[ Fall 2011 ]
Professor : Dr. M. J. Seidler / Office: CH 322
Phone : 745-5756 / E-mail: michael.seidler@wku.edu
Office Hours : MWF 10:15 - 11:15 a.m., & by
appt.
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENT :
Like its associates, Phil 101: Truth and Relativism, & Phil
103: The Committed Life, Phil
102 is a general introduction-to-philosophy
course. Phil 101, 102, and 103 are thematized
differently and may be
taken separately for GenEd or philosophy credit.
DESCRIPTION :
This course introduces students to philosophy by focusing on
the important disciplinary areas of ethics (the good) and
aesthetics (the beautiful). Like other
introductory-level courses in any field, it surveys basic
topics, introduces major figures, and seeks to
develop
students’ skills in philosophical reasoning and discussion.
Through a variety of assignments, it seeks also to improve
students' writing skills.
TEXTS :
Assignments
:
There
are four writing assignments of varying lengths and increasing value,
based on the materials covered in class and amounting altogether to
about 20 pp. for the semester. Due dates are indicated on the
schedule
below. Further instructions will be provided as we work our way
through each of the books and thematic possibilities become
clear. Each student will also be responsible for a
short class presentation of a case from George's collection. The
final course grade is
based on 95 pts. (see the Conversion Chart on the website and
BB); 5
additional points (optional) may be earned through class participation.
Attendance :
Students are allowed a
maximum of
four (4) unexcused absences; additional unexcused absences
may be
penalized. Note that
attendance
and class participation are not identical: the former
signifies passive physical presence,
the latter your active involvement in the class.
Electronic
resources
:
Class website ( http://people.wku.edu/michael.seidler),
BlackBoard (http://ecourses.wku.edu),
Research Tools (http://people.wku.edu/michael.seidler/research.htm).
Electronic
Equipment:
Use of any gadget (including laptops) during class must
be approved
in advance by the
professor. Abuse of such privileges will result in their
withdrawal.
SCHEDULE
Topics and dates may shift slightly during the semester, as will be evident to students attending class. Assignment dates are more fixed, but will also be confirmed in class. You should read the assigned selections before coming to each class. Note: on the schedule below, ibid. means 'the same'.
DATES |
READINGS |
TOPICS |
Wk 1 (Aug 29) [mwf] |
(a)
Introduction to course. (b) B Intr + chs. 1-3 (c) B chs. 4-7 |
Ethics (the Good) |
Wk 2 (Sept 7) [wf] |
(b) Ibid.
(c) B chs. 8-9 |
|
Wk 3 (Sept 12) [mwf] |
(a)
B chs. 10-12 (b) B chs. 13-15 (c) B chs. 16-18 |
|
Wk 4 (Sept 19) [mwf] |
(a) B chs. 19-21 (b) Ibid. (c) [wrap-up class] |
|
Wk 5 (Sept 26) [mwf] |
(a)
P: "How to Tell a Flatterer from a
Friend" [BB] (b) P: "Moral Virtue" [BB] (c) P: "How to Know One's Moral Progress" [on BB] / Paper #1 due |
Moral Advice: Plutarch's Essays |
Wk 6 (Oct
3) [mw] |
(a) S
Essays #s 1-9, 11 (pp. 3-19, 21-22) (b) Ibid. / [FALL BREAK] |
Moral Advice: Seneca's Letters |
Wk 7
(Oct 10) [mwf] |
(a)
S Essays #s 16-18, 28, 60-62, 68 (pp. 31-35, 48-50,
93-95, 107-9) (b) S Essays #s 70, 77-78, 84 (pp. 109-14, 129-38, 154-57) (c) S Essays #s 99, 101, 121-22 (pp. 258-267) |
|
Wk 8 (Oct 17) [mwf] |
(a)
[wrap-up class] (b) H Introd + ch. 1 (pp. 1-30) (c) Ibid. |
What Matters (Pleasure,
Virtue, etc.) |
Wk 9 (Oct 24) [mwf] |
(a)
H ch. 2 (pp. 31-51) / Paper
#2 due (b) H ch. 3 (pp. 53-73) (c) H ch. 4 (pp. 75-96) |
|
Wk 10 (Oct 31)
[mwf] |
(a)
H ch. 5 (pp. 97-118) (b) H ch. 6 (pp. 119-39) (c) H ch. 7 (pp. 141-61) |
|
Wk 11 (Nov 7) [mwf] |
(a)
H ch. 8 (pp. 163-87) (b) [wrap-up class] (c) Scr ch. 1 (pp. 1-28) |
Aesthetics (the Beautiful) |
Wk 12 (Nov 14) [mwf] |
(a)
Scr ch. 2 (pp. 29-48) (b) Scr ch. 3 (pp. 49-66) / Paper #3 due (c) Scr ch. 4 (pp. 67-81) |
|
Wk 13 (Nov 21) [m] |
(a) Ibid. / [THANKSGIVING BREAK] | |
Wk 14 (Nov 28) [mwf] |
(a)
Scr ch. 5 (pp. 82-111) (b) Scr ch. 6 (pp. 112-23) (c) Scr ch. 7 (pp. 124-38) |
|
Wk 15 (Dec 5) [mwf] |
(a)
Scr chs. 8-9 (pp. 139-64) (b) Ibid. (c) Conclusion to course. |
|
Wk 16 ( Dec 12 - 16) |
[FINALS WEEK] / Paper #4 due (Wed 9 a.m.) |