I am looking back at some of my favorite courses I had designed and taught throughout the years. Perhaps they will be helpful templates for a few current teachers. Here is the second one:
PHILOSOPHY OF KNOWLEDGE (2002-2009)
Instructor/Course Designer: Glen Brown
Course Description:
This course is a survey of the
history of western philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Ludwig Wittgenstein.
The goal of the course is to introduce the student to the study of interesting
and relevant ideas and to offer a range of responses to such questions as “Who
am I?” “What is the meaning of life?” “What is the nature of the external
world?” “Is there a difference between what we claim to believe and what we
claim to know?” and “What is knowledge?”
Some of the many philosophers discussed in class are Plato, Aristotle,
Descartes, Kant, Schopenhauer, and Wittgenstein. The course covers such topics
as determinism, Existentialism, the problem of evil, the nature and existence
of reality, and arguments in the philosophy of religion and ethics. The prerequisite skills for taking the course
include the ability to read a text critically, to listen attentively, to take
effective notes, and to reflect upon abstract concepts and various belief and
value systems. Students are able to use
their notes for all quizzes and tests.
The course is recommended for students who are interested in psychology,
literature, history, and/or science.
Text: Palmer, Donald. Looking at Philosophy, The Unbearable Heaviness of Philosophy Made Lighter. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Standards:
Standard
I: Reading
Students will read about challenging
philosophical ideas. They will
understand the essential meaning of the text under question.
1.1 Students
will demonstrate an ability to recognize the assumptions and implications of
specific philosophical positions
1.2 Students
will demonstrate an understanding of the terms, methods, issues, and traditions
in western philosophy
1.3 Students
will demonstrate a recognition and understanding of the ideas and contributions
of major philosophers and the strengths and weaknesses of their theories and
arguments
1.4 Students
will strengthen skills in analysis, reasoning, and problem-solving through reading
and discussion of diverse philosophical ideas
1.5 Students
will gain insight into formal and informal aspects of logic1.6 Students
will recognize the difference in scope and intention of theoretical reasoning
versus practical reasoning
Standard II: Writing
Students will write focused, insightful analyses of philosophical ideas. They will be able to synthesize these ideas in complex and grammatically sound writing.
2.1 Students will demonstrate critical
thinking, especially open-mindedness and persistence in regard to explaining
introductory philosophical ideas in reader-response journal entries
2.2 Students will correctly characterize a philosopher's viewpoint by evaluating the strength and/or weakness of his argument through reader-response journal entries
Standard
III: Presenting and Listening
Students will listen to and respond respectfully to viewpoints
other than their own. They will
participate effectively in whole class discussion and make organized,
well-delivered presentations to the entire class.
3.1 Students will be active in large group discussion, thereby listening and interacting effectively to promote the learning of the entire group in a dialogical context
3.2 Students will express themselves in whole class discussion, supporting and defending logically their position when challenged
3.3 Students will present clearly and
coherently when leading a class discussion
3.4 Students will demonstrate an ability to apply principles, concepts, and theories studied
3.4 Students will demonstrate an ability to apply principles, concepts, and theories studied
3.5 Students will demonstrate the ability to
identify and evaluate philosophical arguments
3.6 Students are expected to practice
leadership skills and construct arguments of their own
3.7
Students are encouraged to think clearly and formulate and revise their
own opinions
3.8 Students will demonstrate an ability to
approach new ideas with an open mind
Journals:
Each assignment is to be read by
the date assigned. In your philosophy
journal, record your notes on the assigned philosopher(s) read for each day, your
reader-response, and then your class discussion notes. Your notes should be about ½ to ¾ of a page,
preferably in an outline form. Your reader-response
entry should be a reflective paragraph that reveals your questions, insights, interpretations,
analysis, and commentary. The journal is
required and will be weighted approximately 50% of your grade each quarter. Without a completed journal, you will
not pass the course. Note: you will be able to use your
journals for unannounced quizzes and for your final exam. You can see how valuable it will be for your
grade in this class. If you type this
journal, you will earn an extra 2% of your point total for each quarter grade.
Use this format for your journal:
For
introduction of each entry, record —
Number of Entry – Date of
Assignment – Title of Assignment
for example: (#3 Date Pre-Socratic Philosophers: Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes)
For
order of entries—
Your Notes from the Reading
Assignment – Your Reader Response – Your Class Discussion Notes (and any
Additional Responses you may have based upon our Class Discussion)
Student Discussion Leaders:
For each day that we discuss the
philosophers assigned, we will have 2-3 discussion leaders for our class. They will be assigned in advance. Discussion leaders are responsible for summarizing
the most important points, leading class discussion, asking pertinent
questions, analyzing the philosophers under question, and connecting and
synthesizing philosophical ideas from previous philosophies. The rest of the students will be taking
notes, asking questions, and responding to discussion. To help you do a fine job, leaders should check
out this website: http://www.iep.utm.edu Active daily participation and assigned
leadership roles will earn you an additional 1-5% of your point total for each quarter
grade.
