PHI2010 Introduction to Philosophy

 

For PHI 2010 sections:

 

This course satisfies the Humanities Group 1 requirement of the UCC. The course outcomes according to the FIU Course Catalog are as follows: Students will develop the capacity to think analytically and respond critically to primary and secondary texts. Students will acquire competence in understanding, reflecting critically, writing and presenting effectively on the human condition through various philosophical theories and issues. 

 

PHI 2010: Students will develop the capacity to think analytically and respond critically to primary and secondary texts. Students will acquire competence in understanding, reflecting critically, writing and presenting effectively on the human condition through various philosophical theories and issues. 

 

This is a Gordon Rule Writing courses, which means that a C grade or better is needed to get Gordon Rule credit.  Gordon Rule Writing courses requiring a minimum of three writing assignments, reasonably sequenced through the course, and typically totaling 3500 words or more. Only one the writing assignments counting toward the Gordon requirement can be an exam.

 

Here is the link to the Writing Across the Curriculum website for more specifics.

 

https://wac.fiu.edu/gordon-rule-courses/

 

Lesson Plan and Lecture Notes

 

Basic Info

 

Title
Introduction to Philosophy

Prefix and Number

PHI2010

Section

U17

Semester/Year

Spring 2023

Location & Day/Time

Graham Center 278A

MWF 10:00 – 10:50 PM

Instructor

Kenton Harris

Instructor Office

DM 343 B (Modesto A. Maidique Campus)

Instructor Telephone Number

 

(305) 348-3516

Instructor E-mail

harrisk@fiu.edu

Instructor Website

http://faculty.fiu.edu/~harrisk/

Text(s)

None (Readings Provided Via Canvas)

 

 

Quizzes (10)

 

Multiple Choice/ Short Answer

 

Fridays

 

Tests

 

Two Exams: Combo of Essay and Multiple Choice/ Short Answer

 

Fridays

 

Short Writing Assignments

 

 

Varied

 

Due Mondays except for the final one.

 

Papers

 

1 Larger Paper Assignment

 

3 Elements, Each Due on a Monday

 

Final Exam

 

Combo of Essay and Multiple Choice/ Short Answer

 

During Final Exam Week

 

Important Dates:

 

Graded Assignment

Date Due

Percentage of Final Grade

Quiz 1

1/20

2%

Quiz 2

1/27

2%

Quiz 3

2/3

2%

Quiz 4

2/17

2%

Quiz 5

2/24

2%

Quiz 6

3/10

2%

Quiz 7

3/17

2%

Quiz 8

3/31

2%

Quiz 9

4/7

2%

Quiz 10

4/14

2%

Lowest Three Quizzes Dropped – No Make Up Quizzes Given

Exam 1

2/10

15%

Exam 2

3/24

15%

Short Writing Assignment 1

1/23

2%

Short Writing Assignment 2

1/30

2%

Short Writing Assignment 3

2/6

2%

Short Writing Assignment 4

2/13

2%

Short Writing Assignment 5

2/20

2%

Short Writing Assignment 6

3/6

2%

Short Writing Assignment 7

3/13

2%

Short Writing Assignment 8

3/20

2%

Short Writing Assignment 9

3/27

2%

Short Writing Assignment 10

4/21

2%

Paper 1a

4/3

15%

 

Peer Review 1

4/10

Paper 1b

4/17

Final Exam

During Final Exam Week

20%

End of the Drop/Add Period

 

Last Day to Drop Without incurring financial liability

1/17/23

Last Day to Apply for Fall Graduation

 

1/29/23

Last Date to Drop and Receive a “DR”

3/20/23

 

Course Description:

 

It is the objective of this course to acquaint the student with philosophy in both method and subject matter.  This is a way of enriching students' daily living as well as giving him or her a deeper appreciation of the philosophical issues that inform literature, art, politics, religions, sciences, psychology, the criminal justice system, medicine, and even movies and advertising, etc.  It is the aim of this course to familiarize students with the discipline of philosophy, its ubiquitous presence in all areas of reflective human experience and the value of the examined life. Finally, it is the aim of this class to equip students with the tools necessary to make reasoned and intelligent judgments.

