Page 1Page 2Philosophy 225 MB Summer 2001INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY8:00 - 11:20 MTWR, Plumb Hall 408Instructor: Dr. Ted ToadvinePhone: 341-5566 (office); 341-5462 (Social Sciences Secretary)Email: [email protected] Hours: By appointment, Plumb Hall 411PREQUIRED TEXTTraversing Philosophical Boundaries, ed. by Max Hallman (Wadsworth, 1998).COURSE OBJECTIVESC To come to an understanding of relevant issues and arguments surrounding some of the deepest and most enduring problems of humanexistence, e.g., Is there an eternal self? How can I distinguish right from wrong? What are my obligations to other people and the worldaround me? What role should religion play in my life and in society?C To explore the diverse perspectives and positions on these issues across a wide range of cultures and time periods.C To introduce you to the specific ways of thinking appropriate for philosophical questions and train you to think and write critically aboutphilosophical issues.C To encourage your reflection on these and other significant issues which confront us all today.This course fulfills the "Multicultural Intensive" course requirement and the General Education requirement in Literature and Ideas (BasicSkills VI) for certain majors.COURSE REQUIREMENTSC 3 weekly reading questionaires @ 5% each = 15%C 2 600-word take-home essays @ 20% each = 40%C 3 tests @ 15% each = 45%1. Attendence at all classes is required and expected, since attendance at the lectures is absolutely crucial for understanding of the readingsand participation in class discussion. It is your responsibility to document your attendance on a sheet which will be circulated in class.Since each day of summer class counts for more than a week during the regular semester, missing TWO classes FOR ANY REASONwill result in a full grade reduction. In the event that BOTH absences are the result of an extreme medical condition, documented bya statement from your physician or Health Services, notify me as soon as possible to discuss your situation. Missing THREE or moreclasses will result in an “F” for the course. I do not accept last-minute “extra-credit” work from those whose failure to attend has resultedin a poor grade at the end of the semester.2. Please read the assigned material carefully before the class in which we will discuss it, since you cannot intelligently discuss what youhave not read. Some of the readings will be quite dense and require effort on your part to understand them. Give yourself time to readdifficult passages more than once. Each Monday, reading questionaires will be distributed with questions for you to answer while readingthe assignments. These questionaires are due at the BEGINNING OF CLASS ON EACH THURSDAY. No late reading questionaireswill be accepted.3. You will write two short take-home essays, each worth 20% of the final course grade, in response to questions distributed in class.Essays will be due each Monday and must be brought to class on the due date, since students will be selected at random to read essaysto the 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 visit my “essay writing pointers” athttp://www.emporia.edu/socsci/philos/pointers.htm. Further assistance is available from the Writing Center, 345 Southeast Morse Hall(341-5380).4. Each Thursday we will have a short test covering material from that week’s class. Each test will be worth 15% of the final grade, andmay include true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, or similar components. The final examination, on the last day of class, will coveronly material from the final week, and will be weighted equally with the previous two tests.5. 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 freeto contribute any question, objection, or other thought about the topic at hand when such occurs to you. NO RELEVANT REMARKIS OUT OF BOUNDS IN THIS CLASS. As an added incentive for your participation, I will take into account your regular contributionsto the ongoing discussion in borderline grade cases. For example, regular thoughtful participation in discussion (not just quantity, ofcourse, but also quality) may raise a high “B” grade (an 89, for example) up to an “A.”6. This course is NOT graded according to the plus/minus system. Grades will be determined as follows, out of 100 possible points: (A)= 100-90; (B) = 89-80; (C) = 79-70; (D) = 69-60; (F) = 59-0.PLEASE NOTE1. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes plagiarism, the paraphrase or quotation of any published orunpublished source—including the textbook—without full and clear acknowledgment. If you are uncertain about what documentationis appropriate, please consult the Writing Center or myself before submitting your written work. Plagiarized work will receive a “0",and may also result in failure of the course and other administrative action. The university policy regarding academic dishonesty, asexplained 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. Although I do not have regular office hours during the summer, I will be happy to schedule a convenient time to meet with you.Messages can be left with the Social Sciences secretary (PH 411) at 341-5462. You are also welcome to address inquiries to me via emailat [email protected] COURSE SCHEDULE: Any changes to this schedule will be announced in class. Day Topics Assigned Reading Monday7/2Course OverviewIntroduction to philosophical thinkingTuesday7/3Introduction to problems of self and identityRejections of an eternal soulThe Will to LiveIntroduction (xvii-xxiii), Self, Mind, and Body, TheUpanishads, Buddhist Scriptures, Hume, Schopenhauer(1-22)Wednesday7/4Platonism, and misogynyMovie: My FeminismPlato (24-38), Spelman (44-57)Thursday7/5Existentialism, gender, and raceTest 2; Reading Sheets DueSartre