Chabot College
Course Outline for Philosophy 7
CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS
November 1993
Removed Fall 2006
Catalog Description:
7 - Contemporary Problems
3 units
Perspectives on contemporary issues. Defined issues using contemporary documents as source
material and re-defined and evaluated in light of philosophical documents. 3 hours.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course, the student should:
1. have become familiar with a given contemporary issue by reading contemporary source materials:
2. be able to define the nature of a contemporary issue in writing in the form of a short essay.
Essays should clearly define the nature of an issue and should state the nature of evidence
relevant to evaluation of this issue.
3. have redefined the given issue by reference to fundamental philosophical documents in essay
form. For example: "Love" could be studied by examining The Art of Loving by Eric Fromm; The
Symposium of Plato, and selections from the Bible.
Course Content:
1. A specific issue will be chosen by an instructor in advance of the quarter in which the course is
given.
2. Issues will be chosen based upon the availability of high quality contemporary documents.
Examples are: love, the purpose of education, the place of women in society, etc.
3. Instructors will provide students with information about the range and variety of philosophical
source documents relating to the given issue.
4. Students will examine at least one major philosophical document.
Methods of Presentation:
1. Historical and conceptual topics shall be presented by lecture-discussion.
2. Writing and criticism may be organized using small groups or other individualized methods.
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Specific content will be evaluated using short examinations.
2. Conceptual development will be evaluated based on written essays in which logical parameters
are stipulated by the instructor.
Textbook(s) Typical:
The Second Sex, Simone D. Beauvoir, Vintage Books
Special Student Materials:
None
AR:kh Phil 7
Revised: 11/5/93