Thursday, August 23, 2007

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://bccphilosophy07.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.
i iz blogginz / leef I alonze

Friday, August 10, 2007

Course Details

Introduction to Philosophy
Burlington County College
Philosophy 101, Fall 2007
Section 80: Holy Cross, Wednesdays: 6:30–9:45 p.m.
Section 33: Mt. Laurel, Tuesdays/Thursdays: 6:30–7:50 a.m.

Instructor: Sean Landis
Email: slandis@bcc.edu
Phone: 609-980-8367
Course Website: http://bccphilosophy07.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
August 28: Last day to withdraw & receive a 100% refund.
August 29 – September 5: Late Registration and Add Period (with $35.00 service fee)
August 29 – September 12: Drop Period with name removed from roster and 50% refund
September 13 – November 2: Withdrawal Period (no refund/W grade)
September 21: Last day to request an audit

Holy Cross Course Schedule

August 29
-Check. Check One. Sibilance (intro to class; no reading)
-Doing Philosophy (no reading)

September 5
-Some Logic | Deductive Arguments (pages 37—45)
-Some Logic | Inductive & Abductive Arguments (pages 4—11)

September 12
-Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)
-Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)

September 19
-Epistemology | Rationalism: Plato (pages 71—82)
-Epistemology | Empiricism: Locke (pages 88—96)
(Reading Response #1 due)

September 26
-Epistemology | Empiricism: Hume (pages 104—113)
-QUIZ; Epistemology | Hume Wrap-up

October 3
-Does God Exist? | Aquinas & The Cosmological Arg (pages 306—316)
-Does God Exist? | Taylor & The Cosmological Argument (pages 317—322)

October 10
-Does God Exist? | Ontological Argument (pages 337—342)
-Does God Exist? | Paley & The Design Argument (pages 322—325)
(Reading Response #2 due)

October 17
-Does God Exist? | Hume & The Design Argument (pages 326—337)
-Does God Exist? | Problem of Evil Intro & Review for Midterm (pages 356—360)

October 24
-MIDTERM
-Does God Exist? | Hick & The Problem of Evil (pages 360—372)

October 31
-Faith & Reason | Pascal (pages 342—347)
-Intro to Ethics | Plato (pages 400—402 & 408—415)
(Reading Response #3 due)

November 7
-Ethical Relativism | Herodotus & Benedict (pages 415—427)
-Utilitarianism | Intro (pages 454—458) & Mill (pages 461—466)

November 14
-Utilitarianism | Norcross (pages 466—472)
-Deontological Ethics | Kant (pages 472-484)
(Reading Response #4 due)

November 21
THANKSGIVING BREAK (no class)
carpe diem, lazy bones

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

December 5
-Final Exam Review

December 12
FINAL EXAM
sup cat

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Mt. Laurel Course Schedule

August 30
Thursday: -Check. Check One. Sibilance (intro to class; no reading)

September 4-6
Tuesday: -Doing Philosophy (no reading)
Thursday: -Some Logic | Deductive Arguments (pages 37—45)

September 11-13
Tuesday: -Some Logic | Inductive & Abductive Arguments (pages 4—11)
Thursday: -Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)

September 18-20
Tuesday: -Epistemology | Descartes vs. Skepticism (pages 50-53; 58-71)
Thursday: -Epistemology | Rationalism: Plato (pages 71—82)
(Reading Response #1 due)

September 25-27
Tuesday: -Epistemology | Empiricism: Locke (pages 88—96)
Thursday: -Epistemology | Empiricism: Hume (pages 104—113)

October 2-4
Tuesday: -QUIZ; Epistemology | Hume Wrap-up
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Aquinas & The Cosmological Arg (pages 306—316)

October 9-11
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Taylor & The Cosmological Argument (pages 317—322)
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Ontological Argument (pages 337—342)

October 16-18
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Paley & The Design Argument (pages 322—325)
(Reading Response #2 due)
Thursday: -Does God Exist? | Hume & The Design Argument (pages 326—337)

October 23-25
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Problem of Evil Intro & Review for Midterm (pages 356—360)
Thursday: -MIDTERM

October 30—November 1
Tuesday: -Does God Exist? | Hick & The Problem of Evil (pages 360—372)
Thursday: -Faith & Reason | Pascal (pages 342—347)

November 6-8
Tuesday: -Intro to Ethics | Plato (pages 400—402 & 408—415)
(Reading Response #3 due)
Thursday: -Ethical Relativism | Herodotus & Benedict (pages 415—427)

November 13-15
Tuesday: -Utilitarianism | Intro (pages 454—458) & Mill (pages 461—466)
Thursday: -Utilitarianism | Norcross (pages 466—472)

November 20
Tuesday: -Deontological Ethics | Kant (pages 472-484)
(Reading Response #4 due)
Thursday: THANKSGIVING BREAK (no class)
carpe diem, lazy bones

November 27-29
Tuesday: -Virtue Ethics | Intro (pages 490—498) & Aristotle (pages 490—504)
Thursday: -Virtue Ethics Wrap-up (no new reading)

December 4-6
Tuesday: -Ethics Wrap-up (no new reading)
Thursday: -Review for Final Exam

December 11-17
FINAL EXAM (Date, time, and location to be announced)
sup cat