Phil 100 – Introduction to Philosophy / Spring 08

 

A Fantastic Introduction to Philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy through Science-Fiction Short Stories

 

Syllabus

Instructor: Uri Leibowitz

Office: Bartlett 379

Office Hours: Thursday 3-4 and by appointment

Email: uri(AT)philos(DOT)umass(DOT)edu

 

Tu,Th 1:00-2:15

Grayson Dormitory 104

 

 

Course Description

 

Some say that philosophy should be studied not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves. However, it is often difficult not only to comprehend philosophical questions, but also to figure out why anyone would ask such questions in the first place. In this course we will try to understand and motivate some philosophical questions by reading science fiction short stories that raise interesting philosophical puzzles. Alongside our literary survey we will explore various philosophical theories that were offered in response to these puzzles. Readings may include works by Plato, Descartes and contemporary philosophers as well as stories by Asimov, Clarke, Philip K. Dick, Borges, Adams and others. 

 

Course Website

 

http://www.people.umass.edu/uril/phil100/

 

 

Required Texts* (Available at Amherst Books, 8 Main St. Amherst, MA)

 

Conee & Sider, Riddles of Existence : A Guided Tour of Metaphysics, Oxford University Press 2007

 

Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy (Cress - Trans.), Hackett Publishing Co. (3rd edition) 1993

  

Plato, Five Dialogues (Grube - Trans.), Hackett Publishing Co. (2nd edition) 2002

 

Sartre, J. P., Existentialism is a Humanism, Yale University Press, 2007

  

All other required readings will be available electronically on the course website [email me for username and password].

 

* All required texts are on 2 hr/No-overnight reserve at the Du BOIS Library Reserve Services (3rd floor)

 

 

Course Requirements

  1. Lectures: You must attend class regularly, taking detailed notes, asking questions and contributing to class discussions. Attendance is mandatory. If you miss too many classes you will automatically fail this course. Moreover, your participation grade, homework grade, and your grade on the mid-term exam (see below) will be multiplied by the number of classes you attended and divided by the total number of classes. I will take attendance at the beginning of each class. Your overall attendance will be determined solely by my records. If you show up late, it is your responsibility to make sure that I mark you on my attendance list. If you know you won’t be able to make it to class you must notify me by email before class

  2. Readings: You must complete each reading assignment on time and be prepared to discuss it in class (you might be called upon in class).

  3. Participation: Participation in class discussion will constitute 10% of your final grade.

  4. Homework: You will be required to submit a short written homework assignment (aprox. ½ page) once/twice a week. You must submit your homework in class – late assignments will not be accepted. If you can’t make it to class (for a good reason), you must submit your homework to me by email before class. Your homework grade will constitute 20% of your final grade.

  5. Mid-Term take-home exam: Your grade on the mid-term exam will constitute 20% of your final grade. Late submissions will be penalized by a part of a grade per day (i.e. A becomes A-; A- becomes B+ etc.)

  6. Final take-home exam: A comprehensive final take-home exam. Your grade on the final exam will constitute 50% of your final grade. Late submissions will be penalized by a part of a grade per day (i.e. A becomes A-; A- becomes B+ etc.)

  7. Excellent-Contribution Bonus: You can earn a bonus of up to 10 points (on a 100-point scale) that will be added to your final grade by making excellent contributions to this course. For example, students who regularly come to class well prepared and regularly make excellent contributions to class discussion will receive up to 10 points of extra credit.

          

Cheating

 
Passing off another’s ideas or words or answers as your own is cheating. It is very easy to catch and will not be tolerated in this course. Cheaters will receive an automatic ‘F’ for the course and may be subject to expulsion from the university.

 

The official policy concerning academic honesty is described in the UMass Code of Student Conduct

 

 

Students with Special Needs

 

If you are a student with any kind of special need, please do not hesitate to contact me for any necessary accommodations.

 

 

Course main page

Philosophy Department