Dr. Nancy Stanlick |
PHI 2010 |
Introduction to Philosophy |
Summer B 2003 |
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CNH
411-I 407-823-5459 |
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CL1-308 |
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Dept.
Office: 407-823-2273 |
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Office
Hours: |
MW
4:00-4:45 |
TR 12:45-1:30 |
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by appt. |
This On-Line Syllabus is Under Construction Throughout the summer B term, 2003
For June 17, 2003:
The syllabus will undergo redesign occasionally throughout the semester.
Some links may not work at first, and some will be moved.
Texts:
Message Board:
Use THIS LINK
PHI 2010 is an historical, problem-oriented introduction to philosophy
encompassing major areas of philosophical inquiry. Topics include the
nature of reality, arguments for the existence of God, the problem of evil,
theories of value (ethics and social/political philosophy) and the nature of
knowledge. The objective of the course is at least twofold. First,
you will have a solid introduction to philosophical problems and
arguments. Second, the development and enhancement of critical and
analytical skills is a major focal point. Remember that philosophy is not
simply about listing and remembering facts. It is about analyzing
positions, understanding them in their historical and cultural contexts, and
being able to deal with, discuss, and compare diverse ideas, theories, and
principles. Some course content will include
philosophical analysis of themes and plots in movies. Among those to be discussed in class are The Matrix, What Dreams May Come, Changing Lanes, Antz, and Twelve Angry Men. These movies will be shown in class in their entirety. Selections from others may also be shown and
discussed or considered in or out of class.
Some of these movies are rated “R,” and some have violent content,
strong language, and adult themes. Even
Antz, an animated and purportedly
children’s film, includes “adult content.”
So if you are shy, retiring, easily offended, or in some way opposed to
such content, you may wish to re-think taking this course this term.
Course requirements are three examinations and some short
in-class essays and/or quizzes. Examinations count as 75% of your grade
for the course (25% each) and the essays/quizzes
count as 25% all together.
Quizzes/essays can and will be given at any time with or without prior
notice. It is up to you to be sure to
be in class to take them. Make-up
quizzes, examinations, or essays are given only with appropriate, legitimate,
and verifiable reasons. There are no
scores dropped. Everything counts.
THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT OFFERED OR AVAILABLE IN THIS COURSE. Grades are determined by numerical scores
and averages only. If you miss a quiz,
essay or examination and do so for a good, legitimate, and verifiable reason,
the quiz, essay or test must be made up within 3 class meeting days of its
initial administration (excluding quizzes, essays or examinations given at the
end of the term. These cannot be made
up due to time constraints. There is no
provision for making up the final examination, so don’t miss it).
First exam: June 30
Second exam: July 14
Third exam: July 28
Incomplete grades are assigned only in cases of extreme or
severe hardship and are subject to conditions as appropriate. Attendance is strongly encouraged and
expected, but it is not considered in determining your grade for the course. You do not get “credit” for showing up for
class – being in class, one would think, is a given. Much of the material covered may not appear in the text or in the
lecture notes in the web site. I will not
take attendance in this course. It
is up to you to keep track of yourself.
In a summer term, you will do everything you would do if you were taking
the course in the fall or spring.
In-class time is the same in the summer term as it is in longer terms.
Remember, then, that missing one day of class is like missing approximately 2
days in the fall or spring. Although
attendance will not be taken, you are responsible for meeting all the course
requirements, being present for in-class essays and examinations, and
submitting all required coursework on time. If you miss a class, you are responsible for obtaining notes and
information you may have missed. Office
hours are not held to repeat lectures already given in class. They are held to clarify points and provide
assistance, and generally to attend to academic matters relevant to this
course.
Grades
and Grading Scale: If you prefer not to take a course
using the +/- grading scale, then
don’t take this one. Arguments abound
about how it is unfair to use this scale.
One of the arguments generally runs like this: If I get a B- in a course, and I am competing with other people
for the same job or a spot in graduate school, then other people who DIDN’T
have grades based on +/- might have a “B” (say, an 82) but their average was
the same as mine (B-, also an 82). In
that case, I am disadvantaged by the +/- system. Counter-argument: If you are competing with people who did not
take a course with +/- grading, and their average was an 88 (B), but yours was
an 88 (B+), then YOU have the advantage.
It works both ways.
