INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Fall 2013 Phil MW 12:30p.m 1:45 p.m. Bowman Hall 218

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1 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Fall 2013 Phil MW 12:30p.m 1:45 p.m. Bowman Hall 218 Instructor: Matthew Dargaj Office: Bowman Hall #320, Room R Philosophy Office Phone: Office Hours: MW 10:30a.m-12:00 p.m., 4:00p.m-5:00p.m. mdargaj@kent.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION Philosophy is the reflective and critical analysis of ideas. The aim of this course is to enable students to understand some of the central issues in philosophy and to sharpen their critical skills. This will entail both the careful reading and analyzing of texts and explicating, critiquing and creating arguments. The focus of the course will be the consideration of a constellation of concerns that play upon one another in the history of western thought: What is philosophy? How do we understand truth? How do we distinguish right from wrong? REQUIRED TEXTS 1. Plato, Five Dialogues, second edition, translated by G.M.A Grube. 2. René Descartes, Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, 4 th edition translated by Donald Cress 3. David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, second edition, edited by Eric Steinberg 4. bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics 5. Hand-out readings Grading: Grades are calculated according to the standard scale: A: 93 A-: B+: B: B-: C+: C: C-: D+: D: F: 59 1

2 DIVERSITY ELEMENT: We will be examining bell hooks' text, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics REQUIREMENTS AND METHODS OF ASSESSMENT 1) Attendance and Participation: Attendance and active participation in class is essential. You should be prepared to explain and discuss the readings assigned for that day. The instructor has no problem excusing absences for legitimate reasons (illness, death in the family, etc.) so long as he is informed in advance or on the same day. works best for these purposes. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get notes from someone in the class. 2) Reading Quizzes: We will have 6 short answer reading quizzes. Each quiz will be worth 10 points. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped, so that the cumulative quiz grade will be calculated based on the 5 top-scoring quizzes. Each quiz will be given at the BEGINNING of class. For each quiz, I will ask you to answer two short answer questions. The first question (worth 5 points) will deal with reading material from the previous week of class. The second question (worth 5 points) will deal with reading material for that day of class. Missed quizzes can be made up only if the instructor has excused the absence in advance. Be warned: to avoid plagiarism, make-up quizzes will have different questions, which you can expect will be more difficult than usual. Quiz dates are tentatively scheduled and may be subject to change. 3) Short Essays: You will be required to write two short essays (3-4 pages each). Each essay will be on a specific, assigned topic. You will be asked to work with and cite from the primary texts. Essays are due at the beginning of class and must be turned in directly to me. Essay due dates are tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 14 th (paper #1) and Monday, November 18 th (paper #2). DO NOT YOUR ESSAYS TO ME. HAND WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Each essay is worth 50 points. 4) Unit Exams: There will be 3 unit exams, tentatively scheduled for #1: Wednesday, September 25 th, #2: Wednesday, October 30 th and #3 FINAL EXAM: Friday, December 13 th 10:15am-12:30pm. The final exam will not be cumulative. Only under extenuating circumstances may exams be made up. Each exam will include True/False, multiple choice, Fill in the blank, Quotation Identifications, and a short answer portion. Each exam is worth 100 points. GRADE BREAKDOWN: 1. (5) 10 pt. Reading Quizzes: 50 points 2. (2) 50 pt. Short Essays: 100 points 3. (3) 100 pt. Unit Exams: 300 points Total points possible: 450 2

3 UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS This course may be used to satisfy a Kent Core requirement. The Kent Core as a whole is intended to broaden intellectual perspectives, foster ethical and humanitarian values, and prepare students for responsible citizenship and productive careers. This course may be used to satisfy the University Diversity requirement. Diversity courses provide opportunities for students to learn about such matters as the history, culture, values and notable achievements of people other than those of their own national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, physical and mental ability, and social class. Diversity courses also provide opportunities to examine problems and issues that may arise from differences, and opportunities to learn how to deal constructively with them. ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION The official registration deadline for this course is Sunday, September 8 th, University policy requires all students to be officially registered in each class they are attending. Students who are not officially registered for a course by published deadlines should not be attending classes and will not receive credit or a grade for the course. Each student must confirm enrollment by checking his/her class schedule (using Student Tools in FlashLine) prior to the deadline indicated. Registration errors must be corrected prior to the deadline. The official deadline to withdraw from this course is Sunday, November 3 rd, GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE The Philosophy Department grievance procedure is in conformity with the Student Academic Complaint Policy and Procedures set down as University Policy in the University Policy Register. For information concerning the details of the grievance procedure, please see the department Chairperson, Dr. Odell-Scott (dodellsc@kent.edu). UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY The academic program at Kent State University seeks to promote the intellectual development of each student and the realization of that individual s potential for creative thinking, learning, and understanding. In achieving this end, each student must learn to use his/her mind rigorously, independently, and imaginatively. The University s understanding and expectations regarding issues of academic honesty are fully articulated in University policy , and form an essential part of the implicit contract between the student and the University. This policy provides a framework to help students develop and exhibit honesty in their academic work. Students 3

