UoP Philosophy 105

Course Design Guide

PHI/

10

5

Version 5

15

College of Humanities

PHI/105 Version 5

Introduction to Philosophy

Week One: The Beginnings: The Nature of Philosophy and Early Greek Philosophers

Details

Due

Points

Objectives

1.1 Define philosophy, including the role of argument.

1.2 Identify the major branches of philosophy.

1.3 Identify the philosophical views of Pre-Socratic philosophers.

Reading

Read Ch. 1 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 2 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read the Good Thinker’s Tool Kit located on the student website.

Participation

Participate in class discussion.

Sun,   10/20

Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

Thu,   10/17

Nongraded Activities and Preparation

Web Resources

Review the following additional resources, which may help you to understand the ideas, concepts, and philosophers covered in the course. Consider bookmarking them for easy reference:

· Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
www.plato.stanford.edu/

· Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
www.iep.utm.edu/

Nongraded Activities and Preparation

Thought Experiment: Knowingly Doing Evil

Respond to the thought experiment for Week One, “Knowingly Doing Evil,” posted by your facilitator.

Journal Entry

You will be asked to keep a journal throughout the course on the topics discussed each week. Your journal, containing all 9 weeks of journal entries, will be submitted as a single document in Week Nine. Be sure to start each week’s entry or entries on a new page, with the date at the top.

Resource: Good Thinker’s Tool Kit

Write a journal entry, of at least

70

0 words, in which you respond to topics discussed this week. You can write multiple entries or one longer entry to fulfill the length requirement.

Employ one of the cognitive power tools (WRAITEC) described in the Good Thinker’s Tool Kit.

Include any of the following:

· A further response to a DQ or class discussion

· Something you read that strikes you as being particularly relevant or meaningful

· Working through personal thoughts regarding ideas explored in class

· Another idea of your choice that relates to current class topics

Use correct spelling and grammar in your journal. Because the journal entries should represent a flow of your own ideas, they do not need to follow APA format.

Individual

Open-Book Philosophy Quiz

Complete the Open-Book Philosophy Quiz located on the student website.

Wed, 

10/16

Individual

Short Essay: Pre-Socratic Philosopher

Resource: Writing Wizard at the Center for Writing Excellence

Select a Pre-Socratic philosopher you feel had the most compelling ideas.

Write a 3

50

– to 700-word essay on the Pre-Socratic philosopher you selected. Introduce your essay with a concise thesis statement, and follow up with supportive arguments. Complete your essay with a logical conclusion.

Include the following in your essay:

· A summary of your selected philosopher’s ideas

· Evidence the philosopher used to support his or her arguments

· An explanation of why you find your selected philosopher’s ideas compelling

· At least one practical example of one of the philosopher’s ideas

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Sun,   10/20 

Week Two: Setting the Foundation: Exploring Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

2.1 Describe the philosophical views of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Read Ch. 3 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 4 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read The Phaedo from Original Sources in the University of Phoenix Library

Sun,   10/27 

Thu,   10/24 

Read this week’s electronic reserve readings

Textbook Student Guides

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 3 & 4 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Thought Experiment: The Ring of Gyges

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Two, “The Ring of Gyges,” posted by your facilitator.

Write a journal entry, of at least 700 words, in which you respond to topics discussed this week. You can write multiple entries or one longer entry to fulfill the length requirement.

Employ one of the cognitive power tools (WRAITEC) described in the Good Thinker’s Tool Kit.

Include any of the following:
· A further response to a DQ or class discussion
· Something you read that strikes you as being particularly relevant or meaningful
· Working through personal thoughts regarding ideas explored in class
· Another idea of your choice that relates to current class topics

Use correct spelling and grammar in your journal. Because the journal entries should represent a flow of your own ideas, they do not need to follow APA format.

Socrates Essay

For this assignment, you will choose from the following options:

· Option 1: Socrates & the Afterlife

· Option 2: Socrates & Knowledge

Read the instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Assignment Options: Socrates Essay, and select one option to complete the assignment.

