North Toronto Christian School
2015-2016
SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
Grade 12 – Philosophy: Theories & Questions
Course:
Code:
HZT4U
Text:
Manuel Velasquez, Philosophy: A Text with Readings, 12th ed.
Teacher:
D. Brooks
office: beside N2
email:
dbrooks@ntcs.on.ca
bulletin board: www.ntca.on.ca/bb
Extra help: extra help is available after classes. Any questions and concerns are welcome. Students
often find extra conferencing about the independent study project (ISP) very helpful.
Course description: This course enables students to acquire an understanding of the nature of
philosophy and philosophical reasoning skills and to develop and apply their knowledge and skills
while exploring specialized branches of philosophy (the course will cover at least three of the
following branches: metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, philosophy of science, social and political
philosophy, aesthetics). Students will develop critical thinking and philosophical reasoning skills as
they formulate and evaluate arguments related to a variety of philosophical questions and theories.
They will also develop research and inquiry skills related to the study and practice of philosophy.
Pre-requisites: Any university or university/college preparation (M or U) course in Social Sciences
and Humanities, English, or Canadian and World Studies.
Assessment:
the final course mark is comprised of
term work (70%) + final exam (30%) = 100%
Term Work: The major components of the term work are shown in the chart below. Terms have
equal weight. Formative assessments are not included in the term mark.
Tests
Term 1
test 1 - introduction
Essays & Research
Other Assessments
15%
test 2 - metaphysics
15%
MLA style
1%
test 3 – theism
15%
ISP research biblio.
short essay
argument analysis
5%
12%
7%
Term 2
test 4 – epistemology
15%
MLA style quotations
test 5 – ethics
15%
test 6 – other topic*
5%
dialogue
journal
mind map
journal
short seminar/discussion
journal
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
1%
seminar
10%
ISP essay thesis
4%
application assignment
10%
ISP essay
25%
other topic assignment
ISP presentation
10%
5%
(The final unit of the course will deal with Aesthetics OR Science OR Politics as decided by the
class.)
North Toronto Christian School
SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
2015-2016
A variety of other formative assessments will be used as and for learning. These included
conferencing, peer editing, self assessed quizzes, participation in discussions, etc. The purpose of
these is to give students feedback on their progress and guide the learning process.
Students will keep a journal to reflect on ideas and develop and apply thinking skills. At the end of a
major unit of study selected entries will be assessed as a term mark; however, students are encouraged
to use the journal beyond minimum requirements to deepen their engagement with course material.
Note: the journal must be kept in a distinct and separate notebook that can be handed in for
assessment. It should not be mixed in with other notes, or your math homework!
Text and readings: All students must have their own copy of the text within a week of starting the
course or have a receipt if the school’s text supplier is late in delivering the book. The textbook
contains excellent summaries of ideas and concepts as well as a good selection of primary source
readings (i.e. excerpts from the writings of the philosophers being studied). In some units additional
primary sources will be used.
Independent Study Project (ISP): Research is one of the strands of the philosophy curriculum and
learning the effective methods for humanities research is a major goal of the course. Students will
select one major philosopher and study his/her work beginning with the primary sources in the
Historical Showcase sections of the text. Expectations and dates are given in the chart at the end of
this document.
Academic Protocol: All formal assignments must adhere to MLA Style. (This will be discussed in
detail during the ISP research process.) Formal written assignments must be submitted on printed on
paper using a standard text font. (e.g. Times New Roman, Calibri, Helvetica) Some other assignments
will be submitted electronically but do not expect that your teacher will print out your formal essays.
Field Trips: We will visit North York Central Library for a research seminar with a specialist
librarian and to find resources for the major research essay. In previous years classes have attended a
lecture or other similar extra-curricular outing that is relevant to course content and will do so this
year if opportunities are available. (Trips scheduled outside of regular class hours are not mandatory.)
Course Schedule and Learning Goals: This is the planned rate of progress for the course. It will be
adjusted if necessary. Dates for tests and other major assessments will be confirmed about one week
in advance and posted on the bulletin board. Use this outline to keep track of your own progress.
HZT4U schedule & learning goals
Unit 1: What is Philosophy?
DAY
1
2-8
LEARNING GOALS
What is philosophy?
Identify some “big questions,” describe the
style and purpose of philosophy vis-à-vis
other ways of knowing, describe the goals of
the course
What do philosophers do?
