PHL 1001: Critical Reading and Writing in Human Nature
Peter Gratton, PhD
FALL 2015
Class Time, Location: M/W/F 12pm-12:50pm.
Office Hours: M/W/F 11:00-12:00pm and by appointment, AA3040
Course web site: grattoncourses.wordpress.com
e-mail: pgratton@mun.ca
General Course Description: As a Critical Reading and Writing course, this course will focus on
learning and practicing the fundamental skills required for university-level critical reading and
writing that will prepare students for other Arts courses regardless of discipline. Students are
therefore encouraged to take this course within their first year of their BA program.
Critical Reading and Writing skills that students will demonstrate competence in include:
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reading to understand a text,
effective note-taking,
analysis of evidence,
writing to present and critique arguments
appropriate and accurate usage of secondary sources
presenting ideas in clear, direct, precise, and proper English
writing in a style appropriate for university-level academic communication
drafting, revising, editing, and peer-reviewing
avoiding plagiarism
The particular topic in this course is the question of human nature. We often believe that there is
something specific to being human, a “nature” that we all share, whether it’s the ability to be
rational, the ability to control our passions, or some other definable quality. In this class we will
take up arguments on this question from thinkers both ancient and modern, all to ask whether there
is a common nature to us, or if, as some believe, all such arguments that we share a human nature
hide a politics that would define certain humans as better than others.
Philosophical skills that students should demonstrate competence in include:
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discerning the arguments in a text and explaining them in one’s own words
reflecting on and comparing different ethical positions
articulating one’s own default beliefs and moral opinions
responding critically to ethical ideas
supporting an argument with citations and examples
reading and incorporating secondary sources on ethical texts
Requirements
Reading: You must read the assigned texts prior to class and it is highly recommended that you
read any philosophical texts at least twice. Given the breadth of any survey course, but especially
one in philosophy, it will be important for you to keep up with the readings and bring to class any
questions you have about the text(s). Use a dictionary to look up words that you don’t understand,
and come to class with any questions you have. This is a work-intensive class, as you will see
below. You should do your best to keep up with the readings and writing assignments from the
beginning, since it will be difficult, if not impossible, to catch up later on.
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Class Participation: You will be expected to attend each class having read the relevant materials
and able to comment upon them to other members of the class. Your participation grade will be
assessed with the following in mind: (1) attendance (no more than three absences during the
semester, no exceptions) and (2) level and quality of participation.
Each student is required to write a two-page, single-spaced protocol for one of the days’ reading
assignments listed below. The handouts can be a summary of the material, a response to one of the
ideas contained in the reading, or some combination thereof. Since you will be writing these
handouts on readings that we have not gone over, you are not expected to have mastered the
material. Rather, it is more than fair to raise in your handout any passages that were particularly
difficult and that we need to go over. You should send it to me via email so that I can put it up on
the front projector. This assignment is worth ⅓ of your participation points in the course.
Writing Assignments: There will be weekly writing assignments and a mid-term paper, with
intermittent drafts due, all to lead to a final paper on ethics at the end of the course.
Evaluation: Weekly Writing Assignments/quiz
Mid-Term Paper
Participation
Final Paper
30%
25%
10%
35%
Class Cancellations: If class is cancelled for any reason, the cancellation will be posted under the
cancellations section of the main page of the Memorial University website.
Intellectual Honesty: Students are reminded of the University policy on intellectual honesty,
especially that part which pertains to plagiarism and self-plagiarism (see the Memorial University
Calendar). Plagiarism and self-plagiarism are forms of academic fraud; complaints or allegations of
such are subject to the adjudication of the Senate Discipline Committee. Cheating includes but is
not limited to allowing another student to copy from your work, presenting someone else’s work as
your own including through failure to credit the source of ideas, consulting electronic devices such
as mobile phones, and/or interacting with others while a test is ongoing. Any submission in this
course that is similar to another author’s work, beyond chance, will be treated as plagiarism.
Information about procedures and penalties for academic misconduct is outlined in the University
Calendar.
Statement on Students with Special Needs: Students with permanent or temporary disabilities
who would like to discuss classroom accommodations are asked to see the instructor. If you suffer
from any disabilities, such as a social phobia and/or a physical or mental condition, which you
believe may impede your progress and participation in the course, either with regard to the class
itself or quizzes and exams, please let me know as soon as possible. I have worked with students
with special circumstances before and I will be glad to do so again to make this classroom as
inclusive as possible.
Books ordered:
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Hackett): 0872204642
Anthony Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments (Hackett): 0872209547
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality (Hackett): 0872201503
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (Hackett): 0872202836
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents (Norton): 0393304515
Shrunk and White, Elements of Style (Longman): 020530902X
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Date
Sept 9
Sept 11
Sept 14
Sept 16
Sept 18
Sept 21
Sept 23
Sept 25
Sep 28
Sep 30
Oct 2
Oct 5
Oct 7
Oct 9
Oct 12
Oct 14
Oct 16
Oct 19
Oct 21
Oct 23
Oct 26
Oct 28
Oct 30
Nov 2
Nov 4
Nov 6
Nov 9
Nov 11
Nov 13
Nov 16
Nov 18
Nov 20
Nov 23
Reading
Course introduction
Plato’s Apology (link provided on course website): read first half, until Socrates begins
to ask questions of Meletus.
Plato’s Apology: read second half
Plato’s Apology cont’d; Read MUN’s guide on plagiarism:
http://www.mun.ca/writingcentre/plagiarism/
Argumentative Fallacies: Appendix I in A Rulebook for Arguments
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, chapters 1-4
Rulebook for Arguments, chapter 1.
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, chapters 6-end
First Quiz on argumentative fallacies (5 points)
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book II
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI, chapters 1-12
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 1st Meditation (link available on course
website)
Rulebook for Arguments, chapter 2.
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 2nd Meditation
First paper due: Beginning with a clear thesis statement, you will write 3 pages, doublespaced, on Aristotle’s view of happiness. How does he define happiness? How is it
acquired? Can everyone be happy? Be sure to cite any sources that you use. (10 points)
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, 3rd Meditation
Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy, cont’d 3rd Meditation
No class
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, preface;
Rulebook for Arguments, chapter 4.
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, part I, first half.
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, part I, second half
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, part II, first half
Rulebook for Arguments, chapters 6-7.
Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, part II, second half
Quiz 2 on types on Rulebook for Arguments, chs. 4,6, and 7 (5 points)
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, preface
Midterm paper due
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, pp. 9-20
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, pp. 21-34
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, pp. 35-50
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, pp. 51-66
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pp. 5-20
No class.
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pp. 20-50
Second short paper due: Beginning with a clear thesis statement, you will write 3 pages,
double-spaced, comparing three different philosophers and how they make their
arguments.
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pp. 51-80
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, pp. 81-end
Hannah Arendt, “What is Freedom?” (first half; available on course website)
Hannah Arendt, “What is Freedom?” (second half; available on course website)
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Nov 25
Nov 27
Nov 30
Dec 2
Dec 4
Rulebook for Arguments, chapter 8.
Luce Irigaray, This Sex which is not One, pp. 119-135 (available on course website)
Luce Irigaray, This Sex which is not One, pp. 136-160 (available on course website)
Luce Irigaray, This Sex which is not One, pp. 161-180 (available on course website)
Luce Irigaray, This Sex which is not One, pp. 181-197 (available on course website)
Finals Week: Final Paper due at Final Exam time, TBA
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