Syllabus
Pierce College: Fall 2015- Phil 1 Honors (Online): 0934
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Contact Info
 Name: Cara Gillis
 Email: caragillis@mac.com (please put the following in the subject heading: Online Phil 1 - Your
Name)
 Phone: Please do NOT call me. (818) 710-2256
 Online Office Hours:
o Use Skype: drcaragillis (adding me on skype is a VERY good idea for this class)
o To set up an online meeting, send me an email requesting a time and we'll work
something out.
Website: www.caragillis.com
Textbook
Plato Republic, trans. G.M.A. Grube, rev. C.D.C Reeve, 2nd edition, Hackett Publishing, Indiana, 1992.
Course Description
This is an introductory class in philosophy. We will examine a variety of philosophical topics (political
philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology) as presented in Plato's Republic.
Course Goals and Objectives
 To appreciate the importance of philosophy
 To develop and improve your ability to read and interpret philosophical arguments
 To analyze, evaluate, and compare a seminal philosophical text.
 To participate in thoughtful and respectful philosophical dialogue
 To develop a critical attitude towards one's own beliefs and commitments
 To relate philosophical insights to the world in which we live
Student Learning Outcomes
 Students will have the ability to formulate some of the core questions of philosophy and
understand various philosophical responses to them in their historical and present context.
 Students will have the ability to analyze and evaluate philosophical claims, arguments and theories
using rigorous philosophical methods.
My Goals for All My Classes
I love philosophy. I think it's probably the best discipline in the world. My primary goal for the class is to
help you learn to love philosophy too. Falling short of that, I would hope to open your eyes to the fact that
philosophy is relevant in your everyday life. The kind of reasoning and thinking you learn by doing
philosophy helps you master tasks from prioritizing a chore list to deciding how to vote to answering the
question "if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound?” I want you to
learn to live the examined life. What I don't want to do is change your political views, belittle any beliefs
you may hold sacred, or make you feel that you can't do this. That doesn't mean that I won't challenge all
of these things, but I do that for the sake of helping you develop better reasoning. Above all else, I hope we
have fun and learn many things from each other.
Emailing
 The only email address I will use for student correspondence is caragillis@mac.com If you send
an email else where, I will not get back to you.
 Please use an appropriate name for your address.
 Do not use ALL CAPS, profanity, !!!!!, etc.
 In the subject line, please write: Philosophy 1 - Your Name.
 Do not expect an immediate response (note that not all emails require a direct response.) This is
particularly true if there is no emergency involved (note that lack of preparation on your part does
not constitute an emergency on my part.) Don't wait until the last minute if you have a problem.
Again, if you have sent a legitimate email and I haven't responded after 72 hours, please send it
again.
 Practice proper grammar when writing emails.
 Think before you send. Remember that what you write in an email becomes part of a permanent
record of interaction with me.
Messaging
 You may contact me via Skype (which is the preferred method. Here are some messaging policies
 Introduce yourself by your real name and class name and number when you ping me.
 Use proper grammar and spell in proper English. Don't worry about typos, we all make them, but
do not use "text talk” or I will be LSHMBH b/c I DNC.
 Do not get offended if I don't respond. I'm not ignoring you - I'm probably away from my
computer.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS COURSE
Expectations and Time Management
 You need to be very honest with yourself at this point: can you stay on top of your work without a
class environment? There are lots of chances to slack off so you need to make sure that you are a
self-starter. Here's what I expect from you:
 You need to check in to the class regularly. Once a week is probably not sufficient; plan on
checking in around 2-4 times a week.
 It is your responsibility to check the syllabus for all assignments. As a syllabus rarely follows the
semester exactly, I reserve the right to make necessary changes, add readings, and introduce
timely material. The potential changes also make it extremely important for you check moodle
regularly.
 Self-motivation is crucial to online classes. If you can't stay on top of the work (or even if you
leave everything to the last minute) you won't succeed.
 Reading is the traditional way that one begins to internalize philosophical arguments. I expect you
to generally read between 20-50 pages of text a week. For an average student this would work out
to between 2-5 hours of reading. You cannot pass the class without doing the reading.
 Apart from the 2-5 hours of reading a week, you can expect to send another 1-4 hours doing
course work, reading lecture notes, participating in forms, taking tests, etc. This does not include
work on your term paper or midterm.
 I also expect that you interact with other students, generally via discussion forums or chat
sessions. Collaboration can facilitate learning, so it's in your best interest to do this.