Day 3

Wed,   10/23

Individual

Dialogue Between Plato and Aristotle

Imagine that you are observing Plato and Aristotle at Plato’s Academy arguing over the Theory of Forms and the Theory of Knowledge. You are a young student taking notes on the argument.

Resource:
Philosophy: The Power of Ideas, pp. 49–61, and 68-70.

Write a 700- to 1400-word fictional dialogue illustrating the ideas of Plato and Aristotle. Use the dialogue form to illustrate the discussion as you imagine it may have sounded. Dialogue should also clearly demonstrate the varying perspectives within the Theory of Knowledge and the Theory of Forms.

Answer the following questions within the dialogue:

· What would Plato argue?

· What would Aristotle argue?

· With whom would you side?

Day 7

Sun,

10/27

80

Week Three: The Journey Continues: Hellenistic to Modern Philosophy

3.1 Discuss the philosophical views of the Hellenistic and Medieval philosophers.

3.2 Compare key ideas of the Modern philosophical period.

Read Ch. 5 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 6 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 7 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Sun, 11/3

Thu,

10/31

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 5, 6, & 7 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Thought Experiment: Are We Dreaming?

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Three, “Are We Dreaming?” posted by your facilitator.

Nongraded Activities and Preparation

Journal Entry

Augustine and Skepticism

Resource: Writing Wizard at the Center for Writing Excellence

Write a 350- to 700-word essay assessing Augustine’s three refutations of total skepticism. Remember to introduce your topic with a concise thesis statement and follow up with supportive arguments. Complete your essay with a logical conclusion paragraph.

· Include a description of the refutations.

· Provide your opinion on the strength and validity of each.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Wed, 10/

30

Individual Modern Metaphysics and Epistemology Promotional Brochure

Four companies—Dualism, Inc., Materialism, Co., Idealism, LLC, and Alternative Views, Ltd.—are competing for the right to claim that they are “The Correct Metaphysical/Epistemological View.”

Select one of these companies, and imagine that you are the company’s head of public relations.

Create a promotional brochure to promote your company’s viewpoint, using the Brochure Builder. In your brochure, acknowledge the other companies’ positions, but present convincing evidence as to why your position is superior and should be chosen for this coveted award.

Sun, 11/03

Week Four: Reacting to Those Who Came Before: Continental, Analytic, and Pragmatic Philosophy

4.1 ExplainExplain the Continental, pragmatic, and analytic philosophical schools of thought.

Read Ch. 8 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 9 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

11/10

Thu, 11/07

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 8 & 9 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Nongraded Activities and Preparation Thought Experiment: The Myth of Sisyphus

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Four, “The Myth of Sisyphus,” posted by your facilitator.

Nongraded Activities and Preparation

Journal Entry

Individual Comparison Essay

Write a 350- to 700-word essay comparing Continental, Pragmatic, and Analytic philosophies.

In your essay, include:

· A definition and description of each school of thought.

· A comparison between all three schools.

· At least one example from each that adequately describes the school’s position on a topic of your choice.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Wed, 11/06

Letter to a Philosopher

Write a 700- to 1400-word letter to a representative philosopher in one of the following schools of thought, discussing why you agree or disagree with his or her position on this concept.

Select one of the concepts below to discuss in your assignment.

· Continental: “The world is absurd, in the sense that no ultimate explanation can be given for why it is the way it is” (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p. 152).

· Pragmatism: “There is [no] such thing as a fixed, absolute truth” (Moore & Bruder, 2011, p. 206).

· Analytic philosophy: “The only things we can now for certain we learn through sense experience.”

Sun, 11/10

Week Five: Thinking About How to Live: Ethics or Moral Philosophy

4.2 Compare the major ethical theories of the Western tradition.

4.3 Describe the role of moral philosophy on individual ethical decision making.

Read Ch. 10 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 12, pp. 358-364, of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read this week’s electronic reserve readings.