Quizzes and Tests: All quizzes are usually unannounced, but you may use your journal notebooks while taking them. Bring them to class each day! Quizzes are weighted approximately 50% of your grade. The only test we will have is the Final Exam.
Homework Policy: No late journal is accepted. Keep up with the assignments so you won’t fall behind or do poorly on the quizzes. Always be prepared.
Absences: It is your responsibility to follow the class calendar and to inquire about any class that you miss. If you have an excused absence from class, you must make up the quiz the day of your return before school. If you have a field trip, you must take your quiz the day it is scheduled before school. Failure to follow these directions will result in a zero.
Plagiarism: Borrowing facts, ideas, or language from others without crediting the source is plagiarism. It is your responsibility to read, understand, and adhere to the Plagiarism and Cheating Policy.
Teacher Availability: You are responsible for your own education and intellectual development. If you do not understand what is being discussed in class, set up a conference with me before school.
Quizzes and Tests: All quizzes are usually unannounced, but you may use your journal notebooks while taking them. Bring them to class each day! Quizzes are weighted approximately 50% of your grade. The only test we will have is the Final Exam.
Homework Policy: No late journal is accepted. Keep up with the assignments so you won’t fall behind or do poorly on the quizzes. Always be prepared.
Absences: It is your responsibility to follow the class calendar and to inquire about any class that you miss. If you have an excused absence from class, you must make up the quiz the day of your return before school. If you have a field trip, you must take your quiz the day it is scheduled before school. Failure to follow these directions will result in a zero.
Plagiarism: Borrowing facts, ideas, or language from others without crediting the source is plagiarism. It is your responsibility to read, understand, and adhere to the Plagiarism and Cheating Policy.
Teacher Availability: You are responsible for your own education and intellectual development. If you do not understand what is being discussed in class, set up a conference with me before school.
Philosophy, 1st Quarter:
All reading and writing assignments are
due on designated dates. Be prepared! Quizzes may be unannounced.
M.
8-25 Calendar of
Assignments and Other Pertinent Information for You
T.
8-26 Tuesdays with
Morrie (your 1st journal
entry)
Intro to
Looking at Philosophy, pgs. 1-9; choose one topic for consideration on page
9 and follow the journal entry directions (This
is your 2nd journal entry)
W.
8-27 Pre-Socratic Phil.:
Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, pgs. 10-20
Th. 8-28 Pythagoras,
Heraclitus, Parmenides, Zeno, pgs. 20-32
F. 8-29 Em pedocles, Anaxagoras, Leucippus, Democritus, pgs.
32-42
T.
9-2 Tuesdays with
Morrie (6th journal entry)
W.
9-3 Determinism essay: Hard Determinism
Th.
9-4 Determinism essay: Soft Determinism
F.
9-5 Determinism essay: Libertarianism (9th journal entry)
M.
9-8 Sophists:
Protagoras, Gorgias, Thrasymachus, Callicles, Critias;
Socrates, pgs. 44-54
T. 9-9 Tuesdays with Morrie
W. 9-10 Plato, pgs.
55-67
Th.
9-11 Plato; The
Speculative Philosophies… essay: Plato section
F.
9-12 Plato (no journal
entry here, just continue your notes on previous days)
M.
9-15 Plato (no journal
entry here, just continue your notes on previous days)
T. 9-16 Tuesdays with
Morrie (14th journal entry)
W.
9-17 Aristotle; The Speculative Philosophies… essay: Aristotle section
Th. 9-18 Aristotle, pgs. 68-85
F.
9-19 Aristotle; choose
one topic for consideration on pages 83-85 and follow directions
M. 9-22 Epicureanism,
Stoicism, Neo-Platonism, pgs. 87-98
T. 9-23 Tuesdays with
Morrie (19th journal entry)
W. 9-24 Medieval/Renaissance
Phil./St. Augustine, 100-09
Th.
9-25 St. Augustine, Problems in Phil. of Religion essay: Problem of Evil
F.
9-26 Encyclopediasts,
pgs. 109-10; St. Anselm, pgs. 114-17
M.
9-29 Ontological Argument:
Problems in Phil. of Religion essay
T.
9-30 Tuesdays with
Morrie; choose one topic for consideration on page 98 and follow the journal
entry directions (24th &
25th journal entries here)
W.
10-1 Muslims & Jewish
Phil.: Averroes, Maimonides, pgs. 117-26
Th.
10-2 St. Aquinas, pgs.
126-38 (Realism)
F.
10-3 Cosmological
Argument: Problems in Phil. of Religion
M.
10-6 Teleological
Argument: Problems in Phil. of Religion
T. 10-7 Tuesdays with Morrie (30th
journal entry)
W.
10-8 Miracles, Faith,
Reason, Revelation: Problems in Phil. of Religion essay
Th. 10-9 William
Ockham, pgs. 138-49
F. 10-10 Descartes, pgs.
150-68
W.