Analyze Plato’s view of philosophy
Describe Plato’s theory of Forms
TOPICS/READINGS
Plato, “The Myth of the
Cave,” Republic, pp. 5-6
Plato, Apology pp. 27-28
Describe and critique Socrates as the ideal
philosopher
9-11
Does Philosophy matter?
Critique Russell’s views on the purpose and
value of philosophy
Bertrand Russell, “The
Value of Philosophy”
ASSESSMENT
Brainstorm
Journal
Journal
Story/graphic
retelling of Plato
Key quotes
analysis
Journal
Reflect on and discuss personal reasons for
doing philosophy, identify personal goals for
course
12
Select topic for ISP
Review and test
ISP conference
Test 1
Unit 2: Metaphysics: What is real? and other universal questions
DAY
13
18-23
24-25
26-31
LEARNING GOALS
What is real?
Explore the importance of defining reality, i.e.
identifying what counts as real and why it
matters in different areas of life
What is the nature of reality?
Define materialism and idealism and
summarize the arguments for each: Hobbes,
Berkeley
Identify and respond to the implications of
materialism & idealism (incl real life)
Research – MLA style
NYCL trip
Investigate and report on some responses to
classical metaphysics: Pragmatism, Logical
Positivism, Anti-realism
TOPICS/READINGS
3.1,2,10
Read excepts from primary
sources: Hobbes, Berkeley
ASSESSMENT
Journal
Quote analysis
Application
Journal
/application
MLA asgn
3.4,5,6
Seminar
Journal
32-35
Critique and respond to alternatives to
metaphysics
Review of metaphysics
Unit 2b: Metaphysics: Theism and Atheism
Mind Map
Chapter 3 test
HZT4U schedule & learning goals
DAY
36
37-39
LEARNING GOALS
Is there a God?
Define the problem of theism/atheism
List common arguments for a/theism
Explain the problem of evil
Reflect on personal responses to theism
List and describe the classical arguments for
theism: Ontological, Cosmological, Design
42-43
Critique the strengths and weaknesses of the
classical arguments
Find secondary sources and prepare a research
bibliography for ISP
Define atheism and agnosticism
Research and list some of the major
arguments against theism.
List some key contributors to atheism (Hume,
Dawkins, etc.)
44-51
Explore the strengths and weaknesses of some
popular arguments for atheism
Interact with the logic of credible arguments
for and against theism: Bertrand Russell,
Aquinas
40-41
TOPICS/READINGS
4.2 – Anselm, Aquinas,
Payley
4.3
ASSESSMENT
Journal
Journal
Research
bibliography
Web search
Primary text:
“Why I am not a Christian”
Summa Theologica
Argument
analysis
Appreciate, summarize and critique the logic
of a formal argument
Short essay
52-54
55-56
57-60
61-63
64-65
Write a short formal essay critiquing a logical
argument
Explore the idea of causality and its
implications for theories of metaphysics
including theism, Hume
ISP Conference: demonstrate knowledge of
secondary sources
Explore and critique some alternatives to
traditional & classic theism: James,
Kierkegaard, Tillich
Reflect and form a personal response to the
ideas studied in this chapter
Review, complete assessments
Prepare list of key terms and quotes
Finish ISP Conference: demonstrate
knowledge of secondary sources
4.3
Journal
4.4,5
Chapter 4 test
Before Jan report
HZT4U schedule & learning goals
Unit 3a: Epistemology: What can we know?
DAY
66
67
68-71
72-75
76-83
84-88
LEARNING GOALS
How do we know?
Identify common ideas about sources of
credible knowledge
Innate ideas, investigate and critique the
Platonic theory of knowledge
Rationalism: Descartes
ISP research – MLA protocol for citations
Conference about ISP topics
Empiricism: Locke, Berkeley, Hume
Investigate and explain the development of
empiricism
5.1
TOPICS/READINGS
ASSESSMENT
Chart/graphic
organizer
Meno
Journal
5.2 Descartes
Quotations asgn
5.3, 5.7
Describe and critique how Hume’s thinking
leads to skepticism and relate this problem to
other fields and applications (including
theism)
Explain Kant’s solution to the impasse
between rationalism and empiricism
Define Kant’s technical terms
Evaluate the implications of Kant’s
philosophy
Graphic organizer
Peer assess ISP
thesis
Continue ISP conferencing (and prep for
chapter 6 seminars)
Unit 3b: Epistemology: What is truth?
DAY
89-91
LEARNING GOALS
How do we define ‘True’?
Describe and critique several theories of truth
Analyze the implications of the various
theories of truth
Consider the importance (and possibility) of
certainty
March Break???
