Discipline: Philosophy Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Philosophy 10H


COURSE DESCRIPTION
10H Honors Introduction to Philosophy Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Limitation on Enrollment: Enrollment in the Honors Program.
A survey and exploration of significant questions in the Western philosophical tradition through an examination of primary sources. Questions are drawn from the various branches of philosophy: metaphysics, theory of knowledge, ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy and/or philosophy of religion. This Honors course offers an enriched experience for accelerated students by means of limited class size, seminar format, student-generated and -led discussions and projects, the application of higher level thinking and writing skills – analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Students may not receive credit for both PHI-10 and PHI-10H. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
Offers students in the Honors Program an enriched introduction to the major questions of Western philosophy and their answers.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
None.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1.   Recognize and evaluate fundamental questions within the Western
      philosophical tradition and classify them within their appropriate
      subfields.

2.   Examine, formulate, and compose philosophical questions that
      address fundamental problems in the tradition and in everyday
      life.

3.   Identify, restate, and explain philosophers' answers to
      fundamental questions, along with their supporting arguments.

4.   Compare, contrast and assess these arguments within the context
      of the texts and traditions that inform them.

5.   Plan, organize, and write an argumentative essay of 4-6 pages that
      defends a position on a philosophical question or problem.

6.   Apply philosophical thinking to other facets of life and/or fields of
      study.

7.   Demonstrate the ability to think creatively, independently, and
      critically.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 
  1. Survey of alternative definitions and goals of philosophy. Survey of main problem areas of philosophy. The nature of arguments and reasoning.
  2. A minimum of three of the following remaining topics are to be covered:
    1. Epistemology (Theory of knowledge): empiricism, rationalism, scepticism. The difference between belief and knowledge, criteria of rational justification.
    2. Metaphysics: existence, categories, substance, properties.
    3. The mind/body problem: substance dualism, property dualism, the identify theory, functionalism, the nature of consciousness.
    4. Ethics: consequentialist, utilitarian, ethics of care, and virture ethics.
    5. Political Philosophy: the justification for government, the relationship between the individual and the state, property, natural law, rights.
    6. Philosophy of Religion: the existence of God, the nature of religion.
    7. Philosophy of Science: nature of scientific knowledge, demarcation of science, confirmation.
    8. Aesthetics: what is it that makes something art? the role of art in human life; the nature of beauty.
  3. Honors courses included a focus on primary or original texts from the philosophical tradition: active student involvement in a seminar format, with student generated discussions, presentations, and projects. Honors students may be assigned reading, writing and other outside assignments that exceed the equivalent of two hours per one hour of class time.

 
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Presenting class lectures/discussions/demonstrations in order to familiarize students with the Western philosophical tradition, contrast different ideas and traditions, model philosophical analysis, reasoning, and organization of ideas.
  • Facilitating student led discussions and debates in order to provide an opportunity to come to an understanding of how philosophical questions arise and the sorts of answers that can be given to them.
  • Developing and assigning class exercises that require analysis and understanding of the texts and the traditions that give rise to them
  • Showing videos/films/audio tapes in order to focus discussion of abstract philosophical ideas on concrete situations to explore the implications of particular philosophical positions.
  • Conducting individual conferences in order to assist in the organization of essays and the analysis of arguments.
  • Inviting guest lecturers to class in order to present contrasting traditions and approaches to philosophical questions.
  • The Honors class will place special attention on activities that require critical, dialectical thinking and student initiative, preparation and participation, including class discussions, presentations, peer review of writing, research and group work.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • Oral reports/presentations designed to assess students' ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate answers philosophers have given to philosophical questions.
  • Quizzes and examinations designed to evaluate ability to identify key philosophical ideas, terms, and traditions, compare and contrast philosophical positions, explain and evaluate different answers, and the arguments given in support of those answers to philosophical questions. 
  • Formal written assignments designed to provide the opportunity to analyze texts, explain implications of ideas, critically assess philosophical positions, and provide support for the claims made in these assignments. Assignments will include a minimum of 20 pages of formal interpretive/analytical prose.
  • Informal writing assignments responding to readings, raising questions, and offering reflection on readings and class discussions.  These may total  20 pages. 
  • Group and individual projects designed to show evidence that students are able to solve problems and work with others to come to an understanding of the different philosophical traditions and answers that can be given to philosophical questions.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • Hume, David (ed. By Thomas Beauchamps). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
  • Kant, Immanuel. Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Nietzsche, Frederich. On the Genealogy of Morals. -: Dover, 2003.
  • Rousseau, Jean. Jacques. The Social Contract. -: Dover, 2003.
  • Rousseau, Jean Jacques. A Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. -: Dover, 2004.
  • Plato. Euthyphro, Apology, Crito. Indiana, IN: -, 1992.
  • Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy with Selections from Objections and Replies. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
  • Aristotle. The Politics. -: Dover, 2000.
  • Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Marx, Karl. The Marx-Engels Reader (Tucker, ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1978.
  • Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1989.
  • Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan, Penguin. -: -, 1982.
  • Sophocles. Sophocles I (Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonnus, Antigone). London: Methuen Publishing, 1986.
  • Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage, 1995.
  • Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. New York: Penguin, 1985.
  • Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of the Species. New York: Random House, 1979.
  • Augustine. Confessions. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. New York: Bantam Paperbacks, 1994.
  • Dostoevsky, Fyodor. The Brothers Karamazov. New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, 2002.
  • Pynchon, T.. The Crying of Lot 49. New York: Perrenial Classics, 2000.
  • Thucydides. History. New York: Penguin, 1972.
  • James, William James. Pragmatism. -: Dover, 1995.
  • Quine, Willard van Orman. The Web of Belief. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978.
  • Russell, Bertrand. The Problems of Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
  • Sartre, Jean Paul. Existentialism as a Humanism. New York: Kensington, 1985.
  • De Beauvoir, Simone. The Second Sex. New York: Vintage, 1989.
  • Possible texts include:

    Aristotle, The Politics
    Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
    Bowie, Michaels, and Solomon (eds.), Twenty Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy
    Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy
    Feinberg and Landau (eds.), Reason and Responsibility
    Foucault, Discipline and Punishment
    Hume, An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding
    Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals
    Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
    Marx, The Marx-Engels Reader, (Tucker, ed.)
    Mill, On Liberty
    Mills, Sample, and Sterba (eds.), Philosophy: The Big Questions
    Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals
    Plato, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito
    Plato, Republic
    Stumpf and Abel, Elements of Philosophy: An Introduction
    Quine, The Web of Belief
    Rousseau, A Discourse on Inequality
    Rousseau, The Social Contract
    Sartre, The Transcendental Ego
05/04
1499