Introduction to Philosophy and Values
Philosophy 101 / Dr. Neuner
San Diego State University
Fall Semester 2012
INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Peñafuerte-Neuner, prefer Dr. Neuner (noy-ner )
OFFICE HOURS
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 pm - 1:30 noon
LECTURE
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00-3:15 in WC220
OFFICE
Arts and Letters 444
EMAIL
aneuner@att.net or aneuner1@mail.sdsu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this ethics course, we shall explore a wide variety of classical ethical theories and learn
how philosophers both past and present have approached fundamental ethical questions. In
addition, we shall apply the ethical theories and valid moral principles we have learned to
analyze current moral problems in our society. Specific goals of this course include:

To present central moral theories and most influential ideas in Western philosophy:
divine law theory, hedonism, ethical egoism, utilitarianism, deontologism, virtue
ethics, feminist ethics, and existentialism

To introduce students to original writings of classical and present day philosophers:
Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Augustine, Mill, Kant, Nietzsche, Sartre, Beauvoir, etc.

To compare and contrast opposing philosophical points of views and understand the
similarities and differences in light of cultural and historical factors

To broaden students’ perspectives and help them appreciate well-structured
arguments and significant conceptual distinctions

To teach students to apply ethical theories to controversial moral issues and practical
situations such genetic cloning, abortion, euthanasia, etc.

To train students to criticize the reasoning of others and to develop some analytic and
logical skills

