Final Exam

Christopher was right! The final exam for the Mt. Laurel class is Tuesday, May 6th, at 2:30. NOTE: This is different from our normal starting time of 2:00.

For the Cherokee class, our final is 6:30 (normal time) on Monday, May 12th.

Reading Response #4

Reading Response #4 is due May 5th for the Cherokee class, and May 1st for the Mt. Laurel class. The assignment is to write a one- to two-page (250- to 500-word) response on the following:

Explain and critically evaluate the ethical theory of utilitarianism. First, briefly explain the theory in your own words. Then spend most of your response evaluating the theory. Discuss objections to the theory, and tell me your opinion on whether you think it's a good or bad theory. Be sure to defend your opinion with reasons.

Pascal's Wager

Extra Credit

The extra credit assignment is due at the beginning of class on Monday, April 21st, for the Cherokee class, or Thursday, April 17th, for the Mt. Laurel class. Your assignment is to write a reading response (about 250-500 words) on the following topic:

Explain and evaluate your thoughts on God now that we've gone through the philosophy of religion section of the course. In particular, focus on any changes in your thoughts. Have you changed your beliefs about God? Have you changed your reasons for your beliefs? Why or why not? Ultimately, do you think doing philosophy is a useful method in exploring this topic? Why or why not?

This assignment is potentially worth the value of a reading response (up to 50 points).

Also, just a reminder: the 3rd reading response is a freebie. You don't have to write one, and everyone will get full credit for it.

You're welcome!

Midterm

So the Mt. Laurel class has already taken the midterm. But for the Cherokee class, the midterm is going to be held at the beginning of class on Monday, April 7th. It's worth 25% of your overall grade. You'll have 80 minutes to complete it. It covers everything we've gone over in class so far.

Also, I expect you to stick around after the midterm, because we WILL be learning stuff in class after it's done.

Feel free to insult me in the comments for putting you through the terrible ordeal of learning immediately after a test.

Reading Response #2

Reading Response #2 is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, March 13th for the Mt. Laurel class, or Monday, March 17th for the Cherokee class. Here is the assignment:

Explain your thoughts about God. Do you believe there is a God? If so, what kind of God or Gods? Do you believe that there is no God? Do you not believe one way or the other? Also, explain why you believe whatever it is you believe about God. What reasons do you have for believing what you believe? Do you think these are good reasons, or bad reasons?

The response isn't based on any specific reading from the textbook. Instead, it's more of a chance for you to think about your own opinion before we discuss God stuff in class over the next several weeks. You won't be graded on your opinion. You'll be graded on how well you EXPLAIN and EVALUATE your reasons for your opinion.

Cherokee Class Cancelled

Cherokee class: we are not having class on Monday, February 18th. Cherokee High School is closed for Presidents Day. Our next class will be Monday, February 25th.

This means that the reading response is NOT due on the 18th. Instead, it's due on the 25th. Also, our quiz will be pushed back to after spring break.

Enjoy!

Reading Response #1

Reading Response #1 is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 12th for the Mt. Laurel Class, or Monday, February 25th for the Cherokee class. In a 250- to 500-word essay response, answer the following question:

What does Descartes say he cannot be certain of? What does Descartes say he can be certain of? What are his arguments for these? Do you agree with Descartes? Why or why not?

The response is based on the Descartes reading from pages 58-71 of the textbook.

Email Subscriptions

So why does this course have a blog? Well, why is anything anything?

A blog (short for “web log”) is a website that works like a journal – users write posts that are sorted by date based on when they were written. You can find important course information (like assignments, due dates, reading schedules, etc.) on the blog. I’ll also be updating the blog throughout the semester, posting interesting items related to the stuff we’re currently discussing in class. I used a blog for this course last semester, and it seemed helpful. Hopefully it can benefit our course, too.

Since I’ll be updating the blog a lot throughout the semester, you should check it frequently. There are, however, some convenient ways to do this without simply going to the blog each day. The best way to do this is by getting an email subscription, so any new blog post I write automatically gets emailed to you. (You can also subscribe to the rss feed, if you know what that means.) To get an email subscription:

1. Go to http://bccphilosophy08.blogspot.com.

2. At the main page, enter your email address at the top of the right column (under “EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION: Enter your Email”) and click the "Subscribe me!" button.

