Course Description
In this course we will investigate into some of the most asked about questions in philosophy. Within epistemology we will ask what is certain knowledge? Can we be certain that we know what we see before our eyes? Are we in some way mistaken when we say I “know” something? In ethics we will ask what is it to be good, or bad? What is the morally “Good Life”? Is it to indulge all of one’s desires and wants? Or is it to act in moderation in all aspects of our life and at the same time think of the good of other people? Also, Metaphysics will cause us to think clearly about the intangible that makes sense of our lives. What is it that allows us to have freewill? Or is human action determined by our human disposition to be unable to control our lives? What is the notion of a universal and a particular? Do they rely on each other? In the philosophy of religion we will ask if God does really exist. If so, what proof do we have? In political theory we will ask what is the best way to organize society? These are some of the many varied questions that we will ask.
The learning objectives in any philosophy course, and as stated in the BSU catalog have been adapted for this course while meeting these requirements, and are as follows:
1. Students are to appreciate and understand the western tradition of philosophical thought. This will be accomplished in this course by the investigation and learning of the western philosophical methods.
2. Students will also understand the basic concepts and arguments in selected areas of philosophy, for example, metaphysics, ethics, and epistemology.
3. Students will strengthen skills in analysis, reasoning, and problem solving through the reading and discussion of diverse philosophical texts.
4. Students will effectively communicate that understanding and exercise those skills in composition of accurate, insightful, detailed, and well-organized essays in response to questions appearing on assignment and examination papers.
Students must attend all lectures in order to receive credit for quizzes and homework. Assignments for homework will be given on the basis of reading from Our Philosophical Heritage. Students will be asked to complete the Study Questions before the start of next class. The professor may or may not collect these answers for credit, but still the homework will need to be completed in case the home is asked for. Late homework will not be accepted. A total of eight Study Question sheets will be collected through out the course, with each study question sheet being worth a total of 2.5% of the whole grade for the course. Exemption is permitted for medical, student, and other important activities, which will be explained in an authorized letter prior to beginning of the class in question. Work missed during excused absence must be completed in the student’s own time.
Attendance for the full duration of the session is required. Punctuality is also crucial in a learning environment. Turn up at least a few minutes before the start of class. Latecomers disrupt the class for all students. Quizzes will not be given to those who arrive late.
Full attention in class is required for listening to the lecture, listening to the discussion, and contributing where applicable.
Writing assignments for homework textbook questions, essays, and all written work are to be written in full. Write at least one paragraph with an introduction sentence and a conclusion sentence for the Study Questions. Essays for homework and examinations are to be written with an introduction paragraph and a conclusion paragraph with a discussion written in between in logical sequence. This is because a single word or single sentence will not display your understanding of the subject matter. A full paragraph of writing or essay will show your knowledge and comprehension.
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Plagiarism, the copying of another’s work or submitting of previously credited work, will result in dismissal from the class. An “F” will be given. The following web sites, containing descriptions and numerous examples of plagiarism in various types of assignments, are given in order to further educate students on this important matter.
Here is a link
showing that using someone else's
ideas or phrasing and representing those ideas or phrases as your own, either
on purpose by mistake, is a serious academic offense we call plagiarism:
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml
Here is a link describing plagiariam, how to recognize and avoid
commiting this error in academic referencing:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
Here is a link to the BSU
Writing Center's resource page containing links on the subject of correct
formatting of citations:
http://www.boisestate.edu/wcenter/resource.html
Students are very much welcome to ask me for advise, prior to handing in their written work for grading, on a piece of work and if it is an example of plagiarism.
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The course is constructed with a variety of teaching strategies and techniques. While the lecture is important, it must be realized that students’ class work and homework is just as important in the learning process. The assessment of student work will be accomplished by the following in class and homework assignments.
Unannounced quizzes (10) 10%
Homework study questions (8) 20%
Long essay (1) Bentham and Kant 15%
Long essay (2) Locke on politics 15%
Mid-term examination 20%
Final examination 20%
100%
The graded examinations will be one hour for the mid-term and two hours for the final. Each will consist of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. The examinations are in addition to class and homework. All examinations must be taken or points cannot be given for that exam. If you cannot take the exam at the given time and have an acceptable reason, an alternative time must be arranged prior to the exam date. The final grade for this course is arranged as follows:
|
90 - 100 80 - 89 70 - 79 60 - 69 0 – 59 |
= A = B = C = D = F |
Your professor determines the criteria of acceptability. The essay assignments must be typed. Homework must be completed and handed in on the day it is due. All written work and exams must be written in ink. |
Written answers will receive higher grades when they reach the following criteria: they are precise, comprehensive enough to fully answer question, written in full sentences, written in your own words, and legibly written.
The reading for this course will consist of:
Our Philosophical Heritage, Andrew B. Schoedinger
Students will be told which section to read in advance. The parts and chapters for this course are:
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First half Introduction 1. The Philosophical Act 2. What is Philosophy? 3. The Value of Philosophy Bertrand Russell Part One: Ethics 4. Problems of Ethics 5. Self-Actualization; Aristotle 6. Hedonism 7. The Categorical Imperative Immanuel Kant 8. Classical Utilitarianism Jeremy Bentham
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Page 1 11
19
27 37
57 77
99 |
Part Four: Epistemology 19. Problems of Epistemology 20. Rationalisms: Rene Descartes 21. Empiricism: John Locke 22. Idealism: George Berkeley
Long essay 1: Bentham and Kant Submission date: 1 March, 2006
Mid-term examination: Time: 1:40-2:30, March 8, 2006, E 106
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Page 295 307 325 351 |
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Second half Part Three: Philosophy of Religion 14. Problems of the Philosophy of Religion 16. The Cosmological Argument: Saint Thomas Aquinas Part Five: Metaphysics 24. Problems of Metaphysics 25. Realism: Plato 26. Conceptualism: John Locke
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Page
217
245
395 411 441 |
Part Two: Political Theory 9. Problems of Political Theory 10. Authoritarianism Thomas Hobbes 11. Liberalism: John Locke 12. Conservatism: Edmund Burke 13. Communism: Karl Marx
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Page 119
127 149
173 193 |
Long Essay 2: “Locke on politics”
Submission date: April 26, 2006
Consultation for students will be from 9:15 – 10:15 M.W.F. My E-mail address is cinnes@boisestate.edu. My office is located at Lincoln Hall 104, room 104. My office telephone number is (208) 426-2704.
