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Introduction to Philosophy -- Spring, 2001

Instructor: Paul Hodapp
Office: Weber House (1015 20th St.)
Telephone: 351-2574
Office Hours: TH 9:30-10:30 & 12:30-1:30, and by appointment
E-mail: paul.hodapp@unco.edu

The aim of this course is to help you reason more effectively in discussion with others on matters of social and political importance. The method of instruction will be lecture and class discussion. Attendance is not required, but if you come to class, I will expect that you will be prepared to discuss the assigned material.

Your grade will be determined by two examinations (40% for the first exam and 60% for the final). The grading scale is 90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; etc. To earn an A or B you must read King Lear and Antigone, and write a 4 page paper comparing the philosophy of the Republic to each of these writings. Your analysis must be supported by specific page cites and there can be no more than 3 writing errors. An A requires an A on the exams and an A on the paper, and a B requires a B on both. As with any 3+ page paper, you are encouraged to submit a draft for my comments.

Short writing assignments may count as extra credit. These papers are for students who wish to spend time learning to do philosophy without worrying about grades. Philosophy is more like tennis than it is like intellectual history. The skill of philosophy takes time to develop, and grades are not often helpful in this process of intellectual development.

Some short papers will be one page; they will be worth one point. Topics will be based on questions for class discussion. The papers will represent your reasoned responses to these questions. A second set of short papers will help to develop your skills in logical organization, writing, and expressing your understanding of philosophical arguments. The papers should not be a summary; rather they should be devoted to logical arguments. The topics of the papers will typically be the "isms" we will discuss this semester, e.g., moral subjectivism and egoism; other topics will include the first principles of morality, the arguments of Plato on the topics of the good for human beings in a just society, God's existence, the mind-body problem, and skepticism about the physical world. The papers should be organized as follows: clear definitions and examples of all key terms, including terms used in the definitions, one key argument for one position preferably in valid and sound form, and one objection to the argument with support for any claims that you make.

The examinations will be T/F and multiple-choice. You will be responsible for all material that has been assigned whether the material is discussed in class or not. Some material may be assigned for reading and viewing outside class in addition to the assigned texts. The assigned texts will be: Lawhead, The Philosophical Journey, and Plato, The Republic. They are available at the Book Stop, at the corner of 16th St. and 10th Ave. Any cheating may cause you to fail the course.

Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Access Center (351-2289) as soon as possible.

This syllabus is subject to revision during the course of the semester.