Honors Introduction to Philosophy

Honors Introduction to Philosophy

Fall, 2005

Humanities 127-0H1 ..Е.TR 11:00-12:15Е..No PrerequisitesЕЕ.3 Credits

Dr. Hollace Graff

Course Description

This course provides discussion of knowledge, ethics, aesthetics, and metaphysics as exemplified by leading philosophers.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the student will be able to

a) identify certain problems with which philosophy deals,

b) explain the answers which selected philosophers have given to these problems,

c) begin to formulate the philosophy which guides his or her own life with some degree of philosophical rigor,

d) be familiar with the development of philosophy as a discipline,
e) exhibit curiosity about basis questions and assumptions of one's own and others' philosophies,
f) apply philosophical reasoning to issues outside the classroom.

Academic Integrity

The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Oakton Community College has adopted a Code of Academic Conduct and a statement of Student Academic Integrity. These may be found in the Student Handbook. You may also find a summary of the Code of Academic Conduct in the College Catalog. Among the violations of academic integrity listed and defined are: cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication, abuse of academic materials, complicity in academic dishonesty, falsification of records and official documents, personal misrepresentation and proxy, and bribes, favors, and threats.

It is the student's responsibility to be aware of behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty.

Pursuant to the due process guarantees contained in the Policy and Procedures on Student Academic Integrity, the minimum punishment for the first offense for a student found in violation of the standards of academic integrity is failure in the assignment. In addition, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of three years.

Instructional Materials

Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche (Kaufmann translation)

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 by Karl Marx

Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud

Existentialism and Human Freedom by Jean-Paul Sartre

Democracy Matters by Cornel West

Pedagogy of Freedom by Paulo Freire

Other materials for the course are available on the Internet.

Outline of Topics and Tentative Schedule

August 25ЕЕNietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathrustra, "Prologue"

August 30, September 1ЕЕ Thus Spoke Zarathrustra, Book 1 (Emphasize 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 15, 19, 21, 22)

September 6, 8Е.. Thus Spoke Zarathrustra, Book 2 (Emphasize 3, 5, 6, 10, 19, 20, 22)

September 13 Е.. Thus Spoke Zarathrustra, Book 3 (Emphasize 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

September 15, 20Е.. Thus Spoke Zarathrustra, Book 4 (Emphasize 2, 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 19, 20)

September 22Е..Exam on Nietzsche........Possible Exam QuestionsЕ..Journals collected

September 27, 29,,,,,,Marx's Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, "Estranged Labor"

October 4, 6Е.. Marx's Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, "The Meaning of Human Requirements" and "Private Property and Communism"

Summary of Marx's Theory of Alienation

October 11.....Marx's The German Ideology (1A and 1B required: 1C and 1D suggested) available on the web or in good bookstores
Summary of Marx's Theory of Ideology

October 13, 18, 20Е..Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents

October 25, 27, November 1, 3Е..Sartre's Existentialism and Human Emotions

November 8ЕЕExam on Marx, Freud, and SartreЕ..Possible Exam Questions.......Journals collected

November 15, 17, 22Е..WestТs Democracy Matters

November 29, December 1, 6Е..FreireТs Pedagogy of Freedom

December 8Е..Last exam.....Possible Exam Questions

December 13Е..Last classЕ..Journal due

Methods of Instruction

This class will be conducted as a seminar. Students will give brief presentations, and the class will discuss those presentations. I will lecture only occasionally.

Course Practices Required

1.       You will keep a philosophical journal. In this journal you will record your reactions to the assigned readings and your responses to questions that we may pose in class. The journal should not consist of notes or summaries of the readings. Rather, you should take positions and offer arguments for those positions. You may also consider ways in which the material we read in class relates to your own experiences. Your journal will be collected several times during the semester. When I read your journals, I may pose questions about what you have written, and you should answer these questions. I will also meet with you individually to discuss your journal. Your final journal should be at least 20 typewritten pages. In the interest of preserving trees, your journal should not be more than double-spaced, should not use larger than 12-point type, and should not have extra-large margins or large blank spaces between sections. The precise format for your journal is up to you. Although I will give you an indication of how you are doing on your journal when I collect it during the semester, only the overall grade for your journal assigned at the end of the semester will be recorded.

2.       In this class, participation is extremely important. You will earn participation points by attending class, by speaking during class, and by volunteering to give brief summaries of parts of the assigned readings. You will receive one participation point for every class you attend. If you come to class late, you will receive one-half credit for the day. You will also receive one-half to one participation point for every brief summary you give. (You should plan to volunteer for about four summaries over the course of the semester.) I will also ask you to attend two Oakton events for participation credit. You may select these from a number of alternatives I will suggest. I will provide some extra credit opportunities to make up lost participation points. These extra credit opportunities will also involve attending Oakton events such as Women's Day, Oakton plays, and public forums on issues relevant to humanities or philosophy.   I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. However, if you need to be absent because of something such as religious holidays or family emergency, I will make every effort to insure that you have ways to earn extra credit that will compensate for your absence.

3.       There will be three essay exams. One week before the exam, I will distribute a list of five questions from which the exam question will be selected. You may use one page of notes during the exam. If you miss an exam, you will be able to make up in exam in the Testing Center.

4.       In unusual circumstances such as hospitalization or compulsory military service, I will work with students to determine alternative ways to complete course requirements.

Methods of Evaluation

1.       The journal will count for 1/3 of your final grade.

2.       The exams will count for 1/3 of your final grade.

3.    Participation will count for 1/3 of your final grade. (AЕ35+, BЕ..32-34, CЕ.29-31, DЕ.26-28)

Disabilities

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability, you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodation or services, contact the ASSIST office in Instructional Support Services. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.

Discrimination

The Oakton Community College Catalog states:

Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital status in admission to and participation in its educational programs, activities and services, or employment practices. The College does not tolerate sexual harassment or sexual assault by or of its students or employees.

In keeping with this policy of tolerance and non-discrimination, in this class all of us (myself included) should strive to listen and give careful consideration to all ideas expressed in class, especially those that are different from our own, without attacking or demeaning the people who have those views. We should also strive to avoid using insulting terms or telling offensive jokes when talking to or about individuals or groups.

Office Hours

Des Plaines OfficeЕЕ3614
Des Plaines TelephoneЕЕ847-376-7033
E-mailЕЕhgraff@oakton.edu
Web pageЕ..http://www.oakton.edu/~hgraff/

My office hours are as follows:   MondaysЕЕ9:00-10:45
                                                 TuesdaysЕЕ1:30-3:00
                                                 WednesdaysЕЕ9:00-10:45
                                                 ThursdaysЕЕ1:30-3:00
                                                 FridaysЕ..2:00-4:30

Please feel welcome to stop by and chat, and be sure to see me if you are having and difficulties in the course. If you cannot make any of these times, please see me for an appointment. On a personal note, in the interest of promoting non-authoritarian education, I would prefer if you addressed me by my first name which is Holly.