 

Students will need to hone their analytic and synthetic critical skills as well as their communication skills. This course will involve reading, thinking, talking and writing about philosophical issues.

 

Purpose:

 

Doubtless there are times when we find ourselves in the middle of "disputes" which are not legitimate arguments at all, but rather merely clashes of subjective attitudes for which a logical resolution is neither possible nor needed.  In such instances, despite all parties agreeing on the facts, each continues to regard his or her opponent as "mistaken," never clearly seeing that this “dispute” amounts to nothing other than feelings or taste.  Still other times we are moved to action or judgment (moral, political, economic, aesthetic, etc.) when in truth we've been given no reason to be so moved.  These, among other topics will be explored.

 

In contemporary society, many are willing to dismiss all philosophical positions and judgments as equally reasonable (or non-reasonable) relegating them to mere “matters of opinion.”  While this view is not without its philosophical, and perhaps even political, support, it is unenlightened to accept this view uncritically.  This course will examine and assess the roots and the inevitable practical inconsistencies resulting from this meta-philosophical position as well as the alternative, more traditional position, that there are indeed philosophical positions, theories, reasons and justifications, some of which are better than others.

 

In the first portion of this course we shall endeavor to develop the skills necessary to reason well, to recognize when good reasons are needed, but lacking, and also to distinguish between those times when reasons are called for and those times when they are irrelevant.  In the second portion of the course, we shall examine what reasons are relevant to legitimate philosophical disputes.  As we explore the various branches of philosophy, we shall see how the issues each branch addresses have relevance to reflective human experience.

 

In a liberal, free society which enjoys a rich diversity of religious, ethnic and cultural heritages, citizens must develop those skills necessary for the resolution of controversies which do not rely on the unreasoned universal acceptance of a single philosophical point of view.  However it is equally important to avoid dismissing all such controversies as mere “clashes of taste.”  It is crucial that we educate a citizenry capable of understanding why a reasonable, informed and morally decent individual might, on some issues, hold a position opposite to one’s own.  Facilitating that understanding and the necessary public dialogue that unavoidably confronts a self-reflective, self-governing society is the major purpose of this course.

 

Objectives:

 

The First Focus of the Course:

 

To understand the various uses to which language can be put.  To identify the difference between claims and non-claims and the need for and structure of rational justification of claims.

 

The Second Focus of this Course:

 

To examine if and on what grounds philosophical judgments may be said to be genuine claims and on what grounds these may be justified.  We will cover the major branches of philosophy and some of the traditional theories of each.

 

The Third Focus of this Course:

 

To apply the traditional concepts of philosophy and see the contemporary relevance to reflective human experience.

 

How does this course advance/fit the College mission?

 

Because this is a course in philosophy, it necessarily requires that students become acquainted with the history of ideas and the status current culture. Beyond that, students will learn to sharpen analytic as well as synthetic thinking, writing abilities and communication skills. It is precisely this kind of breadth of knowledge and intellectual maturity that is expected of college graduates.  The organization, articulation and evaluation of arguments in ethics, social policy, politics, law and even business management, etc. are indicative of higher education.  Further, without such abilities and skills, the capacity for critical judgment would be far beneath what is necessary for the political health of a self-governed republic such as ours.

 

Learning Methods:

 

Class time will be spent discussing the topic material designated for that day by the lesson plan. The discussion will be directed towards clarifying the major issues of the subject matter and will presume that the student has already read the assigned material. It is imperative that students be prepared for each class discussion not only to get the most out of the class, but also to contribute his or her own insights and criticisms and thereby demonstrate depth of comprehension and critical capacities.

