INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (PHL 101)
Dr. Marie Draz
Fall 2015
Schedule Number: 22646
COURSE INFORMATION
Class Days: T/TH
Class Times: 12:30-1:45
Class Location: Adams Humanities 3177
Instructor Email: mdraz@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hours (and by appointment):
Tuesdays 4-5 pm and Thursdays 10-11am
Office: Arts and Letters/AL 429
COURSE OVERVIEW
Course Description:
This course is designed to welcome students with little or no background in philosophy into the
tradition of Western philosophical thinking. Throughout history, philosophers have critiqued the
role that knowledge and power play in human societies. Our course readings will help us
participate in that tradition by questioning how our own relationship to knowledge and authority
influences our perception of reality and our day-to-day lives. In learning to practice philosophy
as an art of critique, we will engage two central questions: How do we imagine a better world?
How do we ask questions that allow us to see beyond accepted truths or what is often taken for
granted? We will meet these challenges by placing the trial and death of Socrates, the subject of
Plato’s The Apology, into conversation with key ethical theories (King, Aristotle, Mill, Kant,
Held) as well as philosophical writing on power and history (Nietzsche, Foucault) and identity
(Sartre, Beauvoir). By following the threads of ethics, justice, and history throughout these texts
we will not only be better equipped to understand our contemporary situation in the U.S., but we
will also be introduced to an array of important contemporary philosophical topics including race
and gender (Pozner, Zinn, Davis). Throughout we will think together about what it means to
write, think, and speak with each other philosophically.
Catalog Description
Phil 101: Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics (3) (GE) – Philosophical inquiry, with emphasis on
problems of moral value. Students are encouraged to think independently and formulate their
own tentative conclusions concerning a variety of vital contemporary issues facing individual
and society.
EDUCATION OUTCOMES
General Education Outcomes
Philosophy 101 is a General Education course aimed at “providing the breadth of knowledge
necessary for meaningful work, life-long learning, socially responsible citizenship, and
intellectual development. Among the “seven essential capacities” emphasized by San Diego
State’s General Education program, Philosophy 101 develops in students the ability to
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1. Construct, analyze, and communicate arguments;
2. Apply theoretical models to the real world;
3. Contextualize phenomena;
4. Negotiate differences;
5. Integrate global and local perspectives;
6. Illustrate relevance of concepts across boundaries;
7. Evaluate consequences of actions.
Philosophy 101 fulfills the goals for GE Courses in the Humanities and Fine Arts. Students will
acquire “capacities for reflection, critique, communication, [and] cultural understanding.”
Goal 1: Analyze written, visual, or performed texts in the humanities and fine arts with
sensitivity to their diverse cultural contexts and historical moments.
Goal 2: Develop a familiarity with various aesthetic and other value systems and the ways they
are communicated across time and cultures.
Goal 3: Argue from multiple perspectives about issues in the humanities that have personal and
global relevance.
Goal 4: Demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions
drawing upon knowledge of the humanities.
Additional Course Goals
Through class discussion and written assignments students will work toward the following goals:
Goal 1: To strengthen critical reflection skills by reading philosophical texts closely and deeply
Goal 2: To build skills for dialoguing with others by listening carefully and articulating ideas
clearly in class discussions
Goal 3: To practice written communication skills through exegetical writing focused on
comprehension as well as reflective writing focused on developing one’s own voice and
perspective
Goal 4: To understand the historical, cultural construction of the world we live in by reflecting
on the relationship between knowledge, power, and the self
ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
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Prerequisites: None
Last date to drop is September 4
COURSE MATERIALS
Please note that you will need the Plato book (available in the bookstore) for the first week
of classes.
Required Materials (including all acceptable text editions)
 Course reader (available in the bookstore) includes the following readings:
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King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
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Aristotle, excerpts from Nicomachean Ethics
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Kant, excerpts from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
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Grau, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the Morality of Memory”
Beauvoir, excerpts from The Second Sex
Pozner, excerpts from Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth about Reality TV
Held, “The Ethics of Care”
Zinn, excerpts from A People’s History of the U.S.
Davis, “Masked Racism”
Alexander, “Against Colorblindness"
Blackboard readings (to be printed and brought to class):
Nietzsche, Preface and Second Essay, On the Genealogy of Morals
Sartre, “Existentialism and Humanism”
LeGuin, “The Ones Who Walked Away”
Books to be Purchased (available at SDSU Bookstore):
Plato, Five Dialogues, (ISBN: 9780872206335)
Mill, Utilitarianism (ISBN: 9780872206052)
Foucault, Discipline and Punish (ISBN: 9780679752554)
Recommended Materials
As you work through these texts, it will be important to have access to a reputable
dictionary (such as the Oxford English Dictionary, which you have a subscription to
through the Library) as well as reputable online resources such as the Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu. When it comes to philosophy,
much of the information you will get through Wikipedia searches can lead you astray, so
please ask me if you need additional resources and would like to talk through your
options.
