, there will be brief, unannounced quizzes at the beginning of class almost every week. Passing these quizzes will require that you CAREFULLY read all assignments, review material from the previous classes, and arrive at class on time. NO MAKEUP QUIZZES will be given for those who are absent or late for class without documentation of an emergency.

3. You will write two take-home essays, each worth 15% of the final course grade, in response to questions distributed in class. Essays must be at least 600 words (about 2 pages), and a WORD COUNT must appear on the first page of your essay. Papers less than the minimum number of words will receive an “F.” Essays will only be accepted if TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE-SPACED, STAPLED, AND PROOF-READ. For help constructing your essays, please read the Appendix in Hallman, "Writing Philosophically" (665-684). Further assistance is available from the Writing Center, 345 Southeast Morse Hall (341-5380). If you anticipate trouble with your writing, please consult with the Writing Center or myself as soon as possible during the semester. Students having trouble with writing fundamentals may be required to seek assistance from the Writing Center as a condition for continuing in the course.

4. On the days that essays are due, we will have a “reading day” devoted to discussion of student papers. ATTENDANCE AT ESSAY READING DAYS IS REQUIRED. PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF AN EMERGENCY. On these days, students will be selected at random to present their essays to the class and answer questions from classmates about their essays. You will not be graded on your reading or comments, except as follows: Failure to read your essay on a day that you are selected will result in a failing grade for that assignment. If you have a legitimate reason for not wishing to read in front of the class (e.g., a medical reason), you must discuss this with me prior to the first essay assignment.

5. On the days indicated on the course schedule, you will take a mid-term and final examination, each worth 20% of your final grade. Each exam will have two parts: an “objective” component (true/false, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer) and an essay component. Review sheets will be distributed one week prior to exams, and ample class time will be provided to ask questions about the material to be covered on exams. Each exam will cover half of the course (i.e., the Final is non-cumulative).

6. Discussion is crucial to this class, and I will do my best to make you feel at ease and welcome to contribute to the class conversation. The best way to understand these sometimes difficult and controversial topics is to talk about them with each other, so please feel free to contribute any question, objection, or other thought about the topic at hand when such occurs to you. NO RELEVANT REMARK IS OUT OF BOUNDS IN THIS CLASS. As an added incentive for your participation, I will take into account your regular contributions to the ongoing discussion in borderline grade cases. For example, regular thoughtful participation in discussion (not just quantity, of course, but also quality) may raise a high “B” grade (an 89, for example) up to an “A.”
 

PLEASE NOTE

1. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes plagiarism, the paraphrase or quotation of any published or unpublished source—including the textbook—without full and clear acknowledgment. If you are uncertain about what documentation is appropriate, please consult the Writing Center or myself before submitting your written work. The university policy regarding academic dishonesty, as explained in the Student Handbook, will be strictly enforced.

2. If you have a documented disability, please let me know as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodations can be made.

3. As listed above, my office hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 12:00-1:00; Tuesdays, 2:00-3:20. I will be spending these hours in my office for the sole purpose of being available for your questions. If these times are not convenient for you, and there is something you need to discuss with me, please ask to make an appointment. Messages can be left with the Social Sciences secretary (PH 411) at 341-5462. You are also welcome to address inquiries to me via Email at toadvint@emporia.edu.
 

PROVISIONAL COURSE SCHEDULE
Specific reading assignments and any schedule changes will be announced in class.
 

Week 1: 1/10, 1/12	Course Overview; Introduction to philosophical thinking; Introduction to problems of self and identity	Introduction (xvii-xxiii) Self, Mind, and Body,  The Upanishads (1-8)
Week 2: (1/15 -- Holiday) 1/17, 1/19	Rejections of an eternal soul	Buddhist Scriptures, Hume (8-18)
Week 3: 1/22, 1/24, 1/26	The Will to Live, The Platonic soul	Schopenhauer (18-22), Plato (24-38),
Week 4: 1/29, 1/31, 2/2	Platonism and misogyny, the bundle theory	Spelman (44-57) MOVIE: My Feminism Parfit (65-72)
Week 5: 2/5, 2/7, 2/9	ESSAY 1 DUE (2/5) Existentialism	Sartre (85-95)
Week 6: 2/12, 2/14, 2/16	Gender and Race as Social Constructs Introduction to Ethics	Beauvoir, Zack (101-115) Introduction to Ethics (293-297)
Week 7: 2/19, 2/21, 2/23	Happiness, virtue, natural goodness, and duty	Aristotle, Mencius, Kant (297-317)
Week 8: 2/26, 2/28, 3/2	Utility, compassion, and respect for life	Bentham (325-329), Schweitzer (336-341), McGaa (351-5)
Week 9: 3/5, 3/7, 3/9	The rejection of ethical responsibility Review for midterm MIDTERM EXAM, 3/9	Hospers (383-392)
Week 10: 3/12, 3/14, 3/16	Introduction to Politics, Social Contract theory	Introduction to Politics (393-396) Plato (397-405), Jefferson (414-418) MOVIE: The Shadow of Hate
	SPRING BREAK: 3/19 -- 3/25
Week 11: 3/26, 3/28, 3/30	Class struggle and theo-democracy	Marx & Engels (405-434) Maududi (441-451)
Week 12: 4/2, 4/4, 4/6	Soul force, race, and anarchism	Gandhi, Carmichael (489-500) Goldman (529-538)
Week 13: 4/9, 4/11 (4/13 -- Holiday)	ESSAY 2 DUE (4/9) Introduction to religion	Introduction to Religion (539-542)
Week 14: 4/16, 4/18, 4/20	Visions and forms of religious experience, I and Thou	Saint Augustine, Black Elk (543-555); Buber (562-567)
Week 15: 4/23, 4/25, 4/27	Social responsibility, witchcraft, and paganism	King (568-579), Starhawk (589-595) Lin (644-651)
Week 16: 4/30, 5/2, 5/4	Critique of religion, review for final exam	Russell (651-664)
	FINAL EXAM Monday, 5/7, 1:00-2:50

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Last Updated: 2 February, 2001