Phil 110: General Introduction to Philosophy (Online)

Cuyamaca College

Spring 2013

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Courtney Hammond

E-mail:

Phone:619-259-0592

Office hours: Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:30am, 12:15-2:15pm

Course Description (per catalog):

In this basic orientation the student explores, compares, analyzes, evaluates and discusses a variety of the principle questions addressed in philosophy. Typical questions examined are: What is the purpose of my existence? Can I know anything with certainty? Do I really have a free will? Can we prove that God exists? Why should I be moral? Whose self-interest counts?, etc. Issues covered will encompass relevant philosophical perspectives from Western and other major world cultures, and includes contributions of women and minority cultures to the realm of philosophy.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to:

1)Identify and discuss the principle questions of universal concern raised in philosophy, including but not limited to the following: What is knowledge? Is there a meaning to life? Does free will exist? Why should I be moral?

2)Compare and contrast a variety of philosophical positions relating to the issues considered by discussing their main features and proponents

3)Analyze and discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the philosophical arguments examined using standard logic

4)Identify, analyze and discuss cross-cultural perspectives relevant to the philosophical issues being considered

5)Use the language, method and concepts of various philosophical traditions to begin to formulate a personal approach to selected philosophical issues

Required Texts

Murphy, Courtney H., Philosophy Matters: Understanding Our Selves and Our World.

This text is only available to purchase online.

To reserve or purchase your textbook, please follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Log on to

Step 2: Create an account or log in if you have an existing account to purchase.

Step 3: Easy-to-follow instructions will guide you through the process of reserving your textbook or, if it is ready for purchase, the rest of the ordering process. Payment can be made by all major credit cards or with an electronic check.

COURSE: Phil 110 | Introduction to Philosophy

INSTRUCTOR(S): Dr. Courtney H. Hammond

Additional material may be made available on the Blackboard site and on my website A computer with Adobe Reader will be necessary to download certain materials, and such computers can be found in the Cuyamaca College computer labs.

Additional Required Materials

Access to a computer with Internet connection and Word. (When submitting assignments, I only accept .doc and .docx formats. If other files are sent, the assignment will not be graded.)

Course Requirements

1. Syllabus Quiz to take place the first week of class. This quiz serves as your acknowledgement and agreement to adhere to the rules and regulations of this class. You will not be allowed to continue in the class if you fail to submit this quiz.

Those who receive a perfect score on the quiz will get 5 extra credit points on their first reading quiz.

2. 6reading quizzes—may be short answer, essay, and/or multiple choice (10% each) Please note that Quiz #3 is very long, so make sure to allow yourself ample time to complete it.

3. A 3-5 page essay (20%), and

4. Discussion participation(30%).

Details about Course Requirements:

You will have 6 reading quizzes (one of which will be the final, noncumulative.) These quizzes will be given on the assigned weeks listed in the course outline below. Each quiz will count 10% and they are posted under the Assignments tab. You will be given 2 attempts at each quiz, and only your highest score will count. I will drop your lowest quiz grade at the end of the semester so that the remaining 5 quizzes will count for 50% of your total course grade. These quizzes are designed to test your reading skills and to make sure you are keeping up with the class assignments. They may be short answer, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank. I do not allow make up quizzes, so please do not ask. If you do ask, I will not respond.I will only consider illness as an excuse when accompanied by appropriate documentation, and when I am notified of the situation as it begins.The quizzes are made available on the Monday of the week that they are assigned, and due by the following Sunday at 11:59pm.

In addition to the quizzes, you will be given an essay assignment. The essay will be a short paper of 3-5 pages in length worth 20%of your final grade. Please note that failing to submit your essay will result in an F for the course. The topic of the essay will be posted under the Assignments tab, and you will turn it in there as well. I will give you information about how to write a philosophy paper, and I also encourage you to help one another through peer editing.

