PHIL 1301.0303 Introduction to Philosophy Online Via Canvas
Instructor: Douglas Smith
Contact: dbsmith@nctc.edu
This course is an online, module-based, survey of leading figures in the history of philosophy from Ancient Greece, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment ,and the 20th century. Central areas of philosophy studied include: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political theory, feminist thought, and critical race theory.
Course Materials
RequiredTexts:
Classics of Philosophy (3e) by Louis Pojman and Lewis Vaughn [9780199737291]
The instructor will provide all other reading materials for this course. These readings, as well as other pertinent and helpful information, can be found on Canvas. If you have any issues retrieving the readings, please let the instructor know.
Course Requirements and Grading
Discussion Posts (15%)
You will be required to contribute to discussion board postings found on Canvas. The purpose of these discussions is to develop your interpretation of the readings and communicate this interpretation clearly to both your instructor and your peers. Each module will require a minimum of four posts. There will be two prompts for each module. You will provide an original response to each prompt and then also post a reply to a classmate for each prompt as well making a total of four posts. Usual standards of professionalism and courtesy apply. Keep in mind, you will occasionally be instructed to quote from the readings for the week. This will necessitate including a citation in proper format to receive credit. Such referencing will be in the Name-Date format of Chicago manual of style. You can find more information on this style of referencing at the link below.
https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html
(It might be worth noting that the hyphenated page numbers in some of the examples is due to that particular quote starting on one page and ending on the next.)
Conversation Reports (5%)
For some of the modules you will be provided with a prompt to help conduct a “philosophical conversation” with a person of your choosing. This can be a friend or a relative (e.g., romantic partner, parent, roommate, or even favorite barista). I suggest choosing someone that you respect and who is interested in your academic journey in general. Using the prompt provided for each assignment, you will take some brief notes during your discussion and then typically report back with the details in the form of a short essay. Ideally, you will come away from the discussion with a better idea of what you actually think concerning the topics of our class and also have the opportunity to share some of the philosophical issues and themes with those persons of your choosing. Keep in mind that you might have multiple different conversation partners over the course of the semester but you might also just happily choose the same one. That is up to you.
Reading Quizzes (5%)
For some of the modules you will have a short reading quiz. This will typically (but perhaps not always) be instead of a conversation report for that module. The quizzes should be quite easy if you have done the reading prior to attempting them. I strongly recommend using your notes and the readings themselves rather than trusting google to provide a quick and easy short cut when taking these quizzes.
Mid-Term Exam (20%)
The mid-term exam will cover the assigned content and readings from the first six weeks of the semester. The exam will be proctored through Canvas and will be primarily in a short-essay format followed by multiple choice and true/false questions.
Research Paper (25%)
You are expected to write a Research Paper, no longer than 5 double spaced pages (aim for around 1250 words), to be turned in via a link provided. The paper is evaluated on structure (esp. clarity of thesis and path statements), and appropriate, critical, informative use of independent research. The paper must include references and a bibliography formatted using the Name-Date format of Chicago style mentioned above. There will be more on this to come.
Final Exam (30%)
The final exam will primarily cover the content and readings assigned after the mid-term. The final exam, though not cumulative, will have a brief section of reviewed material from our midterm. Our final exam will be exclusively in multiple choice and true/false format.
Grading policy: this course is graded according to the requirements specified and weighted above. Letter and numerical grades are translatable on the following scale:
A= 90%+
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0-59%
Classroom Policies:
Late Assignment Policy: Late work as a result of excused absences as defined by the NCTC attendance policy can be discussed of course. I would prefer your work to be turned in early rather than late if you know you are going to be away from the Internet for a period that makes participation in class difficult.
Missed Exam Policy: If you are going to miss an exam I assume we have more to talk about than merely as to whether your absence was excused according to NCTC policy.
Netiquette: You are expected to be courteous toward your classmates and instructor. Be aware of your language and tone so as to maintain a professional and inclusive environment.
Academic Integrity Policy:
See the Student Handbook for general NCTC policies on Academic Integrity. The point of taking classes is to learn. You cannot truly learn if you engage in any form of academic dishonesty. All your work in this class must be your own. The most common forms of academic dishonesty that I see are plagiarism and the use of Artificial Intelligence. In the case of plagiarism, you are taking information from someone else and presenting it as your own. Plagiarism can be copying direct quotes from elsewhere (a book or the internet) but is not necessarily word for word. Plagiarism also occurs if you take ideas of others and reword them presenting them as your own thoughts. Philosophical texts can be difficult to understand, so students will often go to various internet sites to try to understand something better. Even without intending plagiarism, a student will try to put what they saw online in their own words. This is still plagiarism. The use of Artificial Intelligence is typically ChatGPT or similar tools. Using ChatGPT is no different from having another person write your paper or assignment for you. In both cases, YOU did not do the assignment.
Students engage in academic dishonesty for different reasons. Sometimes the student is struggling with the material or has burdens in their personal life. Other times, a student is just lazy and doesn’t want to do the work. In either case, I can’t give you a grade for work you didn’t do yourself. But if you are struggling, communicate with me. I’m here to help! I am always willing to work with a student who communicates with me.
Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
Read, analyze, and critique philosophical texts.
Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts, major arguments, problems, and terminology in philosophy.
Present logically persuasive arguments both orally and in writing.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills in evaluation and application of philosophical concepts to various aspects of life.
Evaluate the personal and social responsibilities of living in a diverse world.
Core Objectives:
Critical Thinking
Communication
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.