Syllabus - Philosophy 1000-010: Intro: Survey of Philosophy

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Syllabus - Philosophy 1000-010: Intro: Survey of Philosophy

M, W, F; 10.45am-11.35am; JTB320

Fall 2017 (3 credit hours)

Instructor: Louise Pedersen

Email:

Office Hours: Fridays: 8.30am-10.15am (or by appointment); CTIHB, 4th floor; room 405.

Course Description: This is an introductory course surveying questions and problems from philosophy. We will cover the following topics over the course of the semester: What Is Philosophy?; God, Faith, and Evil; Knowledge and Reality; Minds, Bodies, and Persons; Free Will; Ethics; Contemporary Moral Problems; Feminist Theory; and Existential Issues. This might seem like a lot, but remember we are doing a survey, which means that we will sample a broad array of topics to cover as much philosophical ground as possible. This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive or exhaustive exploration of philosophy.

Course Objectives:

• To serve as a general introduction to an understanding of philosophical views. It should also help you to appreciate what philosophy is and the way in which it is relevant to practical issues.
• To help you develop your critical thinking, critical reading, and critical writing skills.
• To teach you how to evaluate, construct, and critique philosophical arguments. By learning the basics of philosophical argumentation, the aim is for you to understand the difference between a good and a bad argument, and how to critically and carefully analyze and respond to the arguments of others.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Materials: The textbook for this course is Introduction to Philosophy- Classical and Contemporary Readings (7th Edition) by Perry, Bratman, and Fisher, ISBN 978-0-19-020023-7. Additional readings will be posted on Canvas.

Assignments and Evaluation:

4 Philosophical Reflection Papers (worth 12.5% each, for a total of 50% of the total grade)

The reflection papers are meant to test how well students have understood the material as well as their ability to construct persuasive arguments. Instructions for reflection papers will be thoroughly discussed during the first weeks of class. All topics will be released via Canvas a week before the paper is due. Each paper will be worth 100 points divided accordingly: restatement of argument, 40 points; critical component, 40 points; writing/style, 20 points.

Late policy for reflection papers:

Up to 5 days late: - 6 points

Up to 10 days late: - 10 points

More than 10 days late: - 12 points

Midterm (15% of total grade)

The midterm consists of multiple choice and short answer questions pertaining to the material covered up until (and including) week 7. A study guide will be released via Canvas ten days before the exam.

Final Exam (20% of total grade)

The final exam consists of multiple choice and short answer questions as well as a short essay. This exam covers the material from week 8-15. A study guide will be released via Canvas ten days before the exam.

Thought Experiment Friday Questions (15% of total grade)

Most Fridays throughout the semester we will have “Thought Experiment Fridays.” These sessions are meant to get you engaged in the material and in fun scenarios that will facilitate interesting discussions (philosophy can actually be a lot of fun!). I will open the session by going through the particular thought experiment or problem in question, and after that we will engage in some group discussions so everyone gets a chance to be heard. Importantly, to get the participation points from these Friday sessions I will write 5 questions on the board each Friday, and you must write down your answers and hand them in to me on a piece of paper before you leave the classroom. We will have 11 of these kinds of Friday sessions, so to get full participation (15% of your grade) I need to have 11 answer sheets from you by the end of the semester. This exercise is not about right or wrong answers, but about participating and engaging with your peers.

Grading Scale:

A 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B 83 -86

B- 80-82

C+ 77-79

C 73-76

C- 70-72

D+ 67-69

D 63-66

D- 60-62

Academic misconduct – Please make sure you are familiar with the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, see especially Section I.B on academic misconduct (http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.html). Note especially the section on plagiarism, which is defined as “the intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other person's work in, or as a basis for, one's own work offered for academic consideration or credit or for public presentation.” Note that “[p]lagiarism includes, but is not limited to, representing as one's own, without attribution, any other individual’s words, phrasing, ideas, sequence of ideas, information or any other mode or content of expression.” The minimum sanction for an instance of plagiarism will be a zero on the assignment. I reserve the right to impose a harsher academic sanction (including a failing grade in the class), and to refer plagiarism cases to the Student Behavior Committee for non-academic sanctions.

Accommodation – This course deals with issues that may be sensitive for some students. Please be familiar with the University of Utah’s Accommodation Policy (http://www.admin.utah.edu/facdev/pdf/accommodations-policy.pdf).

Americans with Disabilities Act — The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.

Disclaimer – This syllabus is not a legally binding document and is subject to change in order to meet pedagogical needs. Please check the syllabus link on Canvas for the most up to date version of this document. If I make changes to the document I will always announce it in class.

COURSE SCHEDULE

*: Reading is from Perry et al., Introduction to Philosophy

(PDF): You can find the reading under Files in Canvas

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