To challenge students to think about what kind of life to live, what kind of person to
be, and what things are worth living or dying for
REQUIRED TEXT
Philosophical articles uploaded into Blackboard in the Readings Folder
The Voyage of Discovery, by William Lawhead, 3rd ed. 2007, Thomson/Wadsworth (copy in Library)
COURSE SCHEDULE
Date
Topics/Readings
Week 1
Aug 28, 30
Introduction to Class
The Ancient Period: Pre-Socratics, Sophists and Socrates
The Greek Cultural Context: From Poetry to Philosophy
Thales, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Democritus
Read Chapters 1, 2 & 3: pp. 15-22, 24-28, 30-32, 37-38, 39-42, and 43-58
Blackboard excerpts from Plato’s Crito and Euthyphro
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Week 2
Sep 4, 6
Plato: The Search for Ultimate Truth and Reality
Read Chapter 4: pp. 60-73
Blackboard excerpts from Plato’s Meno and Republic
Week 3
Sept 11, 13
Aristotle: Understanding the Natural World
Read Chapter 5: pp. 84-85 and 96-103
Blackboard excerpts from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
Week 4
Sept 18, 20
EXAM ONE on Tuesday, Sept 18
Classical Philosophy After Aristotle - Epicurus
Read Chapter 6: pp. 105-112
Blackboard excerpt from Epicurus’ Letter to Menoeceus
Week 5
Sept 25, 27
St. Augustine: Philosophy in the Service of Faith
Read Chapter 8: pp. 140-155
Blackboard excerpt from Augustine’s City of God and Confessions
Week 6
Oct 2, 4
The Modern Period: Thomas Hobbes
Read Chapter 14: pp. 240-247
Blackboard excerpts from Hobbes’ Leviathan
Week 7
Oct 9, 11
EXAM TWO on Tuesday, Oct 9
Ayn Rand Ethical Egoism
Blackboard excerpts from Virtue of Selfishness
Week 8
Oct 16, 18
Immanuel Kant: Finding the Powers and the Limits of the Mind
Read Chapter 22: pp. 365-372
Blackboard excerpt from Kant’s Fundamental Principles of Metaphysics of Morals
Contemporary Moral Problems (To be determined by class vote)
Week 9
Oct 23, 25
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
Read Chapter 28: pp. 465-468 and 469-476
Blackboard excerpts from Bentham’s An Introduction to the Principles of
Morals and Legislation and Mill’s Utilitarianism
Contemporary Moral Problems (To be determined by class vote)
Week 10
EXAM THREE on Tuesday, Oct 30
Oct 30, Nov 1 Contemporary Moral Problems (To be determined by class vote)
Blackboard excerpts on abortion, egg donation, euthanasia, genetic technology, etc.
Week 11
Nov 6, 8
Contemporary Moral Problems (continued, TBD)
Soren Kierkegaard: Religious Existentialism
Blackboard excerpts from Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling
Week 12
Nov 13, 15
Friedrich Nietzsche: Secular Existentialism
Secular & Religious Existentialism: Read Chapter 27 pp. 443-457
Blackboard excerpts from Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals
Week 13
Nov 20, 22
Jean Paul Sartre: Phenomenology and Existentialism
Read Chapter 32: pp. 554-560
Blackboard excerpts from Sartre’s Existentialism is a Humanism
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Week 14
Nov 27, 29
EXAM FOUR on Tuesday, Nov 27
The Contemporary Period: Simone de Beauvoir
Rethinking Philosophy: Feminism; Read Chapter 33: pp. 574-582
Week 15
Dec 4, 6
Feminist Ethics of Care
Blackboard excerpts from Manning’s Just Caring, Code’s “Is the Sex of
the Knower Epistemologically Significant?” Beauvoir’s The Second Sex,
Nagel’s “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?”
Finals Week
FINAL EXAM on Thursday, December 13, 1:00-3:00 pm
Exam dates are fixed. Except for exam dates, the course schedule is subject to revision.
GRADES
Four Exams and Final Exam
GRADING SCALE
The grading scale:
89.9%-87%
100%-94% A
86.9%-84%
93.9%-90% A83.9%-80%
25% each (Four out of Five Exams count)
B+
B
B-
79.9%-77%
76.9%-74%
73.9%-70%
C+
C
C-
69.9%-67%
66.9%-64%
63.9%-60%
D+
D
D-
EXAMS
There are a total of five exams which includes the final exam. The final exam will be partially
cumulative. The course grade will be determined by the average of a student’s best four exams,
worth 25% each. A student may opt to take all five exams, in which case their lowest exam
score would be dropped. A student may also decide to take four exams only.
Exams will consist of multiple choice questions, short answer or short essay questions.
Students will be given a study guide about one week before every exam informing them of the
type of questions to be expected on their exams and the articles to be covered. Exam grades
will follow the above grading scale, but the instructor may choose to curve exams in case the
average of a given exam falls below reasonable expectations.
If a student can offer good reason for missing an exam (evidence or documentation needed),
then a makeup exam will be given during the semester. As a rule, makeup exams will be
different in format from the exam taken by the rest of the class and will consist of written
questions rather than scantron questions. Due to the format, makeup exams will probably be
more difficult than the regular exam, but students needing makeups will be given additional
time to prepare for it.
PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE
It is recommended that students attend all classes and participate occasionally. Students who
miss class are responsible for acquiring the material and keeping pace with the course.
Although regular attendance and keeping up with the reading does not count as part of a
student’s final grade, students will find that these things have a positive impact on their exams
and papers. No extra credit will be offered to just a single student any time during or after the
semester.
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CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE
Use of lap top computers in class is allowed for the purposes of note-taking only; other
computer activities can prove distracting. Students should also refrain from any behavior that
may be disturbing to other students who are making the effort to be attentive. Cell phones and
other electronic devices should be turned off and stored away. PLEASE RESPECT OTHER
STUDENTS by NOT TALKING to one another during class. Certain students may be asked
to leave the lecture hall due to their disruptive behavior or technological devices may be taken
away.
Students should try to be punctual, but are encouraged to show up to class even if they may be a
little late due to unforeseen circumstances. The instructor will never keep the class beyond the
allotted class period and requests that students wait until class has been dismissed before they
begin closing notebooks and packing away their school gear. If class must be cancelled on a
given date, an announcement will be made by the instructor or a note will be posted on the
classroom door or via Blackboard. If the instructor is more than 15 minutes late, please assume
that the class is cancelled and that advance notice was not possible.
DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES
If you have special needs due to a learning disability, please avail yourself of the resources in the
Student Disability Services in Calpulli Center, room 3101 (594-6473). The CSU Office of the
Chancellor defines a learning disability as “. . . a generic term that refers to the heterogeneous
group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening,
speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders occur in persons of
average to very superior intelligence and are presumed to be due to central nervous system
dysfunction. Even though a learning disability may exist concomitantly with other handicapping
conditions (e.g., sensory impairments) or environmental influences (e.g., cultural/language
difficulties), it is not the direct result of these conditions or influences.” If you think something
might prevent you from doing well in this course, you should discuss this with me so that proper
arrangements may be made to accommodate your needs.
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES, ATHLETICS, ETC.
By the end of the first week of classes, students should notify the instructor of planned absences for
religious observances. The above also holds for student athletes and supportive groups (like the
marching band, not fans). They must inform faculty members within the first week in order to be
excused from scheduled tasks on scheduled days.
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