Related courses also taught by this Professor:
1. Political Theory Content in Children’s Fiction 494 – Summer, 2006
2. Philosophy Content in Children’s Fiction 494 – Summer, 2006
3. Philosophy in Adult Fiction 494 – Summer, 2006
4. The thought of Karl Marx 494 – Summer, 2006
N.B. There will be no sessions held on the following dates:
1. January 20
2. February 3
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Assignment 1: 1500 words
A dialogue |
Submission Date: March 1, 2006,
Possible Mark: 15% of whole grade |
Title: How should I treat my self and other people?
Within moral philosophy there is an approach to how we should conduct our lives and how other people should be considered. The Greeks had a more rounded and whole understanding of a person’s moral concern, while the moderns on the other hand are more concerned about the abstraction of moral dilemmas.
Write a dialogue between Jeremy Bentham and Immanuel Kant. The topic of discussion will be of your choosing, but the moral reasoning must include the methods and principles used by Bentham and Kant. Include quotes and page references. An example of the dialogue style you will use is in Dr. Schoedinger’s text, pages 361-373
1. Introduction: Outline both Bentham’s and Kant’s philosophical principles, and introduce the topic or topics they are to discuss.
2. Discuss briefly how the moderns’ ethical approach is very much different from the Greek moral concerns; therefore the scientific abstraction of moral dilemmas is important to the moderns.
3. Start the dialogue with Kant. During the discussion with Bentham, emphasize the notion of the Categorical Imperative, therefore the need for consistency and the necessary human possession of freewill thus making humans responsible and bound by duty and obligation.
4. During Bentham’s discussion with Kant emphasize his Classical Utilitarianism. Bentham would think Kant’s rule-directed ethics to be too pure and maybe even rigged. Diagram a Hedonic Calculus to illustrate the utilitarian moral concern. What criteria does the Hedonic Calculus work on? How does legislation bring ethics down to earth and put it to work?
5. Conclusion: Write a summary of the discussion and detail the findings.
The above dialogue guide is to give instruction on how to write this discussion. More detail and discussion is needed. Your typed dialogue will refer to both Dr. Schoedinger’s comments and Bentham’s and Kant’s own writing. Page numbers will be given with each reference.
Students are strongly advised to see me for consultation during the development and writing of their dialogue. This assignment is also to be seen as a time to learn and cultivate philosophical principles and methods of thought. This dialogue is therefore not just a test.
Assignment 2: 1500 words Submission date:
April 26, 2006
An Essay
A discussion on the philosophy of John Locke and
his consistent development of epistemology and metaphysics Possible mark
as necessary underpinning and foundation for his political 15% of whole grade
philosophy.
Title: Do John Locke’s empiricism and conceptualism provide necessary underpinning and foundation to his liberal political philosophy, Discuss.
Within political philosophy there is the unenviable task of describing the best possible society. As with all philosophies and philosophers when discussing political philosophy, we hope to find consistency through all the arguments put forward prior to and after describing this ultimate political arrangement. John Locke is an all round philosopher who engaged in all areas of philosophy. We will anticipate, therefore, that true to the principles of analytic philosophy, that Locke’s writing, in these apparently diverse areas, follows a consistent pattern. Thus it should be the case that John Locke’s empiricism and conceptualism provide necessary and consistent foundation and underpinning to his liberal political philosophy.
Write an essay discussion on Locke’s empiricism and conceptualism as necessary underpinning and foundation to his liberal political philosophy.
1. Introduction: Outline your intention in your essay. Locke’s empirical and metaphysical arguments are to be introduced with reference to them as foundation to his political liberal philosophy. Also mention the topics that are going to be providing focus and a point of discussion.
2. Discuss in full detail Locke’s empiricism and how we gain knowledge through our five senses, which means that knowledge is not innate and thus Locke argues that knowledge is open to all individuals to gain. This means that all people can be educated and after which able to make informed decisions.
3. Discuss in full detail Locke’s conceptualism and how individuals construct their own universal understanding of their surroundings. This implies that formal understanding and the individual’s innate capability is not accepted by Locke and therefore the individual has a great deal of intellectual flexibility and is therefore not so readily said to be right or wrong. Thus, as with empiricism, Locke’s conceptualism allows democracy great room for development.
4. Consequently we arrive at Locke’s liberal political philosophy. With our understanding we thus have sound reason for saying why individuals are equal and independent. Discuss further Locke’s political liberalism and the importance of the individual within democracy.
5. Conclusion. Write a detailed summary of the findings.
The above essay guide is to give instruction on how to write this essay. More detail and discussion is needed. Your essay will refer to both Dr Schoedinger’s comments and Locke’s own writing. Page numbers will be given with each reference.
Students are strongly advised to see me for consultation during the development and writing of their essay. This assignment is also to be seen as a time to learn and cultivate philosophical principles and methods of thought. This essay is therefore not just a test.