Syllabus Spring 2007

L. Embree, INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY, Phi 2010, §007, NU 113 10-1050 a.m.

The instructor will lecture on Mondays and Wednesdays. Discussion sections will meet with Teaching Assistants on Fridays where and when scheduled.

MONDAY WEDNESDAY

JAN 08 10

[15] 17 MLK DAY

22 24

29 31

FEB 05 07

12 14

19 21

26 28

MAR [05 07] SPRING BREAK

12 14

19 21

26 28

APR 02 04

09 11

16 18

23 25

[30 01 FINALS WEEK

02]

This course aims to introduce the student to philosophy and to improve the student’s skills at writing and related cognitive activities. Where the latter purpose is concerned, except the first week, a topic will assigned each Wednesday and then the student will bring a printed essay of 600 words on that topic to her discussion section on Friday. The first essay will be on “What I am doing in College.” Essays will be received in no other way. In the discussion sections, students will be selected by chance to read their essays aloud for discussion by their peers. Oral participation will not be graded, except that if a student does not stand and read when her name is called, the grade will be zero. OVER

An essay without the student’s name will also be graded zero. Essays will not (really!) be graded for spelling or grammar. Except for the first one and one later, essays are to be written in an impersonal or “cognitive” style. Points will be assigned for (1) whether the thesis is clearly stated in the first paragraph, (2) a clear reference to something expressed in the lectures or videos, (3) a clear reference to something written in the readings, (4) a clear reference to something that the student has directly or indirectly experienced, (5) indication that the student has taken cognizance of the coaching conveyed through comments on previous essays, (6) clear indication that the student has thought about the topic, and (7) the overall impression that the essay gives.

Since students do actually get sick, have flat tires, get arrested, go to funerals, etc. and the instructor will accept no excuses whatsoever for unreceived essays, the two lowest scores will be dropped, zeros included, in the determination of the final grade, which will then be based on the cumulative score of the best thirteen essays.

Roll is not taken, but the student is responsible for everything said by the instructor in class, changes of the rules included. Students answering cell phones will be ejected from the class the first time and failed the second time. Students caught plagerizing will be failed.

Office hours for the instructor and teaching assistants are just before or after class sessions for small matters and by appointment for more extensive.

TEXTS

Natalie Angier: Woman: An Intimate Geography

Noel Ignatiev: How the Irish Became White

Plato: The Trial and Death of Socrates (on the web?)

Ronald Takaki, A Different Mirror

Other readings will be found at www.phenomenologycenter.org as will be explained in class.