Course Description:

In this course, students will explore the origins and ongoing evolution of three (or more) of the main areas of philosophy: metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, social and political philosophy, and aesthetics.  Students will learn critical-thinking skills, the main philosophical ideas from a variety of the world’s traditions, how to develop and explain their own philosophical ideas, and how to apply those ideas to contemporary social issues and personal experiences.

Instructor Information:

Mr. André Wittmann, B.A., M.A., B.Ed.

Earl Haig Secondary School, Social Science Office (room 328)

100 Princess Ave., North York, ON, M2N 3R7

Tel: (416) 395-3210 ext. 20075

Email: andre.wittmann@tdsb.on.ca

Brightspace:

• Students MUST use their TDSB email account to access the Brightspace and for school communication.

• All work MUST be submitted to Brightspace.

• Students and parents will be invited to Brightspace at the beginning of the course.

EHSS Library Page for HZT4U1

• The school library provides a research page on it's website.

• CLICK HERE FOR THE EHSS LIBRARY PAGE FOR  HZT4U1

Course Materials:

• All course materials are available on this website. 

Course Structure & Expectations:

• This course is structured as an introductory university philosophy course and will focus on note-taking, summarizing, reading, discussion, and academic-scholarly writing skills.

• Learning strategies will include lectures, discussion seminars, and written assignments.

• Attendance: The student is expected to attend class on time. Parents/guardians will be contacted if lates/attendance becomes an issue/hindrance. If the student knows about an absence in advance, they should contact the teacher.

• Plagiarism/Cheating: A mark of 0 will be assigned for any work submitted that does not belong to the student. A mark of 0 will be assigned to a student who was found to have cheated. Parents/guardians will be informed.

• Missed Work: If a student is absent from class, (e.g. illness, sports team) it is their responsibility to find out what they have missed and to catch up. The student is responsible for completing all of the work that was missed due to an absence. If a student misses an assignment or test without a legitimate explanation and documentation, marks up to and including the full value of the evaluation may be deducted. Make-up tests must be arranged to be written.

• Late Work: Late work may result in a deduction of marks up to and including the full value of the evaluation.

Readings:

• 90% of homework readings are primary source readings.

• Students are encouraged to complete external research and use any aids to assist in reading these philosophical works.

• Students are encouraged to read SparkNotes along with your readings.

• philosophypages.com & plato.stanford.edu are very helpful websites (see Resources page for more aids).

Assessment and Evaluation Information:

A. Formative Mark (70%)

• Rich Culminating Tasks completed throughout the course

• Course evaluations incorporate one or more of the achievement categories (KICA)

Knowledge and Understanding = 21%

Communication = 14%

Application = 14%

Thinking and Inquiry = 21%

Assignment Submission (formative evaluation):

• You will submit, on the due date, to Brightspace. 

• No hard copy required.

• All assignments are evaluated and included in the course mark.

• Assignments will be due on a Friday at 11:59pm.

• But late marks will not be deduced until Monday at 12:01am, 48 hours later.

• After which, 0.5 out of 10 marks per school day will be deducted from each category.

Policy for Missed Tests (formative evaluation):  

• A missed test or quiz will receive a mark of zero unless an official doctor’s note is provided.

• After an official documentation is provided, a make-up test will be scheduled.  

B. Course Summative Mark (30%)

• 30% of your final grade

• Summative evaluation held at the end of the course

• Encompassing the entire course and covering the four categories of achievement

• Usually an Expository Essay Assignment (10%) and a Formal Exam (20%)

C. Assessed Tasks 

• Unit homework completion

• Class participation

D. Learning Skills

• Learning skills provide Information to help students understand what skills, habits & behaviours are needed to work on, to be successful. 

• These are not connected with any numerical mark. 

• Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative and Self-Regulation

E – Excellent,    G – Good,    S – Satisfactory,    N – Needs Improvement

E. Evaluation Rich Tasks Tracking Chart

• Marks entered into PowerSchool by category

• Use this chart to track your progress

F. Class Discussion Performance (assessment)

Instructions:

•  Seminars are designed as opportunities for discussion and debate of issues related to course material.

• All students are required to actively participate in the discussions and will be assessed for participation according to this rubric.

• Thus attendance essential.

• Students divided into groups to discuss the reading and brainstorm questions for the rest of the class.

• Students should connect the reading to a news item, current issue, life experience, historical event, readings, lectures, other courses.

Marking Scheme:

A. Knowledge/Understanding

• How well your participation demonstrates your understanding of the material from the seminar readings, lectures and homework readings.

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

B. Think/Inquiry

• How well your participation connects your ideas & opinions to the topics, theories  and philosophers studied to the seminar topic.

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

C. Application

• How well your participation uses a news item, current issue, life experience, historical event, readings, lectures, and other subjects to explain your ideas & opinions about the topics, theories  and philosophers studied and seminar topic.

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

D. Communication 

• How well your participation effectively orally expressed all these connections in the discussion.

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

G. Random Review Question (assessment)

Instructions:

• Students should complete and submit to Brightspace the weekly review question

• Responses should be 100-300 words.

Marking Scheme:

A. ORIGINALITY (knowledge/understanding)

• Similarity to others according to Brightspace

• Appropriate sources

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

B. LANGUAGE & LENGTH (communication)

• How effectively you answered the question

• Proper citations

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

C. LOGIC & REASONING (application)

• Clear, concise, appropriate arguments

• Submitted to Brightspace on time

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10

D. PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY (think/inquiry)

• Effectively connected your ideas & opinions to the topic & to philosophers studied

Incomplete  0 Needs Improvement  5 Satisfactory  6 or 7 Good  8 or 9 Excellent  9.5 or 10