3. This will take you to a new page. Follow the directions under #2, where it says “To help stop spam, please type the text here that you see in the image below. Visually impaired or blind users should contact support by email.” Once you type the text, click the "Subscribe me!" button again.

4. You'll then get an email regarding the blog subscription. (Check your spam folder if you haven’t received an email after a day.) You have to confirm your registration. Do so by clicking on the "Click here to activate your account" link in the email you receive.

5. This will bring you to a page that says "Your subscription is confirmed!" Now you're subscribed.

If you are unsure whether you've subscribed, ask me (609-980-8367; slandis@bcc.edu). I can check who's subscribed and who hasn't.

Cherokee Course Schedule

January 28
-Check. Check One. Sibilance (intro to class; no reading)
-Doing Philosophy (no reading)

February 4
-Some Logic | Deductive Arguments (pages 37—45)
-Some Logic | Inductive & Abductive Arguments (pages 4—11)

February 11
-Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)
-Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)

February 18
-Epistemology | Rationalism: Plato (pages 71—82)
-Epistemology | Empiricism: Locke (pages 88—96)
(Reading Response #1 due)

February 25
-Epistemology | Empiricism: Hume (pages 104—113)
-QUIZ; Epistemology | Hume Wrap-up

March 3
SPRING BREAK (no class)

March 10
-Does God Exist? | Aquinas & The Cosmological Arg (pages 306—316)
-Does God Exist? | Taylor & The Cosmological Argument (pages 317—322)

March 17
-Does God Exist? | Ontological Argument (pages 337—342)
-Does God Exist? | Paley & The Design Argument (pages 322—325)
(Reading Response #2 due)

March 24
-Does God Exist? | Hume & The Design Argument (pages 326—337)
-Does God Exist? | Problem of Evil Intro & Review for Midterm (pages 356—360)

March 31
-MIDTERM
-Does God Exist? | Hick & The Problem of Evil (pages 360—372)

April 7
-Faith & Reason | Pascal (pages 342—347)
-Intro to Ethics | Plato (pages 400—402 & 408—415)
(Reading Response #3 due)

April 14
-Ethical Relativism | Herodotus & Benedict (pages 415—427)
-Utilitarianism | Intro (pages 454—458) & Mill (pages 461—466)

April 21
-Utilitarianism | Norcross (pages 466—472)
-Deontological Ethics | Kant (pages 472-484)
(Reading Response #4 due)

April 28
-Virtue Ethics | Intro (pages 490—498) & Aristotle (pages 490—504)
-Virtue Ethics Wrap-up

May 5
-Final Exam Review

May 12
FINAL EXAM

Mt. Laurel Course Schedule

January 22-24
Tuesday: -Check. Check One. Sibilance (intro to class; no reading)
Thursday: -Doing Philosophy (no reading)

January 29-31
Tuesday: -Some Logic | Deductive Arguments (pages 37—45)
Thursday: -Some Logic | Inductive & Abductive Arguments (pages 4—11)

February 5-7
Tuesday: -Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)
Thursday: -Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)

February 12-14
Tuesday: -Epistemology | Rationalism: Plato (pages 71—82)
(Reading Response #1 due)
Thursday: -Epistemology | Empiricism: Locke (pages 88—96)

February 19-21
Tuesday: -Epistemology | Empiricism: Hume (pages 104—113)
Thursday: -QUIZ; Epistemology | Hume Wrap-up

February 26-28
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Aquinas & The Cosmological Arg (pages 306—316)
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Taylor & The Cosmological Argument (pages 317—322)

March 4-6
SPRING BREAK (no class)

March 11-13
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Ontological Argument (pages 337—342)
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Paley & The Design Argument (pages 322—325)
(Reading Response #2 due)

March 18-20
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Hume & The Design Argument (pages 326—337)
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Problem of Evil Intro & Review for Midterm (pages 356—360)

