TEXT:  Philosophy: An Introduction to the Art of Wondering,  James L. Christian, 7^th Ed., Harcourt Brace College Publishers,  1994.
            What Does It All Mean?,  Thomas Nagel, Oxford University Press,1987.

 I am looking forward to meeting and talking with you this semester.  I am usually in my office or available for appointments on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1:30-2:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 9:00-10:00 a.m.  In addition I am usually available right after class.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is a general introductory course in philosophy. Philosophers think about everything. Philosophers paint very big pictures of lots of big pictures. People have a lot of great ideas about reality and, perhaps, a lot of stupid ideas about reality. If you can sort out these ideas and make sense of them it can help you understand your own view of reality. Philosophy is about having a point of view: A point of view about what is real and what is not real, about what is good and what is not good, about what is true and what is false, about what is meaningful and what is not. If you have a point of view you have a philosophy. There are many philosophies and many philosophers.  Why?  Because there are very many of points of view. You think about a lot of things already. Philosophy can help you think about thinking. It can help you think more clearly and precisely. Philosophy tends to be concerned with broad, fundamental ideas about knowledge, cosmic reality, human nature, and society. And it is also concerned with words and concepts, their meaning and their logical relationship to each other.  Philosophy will help you define reality for yourself, help you sort out your ideas and those of others, and it will help you decide which of them have meaning for you.

COURSE OUTLINE: 

1.      The art of wondering: Philosophical concepts, methods, and critical thinking

2.      The condition and the odyssey: The self in the world

3.      Knowing and Unknowing: How do we know what is real and true?

4.      The Inner World: Consciousness and meaning

5.      Coexistence:  History, Laws and Governments, and Ethics

6.      The Protoplasmic Venture: What is life? Creation, evolution and environment

7.      The Cosmos: What is the nature of the universe?

8.      Of Ultimate Concern: God, Death, and the meaning of existence

Notes:   The text has two principal purposes:

1.      To introduce students to philosophical methods and ideas

2.      To supply materials touching on almost every facet of living which can be subject to analysis and synthesis.

The book tries to present a “gestalt” of a particular field of thought by means of some of the field’s terminology, a few of its general conclusions, accounts of great moments in the field, pictures and diagrams, and quotations from the field’s specialists.  The idea is to attempt philosophical analysis and synthesis as one moves through these fields, looking at the world and self in new ways and unifying the different pieces of the “world-puzzle” into some kind of whole.

            The Nagel book is a very brief introduction to philosophical problems.  Nagel gets right to the heart of various philosophical issues.  Chapters from his book will be assigned as we deal with these issues in class.

OBJECTIVES:

1.      To introduce students to classical philosophical methods

2.      To learn how to ask and re-ask questions until meaningful answers begin to appear

3.      To learn how to relate, compare, and contrast different ideas

4.      To learn how and where to go for the most dependable, up-to-date information

5.      To learn how to double check fact-claims in order to verify or falsify them

6.      To introduce students to some classical philosophers and schools of philosophical thought

7.      To develop student skills:  a)thinking clearly and logically  b) going for the facts  c) analyzing for insight   d)  synthesizing for understanding

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:   

1. Class Participation:

  I will try to make each class as interesting and challenging as possible.  I expect the student to be an active learner, to be a part of the class, and to take intellectual risks.  This means:

a)      Ask questions.   Make a genuine effort to understand the material.

Force me to relate the material to you in a way you feel is relevant and helpful to you.

b)      Contribute your thoughts.  We often feel like we have nothing in to say. Everybody has something to say, we just don’t want to say it. Please say it! An important part of any education is developing the ability to express your thoughts.

c)      Come to class. It is hard to participate if you are not in class. Excellent class attendance will be rewarded. Excessive absences will have a negative effect on the student’s grade.

1.      Students are allowed one free absence.

2.      Otherwise each absence costs the student 2% of  his/her final grade

3.      Absences can be made up by writing two or more pages summarizing the chapter we are covering in the missed class.  This paper must be turned in at the very next class.

4.      In the case of catastrophes ( hospitalization, death in the family, etc.) this attendance policy is waived.

2.   Read the material assigned!   We will cover most of the material in the text and in the Nagel book.    Other material will be presented in the class.  The student will be held responsible for both kinds of material.

Examinations:  There will be various brief examinations over the reading material as well as a final examination. These will consist of a wide range of questions:  True-false, multiple choice, and essay.

 3.      Student Journals: Students will be expected to keep an ongoing journal detailing their thoughts and reactions to issues and discussions in the class and in the text.  Students are encouraged to be creative and original and may fulfill this requirement in any manner they feel is appropriate.  Students might pursue logical arguments, express feelings or emotional responses, write short stories, go off on tangents,  etc.  The idea is to think about something in the course and express those thoughts in writing. Ideally entries should be made 2 to 3 times per week, but in any case at least weekly.   Journals will be due at midterm and during the last week of classes. The following are the criteria that will be used in grading the journals:

            1.   Large number of  entries.

            2.  Work that is clearly written and expresses clear, understandable thoughts.

            3.  Work that is thoughtful, insightful, and/or creative.

            4.  Evidence that the student has put some effort into the journal.

4.      Students will be assigned a series of short 2-3 page papers during the semester.   These will deal with various philosophical issues and or philosophers and may (depending on the nature of the paper) need to show the consultation of outside sources and be properly referenced. Grading basis:

a)      Outside material is properly referenced:  Quotation marks are used, paraphrases are indicated, and sources clearly listed.

b)     Work is clearly written and expresses clear, understandable thoughts.

c)      Work is thoughtful, insightful, and/or creative.

d)     There is evidence that the student has put some effort into the paper.

Grades:   Students’ grades will be based on their examinations,   the journals and papers, and class participation.