Jennifer Lemma jennifer.baynelemma@wwcc.edu
Philosophy 101
Introduction to Philosophy
Winter 2014
Daily 9:30 – 10:20 AM
Text: Classic Philosophical Questions , ed. Mulvaney (required)
Sophie’s World,
Jostein Gaarder (suggested)
Philosophy is a reasonable discussion about the meaning of life .
This course is an introduction to some of the great philosophers and their philosophical questions. The learning goal of the course is a demonstrated written understanding of the diverse philosophical views of classic western philosophers in regard to God, morality, government, and human nature.
How this course works
Each class session focuses either on a lecture or class discussion. The lectures are introductions to the philosophers the class is currently reading in the textbook. The class discussions are centered on assigned reading study questions. All reading assignments in the course are from primary sources in the textbook. The reading is very challenging; you will need to read, and reread in order to complete the study question assignments.
Give yourself ample time to complete the reading and study questions, which are due about three times each week. It is in your best interest to attend class prepared and having read the assigned text.
Civility in this class is not optional, but required. As this is a college level course, we will be discussing controversial topics about which you may have strong opinions. A tolerant classroom, where opinions are respected and shared, is critical.
Canvas is used for grading purposes and to communicate about assignments, due dates, material, etc., but it is not to be used as a venue to email assignments that should have been handed in during class.
Assignments and Exams
The study question responses are an integral part of the course and constitute the largest portion of your grade. Each study question can be adequately answered in one or two short paragraphs. There are 26 study question assignments in the course, and each assignment usually has two or three questions each. You may drop three assignments, but LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED . If you do not respond to every question on a study question assignment, you will obviously earn a lower grade than if you respond to all of them. Occasional extra credit opportunities will be offered.
Study questions on the assigned reading are worth 60% of your final grade . Study questions will vary in length. An A quality, full-credit assignment is a double-spaced,

Jennifer Lemma jennifer.baynelemma@wwcc.edu typed document. It is a complete, coherent response that thoroughly addresses the study question and includes a quote and citation from the text. Hand written responses will be accepted, but corrected with a reduction in points. Questions completed as a class during the lecture time-period obviously cannot be typed and will not be deducted as such, but late study question responses will not be accepted .
The mid-term and final examinations require you to respond to questions similar to those you have already written about in your study question response assignments. In addition, the exams will have objective questions (true-false, multiple choice, identify, and so on).
Exams are graded on accuracy, detail, and quality of thought. The mid-term exam, which takes up one regular class session, counts 15% of your final grade. The final exam, which is comprehensive and lasts two hours during the final exam period, counts as 15% of your final grade.
Participation consists of 10% of your grade. Consequently, texting, Facebooking,
Instagramming, etc., during class will result in a substantial grade reduction.
Important things to remember

Attend every class session. If you are planning to miss this class frequently, you should drop it early and get your money back from the business office.
On-line classes are available if your schedule doesn’t allow for every day attendance. If you are ill during the quarter, it is your responsibility to contact other students for lecture notes or other material you missed. Attendance is key to your success in this class.

If you know that you will be absent on a particular day, arrange with the instructor to turn in your work in a timely manner, before it is due . Do not just email the assignment! Canvas is used for grading and communication. Please do not assume you can submit class work via canvas messaging.

Late work will not be accepted but you have the opportunity to drop three assignments without penalty.

Class sessions are work sessions. Arrive on time, be prepared to discuss the study questions and take notes during the lectures.
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Turn off cell phones and computers . You may not use a laptop, cell phone or tablet during class unless given explicit permission to do so.

Avoid distracting behavior (this includes leaving the room once class has started, whispering, eating, or making rude comments). The instructor may lower your grade considerably for any distracting behavior on your part.

Turning in any work that is not your own will result in either failing or dropping the entire course. This includes working on study questions together. We will

Jennifer Lemma jennifer.baynelemma@wwcc.edu discuss proper and appropriate referencing for study question responses. If you work on study questions with another person, turn in your own unique work.