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A |
95-100% |
C |
74-76.x% |
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A- |
90-94.x% |
C- |
70-73.x% |
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B+ |
87-89.x% |
D+ |
67-69.x% |
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B |
84-86.x% |
D |
64-66.x% |
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B- |
80-83.x% |
D- |
60-63.x% |
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C+ |
77-79.x% |
F |
0-59.x% |
This online schedule will
be updated as necessary (generally, at least once a week, and often more than that)
and will include listings of chapters or sections of required hard copy and
online texts, examination dates, links to lecture notes, study questions
(variable), and other information useful for this course. The schedule below is meant only as a guide. Changes, additions, deletions and
alterations in the schedule, scheduled examinations (except the final),
quizzes, readings, and other information may be made from time to time to
ensure completion of all major sections listed below. Remember to refer often to the
schedule.
Schedule
Note
on the schedule and syllabus: The
full syllabus is available on-line only. You may (and should) print it
for future reference and for cases in which you do not have access to a
computer. The on-line syllabus undergoes regular changes, additions and
deletions, so it is important that you check this document regularly to be sure
you are keeping up with the schedule. It is often the case that notes and
review questions are provided on-line as links in the syllabus, but lecture
notes are not always complete as they appear online and will be augmented in
class. A message board for on-line review and discussion is also given as
a link near the top of this document. You can use the message board for
posting questions to other people registered in this course and for studying
for quizzes and tests. You will probably find it very useful.
When
posting questions or messages on the message board, please use either your
"real" name or a screen-name by which you may be identified by
others. Anonymous postings are not always helpful. The message
board administrator does not screen messages as they are posted, so be decent
and civilized and don't post anything inappropriate. I do not usually
engage in discussions or read all posted messages, but the board is regularly
checked and maintained.
All official course information will be posted in this on-line syllabus.
Review questions are designed for review of
major theories, issues, problems, etc., and do not necessarily reflect the
content, format or number of actual test questions.
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Week |
Topic(s) |
Readings in Text or on-line* |
Links & Notes** |
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First and Second Weeks (June 16-18 and June 23-26). |
Introductory Background – some basics about major
branches of philosophy, philosophical problems, terminology, and an overview
of course requirements. Epistemology – The theory of knowledge. What do we know, and how can we know
it? What is the origin of our
knowledge? How far does our knowledge
extend? AND Metaphysics |
Content
of lecture on June 16: General
introduction to several major areas of philosophical inquiry including
epistemology, metaphysics, ethical theory, and political philosophy; ½ hour
of The Matrix up to and including
the scene in which Neo chooses the red pill; and general introduction to
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” from Republic,
29 (see link below for the text of that work). Notice of short essay due on June
18: The essay is to be 1 page typed,
double or single spaced, in which you explain the meaning (not from the movie
itself, but in general) of the claim made in the movie that the matrix is
“the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” ·
Required
Reading: See this link to the text of
Plato’s Republic for the Allegory
of the Cave: Plato,
from The
Republic http://plato.evansville.edu/texts/jowett/republic29.htm Falzon’s
Introduction, pp. 3-15 Chapter
1 in Falzon: Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge), pp. 19-48 Film in Class: The
Matrix Suggested
Films: ExistenZ, The Truman Show, North By Northwest, Vanilla Sky, Rear
Window, Twelve Angry Men More
Required On-Line Readings:
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Links to external sites on
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (some interesting graphics, notes from other
universities): http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm And http://www.uh.edu/~cfreelan/courses/cave.html Lecture on Plato’s Allegory
of the Cave in class only – no online notes.
Here’s the generic question topic list
from which I made up the test. Click here. Note:
But remember that it is a very general list, and at least some
questions go beyond the content of the list and move back into the review
question links. NOTE ADDED ON JUNE 23:
Some of you have asked about the readings for the course. Everything in the “required readings”
sections is available in hard copy form in the UCF Library – in anthology
form (most “Introduction to Philosophy” books have excerpts from most of the
works listed above and below), or in their original forms. For example, you can read Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding
in any of the several copies or editions of it in the Library, and focus your
attention just on the sections listed in the reading list in this
syllabus. Also, pay very close
attention to section and chapter numbers listed in this online syllabus. If you do so, you will notice that the
reading volume is much less than it might at first appear to be. Another idea is that you might wish to
read secondary sources to clarify things.
