TQF3 Course Description Rangsit University Name of University: School/Faculty/Department: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics College of Public Governance and Government 1. General Information 1. Course ID and Course title IPH211 Element of Philosophy I 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Credit units (Number of hours per week for lecture, lab, and self-study) 3 hours (3-0-6) Programme and Categorization of course This subject is major required course for Bachelor of Arts Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Responsible faculty member and list of instructors Preechaya Kittipaisalsilpa Semester/Year level Semester 1 / Sophomore Pre-requisite course(s) (if any) None Co-requisite course(s) (if any) None Place of study Rangsit University, Muangake Campus Date of preparation or latest update January 2015 1 TQF3 2. Learning Objectives and Development Objectives 1. Learning objectives This course introduces to some of the main areas of research in early philosophy by learning from each well-known different philosopher, questions and issues in their area of expertise. The course will begin by trying to understand what philosophy is; what are its characteristic aims and methods, and how does it differ from other subjects? Then it will spend the rest of the course gaining an introductory overview of several different areas of early Western philosophy. 2. Objectives for course development/improvement 1. To become familiar with major philosophical problems and the methods of dealing them 2. To learn how to read and interpret philosophical texts (rightly considered as belonging to the category of the most complex intellectual products) 3. To acquire an initial command of philosophical language. 4. To demonstrate what does it mean to adopt ‘philosophical attitude’ as an elevated form of human curiosity and resistance to any kind of dogmatism and philosophy of science. 3. Course Content and Activities 1. Course content A critical study and analysis of early western philosophy. Emphasis will be placed on the thought of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Seneca and Thomas Aquinas. The influence of their thinking on later philosophy and their influence on the solution to the modern ethical and political problems will be analyzed and discussed. When appropriated, similarities or dissimilarities to western Philosophy will be discussed. 2. Number of hours per each semester Lecture Tutorial Lab/Field Self-study Study/Workshop Lecture 45 hours Upon requested Assignments 8 hours per week 3. Number of hours per week for advising and academic counseling for individual students - Students can request for academic advices prior/after classes or in class hours. - Students can make appointment or stop by at the faculty members’ offices during the specified office hours (6 hours per week). - Students can request academic help through the website of the Department or emails of faculty members. 2 TQF3 5. Course Planning and Assessment 1. Course planning Topics/Details Week 1 Hours Course Introduction: Why Study Philosophy? (The Garden of Eden) 3 2 Main Branches of Philosophy: Myths and Epistemology 3 3 The Natural Philosophers 3 4 Philosophy of science 3 5 Fate 3 3 Learning Activities/Media Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Instructor Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya TQF3 6 Socrates and Athens 3 7 Plato 3 8 Aristotle 3 Lecture Discussion PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Preechaya Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya ***** Midterm Examination ***** 9 10 11 12 13 3 Thomas Aquinas 3 Hellenism and Philosophy of Religion 3 Presentation: Imagination World Selective Philosophical reading class Two Cultures and The Middle Ages 4 3 3 Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya Preechaya TQF3 14 The Renaissance and the Baroque 3 15 Philosophy of arts 3 Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Lecture Discussion / PowerPoint Examples Preechaya Preechaya ***** Final Examination ***** 2. Assessment Assessment Method Assessment Week Week 9, Marks Allocation Examination 2 (Final) Week 15 30% Individual Essay Presentation Week 8, Week 15 15% 15% Whole semester 10% Examination 1 (Midterm) Class Attendance and Participation 30% 6. Course Resources 1. Required text books and readings - Gaarder, J. (2009) , Sophie’s World, London: Dolphin publishing. - Sheets summarizing the importance of the selected topics, main ideas of philosophers and debates among them 2. Supplementary reading list/references - Magee, B. (2001). The Story of Philosophy, London: Dorling Kindersley. - Stumpf, S. (1989). Philosophy History & Problems, 4th ed. Singapore: McGraw Hill. - Bauman, Z. (1993). Postmodern Ethics, Oxford: Blackwell. - Kenny, A. (2006). The Rise of Modern Philosophy, Oxford: Clarendon Press. - Kenny, A. (2008). Philosophy in the Modern World, Oxford: Clarendon Press. - McKinnon, B. (1995). Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, Belmont: Wadsworth. 5 TQF3 - Sedgwick, P. (2001). Descartes to Derrida, Oxford: Blackwell. 3. Recommended reading list/references None 7. Course Feedback and Improvement 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Course evaluation by students - Discussion with students - End-semester questionnaire - Class evaluation/peer evaluation - Questioning and answering session in class Other methods of course evaluation - Discussion with experts Course development and improvement - Research - Seminars - Course workshop and meeting - Course mentor - Class observation - Knowledge sharing Quality assurance of the course - Internal committees - External committees - Internal quality assurance - External quality assurance Course revision and development plan - Major revision every 5 years - Minor revision where appropriate 6