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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
M / W 2:00 – 3:20 pm FLM Room #206
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Course Title: Introduction to Philosophy
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Course Prefix & Number: PHIL 1301
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Section Number: 501
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Sem: Fall 2020
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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 This needs to be the actual, physical book (e-readers/kindle versions have different pagination systems!!!)
In addition, there are 2 films you will be expected to watch online: Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (Jack Arnold, 1957). These can be viewed online in CANVAS for free (under “STUDIO”). You can also view at Amazon Instant Video OR Youtube for a few dollars ($). Public libraries might also carry it.
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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 #107 Office Hours: (by appointment only due to COVID): Mon. and Wed (3:30 – 4:30); Virtual Office Hours: M / W (8:00 – 9 pm). Go to “Cisco Webex” (video or non-video, just audio) in CANVAS. SEE NOTE BELOW FOR FULL DESCRIPTION (Pg. 3: “NOTE ON OFFICE HRS”)
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Telephone Number:
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--------------------- (use email)
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E-mail Address:
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USE CANVAS or mthompson@nctc.edu
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded 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 Assignments / Attendance
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10%
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5*
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Group Quizzes*
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20%
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2
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Movie-Reflection Essays
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40%
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4*
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Discussion Board Assignments*
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30%
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*Lowest grade will be dropped
You can earn a maximum of 1,000 pts. in this course:
Attendance/ In-class assign. 10 % 100 pts.
Group Quizzes 20 % 200 pts.
1st Movie Essay 20 % 200 pts.
2nd Movie Essay 20 % 200 pts.
Discussion Board Assignments 30 % 300 pts.
COURSE PROMISES: This course is a journey (should you accept it) that will reveal why people think the way they do; it will help answer why people believe in certain ideas and how those beliefs lead to actions and habits; you will learn how to identity common assumptions and foundations that people utilize to make their way through this complex thing called “life”; at the end, you will discover why you are the person you are today, allowing for a more fulfilling human existence.
NOTE ON ABSENCES: Students who arrive 20 or more minutes after the start of class will be considered partially absent for that day (1 pt. deduction), as will students who leave early. As we have only 27 total class meetings, attendance, bodily participation, and reading are all crucial components for this class.
NOTE ON COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR PROFESSOR: You must use your NCTC-based email (either CANVAS or your @nctc.edu email account) to communicate with me.
NOTE ON OFFICE HRS:
During the week (Monday – Thursday), my policy is to respond to emails within 24 hours. During the weekend (Friday – Sunday) and on holidays, an email sent to me on those days/times might require 48 hrs. before getting a response. IF ONE IS NEEDING AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS, TRY THE ONLINE OFFICE HOURS (Mon. and Wed. 8 – 9:00 pm). It is best to schedule a time (a 15-min. block) using the “CISCO-WEBEX” link near the bottom left of the CANVAS course). You can schedule a 15-min. block of time during these online office hours (see days and hours above) by clicking on “Cisco Webex” in CANVAS. Then, click on which 15-min. block you’d like to reserve in order to chat with me. If you do not have the audio capability to converse with me, we can head to “Conference” (under CANVAS) and just type in realtime. Lastly, we can just email (old-fashioned).
FAQ
- For Oral Group Quizzes, each student will be assigned to a small group of students (4-5). Each group will be asked a series of questions at the beginning of class (on quiz day) over the assigned reading. Students will respond orally; the length and substance of the response will determine each group’s quiz grade. Not everyone will speak during each of the 5 quizzes. However, it is expected that a majority will participate and help the group grade. This is a healthy and non-competitive way to induce peer pressure (the good kind) by motivating people to read; it’s easier to read if you know your contribution will determine your group portion of the quiz score. The aim of these quizzes is to ensure that you have read and understood the assigned material.
- There are no “exams” for this course; it is hoped that this will alleviate any “test anxiety” that you may be prone to. Instead, there are multiple assignments (Discussion Boards, Movie Essays, and a Reflection Paper). It is important to periodically check your syllabus to know what assignment is approaching (and its due date). This is a responsibility of the student, although the professor will provide helpful reminders. When in doubt, consult your syllabus schedule. Reduce unnecessary stress!!!
- NOTE ON OFFICE HOURS: If you need to speak with me (video or realtime audio using your computer’s or i-phone’s microphone), you can schedule a 15-min. block of time during my office hours (see days and hours above) by clicking on “Cisco Webex” in CANVAS. Then, click on which 15-min. block you’d like to reserve in order to chat with me. If you do not have the audio capability to converse with me, we can head to “Conference” (under CANVAS) and just type in realtime. Lastly, we can just email (old-fashioned).
HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS CLASS:
If you are unfamiliar with philosophy, it is going to be different than any other class you’ve taken. And, since it is online, it might be even more challenging. Philosophy and science were only recently separated into isolated disciplines. The essence of philosophy is to question things (often things that we simply accept as true because we’ve been habituated to accept things uncritically) and to construct rational and reasoned accounts for the nature of things in question. The “nature of things” also involves the natural world; this is why people were previously labeled “natural philosophers.” Today, we have “scientists” and “philosophers,” but the truth is, all humans do a little of everything. We think based on the information given us from a young age. These include cultural memes, scientific “proofs,” “conventional wisdom,” and other ideas. Each particular group, community, tribe, and nation from a particular era generates their ideas from a certain context—the social, political, cultural, and intellectual environment. This “habitat” (for lack of a better world) can allow certain thoughts to become “Truth” while discouraging other “truths.” An example is the debate between creationists and evolutionists; Darwin, the popularizer of evolution, was fighting against his era’s context; he was able to convince some people (mainly the new profession of scientists), but today, creationist ideas like the Intelligent Design Movement (see Stephen Meyer’s Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design for a recent and cogent summary) are battling this professional scientific environment. For the longest time, the word “science” (Latin: Scientia) has meant “knowledge” in general. It is only recently that people began distinguishing scientific knowledge from other types of knowledge (like math, history, psychology, etc.).
As a result, you may find the readings to be rather difficult, for they will lack “factual” quality of other disciplines. So if you like to have a sense of certainty, you may find yourself confused and frustrated—but don’t despair. You might have to read them a couple times to understand what’s being argued. This is to be expected.
I encourage you to budget out your reading time throughout the week. You will need at least 2 hrs. each week (typically, 1 reading per week). If you try to skim through this material you will not make sense of it. Most of our readings will present and follow out an argument. You have to follow the argument in order to understand the reading: that is the point of philosophy. The conclusions are easier to simply accept, but the point is to understand WHY a conclusion is made. Finally, make sure that when you read you are alone and in a quiet place. Newspapers, magazines and some textbooks can be mulled over in noisy and crowded places. Our material cannot. Carve out bits of time to read wherein you are free from the television, internet, phones, other people etc. This alone will greatly aid your ability to understand what you read. If you don’t believe me, I would recommend reading Nicholas Carr’s enlightening The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (New York: Norton, 2010). You can also watch a short interview with the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tqRMbg7MPc Better yet, ask yourself after 5 minutes what you’re thinking of as you attempt to read your textbook for an uninterrupted hour: Emails? Headline news? Sports scores?
So, I will be available via email for your questions at any time during the week. I check my email daily and will get back to you within 24 hours (EXCEPT on weekends) if you have a question about what you encounter in your reading. I will also have Virtual Office Hours so we can chat live after school (click on the “Cisco Webex” link in CANVAS during my virtual office hours): SEE TIME/DATES ABOVE, UNDER “OFFICE HOURS.” You will need to “schedule” a time by clicking on a 15-minute block of time. You can choose to do this as a video or NON-video chat (AUDIO ONLY) using your computer’s OR iphone’s microphone. If you do not have access to a microphone, we can chat by typing back-and-forth under “Conference.” If you’d like to ask a private question, email me instead.
If you seek additional sources, beware of the internet, even though this is an online course. There are all kinds of sites that can claim to help you out, but many are run by charlatans, or deal with things beyond our scope. We will be looking at tiny slices of what a given philosopher has written, so whatever you find on the internet about Plato or Locke may have no bearing on what we are focusing on in class. I encourage you to either email me with questions or to talk to your other group members or bring it up during office hours.
Lastly, remember that philosophy is the art of living. The point of our encounters is not to get you a job, but to help you understand yourself and your world!
Other Helpful Texts and Support Materials:
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 either at bookstores (Half-Price Books) or online to purchase (quite cheap). I found these very helpful when first studying philosophy. In addition to being concise and to-the-point, the author (Paul Strathern) is usually funny (a little anti-religious, however).
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 Friday October 30.
COVID-19 statement regarding potential Conversion of Onsite Classes to Online/Remote Format: North Central Texas College students should be aware that in the event of a college closure due to COVID-19, onsite classes will be converted to an online/remote format. Students should plan ahead to ensure they have access to the computer equipment (either PC, MAC, or tablet), webcam, and internet connectivity to continue their classes in an online/remote format. Please read all your official North Central Texas College student emails as the transition from onsite to online/remote might require a reorganization in your personal situation. Students will be granted a 72-hour transition and grace period. Online classes will continue as scheduled without disruption. Wear a mask, stay safe, and contact your Instructor as the situation arises.
Per the North Central Texas College guidance on face coverings on campus, in the instructional setting, faculty and students must wear face coverings, such as masks or face shields. Students without coverings, or those who do not comply with the rules relating to face coverings, will not be able to participate in on-campus classroom activities. To request an exception to this requirement, students should contact the NCTC HR Office of Enrollment Management (ccove@nctc.edu). Failure to comply with the face coverings requirement may result in the Instructor directing the student to leave the classroom. Any student asked to leave the classroom may be referred to the student conduct officer.