Read “Consequentialism” in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
http://www.iep.utm.edu/conseque/

Read the following sections of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics at
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html
:

· Book I: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9,13

· Book II: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9

Sun, 11/17

Thu, 11/14

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 10 & 12 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Thought Experiment: Heinz’s Dilemma

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Five, “Heinz’s Dilemma,” posted by your facilitator.

Ethical Theory Comparison Chart

Complete the Associate Level Material: Ethical Theory Comparison Chart.

Wed, 11/13

Individual

Individual Ethical Decision-Making Analysis

Write a 700- to 1400-word essay examining five ethical decisions you made recently. Do not feel pressured to disclose deeply personal situations; you can use the types of ethical decisions that come up in everyday life.

Provide the following information for each ethical decision:

· A brief description of the cause or situation surrounding the need to make a decision.

· A description of how you came to make the decision you did.

· Identify which ethical theory best fit your decision-making process at the time.

· List the values reflected in the decision you made.

· Now that you have studied ethics, would you have used a different ethical theory to make that decision?

Conclude with your essay by answering the following general questions:

· Is there one ethical theory that you seem to follow most of the time?

· Why do you think this is?

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week Six: Thinking About Society: Political Philosophy

4.4 Compare the major political theories of the Western tradition.

4.5 Describe the role of political theory in contemporary political issues.

Read Ch. 11 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 12 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Reading

Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

Sun, 11/24

Thu, 11/21

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 11 & 12 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Thought Experiment: Would You Kill Hitler?

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Six, “Would You Kill Hitler?” posted by your facilitator.

Journal Entry

Comparing Political Philosophy Theories

Write a 350- to 700-word paper describing the following political philosophy theories:

· Social contract or contractarian (use at least two philosophers in your description)

· Classic liberalism or libertarianism (use at least two philosophers in your description)

· Marxism (use at least one philosopher in your description)

· Communitarians (use at least one philosopher in your description)

· Capabilities approach (use at least one philosopher in your description)

Follow your descriptions with a conclusion answering the following questions:

· How are these theories similar to one another?

· How are they different from one another?

· Do you find one philosophy more compelling than the others? If so, why?

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Wed, 11/20

Final Project Proposal

Write a 350- to 700-word topic proposal introducing the topic for your final project, which will be due in Week Nine. Your final project will be a slide presentation with speaker notes.

Choose a salient issue of controversy to explore from your community, the nation, or the world.

Include the following in your proposal. You will use this information later in your slide show and speaker notes.

· Description of the issue of controversy.

· Discussion of how a feminist or postcolonialist (or both) would describe the roots of the problem

· Discussion of the political or ethical theories that are in evidence in the controversy

· Your proposed solution to the problem based on the readings and your own research

· Description of why you think your approach would solve the problem better than current approaches

Find at least 2 peer-reviewed sources in the University Library and discuss in your proposal how those sources support or refute your opinions. The following are useful resources that are available on the Multimedia page of the University Library:

· Issues & Controversies

· Issues & Controversies in American History

· Global Issues in Context

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week Seven: Exploring Across the Seas: Philosophy of India, China, and Japan

4.6 Compare the principle schools of philosophy coming from India, China, and Japan.

Read Ch. 15 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Sun, 12/01

Thu, 11/28

Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.

Review the Student Guide for Ch. 15 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Thought Experiment: Zen Koans

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Seven, “Zen Koans,” posted by your facilitator.

Comparison Paper

For this assignment, you will write an outline before you write your paper. Use the outline as an organizational tool to help you arrange your thoughts logically. Construct your outline after you have selected your topic and done your initial research.

Resource: Writing Wizard at the Center for Writing Excellence

Outline your paper using the Thesis Generator at the Center for Writing Excellence; a link is available on the student website. Your outline does not need to have complete sentences, punctuation, or paragraphs.

· Include some ideas for the following items in your outline:

· Thesis statement

· Itemized supportive arguments

· Conclusion statement

· Submit a screen shot of your Thesis Generator result.

· Use the outline as a basic template to organize your ideas and develop this essay.

Write a 700- to 1400-word essay exploring various schools of thought from India, China, or Japan. Select one school of thought each from China, Japan, and India, and identify a prominent thinker from each.

