Philosophy 2200: Ways of Knowing
Tu/Th 11- 12:15, CRN 13208
Instructor: Dr. Harriette Grissom
hdgrissom77@gmail.com
Spring 2011
Tentative Syllabus
Jan. 11:
Introduction to course: How do we know what we know?
Jan. 13:
What is a philosopher?
Assignment: Plato’s “Apology”
Jan. 18:
Virtual Realities
Assignment: Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” (from Republic)
Jan. 20:
Some modern perspectives on the philosopher and the cave
Assignment: From Hannah Arendt’s Between Past and Future, Essay 3,
“What is Authority?”; also, the Greek alphabet, on handout
Jan. 25:
Knowing and Community
Assignment: Plato’s “Symposium”
Jan. 27:
Logical fallacies as a staple of persuasion (handout)
Focus essay # 1 due
Feb. 1:
Confucius and Plato: Some common ground
Assignment: Introduction to The Analects of Confucius, tr. Ames and
Rosemont, with special attention to pp.1-7; 20-65;
Feb. 3:
Analects, Books 1-7;
Feb. 8:
Feb. 10:
Analects, Books 8-15
Analogical ways of Knowing: Daoism and the Dogon
Feb. 15:
Faith and Knowing
Lecture on Aquinas, Averroes, Hildegard and Claire of Assisi
Feb. 17:
Discussion on faith and knowing continued; Descartes preview
Focus essay #2 due
Generate debate topic
Feb. 22:
How *do* we know what we know?
Assignment: Descartes, Meditations 1-3;
http://www.classicallibrary.org/descartes/meditations/
Feb. 24:
Splitting the Mind and the Body
Assignment: Descarte: Meditations 4-6;
http://www.classicallibrary.org/descartes/meditations/
Mar. 1:
Mar. 3:
Where Descarte leaves us: the discussion continues; review;
Mid-term exam
Mar. 8& 10:
BREAK
Mar. 15:
Knowing and Freedom
Assignment: What the Buddha Taught, Chapters 1-3;“Fire Sermon,” p. 95
Mar. 17: What the Buddha Taught, Ch.4-6; “Foundations of Mindfulness,” p.109
Mar. 22:
Debate
Focus essay #3 due
Mar. 24:
Collapse of the Reign of Reason, Intro to Nietzsche
Assignment: From Hannah Arendt, Between Past and Future, Essay 1:
“Tradition and the Modern Age”
Mar. 29:
Apollo, Dionysus, Chaos and the Death of God:
Assignment: From The Portable Nietzsche, “The Madman” (p.95); Thus
Spoke Zarathustra, First Part, pp.121-147.
Mar. 31:
The Will to Power: Knowing as Creation
Assignment: From The Portable Nietzsche, Zarathustra, Second Part,
“Upon the Blessed Isles” (p. 197) and “On Self-Overcoming” (p.225);
Zarathustra, Fourth Part, “On the Higher Man” (p. 398).
Apr. 5:
Beyond Good and Evil
Assignment: From The Portable Nietzsche, “The Gay Science [4], What
preserves the species”(p.93); “Twilight of the Idols,” pp.479-505.
Apr. 7:
The Overwhelming Power of Instinct: Intro to Freud
Assignment: From Outline of Psychoanalysis, Part One, I-IV
Apr. 12:
Learning the Language of the Unconscious
Assignment: From Outline, Part One,V.; Part Two, VII; Part Three, IX.
Apr. 14:
The Ethical Implications of Psychoanalysis
Apr. 19:
Jung: Art and Myth as Ways of Knowing
Focus Essay # 4 due.
Apr. 21:
Jung: continued
Apr. 26:
Apr. 28:
The Body and Knowing
The Body and Knowing
May 3-9:
Final exams
Books you will need for the course:
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Six Great Dialogues of Plato: Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Symposium,
Republic; Jowett, trans.; Dover ISBN-10: 0486454657; ISBN-13: 978-0486454658
Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation;Ames & Rosemont trans., ed.