92-94 ISP conference and develop thesis
95-98 Describe and critique the theory that truth is a
matter of interpretation:
Wittgenstein, Gadamer, Derrida
99-100
Analyze the implications of defining truth as a
matter of interpretation for a variety of fields
(e.g. biblical studies)
Review Epistemology: Prepare list of key
terms and quotes
TOPICS/READINGS
6.2
ASSESSMENT
Seminar
Thesis statement
6.4
Graphic organizer
Chapt 5&6 test
HZT4U schedule & learning goals
Unit 4: Ethics: What is the good thing to do?
DAY
101
102104
105108
109110
111113
114116
LEARNING GOALS
What is a good person?
Identify and compare a variety of sources of
morals and ethical systems
Identify current social issues that involve
ethical questions and consider the ways these
questions may be answered
Describe how Utilitarianism defines good
Describe how Utilitarianism was a response to
social conditions
Analyze the ethics of Utilitarianism and its
implications
Explain Kant’s ethical system and define his
terminology
Apply Kant’s categorical imperative to a
variety of social/legal situations
Describe how Kant’s ethics emerges from his
metaphysics and epistemology
Analyze the implications of Kant’s ethics
Explore the idea of a good person
Describe and critique Aristotle’s character
ethics
Distinguish between Golden Rule and Golden
Mean (Aristotle vs Jesus, etc.)
Review: Prepare a list of key terms and quotes
Compare various ethical systems and their
answers to specific ethical questions
Relate ethical theories to metaphysical
opinions
ISP – conference, refine thesis, plan essay
outlines
TOPICS/READINGS
ASSESSMENT
Brainstorm
7.3
7.4
Written report
on ethics and
social issues and
one major
philosophy of
ethics
7.5
Chapter 7 test
(resubmitted
thesis if
necessary)
Unit 5: Other areas of philosophy: Aesthetics, Science, Social & Political Philosophy
These are optional topics from which one will be selected based on the interests of the class.
DAY
115125
126125
128132
LEARNING GOALS
Explore and describe the role of philosophy in
a different discipline
Read and critique the theory of a major
philosopher’s contribution to the discussion
Research and analyze examples of ideas in a
discipline that can be explained or analyzed
from a philosophical perspective
ISU presentations
Review for final exam
Prepare and edit list of key terms and quotes
Assemble collection of key quotes from
primary sources
TOPICS/READINGS
ASSESSMENT
MC quiz?
Key quotes quiz?
ISP Presentation
HZT4U schedule & learning goals
ISP – Schedule and Expectations
Topic & Primary Source: Choose one of the Historical Showcase sections of the textbook, chapters
2-8. (Not Aquinas.) You might want to select a philosopher we are not studying specifically as a
class. Try to avoid choosing the same philosopher as a classmate.
Date
Sept 21-30
Oct 16
Submission
Conference
Summary notes
Mid October
Trip to NYCL
Oct 30
Nov 16
MLA protocol assignment
Research bibliography
following academic protocol
Electronic copies of sources
and/or photocopied or scanned
copies of relevant parts of
paper sources must be
submitted
Dec 14-18
Conference
Demonstrate K/U of secondary
sources
Academic protocol for
quotations
Jan 15
Expectations and Learning Goals
Select topic
Read and summarize the source in writing
Electronic format is fine.
You may wish to read more of your primary source
than is given in the text. Use a good critical edition.
Seminar with expert librarian to become more
familiar with advanced research skills
Prepare a sample bibliography using MLA style
Locate at least 8 good quality secondary sources
- 4 electronic, including at least 2 academic
journal articles retrieved from a database
- 2 paper sources, these may be scholarly
prefaces to critical editions of the primary
source
- 2 sources of other media (video, etc.)
Read and make notes on secondary sources
May include highlighting or e-annotating
Select three key quotations from your source. Use
both Velasquez’ commentary and his quotations of
your primary source.
Format your quotes in a dummy essay. You may
use filler text (i.e., Lorem ipsum dolor…) but the
quotations should make coherent sense.
Feb 16-26
Individual/group conference
Written statement of thesis
Mar 28-31
Apr 18-21
Apr 29
Written point form outline
Editing
Final essay
Include: one each of direct quote, block quotation,
and a paraphrase, and use of ellipsis and square
bracket parentheses.
Thesis development
Research questions, further research as needed,
final thesis statement
Essay outline with clear organization of argument
Rough draft
Final draft