PHIL 2003: Introduction to Philosophy
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When / Where: MWF
1:30 – 2:20, Old Main 421; MWF 2:30 – 3:20, Old Main 421
Instructor: Roman Briggs, vitae
Email: rnbriggs@uark.edu
Office: 479-575-7553, Philosophy
Department: 479-575-3551
Office Location /
Office Hours: Old Main 318A, MWF 3:30 – 4:30
Special Needs: If you have special needs, please contact me within the
first week of class with paperwork from the Student Access Office in hand; this
will aid me in making the accommodations necessary to insure your comfort and
success.
Inclement Weather Policy: Unless
the university officially cancels class, we will meet as scheduled.
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About the Course: Our shared
objective will be to forge a posture of healthy inquiry – a disposition to
formulate those questions which generally do not occur to us. We will look to
doubt what we generally take for granted, to reconsider our basest assumptions,
and to ask ourselves the so-called “big” (and, prima facie,
not-so-“big”) questions. We will look to formulate and consider various answers
to these questions, to back these answers with appropriate arguments, and to
repeat this process if, and when, we find our efforts to be unsatisfactory; as
will be evident early on, this will almost always turn out to be the case.
Among these questions will be epistemological, metaphysical, ontological,
ethical, existential, and political inquiries like in kind to: What can we
know? How can we come to know these things? Does God exist? If so, what might
God’s nature be? What is the world like? What sorts of things exist? How ought
we behave? Are the dictates of morality objective or subjective? What is
justice? What might the just society be like? Is there meaning to find in life?
If not, might we create meaning?
In considering these questions we will find as guides some of the
greatest minds in the Western intellectual tradition – Plato, Descartes,
Hume, Mill, (by proxy) Harriet Taylor-Mill, Nietzsche, and James.
Amid the writings of these disparate thinkers and the varied opinions of your
classmates, you will assuredly come to face opinions painfully contrary to your
own. When you find yourself in this position, I ask that you do your best to
consider your interlocutor’s perspective as charitably as possible, be she an
author we happen to be reading, or the person sitting next to you. As says
Aristotle, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a
thought without accepting it.” As we will be considering philosophical
positions from as many perspectives as possible, this mantra will be our own. I
look forward to an exciting and productive semester, and ask that you contact
me at any time if I might make this experience more rewarding.
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Materials: Each
student should purchase (or, borrow)
the following books:
1.
The Trial and Death of
Socrates, by: Plato,
Hackett Edition, ISBN: 0872205541
2.
Meditations, Objections, and Replies, by: René
Descartes,
Hackett Edition, ISBN: 0872207986
3.
An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, by: David Hume,
Hackett Edition, ISBN: 0872202291
4.
The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill, by: John Stuart
Mill, Modern Library Edition, ISBN: 0375759182
5.
On the Genealogy of Morals, by: Friedrich Nietzsche,
6.
Pragmatism and Other Writings, by: William James, Penguin Classics, ISBN: 0140437355
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Grades will be
given in consideration of the following:
Attendance and Participation: Attendance will be taken promptly at
the beginning of each meeting, and while it will not play a direct role in
overall grades, it will be taken into consideration as regards any
borderline grade (+/-). As
philosophy is an essentially conversational enterprise, this course will
function, in part, as a seminar of sorts. That said, daily participation in
discussion of the readings, and adequate preparation for such discussion, will
also have an effect on borderline grades. Please bring any materials which
might be pertinent to discussion to each meeting (e.g., books, online readings).
In cases of flagrant absenteeism, I reserve the right to lower any final score
as much as one letter grade.
Exams: Three exams will be administered throughout
the semester (—each valued at 30 points). The specifics of the exams will be
discussed as the course evolves; but, generally, the exams will involve essay questions and some short answer. (—I shouldn't have to say
this, but here goes: No cheating.
Academic dishonesty will result in a zero for the exam/assignment and, perhaps,
for the course.) Be sure to keep all returned exams to ensure that your record
of your grade and mine match up at the end of the semester. 3
exams x 30 points = 90 points possible
Exam Make-Up Policy:
Exams may be made up within one week of the original test date, if I am contacted before the
regularly scheduled exam time; please note that these exams will be significantly
more difficult than those given on
the original exam date. Exams not taken within one week of the original test
date will result in a penalty of 5 points. Exams not taken within two weeks of
the original test date will result in a penalty of 10 points. I reserve the
right to refuse a makeup exam to those students who have not taken exams within
two weeks of the original exam date.
Writing Assignment: One
short writing assignment will be assigned toward the last third of the
semester. The content/format of the paper will be discussed as the course
evolves. The writing assignment will due at the beginning of our last regular
class meeting. Papers turned in late will receive an automatic three-point
penalty. 1 paper x 10 points = 10 points possible
Course Total: 90 + 10 = 100 points possible for the course
These materials are not endorsed, approved,
sponsored, or provided by or on behalf of the University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville; however, the ghost of Emma Goldman
is, no doubt, looking upon them as we speak—and, nodding with approval.