 

This course will be primarily lecture in format. Students will be tested on comprehension of lecture and text material with two in class exams during the semester and one final exam during the final week of the semester.  Students will also be required to write papers involving some research and original thought.

 

Writing Component:

 

You will note that there are quite a few writing assignments in this course. Working with me this semester, I have a team of writing assistants who are affiliated with the university's Center for Excellence in Writing. These individuals have received special training on assisting students with academic and professional writing and you will be working with them throughout the semester.  Each student in the course has been assigned one writing assistant.  They will be introducing themselves to you after the first week of classes via email, with the option to meet virtually (via Zoom).

 

Our writing assignments in this course are roughly broken into 2 categories.

 

1.       Short Writing Assignments:

 

The first category of writing exercises is a series of short writing assignments 1 through 10. I am asking the writing assistants to provide you with direct feedback on your submissions for the odd numbered assignments, that is, on short writing assignments 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.  Once they do 

 

a)       You are to acknowledge the feedback you have been provided by copying and pasting that feedback into an email to your writing assistant.

b)      Further you are encouraged to engage with your writing assistant on the feedback and discuss the writing assignment with them.  You will be able to meet virtually via Zoom.  Writing Assistants will host weekly office hours. 

c)       You will NOT receive full credit for the writing assignment unless you, at a minimum, acknowledge the feedback with your writing assistant.

d)      Further you can earn additional credit on your writing assignment if you discuss (fruitfully) the matter with your writing assistant. As previously noted, you will be able to meet virtually via Zoom and Writing Assistants will host weekly office hours.

e)      You may consult your writing assistant on the even numbered assignments as well, but that is not required. 

 

2.       Longer Paper Assignment

 

The second set of exercises is a longer paper assignment which has three elements: You will

 

a)       Write a first draft

b)      Submit two peer reviews

c)       Write a final draft.

 

Once your first draft has been submitted, your writing assistant will read over your first draft and send you an email with detailed feedback.  You must then make an appointment during your writing assistance office hours to meet with your writing assistant and discuss the feedback with which you've been provided.  

 

After receiving this feedback, reading over and peer reviewing two of your classmates’ papers and receiving peer comments on your own work from two of your classmates, you will ultimately write a second, final draft. 

 

Note about the peer reviews:

 

Because of the way Canvas is configured, you must submit these peer reviews in two different ways.

 

a)       First you must submit the comments to your peers using the comments box provided by Canvas next to your peer’s paper.

b)      However, you must also copy and paste the same comments into a document and upload that document to the assignment in your assignments list entitled “Peer Review.”

 

If you only submit your peer comments via the assignments box, your classmates will not have access to them.  If you only submit your peer review comments into the comments box on your classmates’ papers, I will not receive a copy nor will I know when you have completed this assignment. 

 

Therefore, it is important that you do both. You must submit the peer review comments into the comments box on your peers’ papers, but you must also submit those same comments in a separate document to me using the assignments box. 

 

I understand that this is a little confusing, but it's the best I can do given the way Canvas has configured this assignment.

 

Skills Component:

 

As with any philosophy class, there will be heavy emphasis on clear articulation skills, the ability to recognize, analyze and evaluate arguments, the ability to reason and justify one's own assertions, and to see the implications and ramifications of theoretical positions. Developing these skills will be a major focus, indeed, will be necessary for passing this course.

 

Learning Competencies:

 

The following are the specific competencies students will have obtained upon successfully completing the course. Students will demonstrate:

 

1.       Knowledge of basic terminology associated with philosophy by identifying and/or defining key philosophical terms;

2.       Knowledge of historical and contemporary philosophers by classifying major figures in relationship to their major theories and contributions to the history of ideas;

3.       Understand the difference between assertions which require justification and those pseudo-assertions which require no rational defense.

4.       Knowledge of the criteria used to evaluate the soundness of philosophical arguments by identifying truth/ clarity/ reasonableness of the premise set and the support these lend to the conclusion.