 DO NOT PANIC! I expect you to be forthcoming about any problems you're having in the class,
either understanding the material, getting the assignments done on time, having consistent access
to the online material, etc. Together we can solve almost every problem; however, you need to
communicate with me. I'm nice!
Deadlines
Missed deadlines are not tolerated. If an assignment is due at 11:55pm and the time stamp shows that it
was submitted at 11:56pm then the assignment is considered a full day late. Late assignments will be
penalized 10% per day, including weekend days. This is non-negotiable. If you know you are having
trouble meeting a particular deadline, then let me know and we can make alternate arrangements. If you
miss an assignment and have not let me know ahead of time, you MAY NOT MAKE IT UP. Since most
assignments open on Wednesdays and close on Sundays do not expect me to be lenient if the first time you
open the assignment is Sunday morning and you realize that you can't finish it before Sunday night. Plan
on getting your work done early. Technological problems happen, but you need to take that into account.
Don't leave things to the last minute, or forget to save them, or forget to submit them. Unless otherwise
noted, all deadlines at Sundays at 11:55pm.
Technology
Computer malfunctions happen, but unfortunately I can't fix them. Really. I would if I could, but I lack the
knowledge. If you have a problem with moodle-based technology then you can email moodle help at
onlinehelp@piercecollege.edu. The technology requirements for the class are:
 Know how to use a computer.
 Have an email address.
 Have Internet access for at least 5 hours a week.
 Have word processing (Word, Word Perfect, etc) and web browsing (Firefox, Netscape, etc)
software.
 Know how to follow instructions to upload a file.

You should ideally have some kind of PDF reader (Adobe) and media streamer (Quicktime, Real
Player, etc.).
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is not only illegal it is immoral. I'm an ethicist by training, as well as a love of philosophy, and
I find instances of plagiarism to be personally offensive. I will prosecute plagiarists to the fullest extent
possible. If you are uncertain about what counts as plagiarism please ask me. Copying material, buying it
online, or cheating in any other way will automatically earn you an F on the assignment in question and
may also include suspension. I find examples of it every semester, so don't be one of those I catch this
semester. I have included a link in case you need help understanding the meaning or problems of
plagiarism: http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/plagiarism.html. If you plagiarize I will report
you to Academic Affairs and a note will be placed in your permanent file. I check every paper and
assignment for plagiarism.
ONLINE CLASSES
Are You Ready to Take an Online Course?
 Consider the following questions (excerpted from
http://coursecatalog.com/dbpages/learn/asp_assess.htm):
 Do you stay on task without direct supervision?
 Can you prioritize your own workload?
 Do you learn best from reading text and assignments?
 Do you enjoy learning new computer or technology skills?
 Do you usually understand written instructions?
 Would you plan to allocate as much time in your schedule for an online course as you would for a
more "traditional' face-to-face class?
 Do you learn well on your own?
 Do you enjoy taking on new projects?
 Do you stick to the job no matter what happens?
 Are you well organized in terms of time management?
 If you answered "yes” to these questions, then you are suited to an online class. If you answered
"no” to these questions, an online class may still be for you, but you need to think hard about how
you will stay motivated and on task.
Who Probably Should NOT Take an Online Course?
Here are some thoughts about who may struggle with an online course. Of course, this list is in no way
meant to be definitive, rather it's meant to highlight some things or personality traits to be aware of.
 You're a procrastinator: There MANY things that need to get done in an online course and many
deadlines, you can't succeed by putting everything off until the last minute.
 You don't like to read: There is LOTS of reading in an online course, much more than in a
traditional course. If you don't like reading, this will be challenging.
 It's your first class in college or your first class back to college after a long absence: This is a
tricky one. If I can't see your face when I'm explaining the material I can't always tell if you
understand it. You're going to be learning a lot of very dense material and if you're out of practice
thinking "hard” then this course will be more challenging than a traditional course. That being
said, if this characteristic describes you, you're more than welcome to come see me in my office
hours to chat about all the readings.
 You're already over-extended: This class is going to take up a lot of your time, much more than a
regular class. Don't look at it like "easy” units. These are definitely harder, more time-consuming
units.
 Finally, online classes are not self-paced. The pace is set, you need to do the work to match it.
REQUIREMENTS:
Week 1 Requirements IMPORTANT!!
Failure to meet these requirements will result in you being dropped from the class.
 Check in to the moodle site.
 Introduce yourself to your classmates on the "Introductions” forum.