Finally, philosophy is best practiced as a dialogue. In fact, many of our readings are written as dialogues. Therefore, most of your time will be spent in conversation—that is, a conversation with the text that will play out in the discussion boards. Your participation in this conversation is crucial, and I urge you to ask questions, offer thoughtful responses, and engage your fellow classmates and your instructor as often as possible. Each Monday, there will be a discussion topic posted related to the readings for that week. You are required to post a minimum of two messages per week, but more is preferable. The discussion board will close on Sunday at 11:59pm. In order to get the most out of the discussions, it is crucial that you respond as early in the week as possible. If everyone waits until Sunday, it won’t be as fruitful as it could be. I will be paying close attention to those of you who contribute early as I record your grades for this portion of the class. Your posts may be in response to the original post, to a classmate, or to me. Some of the topics we will cover are controversial, and some may be personal for some of you. Therefore, please be respectful when posting your thoughts. Your discussion contributions will count for 30% of your final grade. Individual discussion posts will not be graded, and I do not assign a grade for the discussion until the end of the semester.

How to Succeed in an Online Class:

Many of you have never taken an online course before, and may be confused as to what to do in order to do well. My suggestion is that you set aside a time at least 3 to 4 days a week where you can log in to the Blackboard site to check for announcements and to follow the discussion board. The more regular you make this, the better connected you will feel and the more you will get out of the course.

Also, check my website: I often post interesting articles for you to look at that may highlight the contemporary relevance of the issues we’re studying. Also, I try to post interesting photos there as well!

Please do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone either. When doing so, please use , and (619) 259-0592. I will check my email regularly throughout the semester, but please allow a 24 hour turn around time for my response. Also, I only respond to emails and calls Monday through Friday, so if you contact me on the weekend, you will hear back from me on Monday morning. Finally, make use of your peers! I encourage you to get to know one another, chat with one another even apart from the discussion boards. Philosophy is a dialogue—and dialogues are usually more successful when they involve other people!

How to Succeed in a Philosophy Class

Have you thought about what it would mean to do well in this class? What do you hope to get out of a philosophy class? I’m here to teach you the material, but what must you contribute to the learning experience? You will only get out of this class what you put into it, so the following list is to help you know what sorts of things you’ll need to do in order to make this a truly fun and enlightening experience.

  1. Print out this syllabus and have it in the front of your notebook for easy access. Take a look at it throughout the semester to refresh your memory on requirements, grade percentages, office hour times/location, etc. (I spent a lot of time working on it, so I’d love you to actually read it!) Become familiar with the course outline so you know what we’re doing, when we’re doing it, and where to find it. Also, familiarize yourself with quiz and paper due dates so that you don’t miss them.
  2. Some readings (if not all) will require that you read them several times before they make sense. This is normal in philosophy—it is also the only way to really understand and begin to formulate questions and arguments pertaining to them. Don’t expect to read quickly through these readings and have anything to say about them—that’s just not the way it works. It will get easier—but it will always take time to make your way through some of these texts. Don’t cheat yourself out of this kind of learning—it is truly rewarding!!!
  3. After doing the readings, try to think of a question you have about it. It may be a “What the heck did that mean?” kind of question, and that’s fine. But try to find a way to articulate your confusion—what exactly are you confused about? This is not easy to do, but with practice it will get easier, and it will make you a sharper, more critical thinker in everything you do.
  4. We live in the internet age—so make use of this valuable research tool. Often you can find information that will help you understand the class material, whetherit’s the background to a specific author or time, a posted lecture, a radio broadcast, interview, etc. Some of the most helpful sites are these:

I’ll also post additional web resources on my homepage, so check there as well.

  1. Keep in touch! Check the course website regularly—at least three times a week—to see if I’ve made any important announcements or added any material for you to look at. Checking in often will also help you feel connected to the class, and this kind of connection will keep you on task. When you feel like you are a crucial part of something, you are more likely to stay involved!
  2. Speaking of being a crucial part of something, participating in class will help you immensely. The more you contribute to the discussion, the more comfortable you will feel. Don’t worry about saying or asking something “wrong” or “silly”. I do it all the time! If you are sincerely trying to understand the material, then no question you have will be unhelpful. And chances are there are 5 other people who have the same question but are afraid to ask it. Do it for their sake! 

