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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
MTWR 9:30 – 11:50 pm CORINTH Room #315
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Course Title: Introduction to Philosophy
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Course Prefix & Number: PHIL 1301
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Section Number: 420
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Sem: Summer II 2018
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Semester Credit Hours: 3
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Lecture Hours: 3
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Lab Hours: 0
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
A study of major issues in philosophy and/or the work of major philosophical figures in philosophy. Topics in philosophy may include theories of reality, theories of knowledge, theories of value, and their practical applications.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:
*Steven Cahn, ed. Classics of Western Philosophy. 8th (eighth) edition. Hackett Publishing.
ISBN # 978-1-60384-743-8
In addition, there are two films you will be expected to watch outside the classroom: Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (Jack Arnold, 1957). These can be viewed online at Amazon Instant Video, Youtube, or other (unspecified) places. The Corinth library has 1 copy of each on reserve (24-hrs.). Public libraries might also carry it. Notebook paper and pencil/pens. These are standard tools of students and should always be carried into class for unannounced and otherwise spontaneously produced assignments. You will also need 1 (possibly 2) BLUE BOOKS for your 2 exams.
*The TEXTBOOK / HANDOUTS are required each day. HARD COPIES ONLY. No computers/phones will be allowed once class starts.
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Mark Thompson
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Campus/Office Location:
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Room #209 (Office Hours: Mon. and Wed. 12 – 12:30 pm OR by appointment)
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Telephone Number:
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--------------------- (use email)
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E-mail Address:
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mthompson@nctc.edu
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Percentage or Point Values
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daily
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In-Class Discussion / Assignments
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10 % (100 pts)
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2
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Exams
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65 % (650 pts)
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5
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Discussion Boards
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25 % (250 pts)
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Instructor reserves the right to alter syllabus schedule at ANY time.
*Note: Textbook is required each day (with exceptions noted below)
JULY
UNIT 1: ANCIENT, MEDIEVAL, AND EARLY-MODERN PHILOSOPHY
WEEK 1
M (9th) INTRODUCTION; DISCUSS SYLLABUS; DIVIDE INTO GROUPS
T (10th) A. Group Discussion: (have read before class) “Thales’s Well: The World in a Drop of Water” by Nicholas Fearn
B. LECTURE: “Origins of Philosophy”
W (11th) A. Group Discussion: (have read: Plato, Phaedo, pgs. 1-2; 47-64); end with Column 1 [“When we heard what they said we were all depressed. . . .”]
B. LECTURE: PLATO
R (12th) LECTURE: PLATO
WEEK 2
M (16th) A. Group Discussion: (have read: Augustine, “On Free Choice of the Will,” pgs. 372-386)
B. LECTURE: AUGUSTINE
T (17th) LECTURE: AUGUSTINE
W (18th) A. Group Discussion: (have read: Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, pgs. 499-500; 533-546)
B. LECTURE: DESCARTES
R (19th) LECTURE: DESCARTES (Be sure to watch Inception for Monday)
WEEK 3
M (23rd) A. LECTURE: “Inception, Ideas, and Epistemology” (NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED)
B. LECTURE: “Empiricism vs. Rationalism”
T (24th) A. Group Discussion: (have read: Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, pgs. 670-679; 687-689)
B. LECTURE: LOCKE
W (25th) LECTURE: LOCKE
R (26th) EXAM 1 (Bring BLUE BOOK and PENCIL OR PEN). NO NOTES ARE ALLOWED
UNIT 2: MODERN PHILOSOPHY: or how to live in the “modern” world
WEEK 4
M (30th) LECTURE: “Kant’s Copernican Revolution” (NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED)
T (31st) A. Group Discussion: (have read: Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, pgs. 1227-1242)
B. LECTURE: NIETZSCHE
AUGUST
W (1st) LECTURE: NIETZSCHE
R (2nd) A. Group Discussion: (have read: James, Pragmatism and “The Will to Believe,” pgs. 1266-1272; 1278-1280)
B. LECTURE: JAMES
WEEK 5
M (6th) LECTURE: JAMES (Be sure to watch The Incredible Shrinking Man for Tuesday)
T (7th) A. LECTURE: “The Incredible Shrinking Man and Existentialism in the 20th Century”
B. LECTURE: SARTRE and BEAUVOIR (NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED)
W (8th) A. (have read: Sartre, “The Humanism of Existentialism,” pgs. 1319-1325)
B. LECTURE: SARTRE and BEAUVOIR
R (9th) EXAM 2 (Bring BLUE BOOK and PENCIL OR PEN). NO NOTES ARE ALLOWED
Discussion Board Dates to Remember (due by MIDNIGHT): Discussion Board 1 Due (Wednesday) 7/11, Discussion Board 2 Due (Saturday) 7/14, Discussion Board 3 Due (Sat) 7/21, Discussion Board 4 Due (Sat) 7/28, Discussion Board 5 Due (Sat) 8/4
You can earn a maximum of 1,000 pts. in this course:
In-Class Discussion and Assignments 10% 100 pts.