Forums
(5%) Each week there will be a "Questions/Comments/Concerns Forum.” Use this forum to ask questions
about the readings, post comments or insights about the readings, or get clarification on the course. Feel
free to respond to each on these issues. I do not check the forum daily, so the best way to get answers to
pressing questions (broken links, assignment questions, technical glitches, etc.) is to email me directly.
Post a total of 5 times of the course of the semester and you'll earn this 5%.
Quizzes
(20%) There will be 10 quizzes over the course of the semester. This are simple and quick and designed to
a) keep your reading on track, and b) give you some feedback on how well you're understanding the
material along the way. They will be either multiple choice or short-ish (one paragraph) answers. They are
each worth 2.5%, so only your top 8 scores will count.
BONUS: Do all 10 quizzes to earn up to an extra 5% of extra credit.
Midterm
(25%) The midterm is due October 18th before 11:55pm. A list of 12 questions will be posted on
October 12th. Once you open the test, you'll see 5 questions taken from that list. You must answer all 5
questions. Each question should be answered in 1-2 paragraphs. Be sure to save your work as you go.
You'll have three hours and one attempt to answer the question. You may not use any quotations in your
answers and any non-original work (including paraphrases of the readings and notes) must be appropriately
cited and attributed.
Term Paper
(50%) You will write an 8-12 page term paper for this class. I'll post essay prompts on 11/23. A first draft
of your essay, which should include a thesis statement, as well as all of the necessary textual and argument
analysis to support the thesis statement (but may omit an introduction and conclusion), is due 12/06. Your
first draft is worth 15%. The draft must be relatively polished with no grammatical or typographical
errors. I'll return comments on your draft on 11/13. The final paper, which must be completely polished,
consistently formatted, and extensively proofread, is due before 12/20 at 11:55pm. I'll be posting
information and tips about essay writing throughout the second half of the semester. Be sure to read these.
General Grading Guideline for Written Assignments
A: Meets all the requirements and demands of the assignment, contains neither argumentative nor factual
errors, is well written (including grammar, structure, etc.), and offers a degree of insight and sophistication
that goes beyond what has been discussed in the lecture notes and forums.
B: Meets all the requirements and demands of the assignment, contains neither argumentative nor factual
errors, and is well written (including grammar, structure, etc.)
C: Meets the basic requirements and demands of the assignment but lacks insight, has a few argumentative
or factual errors.
D: Does not meet the basic requirements of the assignment and/or has a argumentative and factual errors,
but has made some effort to complete the work.
F: Does not meet the basic requirements of the assignment, and/or has a argumentative and factual errors,
and had not made some effort to complete the work.
Grading and the Grade Book
I have a maximum 10-day turn around on assignments. If you haven't received a grade for an assignment
after 10 days please send me an email. All your grades will be posted to the moodle gradebook. The
default grade is zero. After I've read what ever you've submitted the grade will change. No one will get a
zero: the lowest score I will give for submitted work is 0.5. If, after then 10 days, you still have a 0 that
means I have no submission from you (aka: your answer is blank.) Note that it's often difficult to give
tonnes of feedback in all the assignments. Please feel free to contact me if you'd like to go over any of your
assignments and/or grades.
Dropping the Course
If you haven't logged in, completed the syllabus quiz, and introduced yourself on the Introduction Forum, I
will drop you from the class at the end of the first week. After that, you must drop yourself. Otherwise
you will get the grade, most likely an F, of someone who remained enrolled but who didn't complete the
assignments. Check the Pierce calendar for the schedule of drop deadlines.
Incompletes
I will only give incompletes in cases where you can completed the majority of the class work, have
demonstrated a full-faith effort to complete the class, and have a documentable and legitimate reason for
why you failed to compete all the assignments.
Student Services
If you need help paying for books and other college expenses, call the Financial Aid Office at (818) 7196428 or see them in the College Services Building http://www.piercecollege.edu/offices/financial_aid. You
should also check out the additional services available to Pierce Students either online at
www.piercecollege.edu or in the Pierce College Schedule of Classes.
Special Services
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all qualified students enrolled in this
course are entitled to "reasonable accommodations." Anyone with a learning disability (e.g., dyslexia, testtaking anxiety, etc.) should see me at once about any special accommodations that need to be made. You
deserve to have your learning needs accommodated! The Learning Center and Special Services are both
terrific and free resources. http://www.piercecollege.edu/departments/learning_center/ We work closely
with the Disabled Students Program & Services office and have computer software and hardware available
to meet special requirements. The office of Disabled Students Programs is located in the Administration
Building, Room 1024 (818-719-6430).