· Describe each school of thought, setting forth the major principles of each school.

· Describe your selected thinker’s philosophies as applicable to his/her school of thought.

· Compare each school to the others from the region.

· Discuss which school of thought more closely aligns with your own world view and why.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

100

(20 pts for outline, 80 pts for paper)

Week Eight: Thinking About Reason and Faith

4.7 Describe the difference between philosophy and religion.

Read Ch. Ch. 13 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Review Ch. 5, pp. 87-90, 92-94 of Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas.

Sun, 12/08

Thu, 12/05

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 5 & 13 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Nongraded Activities and Preparation Thought Experiment: Three Blind Men and the Elephant

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Eight posted by your facilitator: Three Blind Men and the Elephant.

Persuasive Letter

Choose a person from your own life to address in a letter.

Write that person a 700- to 1400-word persuasive letter explaining how theology and philosophy are different. Use arguments from at least one Christian source, one Muslim source, and one Jewish source.

Write an additional 150- to 300-word paragraph explaining why you selected to address you letter to this individual.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week Nine: Reacting to Modern Philosophy: Feminism, Postcolonialism, and Contemporary Philosophy

4.8 Discuss the principles of the feminist, postcolonialist, and contemporary schools of thought.

4.9 Describe how feminist, postcolonialist, and contemporary schools of thought are a reaction to former schools of thought.

Read Ch. 8 (pp. 175–192 and pp. 196–201) of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 14 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Read Ch. 16 of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas.

Sun, 12/11

Thu, 12/12

Review the Student Guides for Ch. 8, 14, & 16 in the textbook electronic resources. A link is available on the student website.

Nongraded Activities and Preparation Thought Experiment: What Is Race?

Respond to the thought experiment for Week Nine posted by your facilitator: What Is Race?

Individual Reflection

Journal Entry

Individual Assignment:

Reading Analysis

Write two 350- to 700-word essays: the first about one of the readings from Ch. 14 listed below, and the second from one of the readings from Ch. 16 listed below. For each essay, remember to introduce your topics with a concise thesis statement and follow up with supportive arguments. Complete each essay with a logical conclusion.

Choose one of the following readings from Ch. 14 and discuss how your selected reading illustrates the key principles of feminist thought:

· 14.2: Simone de Beauvoir

· 14.3: Nancy Chodorow

· 14.4: Carol Gilligan

· 14.5: Sandra Harding

· 14.6: Hélène Cixous

· 14.7: Sherryl Kleinman

Choose one of the following readings from Ch. 16 and discuss how your selected reading illustrates key principles of postcolonialist thought:

· 16.1: Léopold Sédar Senghor

· 16.2: Martin Luther King Jr.

· 16.3: Carlos Astrada

· 16.4: Francisco Miró Quesada

· 16.5: Sonia Saldivar-Hull

· 16.6: Mohandas K. Ghandi

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Wed, 12/11/13

20 (total pts for both essays)

Final Project

Create a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation based on the topic proposed in Week Six.

Include the following in your presentation:

· Description of the issue of controversy.

· Discussion of how a feminist or postcolonialist (or both) would describe the roots of the problem.

· Discussion of the political or ethical theories that are in evidence in the controversy.

· Your proposed solution to the problem based on the readings and your own research.

· Description of why you think your approach would solve the problem better than current approaches.

Cite at least 2 peer-reviewed sources and include a reference list at the end of the presentation. The following are useful resources that are available on the Multimedia page of the University Library:

· Issues & Controversies
· Issues & Controversies in American History
· Global Issues in Context

Provide detailed speaker notes.

Sun, 12/15/13

125

Individual Final Journal

Submit your final journal, compiling your entries from Weeks One through Nine.

· Submit the journal as a single document, but have each entry begin on a new page with the date labeled at the top.

· Check for correct spelling and grammar in your journal. Because the journal entries should represent a flow of your own ideas, they do not need to follow APA format. Please use correct spelling and grammar in your journal; however, because journal entries should represent a flow of your own ideas, they do not need to follow APA format.