Citations: A full citation for each course reading will be available on Blackboard. We will
discuss citation style in class. Please use the above list to make sure you are fully prepared
for each class meeting with the required course materials. I have provided the ISBN
number for the books you should purchase in case you wish to purchase them on your own.
Electronic policy: I expect you to have the course reader, book, or printed PDF on the
appropriate day. You may use laptops to take notes if necessary for note-taking, however if
I (or any other student) see you using the laptop for other purposes, or if the use of the
laptop becomes disruptive, I will ask you to not use it for the rest of the quarter.) If you
have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to ask.
COURSE STYLE
Teaching strategies used in this course:
1) Interactive lecture (will often include videos, images, etc.)
2) Large and small group discussion
3) Reading, re-reading, and annotating philosophical texts
4) Exegetical, reflective and informal writing assignments as needed (both in class and out of
class)
5) Short quizzes as necessary to better understand how well the class as a whole is understanding
any given topic
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STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it
is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any
delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as
soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and that accommodations
based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an
accommodation letter from Student Disability Services.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will
not be tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html). Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this
class and a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.
Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can
include phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)
 Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your
own
 Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author
credit
 Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases
 Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class
If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) and this helpful guide from the Library
(http://infodome.sdsu.edu/infolit/exploratorium/Standard_5/plagiarism.pdf)
TURN IT IN POLICY
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for
textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers
will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit your papers in such a way that
no identifying information about you is included. Another option is that you may request, in
writing, that your papers not be submitted to Turnitin.com. However, if you choose this option
you will be required to provide documentation to substantiate that the papers are your original
work and do not include any plagiarized material.
BLACKBOARD
This course relies on Blackboard for communication and I expect you to check it regularly.
REMINDER: The best browser for Blackboard is Firefox. There are known problems with using
other browsers to take tests and quizzes in Blackboard. Download Firefox for free:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION
1) CLASS ENGAGEMENT (Attendance and Participation): 20%
Daily class engagement will be assessed based on how well you prepare for and contribute to the
day’s discussions and objectives. You should plan on participating in every class session, which
may take the form of speaking in a general discussion or small group discussions, performing inclass writing, actively listening and taking notes, etc. You are allowed 4 excused absences before
it affects your grade. Be aware that I will count 3 late arrivals or early departures as 1 absence,
and missing more than 10 class sessions is grounds for failing this course. If you have an
emergency that will cause extended absences from class, please contact me as soon as you are
able so that we can diminish the effect this will have on your grade.
General Grade Criteria, Engagement
A: These students attend class on time every day and actively contribute to the discussion. This requires
them to have prepared for class discussion in advance by completing the reading and reflecting on it
through annotating and/or taking notes about the text. They complete all assignments on time. During
class, they take notes to enhance their understanding of the texts. When speaking, they do not merely
state opinions, but instead use the texts to interrogate their own opinions and struggle honestly with
philosophical ideas. They are curious and engaged, and are never disruptive or dismissive of texts or peer
positions.
B: These students attend every or almost every class session on time, come prepared and have done the
reading, though not as consistently, deeply or critically as the “A” student. They contribute positively to
class discussion with some regularity and hand in all or almost all assignments on time; if an assignment
is late, or a class is missed, they communicate promptly and respectfully about the missed work. They are
curious and engaged in class, listen respectfully and take notes, and are never disruptive or dismissive of
texts or peer positions.
C: These students are never disruptive, but do not consistently demonstrate having prepared well for
class by contributing to discussions, taking notes, etc. Attending class regularly without participating, or
participating well but exceeding the attendance policy, are both grounds for a C.
D: These students exceed the attendance policy, and/or participate only sporadically, and/or are
sometimes disruptive. Class disruption includes, but is not limited to, arriving late, leaving class
frequently, talking while others are talking, texting/internet browsing, etc. as well as being hostile to or
dismissive of peer positions.
F: These students grossly exceed the attendance policy, and/or are consistently unprepared and
unengaged, and/or are often disruptive.
2) WEEKLY READING QUESTIONS: 30%
Overview: Weekly reading questions will be posted to Blackboard by Friday at 5pm. You
should use these questions to prepare for class the following week. For example, let’s take this
week. By Friday at 5pm I will post the reading questions for the following week on Blackboard.
You will then use these questions to prepare for our class meetings on Tuesday and Thursday.