Classroom “Net”iquette:

In order to make the most of class, a certain learning environment must be maintained. Especially with respect to the discussions, students must be respectful of others’ opinions and views. Discussions should be a place where everyone feels comfortable and free to express themselves in an appropriate way, without the worry that they will be unfairly criticized or ostracized. Therefore, be mindful of your comments, and make sure that your criticisms are expressed in a courteous and fair manner.

Furthermore, only appropriate language will be allowed, i.e. no foul language or hate-speech. I will remove students from class if their behavior in the discussion boards becomes disruptive. To sum it up: Be respectful!!!

Extra Help:

Any student needing extra assistance is urged to utilize the tutoring services available at Cuyamaca College. Therefore, to support your efforts to succeed in this class, I refer you to the Supervised Tutoring services that are available. Please refer to the schedule listing in the fall class schedule. All Supervised Tutoring sections are FREE to you. You need only enroll to receive services—no units or grades are given.

Grading Policy

A 93-100%

A- 90-92%

B+ 87-89%

B 84-86%

B- 80-83%

C+ 77-79%

C 70-76%

D 60-69%

F 0-59%

***In general, I do not change grades once I’ve given them unless I have made a clerical error. If I have done so, please bring this to my attention. However, if you simply do not agree with the grade I’ve given you, and you wish to challenge it,

you must submit a 2 page essay explaining why you think the grade I have given you does not reflect the quality of your work. Only after receiving this 2 page essay will I consider taking another look at your work. This does not necessarily mean that I will give you a higher grade, though. In fact, sometimes upon re-grading an assignment, I have found I was too generous, and the grade was lowered. Therefore, only pursue this if you’re absolutely convinced I’ve made a mistake.

Course Outline

Date / Topics To Be
Covered / Readings /Assignments
1/28-2/03 / What is Philosophy? / Read: What is Philosophy?,Does Philosophy Bake Bread?, and On the Value of Philosophy, Found under the Documents tab on Blackboard
Syllabus Quiz due by midnight on 1/29
2/04-2/10 / Philosophy and The Good Life / Read: Plato’s The Apologyfound under Course Documents tab, and Ghandi’s Belief and Human Welfare
Reading Quiz 1
2/11-2/17 / The Meaning of Life / Read: Tolstoy’s My Confessionand Baier’s The Purpose of Man’s Existence
2/18-2/24 / “ / Read: Lao Tzu’s Tao The Ching
Reading Quiz 2
2/25-3/03 / Metaphysics / Movie: The Matrix
Read: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
3/04-3/10 / “ / Read: Bhatt and Mehrortra’s The Buddhist Theory of Knowledge
3/11-3/17 / Epistemology / Read: Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy
3/18-3/24 / “ / Read: Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, and Lehrer’s The Quarterback in the Pocket
3/25-3/31 / Spring Break
4/01-4/07 / Read: Cole’s Body, Mind and Gender
Reading Quiz 3
4/08-4/14 / Faith and Reason / Read: Anselm’s Proslogium, Pascal’s Pensees, and the Dalai Lama’s Role of Religion in Modern Society
4/15-4/21 / “ / Read: Paley’s Natural Theology, and Hume’s Against Paley’s Design Arguments
Video: What Darwin Never Knew found at

Reading Quiz 4
4/22-4/28 / Are We Free or Determined / Read: Radhakrishnan’s An Idealist View of Life
Read: “How to Write a Philosophy Paper” found under the Course Documents tab in Blackboard.
Essay Assigned
4/29-5/05 / “ / Read: d’Holbach’s The System of Nature
Movie: Minority Report
5/06-5/12 / “ / Read: Hospers’ Meaning and Free Will
Reading Quiz 5
5/13-5/19 / Ethics: Reason and Emotion / Read: Kant’s Transition from Common Rational to Philosophic Moral Cognition and Gilligan’s Images of Relationship
5/20-5/26 / “ / Reading Quiz 6
Essay Due

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if necessary.

This course adheres to the academic policies outlined in the 2010-2011 Cuyamaca College catalog.