March 25-27
Tuesday: -MIDTERM
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Hick & The Problem of Evil (pages 360—372)

April 1-3
Tuesday: -Faith & Reason | Pascal (pages 342—347)
Thursday: -Intro to Ethics | Plato (pages 400—402 & 408—415)
(Reading Response #3 due)

April 8-10
Tuesday: -Ethical Relativism | Herodotus & Benedict (pages 415—427)
Thursday: -Utilitarianism | Intro (pages 454—458) & Mill (pages 461—466)

April 15-17
Tuesday: -Utilitarianism | Norcross (pages 466—472)
Thursday: -Deontological Ethics | Kant (pages 472-484)
(Reading Response #4 due)

April 22-24
Tuesday: -Virtue Ethics | Intro (pages 490—498) & Aristotle (pages 490—504)
Thursday: -Virtue Ethics Wrap-up (no new reading)

April 29-May 1
Tuesday: -Ethics Wrap-up (no new reading)
Thursday: -Review for Final Exam

May 6
FINAL EXAM (Date, time, and location to be announced)

Course Details

Introduction to Philosophy
Burlington County College
Philosophy 101, Spring 2008
Section 80: Cherokee High School, Mondays: 6:30–9:45 p.m.
Section 32: Mt. Laurel, Tuesdays/Thursdays: 2:00–3:20 p.m.

Instructor: Sean Landis
Email: slandis@bcc.edu
Phone: 609-980-8367
Course Website: http://bccphilosophy08.blogspot.com

Required Texts
The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach, 3rd Edition, William F. Lawhead

About the Course
This course is designed to introduce students to philosophy. Throughout the semester, we are going to explore a handful of classic philosophical questions: What is knowledge? Does God exist? What is the nature of good and evil?

In examining these issues, it is my hope that we can also develop the skills of doing philosophy—understanding philosophical arguments, evaluating the quality of such arguments, and developing good arguments of our own on philosophical topics.

Grading
A = 900-1000 total points
B = 800-899 total points
C = 700-799 total points
D = 600-699 total points
F = below 600 total points

Assignments
Midterm: 250 points
Final : 350 points
Quiz : 150 points
4 Reading Responses : 50 points each (200 points total)
Attendance/Participation: 50 points

Exams: There will be a midterm and a final exam. The midterm tests everything covered during the first half of the course, and will last about half of a class period (80 minutes) on the scheduled day. The final exam is cumulative—it tests everything covered throughout the whole course, not just the second half. The final will also last 80 minutes, and take place on the last day of class.

Quizzes: There will be a quiz at the end of the first sections on logic and epistemology. The quiz will last 20 minutes.

Reading Responses: There will be four reading responses, which are to be handed in at the beginning of class the day they are due. I will not accept homework at any other time, unless you cannot make class due to sudden illness/injury (again, with a doctor’s note), religious observance, or official university business.

Reading responses consist of an approximately one- to two-paged (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, normal margins) response to a specific question about one or more of the week’s readings. The responses are a chance to do philosophy. To this effect, the focus of the responses will be on paraphrasing (demonstrating that you understand the argument by putting it in your own words) and critically evaluating (presenting objections to the argument or responding to such objections) the philosophical arguments being presented in the readings.

Classroom Policies
Academic Integrity: Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated in the class. Students found guilty of either will definitely fail the exam or assignment—and possibly the entire class. (Come to me if you are unsure what constitutes cheating or plagiarism.)

Excused Absenses: Make-up exams, quizzes, in-class projects, and oral reports will only be rescheduled for any excused absences (excused absences include religious observance, official college business, and illness or injury – with a doctor’s note). An unexcused absence on the day of any assignment or test will result in a zero on that assignment or test.

Important Dates
January 17: Last day to withdraw & receive a 100% refund.
January 18 – January 25: Late Registration and Add Period (with $35.00 service fee)
January 18 – February 1: Drop Period with name removed from roster and 50% refund
February 2 – March 28: Withdrawal Period (no refund/W grade)
February 11: Last day to request an audit