You should submit your responses to Blackboard before class on the day designated in the
reading questions posted on Blackboard (i.e. Tuesday or Thursday) and bring a copy of your
answers to class so that you can use them to participate. If you are in class, I expect that you have
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prepared the reading questions. These will usually be 2-3 short questions that will take you 2-3
paragraphs to complete, however the assignment is designed to allow for flexibility (i.e. I may
ask you to watch a short video on Youtube and respond, or to put 2-3 sentences from a reading
into your own words)
Written assessment and feedback: At four randomly selected points during the quarter, I will
also give you written feedback on the answers you have submitted to Blackboard. An assessment
rubric is available on Blackboard. You can miss this online submission of reading questions to
Blackboard four (4) times during the quarter. After that, each missed submission will cause your
grade to go down significantly. Your overall grade for the reading responses will include an
assessment of 1) whether you have regularly submitted responses to Blackboard (10%) and 2) an
evaluation of the quality of your response according to the rubric on Blackboard. Students who
do not miss any reading questions responses will get up to 5% extra credit for this assignment.
3) MIDTERM: 30%
The midterm is a take-home exam. It consists of short essay questions covering all the material
from Weeks 1-6. The reading questions, class discussions, and lectures will all help you prepare.
There will also be a short reflective portion. It will be assigned in class one week before the due
date. See the reading and assignment schedule for more details. Full rubric and assignment will
be on Blackboard and discussed in class.
4) FINAL EXAM: 20%
There will be an in-class final exam (during the time scheduled for our class) as well as a takehome portion. The take-home portion will be cumulative and focused on assessing your
comprehension of material from the entire course. The in-class portion will also include a longer
reflective portion. See the reading and assignment schedule for more details. Full rubric and
assignment will be on Blackboard and discussed in class.
OTHER RELEVANT COURSE POLICIES
Academic Access: You are encouraged to approach me in the beginning of the semester to
discuss any concerns or questions you have regarding classroom access and accommodation.
This may include visible and invisible disabilities (documented or not); health issues; what name
you like be called if it is different from what is on the roster; pronoun preferences; if a religious
holiday falls during our Semester and you will need to miss class; particular academic goals you
are working on (e.g. writing development); if you are hesitant to speak in class for any reason; if
you play on a sports team and you have a travel schedule; or anything else that you would prefer
for me to know to help facilitate your engaged participation in our course. There are many
resources available to help you succeed in this course. If you are confused or struggling,
reach out to me as soon as possible.
Submitting Papers and Late Work: The midterm grade will be lowered by 1/3 of a letter (i.e.
from B to B-) for each day it is late (including weekends). The final cannot be submitted late. All
weekly reading responses should be turned in on the date designated in the assignment. You are
allowed to miss the official submission of the reading questions to Blakboard at four (4) times
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during the semester, however I expect that if you are in class you are prepared to respond to the
questions verbally.
Gender Neutral & Gender Specific Language, Names and Accents: Academics no longer
use the pronoun “he” to apply indiscriminately to everyone, nor do we use the terms “man” or
“mankind” when we are referring to humanity or people in general. In our writing, when we are
making generalizations we should use gender neutral pronouns, that is, ze and hir, s/he, him or
her, they/their, etc. When referring to a specific person or group of people, we should use the
language and pronouns that they prefer if we know them. Further, we should be attentive to the
spelling and accents of author’s names. Finally, all authors must be referred to by their entire
names, or only their last names, never by their first names, in speech and writing. These all
count as grammar points, and will affect your writing grades in that category.
INTERACTING WITH ME
I'll usually respond within 24-48 hours to emails. If you need to email me (or any instructor)
regarding your course work, please consider the following: treat the email more as a letter and
less like a text. Include a comprehensible subject heading (e.g. PHI132 Paper question), address
and sign the email, making sure to identify what course you are in (professors are teaching more
than one course) and explain clearly what you are inquiring about. I will not respond to emails
that do not clearly identify who is emailing, and I will not open emails that are only attachments.
Please note that I also will not respond to questions that can be answered by referring to
the syllabus or Blackboard. If you do not get a response to an email, you should check these
resources. If you are sure your question cannot be answered in one of these ways and it has been
more than 48 hours, send me a follow-up email to make sure I received your initial inquiry.
For questions that involve, say, the clarification of a philosophical concept, please visit me in
my office hours. Studies show that students who regularly visit office hours are likely to do
much better in courses overall! Set a goal of coming by at least once in the first five weeks of the
semester. Come by to introduce yourself, follow up on something you find interesting, ask about
something you are not following in class, etc. Do not wait until the end of the semester to talk to
me if you are concerned about your performance in the course. In that case, I will refer you to
this part of the syllabus and remind you that I have spoken often in class about the importance of
being proactive about your class performance early in the quarter, before patterns and grades are
established and it is too late to turn things around.
READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
The schedule is a separate file on Blackboard. The most updated schedule will always be
available in that file and I expect you to consult it regularly to make sure you are on track.
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