Introduction to Philosophy - 1300E/570

Philosophy 1300E/570

COURSE DESCRIPTION 

An introduction to philosophy, particularly for first-year students.  Emphasis will be placed on questions that highlight philosophy as the study of wisdom such as: What is the purpose of life?  What is knowledge?  What is the origin of things?  The course will examine philosophical wisdom in four phases: (i) its beginnings in ancient Greece, especially in the thought of Plato; (ii) its appropriation by such Christian thinkers as St. Augustine, St. Anselm, and St. Thomas Aquinas; (iii) its decline in the early modern period commencing with Descartes and culminating in Hume and Kant; and (iv) the consequences of this decline for the pursuit of wisdom today.      
                                                                     
GOALS

This course will assist students to grow in the following knowledge, skills and attitudes.

KNOWLEDGE:
What Should Students Know:

• To understand the positions and arguments of each of the philosophers studied in the course

SKILLS:
What Should Students Do:

• To demonstrate a grasp of philosophical method in and outside of the classroom.
• To argue effectively for philosophical positions.
• To write essays which are stylistically and grammatically correct.
• To express ideas clearly and concisely.

ATTITUDES:
What Students Should Value:

• To participate in philosophical discussions in a civil and non-coercive manner, respecting others even though disagreeing with their ideas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Fall Semester

1. In-Class Exam, Wednesday, October 22, 2014
2. Minor Essay (1500 words), Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Winter Semester

1. In-Class Exam, Wednesday, March 4, 2015
2. Major essay (2500 words), April 8, 2015
3. Final exam (Held on a date in April to be set by the University

ALLOTMENT OF MARKS

• Two In-Class Exams:       30%                        
• Minor Essay:                    15%  
• Major Essay:                    25%
• Final Exam:                     30%

REQUIRED TEXTS

• Plato, Great Dialogues of Plato. Translated by W.H.D. Rouse. New York: Signet Classics, 2008.
• St. Augustine, On Freedom of the Will. Translated by Thomas Williams. Indianapolis:Hackett Pub. Co. ,1993.
• St. Augustine, Confessions. Translated by R.S. Pine Coffin. London: Penguin Classics, 1961.
• Handouts for Aristotle, St. Anselm (selections from the Proslogion), & St. Thomas Aquinas (selections from the Summa Theologiae).                   
• Ariew, Roger and Watkins, Eric (eds.). Readings in Modern Philosophy Vol. 1: Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co., 2000.
• Ariew, Roger and Watkins, Eric (eds.). Readings in Modern Philosophy Vol. 2: Locke, Berkeley, Hume. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co., 2001.
• Handout from Kant (selections from The Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics).
• Blaise Pascal, Pensees. Translated by A.J. Krailsheimer. Penguin Classics; Reissue Edition, 2003.
• Lewis, C. S. The Abolition of Man.  (Available at  www.archive.org).
• Pope John Paul II, Faith and Reason. (Available at www.vatican.va).
• Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life. (Available at www.vatican.va).

The paperback books may be purchased at the U.W.O. Bookstore. As well, you may be able to purchase the texts at the Used Book Store.
 

COURSE OUTLINE 2014—2015

1. The Birth of Philosophic Wisdom: the Pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle.
   Readings from the Pre-Socratics (handout), Plato (Apology, Crito, Phaedo, and Republic), and Aristotle (handout).
2. Philosophic Wisdom and Christian Revelation: St. Augustine, St. Anselm, and St. Thomas Aquinas.
   Readings from St. Augustine (Confessions & Freedom of the Will), St. Anselm (handout), and St. Thomas Aquinas (handout).
3. The Decline of Philosophic Wisdom: Descartes to Hume and Kant.
   Readings from Descartes (Discourse on Method [Parts I, II & V], Meditations [Synopsis, 1 & 2]), Spinoza (Ethics [Part I, Part II Preface-P.12, P.31-49 & Part V]), Leibniz (Discourse on Metaphysics, Monadology & Primary Truths), Locke (Essay Concerning Human Understanding [Book II, Chaps. 1-9, 11-12, 23,27]) Berkeley (Principles of Human Knowledge[Preface & Introduction, #s 1-33, 68-96, 135-156]), Hume Enquiry on Human Understanding ([Secs. 2-5,7,10 & Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion [Parts I-VII]) and Kant (handout).
4. Rediscovering Philosophic Wisdom Today
   Readings from Blaise Pascal, (Pensees [Section One:I-XXVII & Section Two: I-XXXI]), C.S. Lewis (The Abolition of Man), Pope John Paul II (Faith and Reason & The Gospel of Life).
    