So, for example, you could read the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy listing or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
listing on Kant or Pascal, Hume, or almost any of the works and theorists
listed above. Everything highlighted in yellow is/was
the content of test 1. |
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Third Week (June 30-July 3). See also the listing for the Fourth Week on Ethics. Test 1 will be on Monday June 30. |
Metaphysics and the Philosophy of Mind |
Chapter 2: (Metaphysics, Philosophy of Religion, and) The Self and Personal Identity, pp. 51-79 Film in Class: What
Dreams May Come Suggested Films: All of Me Big Being John
Malkovich Required On-Line Readings: On the Nature of the Soul, the Self, and Immortality
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Third Week (June 30-July 3) and continuing into the
Fourth Week (beginning July 7) Test 2 will be on Tuesday July 15. Essay 2 due on July 8th. Which of the main characters (the lawyer or the insurance
salesman) has, in your justified view, the best or better moral
character? Why do you hold this
position? |
Ethics |
Chapter
3: Moral Philosophy/Ethical
Theory Film in Class: Changing Lanes Suggested
Films: Saving Private Ryan Sophie’s Choice It’s a Wonderful Life On the Beach Quiz Show Required
On-Line Readings: STOP HERE
FOR MAJOR CONTENT OF TEST 2 |
STOP HERE FOR MAJOR CONTENT OF TEST 2. SEE THE LINK BELOW FOR THE TOPIC
LIST. DON’T FORGET THE REVIEW
QUESTIONS IN THIS COLUMN. Link to
the generic topic list
from which I made up test 2. Remember
that it is only a list, and questions may go beyond the generic content of
the topic headings. For the sections
in ethical theory, this test will go through Aristotle’s ethics. The other ethical theories will be on the
last test. BUT, general questions on
Kant, Mill, and egoism will be included in this test and based on what we’ve
done in class so far with them. test
2 is moved to july 15 (tuesday). Everything
Highlighted in GREEN is the content of test 2. answers to
test 2 are here. |
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Fifth week (July 14-17) |
Continue Ethics and Social and Political Philosophy |
Film in Class: Antz Suggested
Films: Lord of the Flies 1984 Invasion of the Body Snatchers Mad Max Required
Readings: Chapter
4: Social and Political Philosophy, pp. 117-148.
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Sixth week (July 21-24) |
Complete section on political philosophy; Society,
Science and Technology |
Chapter
5: Society, Science and
Technology, pp. 151-180. Film in Class: Twilight
Zone episode – “The Monster Within”. Suggested Films: Terminator Total Recall Blade Runner Impostor 1984 Arlington Road Required
On-Line Readings: Karl Marx, from The
Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. Use this link and go to The First
Manuscript, which includes “Capital,” “Rent of Land,” and “Estranged
Labor.” See also the Third
Manuscript on “Private Property and Communism.” |
Third (and last) essay is due on 7/28 before the last
test. Topic: How, in your considered and justified
view, would Hobbes, Locke, Mill, or Emerson (choose only one of these)
respond to the general theme involved in the movie Antz OR to the Twilight
Zone episode about “The Monster
Within”? As before, the essay is 1
page, single, 1.5 or double-spaced. |
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Sixth Week (July 21-24) FINAL EXAM ON MONDAY JULY 28 |
Critical Thinking |
Chapter
6: Critical Thinking,
pp. 183-211 Film in Class: Twelve Angry
Men and Monty Python’s “Argument
Clinic” Required
On-Line Readings: Mc-Graw-Hill
Logic Tutor Page on Informal Fallacies And |
Argument analysis links – Notes on Fallacies
and Examples Link to a test
from the course, Critical Thinking – not all parts of the test are
relevant to this course – we’ll discuss it in class. Content of test 2:
Aristotle, Kant, Hobbes, Locke, Mill (Utilitarianism and On
Liberty), Marx, Nietzsche, and Emerson The
review list for test 3 is here. Everything highlighted in light blue is the
content of test 3. |
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*Classic works are available online through the links
listed above. |
**On-line notes are NOT complete and are not a
substitute for reading the text, attending class, and taking notes of your
own. Some links with notes are more
complete and detailed than others, but it is ALWAYS the case that more
information and discussion occur in class than what appears in the links. |