5.       Knowledge of basic philosophical issues by identifying schools of thought, past and present philosophical positions on perennial philosophical issues, historical shifts in focus in philosophy, and the work of historical and contemporary philosophers.

6.       Comprehension of basic philosophical ideas by explaining the views of philosophers in the students' own written words.

7.       Analysis of the relationship of different philosophical theories by comparing and contrasting them in written form.

8.       Analysis of philosophical theories in written form by comparing the philosophical ideas presented.

9.       Evaluation of philosophical theories discussed in-class by commenting on the soundness of various philosophical arguments.

10.   Identifying legitimate philosophical questions and distinguishing them from scientific questions and sheer "nonsense" questions.

11.   Distinguishing between religious responses and philosophical responses to (sometimes) the very same questions.

 

Basic Policies

 

Below are listed various procedural policies.  By remaining a registered student in this course you indicate your acceptance of the policies listed in this syllabus.

 

Attendance and make-up policies:

 

1.    Note: Class Conduct:

 

2.    The University has instituted a “Student Success Strategy” which involves enforcing mandatory attendance during the first two weeks of classes. Faculty who teach UCC classes must track student attendance in these classes. The University may drop students who do not have verified attendance (by in person or electronic means) on after the first two weeks of the semester.  Please note that, based on advisor recommendations, the University may implement alternative interventions that may not result in the student’s removal from the class.

 

3.    Since the three lowest quiz grades are dropped, there will be NO MAKE UP QUIZZES.

 

4.    Each student must plan now how he or she will acquire regular web access.

 

Drops:

 

Students unable or unwilling to continue in the course should notify the instructor.  It is their responsibility to officially drop the course. If they do not officially drop the course, they will receive an F or F0 for the course as appropriate.  The last date to drop and receive a DR is listed above.

 

Special Learning Needs:

 

Students with documented special learning needs must have Disability Resource Center (http://drc.fiu.edu/) inform the instructor so that accommodations can be made when necessary for testing, note taking or, paper writing.

 

Requirements and Grading:

 

Quizzes:

 

There will be a total of ten quizzes.  All are largely objective and multiple choice questions.  No make-up quizzes will be given.

 

Exams:

 

There will be two exams given during the semester.  The material will be drawn from BOTH lecture materials and the assigned text readings.  The exams will have both multiple choice/ short answer questions and essay questions.

 

Short Writing Assignments:

 

There will be a series of short writing assignments.  They are largely laddered and targeted at drilling a specific writing or critical thinking skill. 

 

Papers: (See Writing Component Above)

 

There will be one larger written assignment (see above) that will take the form of a brief critique of articles and/or editorials, ad's, policy statements, etc.  The details of this assignment will be made clearer as the course proceeds. Late papers will be penalized.

 

Final Exam:

 

A final examination will be given during the final exam week as scheduled by the University.  (Student can find their final exam schedule on the PantherSoft Student Center Page and selecting it from the Drop-down menu there.)  It will be NOT be cumulative, but will only include material covered after the 2nd exam.  It will be structured as the previous exams were.

 

Grades will be based on the

 

Quizzes (15%)

Short Writing Assignments (20%)

Paper (15% total- See Writing Component Above for more details)

Exams (30% total)

Final Exam (20%).

 

Grading Scale:

 

 

A = (100-94)

A- = (93-92)

B+ = (91-88)

B = (87-84)

B- = (83-81)

C+ = (80-77)

C = (76-70)

D = (69-60)

F =   (59-0)

 

 

ATTENTION STUDENTS: NOTE both the grading scale and the exam and paper dates now.  No exceptions will be made so you must decide NOW whether these terms are acceptable to you or not or whether they interfere will travel plans or per­sonal commit­ments.  It is your decision to remain in this course under the specified conditions and I encourage each of you to thoughtfully consider this before the drop/add deadline.