TENTATIVE COURSE READINGS - FALL TERM

           Week         Reading Assignment

1. Sept. 10:    Class Business. Introductory Lecture.
2. Sept. 17:    Presocratics (handout).
3. Sept. 24:    Plato, Apology, Crito, & Phaedo.
4. Oct. 1:       Plato, Republic, Books I-III
5. Oct. 8:       Plato, Republic, Books IV-VII
6. Oct. 15:     Plato, Republic, Books VIII-X
7. Oct. 22:     (CLASS TEST!) Aristotle (handout).
8. Oct. 29:     Aristotle (handout).
9. Nov.5:       Augustine. On Free Choice of the Will, Books 1 & 2.
10. Nov.12:     Augustine, On Free Choice of the Will, Book 3. Confessions,
11. Nov.19:     Augustine, Confessions, Books I-III.
12. Nov.26:     Augustine, Confessions, Books IV-VI.
13. Dec. 3:       (MINOR ESSAY DUE!) Augustine, Confessions, Books VII-X.   

End of Fall Term Classes - 3 December, 2014

 

TENTATIVE COURSE READINGS - WINTER TERM

           Week               Reading Assignment

1. Jan. 7:       Anselm & Aquinas (handouts)
2. Jan. 14:     Descartes, Discourse on Method, I,II,& V; Meditations,Synopsis,1 & 2.
3. Jan. 21:     Spinoza, Ethics, Part I, Part II Preface-P.12, P.31-49 & Part V.
4. Jan. 28:     Leibniz, Discourse on Metaphysics, Monadology & Primary Truths   
5. Feb. 4:       Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book II, Chaps. 1-9, 1-12, 23, 27.
6. Feb.11:      Berkeley, Principles of Human Knowledge, Preface & Introduction, #s 1- 33, 68-96, 135-156.  
7. CONFERENCE WEEK - 16 February - 20 February, 2015
8. Feb. 25:    Hume, Enquiry, Secs. 2-5,7,10 & Dialogues, Parts I-VII; Kant (handout). 
9. Mar. 4:     (CLASS TEST!) Pascal, Pensees, Section One: I-X.
10. Mar. 11:    Pascal, Pensees,Section One: XI-XXVII.
11. Mar. 18:    Pascal,  Pensees,Section Two: I-XXXI.
12. Mar. 25:    Pascal, Pensees,Section Three.
13. Apr.  1:     Pascal, Pensees,Sections Four; Lewis, The Abolition of Man
14. Apr.  8:     (MAJOR ESSAY DUE!), B. John Paul II, Encyclicals.

End of Classes: 8 April, 2015.

Exam Period: April 11-30, 2015.

3 HOUR FINAL EXAM / TBA.

 

Assignments

Instructions on how to prepare and write assignments will be provided early in September.

Assignments must be submitted in print and electronically. The submission is not complete until the instructor has received the assignment in both formats.

Assignments are due on the dates specified in the course outline. One mark will be deducted from the assigned numerical grade for each calendar day late. The late penalty may be waived at the instructor’s discretion. It is the student’s responsibility to approach the instructor and explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant a waiver of the late penalty.

Students must keep for their records a printed copy of each of their assignments. In the event an assignment is misplaced, he or she will be required to submit this copy to the instructor.

Exams

A student who fails to write an exam must approach the instructor and explain why he or she was not present at the exam. Depending upon the instructor’s discretion, a make-up exam may be granted. If that is not possible, the term grade may be re-weighed. If documentation is required for either medical or non-medical academic accommodation, then such documentation must be submitted by the student directly to the appropriate Faculty Dean’s Office. It will be the Dean’s Office that will determine if accommodation is warranted.

No electronic devices will be allowed during examinations unless approved in advance by Student Services at the University or King’s.
 

Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness

Please see: https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/index.cfm

N.B. Students who are in emotional/mental health distress should refer to Mental Health@Western: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help
 

Course Prerequisites and Antirequisites

“Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you will be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.” Senate Policy
 

Plagiarism

“Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major academic offence.” Please refer to Scholastic Discipline under the Senate Policy on Academic rights and Responsibilities at http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/.

“All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com"