PHI 2001: Syllabus
Dr. Dimitria Electra Gatzia
Contact: degatzia@syr.edu
Room:
Time:
Office Hours: TBA
This course meets Area IV general education requirements for the A.A./A.A.S./A.S. degrees and a part of the six hour International/Intercultural requirement. Designed to be an historical overview of world philosophy, PHI 2001 begins with the Ancient Greeks and ends with the Renaissance.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Fieser, James. Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy (Available at the bookstore.)
Additional readings (will posted on the front page of this website PHI 2001)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Philosophy explores some of life's most fundamental questions and address them through the human capacity to reason: philosophical answers are based on reasoned arguments, which analyze and seek to justify beliefs. Thus, Philosophy is a kind of self-examination, in which you discover what you think, and then reflect on whether your opinions are really worth holding. This is the essence of the life of reason: to look critically at your own ideas.
During the term you will be introduced to a variety of important thinkers who have attempted to address questions about the possibility of knowledge, morality, the legitimacy of government, and so on. Along the way you will:
read philosophical texts, in order to analyze their arguments and evaluate their answers to the questions of the course;
see how philosophical concepts can help you understand practical dilemmas
express your ideas through arguments--both verbal and written--which present your reasons for holding your beliefs
GRADING
A: 100-90; B: 89-80; C: 79-70; D: 69-60
Your grade will be calculated as follows: Unit tests count 60% (your lowest score will be dropped), the final exam counts 30%, the class presentations count 10%. You can also earn up to 3 points for attendance and up to 10 points for reading the parallel books.
Unit Tests (count for 60%):
Since the major objective of the course is to stimulate your examination of your own ideas, we will use a multiple choice unit test to further that objective. We will assume that a basic source of intellectual stimulation is knowledge. The unit tests are designed, therefore, to assess the amount and quality of knowledge that you have obtained of the subject under discussion. This requires careful study of the text and notes from the lectures
Final Exam (counts for 30% points):
The purpose of the final examination is to assess the overview of philosophy which you have achieved in the course. The intent of such an examination is to encourage you throughout the course not only to study diligently the specific material assigned for each unit, but to continually integrate new material into a larger picture of the movement of people and ideas. Much specific data memorized for objective tests is soon forgotten; ideas integrated into one's own frame of reference and seen in relation to each other and to history may predictably enrich one and be lasting in their effect, so the final exam is an essay exam which is cumulative in its scope. Though the final exam may only count 30%, it is very important. Should a student have already earned enough points to obtain an A or B grade, that grade must be validated by his or her earning at least a C on the final. A grade lower than a C on the final will reduce each of these by one letter.
Class Presentations (10%):
In the first week of the semester I will assign you to a small discussion group that you will work with for the rest of the term.
During almost every class, your group will work together on one or more group exercises that bring out the philosophical topics for that day. During class I will call on groups to make brief presentations about their decisions, and the reasoning behind them.
At the end of class each group will turn in a single page (typed) paper on the topic they have chose to present. Although I expect you to express your thoughts on the matter along with the reasons you have for holding those beliefs, you must make use of the material we covered in class. You must include the names of all the students who participated in the presentation and the preparation of the paper. The group presentations will be graded pass/fail --an honest effort will earn a credit. If you attend class you will get whatever credit your group gets; if you miss class you will receive a 0 for any group exercises that day.
Parallel Books (10 possible points):
On the first day of the semester I will designate two books, which if you choose to read, you will earn 10 points each toward your grade. On designated dates after having signed a statement affirming that you have read the book in question thoroughly and entirely, you will be given a simple test to confirm your claim. Seventy per cent (70%) will be considered passing on these tests.
Attendance (3 possible points)
POLICIES
Make Up Responsibilities:
Make-up tests are available only when absences are excused. One must obtain permission from the Professor to take a make-up test. Make-up tests must be taken within one week of when the original test was given unless special arrangements are made. Failure to make up tests in a timely fashion will result in a "0" grade for that test. They are always essay in format, and when allowed will be given by appointment only in the Testing/Assessment Center on the second floor of the Korcheck Buiding.
Attendance Policy:
Philosophy is an experiential activity and is best learned in community. I cannot claim that a student has had this course unless she/he has attended regularly. I have devised the following incentive system in order to encourage and reward attendance.
0 hours absent - +3 pts.
1 hour absent - +2 pts.
2 hours absent - +1 pt.
3 hours absent - 0
4 hours absent - --1 pt.
5 hours absent - --2 pts.
6 hours absent - --3 pts.
Withdrawal Policy:
In accordance with the Manatee Community College policy as stated in the college catalog, students may withdraw from any course or all courses without academic penalty of a WF by the withdrawal deadline as listed in the Manatee Community College academic calendar. This semester this date is June 4, 2007 (Class A); July 17, 2007 (Class B). The student must take responsibility for initiating the withdrawal procedure. Students are strongly encouraged to talk with their instructors first before taking any withdrawal action. Should you exceed the allowable absences after that date, the only grade that the instructor is allowed to enter is an "F." In the event that an emergency should cause one to exceed the attendance requirement late in the semester, the "F" grade may be appealed to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Any student absent from the course more than six hours FOR ANY REASON will be dropped. WHEN AN ABSENCE IS "EXCUSED," IT IS STILL AN ABSENCE. THE TERM, "EXCUSED," ONLY MEANS THAT ONE IS PERMITTED TO MAKE UP WORK MISSED.
Note: an absence from a Tuesday-Thursday class constitutes 1 1/3 hours.
Tardiness:
An occasional tardiness is understandable. If you are tardy, it is your responsibility to inform the professor immediately after class so that he can confirm in his records that you were present. Habitual tardiness is rudeness, and it is the professor's responsibility to protect the class from being misused by a careless member. Therefore, IF A PERSON IS TARDY FOUR TIMES, HE/SHE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE ROOM TARDY AGAIN. In the event that the above-mentioned pattern begins to emerge, the student will be warned privately before being denied access to the room for the next tardy.
Standards of Conduct:
Students are expected to abide by all standards of conduct stated in the Lancer Student Handbook.
Plagiarism is the use of ideas, facts, opinions, illustrative material, data, direct or indirect wording of another scholar and/or writer-professional or student-without giving proper credit. It is, therefore, dishonest and may result in expulsion, suspension, or any lesser penalty.