Discussion Boards (5) 25% 250 pts.
First Exam 30% 300 pts.
Second Exam 35% 350 pts.
FAQ
- The In-Class Discussion will occur during the first 15-20 minutes of class (see calendar). Each student will be part of a small group of students (4-5) in which these conversations will take place. The aim of these discussions will be to go over the assigned material and/or to continue the discussion-board topics. Each group will be assessed by the professor during the following class discussion (after the short-group discussions end).
- For Discussion Board Participation students will reply once to the professor’s prompt and twice to 2 other students’ responses (in that student’s group). The first reply should be at least 200 words; the second and third should be at least 100 words each (400 words total). The first reply is 25 pts; each reply to classmate is 12.5 pts (max. total of 50 pts.) Each discussion board thread will open on a Monday and remain open for one week (closing on Saturday night at MIDNIGHT). EXCEPTION: Discussion board #1 CLOSES WED.
- The First and Second Exams will occur in class (blue book and pen/pencil required). Both essays will have a prompt given at the beginning of class, which will relate to the assigned readings (or movies) and material covered in class. Students will have 1 hr. and 20 minutes for each exam.
NOTE ON ABSENCES: Students who arrive 20 or more minutes after the start of class will be considered absent for that session (each day = 2 sessions), as will students who attend without a hard copy of the required text/handout. Missing 7 class sessions (3 ½ DAYS TOTAL; 1 full day = 2 sessions) will lower the student’s final grade by half grade (5 full percentage pts.), and will increase for each day missed thereafter. Attendance, bodily participation, and reading are all crucial components for this class.
NOTE ON TECHNOLOGY: The use of electronic devices—phones, laptops, e-readers, etc.—are prohibited. Such devices should be put away during class time. Further, students are required to bring their books/handouts to class, having completing the assigned reading for that class session. Students must bring materials (paper and pen) with which to take notes and work on any in-class assignments. Students who fail to abide by these policies will be given a warning. Each instance after the initial warning will result in the student being counted as absent.
ABSENCES/MAKEUPS:
There are no makeups for in-class assignments. EXAMS ARE TAKEN IN CLASS ON THE ASSIGNED DAYS (SEE CALENDAR/SCHEDULE). If student is absent they need to bring medical/legal/funeral documentation for why they were not able to make it to class. Student should contact professor via email ASAP. If makeup exam is approved by professor, it will need to be taken by Wednesday or a zero will be recorded.
Other Helpful Texts and Support Materials:
Try looking at these books in the LIBRARY. Some items are on both campuses (Flower Mound and Corinth) while others remain in one or the other:
Philosophy in 90 Minutes: One of my favorite series—you can read these literally in 90 minutes. All of the philosophers that we have assigned text readings for can be found on reserve at Flower Mound’s library for 2 hours (with the exception of our last 3: Peirce, James, and Rand). They must be read inside the library, but I found these very helpful when first studying philosophy. In addition to being very concise and to-the-point, the author (Paul Strathern) is usually funny (a little anti-religious, however). You can also buy these online for pennies and find some in used book stores. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BEFORE COMING TO CLASS ON THOSE DAYS IN WHICH WE HAVE ASSIGNED READINGS OVER A PARTICULAR PHILOSOPHER.
Does the Center Hold? This is an introduction to the big philosophical issues accompanied by bizarrely drawn illustrations.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online). plato.stanford.edu: a trusted online source of everything philosophical.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Thursday, August 2nd.
DISABILITY SERVICES (OSD)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209.
North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2014-2015/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook
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Name of Chair/Coordinator:
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Crystal R.M. Wright
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Office Location:
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Gainesville Campus, Room 824
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Telephone Number:
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940-668-7731, ext. 4320
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E-mail Address:
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cwright@nctc.edu
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Name of Instructional Dean:
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Dr. Bruce King
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Office Location:
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1525 W. California St., Gainesville, Texas
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Telephone Number:
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bking@nctc.edu
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E-mail Address:
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940-668-4267
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