To request accommodations related to a disability, contact Claudia Angus, Ph.D.,
Coordinator of Disability Support Services, Room 133C located in the Student
Development Center or call 509 527 4262, or email claudia.angus@wwcc.edu.
Introduction & Review of
Syllabus
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle:
Socrates and definition
Socrates and Plato
No Class
Plato
Plato
Plato
Plato
Socrates and the
Unexamined Life
Plato (Allegory of the Cave and the Ring of Gyges):
Plato’s relevance to contemporary society
Monday 1/6/14
Tuesday 1/7/14
Wednesday 1/8/14
Thursday 1/9/14
Friday 1/10/14
Monday 1/13/14
Tuesday 1/14/14
Wednesday 1/15/14
Thursday 1/16/14
Friday 1/17/14
Read first chapter; 1 st assignment assigned p. 2: 3,4 (#1 due)
No Class p. 2: 5, 6 (#2 due) p. 13: 6, 7 (#3 due) p. 13: 8, 9 (#4 due)
Read p. 111; p. 335; #5 assigned
Does technology/facebook/social media keep us from examining our lives, or does it encourage selfexamination?
(#5 due) p. 335; p.111

Jennifer Lemma
MLK
Aristotle and Virtue:
Eudaimonia and Entelechy
Monday 1/20/14
Tuesday 1/21/14
Epictetus and the Stoics
Epictetus
Wednesday 1/22/14
Thursday 1/23/14
Friday 1/24/14 St. Anselm and a priori logic
W
St. Anselm
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas
Pascal
Pascal
Pascal, James
William James
William James
William James
Monday 1/27/14
Tuesday 1/28/14
Wednesday 1/29/14
Thursday 1/30/14
Friday 1/31/14
Monday 2/3/14
Tuesday 2/4/14
Wednesday 2/5/14
Thursday 2/6/14
Midterm Exam Review
Midterm Exam
René Descartes
René Descartes
René Descartes
René Descartes
Presidents’ Day
John Dewey
Hobbes
Friday 2/7/14
Monday 2/10/14
Tuesday 2/11/14
Wednesday 2/12/14
Thursday 2/13/14
Friday 2/14/14
Monday 2/17/14
Tuesday 2/18/14
Wednesday 2/19/14 jennifer.baynelemma@wwcc.edu
No Class
In class writing response: A contemporary example of
Plato’s Cave (#6 due) p. 534
In class writing question: p.
534: 1, 2 (#7 due)
Extra Credit Paper Option
(Boxing article, no social media) p. 38: 1,2,3 (#8 due) p. 44: 3 (#9 due)
Emotion, paradox, influence p. 57: 1,2,3 (#10 due)
Extra Credit Paper Option p. 57: 4,5,6 (#11 due)
Video clip p. 62: 1,2,3,4 (#12 due)
In class response to questions, p. 63: 5,6,7
(#13 due)
Review of material
Midterm Exam p. 242 Read only p. 345: 1,2,3 (#14 due) p. 345: 4,5 (#15 due)
No Class
Come to class having read p.
373-381. In class writing question p. 373: 8 (#16 due)
Is life nasty, brutish and short? Extra Credit Paper
Option

Jennifer Lemma
Hobbes
John Locke
Locke
Thursday 2/20/14
Friday 2/21/14
Monday 2/24/14
Advising Day Tuesday 2/25/14
Natural Rights Discussion Wednesday 2/26/14
TBA
TBA
Thursday 2/27/14
Friday 2/28/14
Karl Marx
Advising Day
Marx
Marx
Monday 3/3/14
Tuesday 3/4/14
Wednesday 3/5/14
Thursday 3/6/14
Marx
Mill: Utilitarianism
Mill: Free Speech
Friday 3/7/14
Monday 3/10/14
Tuesday 3/11/14
Mill: Religious Tolerance;
Subjection of Women
Final Review
Final Review
Wednesday 3/12/14
Thursday 3/13/14
Friday 3/14/14
Final Review
Review
Monday 3/17/14
Tuesday 3/18/14
FINAL EXAM Wednesday 3/19/14 jennifer.baynelemma@wwcc.edu p. 446: 1,2,3,5 (#17 due) p. 453: 1,2 (#18 due)
In class writing question; p. 454: 4,5,6 (#19 due)
No Class
TBA
TBA: In class writing response (#20 due) p. 461: 1,2,3 (#21 due)
No Class p. 461: 4,5,6 (#22 due)
In class writing question p. 461: 7,8; (#23 due)
Read p. 472: focus on 1-10
Manifesto activity (#24 due) p. 423: 1,2,3 (#25 due)
In class writing question p. 423: 4,5,6 (#26 due)
Tree analogy
Final Review
Final Review
Final Review
Conferencing
FINAL EXAM
9:30-10:30