4 are expected to know and abide by the rules of the institution as described in the University s policies and regulations.. If you have any questions, please read the policy at Dishonesty in any of your academic work is taken very seriously, and is, therefore, grounds for an F for the entire course. Such violations include, but are not limited to, turning in another person s work as your own, copying from any source without proper citation, and lying in connection with your academic work. You will be held responsible for your actions. Particular attention should be directed to the appropriate use of materials available through the Internet. Whether intentional or not, improper use of materials is a violation of academic honesty. If you are unsure as to what is permissible, please contact your course instructor. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES University policy requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through Student Accessibility Services (contact or visit for more information on registration procedures). COURSE SCHEDULE 1 : Week 1 (Mon 8/26): Introduction to Class (Wed 8/28): Reading: Laches Week 2 (Mon 9/2): NO CLASS! (LABOR DAY) (Wed 9/4): Reading: Laches (continued) Sunday, September 8 th : ***COURSE REGISTRATION DEADLINE*** Week 3 (Mon 9/9): Quiz 1, Reading: Euthyphro (Wed 9/11): Reading: Apology 1 This syllabus represents the ideal of how the semester will play out. Occasionally, we might need more time to go over a given subject, or we might need to readjust the schedule for circumstances such as snow days. This will be done at the instructor s discretion. 4

5 Week 4 (Mon 9/16): Reading: Crito (Wed 9/18): Quiz 2, Meno pgs Phaedo pgs , Week 5 (Mon 9/23): Test #1 Review Day (Wed 9/25): Test #1 Week 6 (Mon 9/30): PAPER #1 ASSIGNED, Reading: Phaedo pgs , (Wed 10/2): Reading: Introduction to Descartes (pgs. 1-6, 47-56) Week 7 (Mon 10/7): Quiz 3, Reading: Descartes Meditation #1 & #2 (Wed 10/9): Reading: Descartes Meditation #3 Week 8 (Mon 10/14): Paper #1 DUE, Reading: Descartes Meditation #6 (Wed 10/16): Quiz #4, Reading: Introduction to David Hume (pgs. 1-15) Week 9 (Mon 10/21): Reading: David Hume: pgs (Wed 10/23): Reading: David Hume: pgs Week 10 (Mon 10/28): Test #2 Review (Wed 10/30): Test #2 Sunday, November 3 rd : ***LAST CHANCE TO DROP WITHOUT PENALTY*** Week 11 (Mon 11/4): PAPER #2 ASSIGNED, Reading: David Hume: pgs (Wed 11/6): Reading: Simone de Beauvoir: Introduction to The Second Sex (Hand-Out) Week 12 (Mon 11/11): VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE (NO CLASSES, Offices closed) (Wed 11/13): Reading: bell hooks, Introduction & Chapters 1-2 Week 13 (Mon 11/18): Paper #2 DUE, Reading: bell hooks, Chapters 5-7 (Wed 11/20): Quiz #6, Reading: bell hooks, Chapters 8-11 Week 14 (Mon 11/25): Reading: TBA (Wed Noon-12/1: THANKSGIVING RECESS!!!! (Classes recessed Wednesday through Sunday. Offices closed Thursday and Friday). 5

6 Week 15 (Mon 12/2): Reading: TBA Hand-Out Reading (Wed 12/4): Reading: Final Exam Review Day Week 16: FINALS WEEK! *********************************************************************** **************************FINAL EXAM****************************** *********************************************************************** Friday, December 13 th (10:15a.m.-12:30p.m.) 6