Ballantine Books ISBN-10: 0345434072 ; ISBN-13: 978-0345434074
Between Past and Future,Hannah Arendt; Penguin Classics;ISBN10:0143104810;ISBN-13: 978-0143104810
Portable Nietzsche,Walter Kaufman, trans.Penguin Books (January 27, 1977) ISBN10: 0140150625; ISBN-13: 978-0140150629
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Outline of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud; Martino Fine Books;ISBN-10:
1578989914; ISBN-13: 978-1578989911
What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula; Grove Press; Revised ed. (1974); ISBN10: 0802130313; ISBN-13: 978-0802130310
About the Course
This introductory course explores how philosophers have responded to a question that
perplexes and intrigues thoughtful humans: How do we know what we know? The
attempt to solve the riddle of epistemology (how we know what we know) raises other
questions: What’s real? are some things more real than others? Can I trust my senses?
my intellect? my feelings? experts? authorities? laws? “common sense”? How we
analyze these problems bears significantly on a very important concern, namely, how we
live our lives.
Our goals will be to:
1) identify several different approaches to questions of epistemology—how we know
what we know--and understand the related philosophical issues these questions raise;
2) recognize different approaches to these issues (and perhaps even different issues) in
various historical periods and across cultures;
3) understand how the events and ideas of modernity overturned the reign of Reason,
and how this massive shift has affected the pursuit of philosophy in the 20 th Century;
4) explore the relationship between philosophy and how we live as individuals and in
communities;
5) learn how to make a persuasive, logically sound argument and how to challenge
arguments that are not logically sound;
6) appreciate the dexterity of the intellect as it attempts to grapple with the human
condition
Course Requirements:
* Attendance is crucial. Class lectures, discussions, and work in small groups are critical to
learning this material.
* Read the assigned material and be prepared to discuss it. Bring your text to class!
* Class participation: This is a large class, and it may not be feasible for everyone to
participate in discussions, but I encourage you to ask questions and offer your ideas
about the material we’re studying. Each Tuesday, students will be asked to submit a
question about the current topic of the class. Occasionally we may have an in-class
writing assignment as a prelude to a discussion. It is critical to bring your texts to class
since we will be referring to them regularly.
* Written assignments: Students will submit four four-page focus papers during the
semester. Possible topics and approaches will be generated as we go along,
depending on the direction our class takes.
*Debate: Students will have the option to participate in a debate on a topic that will be
generated by the class. Those who participate in the debate can omit one of the focus
papers. Everyone in the class will respond to the debate by evaluating the arguments of
the participants.
*Mid-term and Final Exams: These exams are designed to help students consolidate and
internalize some of the information and ideas of the course.
Grades will be based on the following:
 Each essay, 15 % of your grade; (essays combined, 6o% of your grade.)
 Mid-term, 12 %;
 Final, 12%;
 Questions submitted for class discussions, other in-class assignments: 10%
 Response to debate: 6%
 Good contributions to class discussions, excellent attendance, and evidence of
conscientious effort can improve your grade significantly, as much as one letter
grade
 Poor attendance (missing more than four classes), chronic tardiness or leaving
class early (3 tardiness=one absence), chronically leaving class for breaks, etc.
will lower your grade.
 A negative attitude or inattention in class, tweeting, texting, facing or surfing will
detract from your grade.
 Failure to submit assignments on time can jeopardize your grade. I reserve the
right not to accept an assignment that is more than one week late. Late
assignments will be marked down.
Policies:
 No make-up exams except in the event of a documentable emergency or by
prior arrangement.
 Discourse during class discussions must be respectful toward others, considerate
and civil at all times, regardless of how much we disagree and debate issues.
 Please submit all assigned papers as hard copy, not electronically.
 Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious offenses. The
consequences for academic dishonesty are severe, ranging from failure on an
assignment to a one-semester suspension. Please see the KSU Student Code of
Conduct, Section II, which is published in the KSU catalog.
 If you have a recognized disability, please see me at the beginning of the course
to arrange accommodations.
 No electronic devices during exams.
Instructor’s responsibilities: In addition to preparing to lead each class and returning your
work in a timely manner, I will assist you in any way possible so you can get the most from
this class. If you need help understanding the material, writing, classroom dynamics, time
management or any other aspect of the course, please make an appointment or speak
with me after class. Regular office hour will be Tuesday and Thursday between 12:30 and
1:30 (location TBA). E-mail me to set up an appointment at another time or discuss class
matters: hdgrissom77@gmail.com. Call me on the cell phone if necessary, 404-642-5491.
(I don’t text.)
Always communicate if you are having a problem that’s affecting your work in this
course!