Temporary COVID-19 Attendance Policy for Face-to-Face Meetings: We are facing an unprecedented situation in which all of us must be flexible and make prudent decisions in the best interest of our families, our campus, and our community. In light of this, North Central Texas College is temporarily establishing the requirement that faculty keep records of student attendance for face-to-face course meetings as well as a documented seating chart. In addition, students who are sick or need to quarantine should not attend classes. Students will not be required to provide formal documentation from a health care provider and will not be penalized for COVID-19 related absences when proper notification to campus health officials is made in accordance with the guidelines stated below. Faculty will: Notify students about important course information and delivery changes through Canvas and campus email. Students should: Provide notification to campus officials (via NCTC Daily Health Check protocol through Canvas) if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to quarantine
so we can confirm reported absence with instructors, monitor, and assist the campus community. Notify instructors in advance of the absence. Connect with that class through Webex if the class session is being transmitted in a hybrid fashion. Keep up with and/or make up missed classwork or assignments. Submit assignments digitally through Canvas or other means as announced by your instructor. Work with their instructors to reschedule exams, labs, and other critical academic activities described in the course syllabus. Check Canvas and campus email daily to receive important announcements pertaining to the course. During this period, faculty with face-to-face meetings will establish assigned seating/work stations to facilitate roll-taking, and, if necessary, contact tracing. Additionally, we ask all members of the College community to be attentive to their health, and safeguard others, by following the CDC’s guideline to “stay home when you are sick.” You should stay home if you have symptoms. More information on what to do if you are sick is available at the CDC’s website. Additional NCTC information is available at http://www.nctc.edu/coronavirus/index.html
FACE MASK POLICY
NCTC policy requires wearing a face covering while on campus. Staff and security at the main entrance can provide guidance on getting a mask or face shield on campus. For the safety of other students, should a student refuse to gain and/or wear the face covering, professor will ask the student to leave the classroom.
DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321. Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
CALENDAR
Instructor reserves the right to alter schedule at ANY time.
֎Discussion Board Dates to Remember (each due by 11:59 pm): Discussion Board 1 Due (Saturday) 9/12; Discussion Board 2 Due (Sat) 9/26; Discussion Board 3 Due (Sat) 10/17; Discussion Board 4 Due (Sat) 11/14
AUG.
M (24th) INTRODUCTION; DISCUSS SYLLABUS
W (26th) Discuss: HAND OUT (have read before class) “What Are We Doing in This Class? Is Philosophy Possible?” by Donald Palmer
M (31st) LECTURE: “Origins of Philosophy”
UNIT 1: METAPHYSICS (Some metaphysical “problems”)
SEPT.
W (2nd) LECTURE: “Plato and Forms”
M (7th) LABOR DAY (No class)
W (9th) “ “ “ “
֎ Reminder: 1ST DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 9/12 at 11:59 pm
M (14th) Oral Group Quiz: (have read) Augustine, On Free Choice of the Will, pgs. 372-384
W (16th) “ “ “ “
M (21st) Discuss: (have read) HANDOUT on CANVAS: Nietzsche, “On Truth and Lie[s] in a Nonmoral Sense”
W (23rd) “ “ “ “
֎ Reminder: 2ND DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 9/26 at 11:59 pm
Reminder: WATCH INCEPTION OVER THE WEEKEND TO DISCUSS ON MONDAY!
UNIT 2: EPISTEMOLOGY (“What can I know and how?”)
M (28th) Discuss: INCEPTION; Discuss: MOVIE ESSAY #1 INSTRUCTIONS
W (30th) LECTURE: “Rationalism vs. Empiricism”
OCT.
M (5th) Discuss: (have read) Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism, pgs. 352-362
W (7th) “ “ “ “
M (12th) Oral Group Quiz: (have read) Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, pgs. 499-500; [Start with “Synopsis”] 530 – 545.
W (14th) “ “ “ “
֎ Reminder: 3rd DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 10/17 at 11: 59 pm
M (19th) Oral Group Quiz: (have read) Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, pgs. 670-679; 687-688
W (21st) “ “ “ “
MOVIE ESSAY #1 DUE SATURDAY (10/24) at 11:59 pm; Upload to link in CANVAS ([Under “Assignments”])
UNIT 3: PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY (“What difference will it make in my life?”)
M (26th) LECTURE: “American Pragmatism”
W (28th) Oral Group Quiz: (have read: James, Pragmatism and “The Will to Believe,” pgs. 1266-1272; 1278-1280)
NOV.
M (2nd) “ “ “ “
W (4th) LECTURE: “Origins of Existentialism”
M (9th) Oral Group Quiz (have read): HANDOUT on CANVAS, Ortega y Gasset, “Man Has No Nature”
W (11th) “ “ “ “
֎ Reminder: 4th DISCUSSION BOARD DUE Sat. 11/14 at 11:59 pm
M (16th) LECTURE: “French Existentialism”
W (18th) “ “ “ “
M (23rd) “ “ “ “
W (25th) THANKSGIVING (No class)
M (30th) Discuss (have read): HANDOUT on CANVAS, Beauvoir, The Second Sex
DEC.
W (2nd) “ “ “ “
7th - 12th FINAL EXAM WEEK: MOVIE ESSAY #2 DUE (Date/Time to be Announced Later)