10-15 Descartes (no journal
entry here, just continue your notes on previous day)
Th. 10-16 Descartes;
The Nature & Existence of the External World: pgs. 19-30
F. 10-17 Journals
for 1st Quarter due – (34 numbered,
named, dated and written entries)
M. 10-20 TBA
T. 10-21 Tuesdays
with Morrie; choose one topic for consideration on pages 148-49 and follow the
journal entry directions (This will begin
your 2nd quarter journal)
W. 10-22 Media
(Love & Death)
Th. 10-23 Media
F. 10-24 Media (your 3rd journal entry is on Love & Death)
Philosophy, 2nd Quarter:
All reading and writing assignments are
due on designated dates. Be prepared! Quizzes may be unannounced.
M. 10-27 Hobbes,
Spinoza, pgs. 169-78
T. 10-28 Tuesdays with
Morrie
W. 10-29 Leibniz,
Locke, pgs. 178-91
Th. 10-30 Nature & Existence of the External World: pgs. 30-35
F. 10-31 Berkeley, Hume, pgs. 192-206
M. 11-3 Some Representative Theories of Knowledge: pgs. 37-56
T. 11-4 Tuesdays with Morrie (10th journal entry)
W. 11-5 Kant, pgs. 206-20
Th. 11-6 Kant;
choose one topic for consideration on pages 219-20 and follow directions
F. 11-7 Hegel, pgs. 223-32
M. 11-10 Schopenhauer,
pgs. 233-42
T. 11-11 Tuesdays with Morrie
W. 11-12 Schopenhauer
(no journal entry here, just continue your notes on previous day)
Th. 11-13 Media (Waking Life)
M. 11-17 Media (16th journal entry is on Waking
Life)
T. 11-18 Tuesdays with Morrie
W. 11-19 Existentialism
Lecture (18th journal entry)
Th. 11-20 Kierkegaard,
242-53
F. 11-21 Kierkegaard
(no journal entry here, just continue your notes on previous day)
M. 11-24 Sartre, pgs.
362-75 (20th journal entry)
T. 11-25 Tuesdays with Morrie
M. 12-1 Sartre
(no journal entry here, just continue your notes on previous days)
T. 12-2 Tuesdays with Morrie
W. 12-3 Camus, The Rebel
Th.. 12-4 Marx, pgs.
254-66
F. 12-5 Nietzsche, 267-75
M. 12-8 Nietzsche
(no journal entry here, just continue your notes on previous days)
T. 12-9 Tuesdays with Morrie (26th journal entry)
W. 12-10 Utilitarianism:
Betham, Mill, pgs. 276-84
Th. 12-11 Frege, pgs.
284-91
F. 12-12 Pragmatism: James, Dewey, pgs. 295-308
M. 12-15 Analytic
Tradition: Moore, pgs. 308-13
T. 12-16 Tuesdays with Morrie (31st journal entry)
W. 12-17 Russell,
pgs. 314-321
Th. 12-18 Russell
(no journal entry here, just continue your notes on previous day)
F. 12-19 10th Annual Brownstock (Dum vivimus vivamus)
M. 1-5 Tuesdays with Morrie
T. 1-6 Tuesdays with Morrie/Koppel Interview
W. 1-7 Wittgenstein, pgs. 327-39
Th. 1-8 Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations
F. 1-9 Course
Evaluation/ Journals for 2nd Quarter due – (36 numbered, named, dated and written
entries)
M. 1-12 Media
T. 1-13 Media
W-F 1-14-16 Semester Exams
Vocabulary that you will learn and apply in this class:
analytic proposition
anthropomorphism
a posteriori proposition
a priori proposition
axiology
begging the question fallacy
benevolence
Cartesian Rationalism
categorical imperative
causal oversimplification fallacy
causality
concurrency fallacy
contingency
cosmological argument
cosmology
deduction
determinism (soft, hard,
libertarian)
dialectic
dogma
dualism
empiricism
entropy
Epicureanism
epistemology
eschatology
essence
ethical teleologists, ethical
deontologists
ethics
etymology
Existentialism
faulty analogy fallacy
free will
hasty generalization fallacy
hedonism
immanence
induction
logical positivism
Manichaeism
material cause, formal cause,
efficient cause, final cause
metaphysical idealism
metaphysics
monad
monism
monotheism
naïve realism
naturalism
necessary condition
Neoplatonism
nihilism
non-sequitur fallacy
noumenal world
omnipotence
ontological argument
pantheism
Pelagianism
phenomenalism
philology
Platonism
polytheism
post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy
pragmatism
principle of identity
principle of non-contradiction
principle of excluded middle
Priscillianism
problem of evil
quantum mechanics
rationalism
reductionism
reincarnation
relativism
representative realism
solipsism
sophism
sophisticated naïve realism
Stoicism
structuralism
subjectivism
sufficient condition
synthetic proposition
tautology fallacy
teleological argument
transcendence
transmigration
utilitarianism
wishful thinking fallacy
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