PHILOSOPHY 26 — CSUS HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY, Section 3 …mathiaswarnes.com/mathiaswarnes.com/Course_Materials... · 2020. 8. 2. · Course Syllabus (PHIL 26: History of Philosophy)

Course Syllabus (PHIL 26: History of Philosophy)

PHILOSOPHY 26 — CSUS

HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY, Section 3 (GE Area C2)

Professor: Dr. Mathias Warnes Fall 2020—Class Number 81233 Email: [email protected] Class Meets Online through Canvas Office Hours: T/Th 2:00pm-4:00pm by Zoom Course Materials at: mathiaswarnes.com and Canvas Catalog Description: Introduction to the history of philosophy, emphasizing such themes as the foundations of knowledge, the nature of reality, the basis of a good life and a just society, the existence of God, and the nature of the self, and tracing the development of these themes from antiquity to the modern period. This course fulfills G.E. Area C2. Course Modality: This course is being taught asynchronously. Zoom Link for Office Hours: https://csus.zoom.us/j/6793771249, or meeting ID 679-3771-249. Note: Webcam during Zoom office hours is encouraged but not required! Learning Objectives: Students who complete this course should be able to: 1. Identify and distinguish the main historical traditions in Western philosophy, from the Pre-Socratics to Postmodernism, including some Non-Western traditions. 2. Identify and explain key philosophical concepts as they arise in the different historical periods, especially the concepts of nature, being, reality, wisdom, knowledge, logos/reason, substance, identity, difference, mind/soul, experience, love, power, etc. 3. Read and comprehend primary source texts in the history of philosophy.4. Write clearly, cogently, and insightfully on a variety of topics in the history of philosophy. 5. Apply philosophical concepts to discuss problems of historical significance, including the mind-body problem, the challenge of skepticism, the relation of sensation/experience to knowledge, the limitations of reason, the relation of reason to passions, the existence of god, the nature of freedom, the challenge of determinism, the nature of the self, etc.

GE AREA C2 LEARNING OUTCOMES Students who complete a GE Area C2 course should be able to: 1. demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of the study of the humanities; 2. investigate, describe, and analyze the roles of effects of human culture and understanding in the development of human societies;


3. compare and analyze various conceptions of humankind; and 4. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the historical development of cultures and civilizations, including their animating ideas and values.

Required Text: 1. Vaughn, Lewis. Living Philosophy: A Historical Introduction to Philosophical Ideas. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017. ISBN: 9780190628703 3. Coursepack available in PDF in “Course Materials” at mathiaswarnes.com, and on Canvas.

Grade Breakdown:

Reading Responses 30% Quizzes 10%

Midterm Exam 10% Final Exam 10%

Active Participation 30% Presentation 10%

Reading Responses:

Reading Responses (6 x 5% = 30%): Keep in mind that Reading Responses must cover one assigned reading for the current week, or immediately preceding week. Check Canvas for more specific instructions for each RR. Late RR’s are accepted for half credit. Length requirements are strict. RR’s must be between 2-3 pages, 1.5- or double-spaced typed, 12 pt. font with standard margins. An RR that is on two pages, but is closer to 1.5 of actual text, does not meet the length requirement, and will not be graded. RR’s must contain two solid pages of text minimum. RR’s are due in Canvas by Sunday at 11:59pm the week they are due. Since RR’s are the most formal writing you will do for this course, content and quality requirements are strictly enforced. A Reading Response Rubric is available at mathiaswarnes.com, and on Canvas. RR’s will be graded on a five category system. 5/5 = Exemplary, 4.5/5 = Excellent, 4/5 = Good, 3.5/5 = Satisfactory, and 0/5 = Unsatisfactory. 0/5 may be resubmitted with revisions for up to 4/5. Between reading & writing expect to spend 3-4 hours per Reading Response.

Presentation (10%): Each student is expected prepare a power-point presentation (8-12 slides). Presentation weeks will be assigned within Canvas, and should be considered as set in stone unless you have a good reason for needing to reschedule. Poor personal planning does not constitute a reason for rescheduling, so choose your presentation week wisely. Students are encouraged to produce live recorded presentations, but this is not required. At a minimum, presenters must upload their PPT or PDF into the designated Student Presentation Forum on Canvas, along with accompanying notes or summaries for each slide. Students must also upload their presentation in the Presentation Upload Link to receive a grade. What can your presentation be on? The list of possible topics and foci you can explore is as huge as the field of the history of philosophy. However, to earn a decent grade you will need to focus on at least one “primary source,” as viewed through the lens of at least one “secondary source.” For the purposes of the presentation, a primary source is an actual text by a major philosopher in any global and historical traditions, and a secondary source is an academic reading of that same


text, or the ideas in it, by an established 20th or 21st century scholar. Tertiary sources such as Wikipedia, encyclopedia entries, or webpage articles should barely be used, and biographical information kept to a bare minimum. See the Presentation Rubric available on Canvas and at mathiaswarnes.com. How are presentations graded? /10. Fantastic presentations receive a 10/10. Most presentations receive a 7 (satisfactory, fulfills basic requirements), 8 (good, it is effective/informative), or 9 (excellent, contains great insights, is of a high educational value). A 6/10 or lower indicates that you did not fulfill one or several basic requirements.

Active Participation (30%): The AP portion of your grade is significant, and designed to keep each student active and responsible for their learning process each week in our virtual environment. Look at it this way: if you complete all RR’s, Presentation, Quizzes, and Midterm and Final Exam, and get 100% on all of them (unlikely!), you would barely be able to pass the course with a C- without AP, and would likely not pass. Another way of looking at the AP requirement is as a way to off-set negative grade impacts that are likely to accrue in the course of completing heavy-weight assignments. Finally, and statistically speaking, students who are aiming for A’s will very likely have to complete most all AP work in addition to scoring in at least the B range or above on major assignments. Students aiming for C’s and B’s likely have to complete a majority of AP work, and score C or above on major assignments.

There are four components of your AP grade: 1. Discussion Forums (10%); 2. Active Participation Forums (15%), 3. Student Presentation Forums (5%), and 4. Attendance Forums (5%).

1. Discussion Forums (10%): There will be 10 Discussion Forums on Canvas in sync with our weekly modules, and worth 1% each. See instructions in each Discussion Forum. In general, a satisfactory DF contribution will include 2 paragraphs of minimum 8 lines each on two assigned materials, as well as one substantive reply to a student peer post (minimum 6 lines).

2. Active Participation Forums (10%): AP Forums exercises vary but usually they will give students the opportunity to comment on and discuss longer videos or other assigned materials in the Modules. They are usually worth 1% each (15 x 1%) and always close the week they are due.

3. Student Presentation Forums (5%): Each student is responsible for commenting on 1 student presentation each week that there are presenters (10 X .5%). A satisfactory comment must be at least 4-6 lines of text, and contain one well-formulated question. Presenters are responsible for answering at least one student question before Sunday at 11:59pm the week they present.

4. Attendance Forums (5%): Although this is listed as an asynchronous class, it will in practice be mostly asynchronous. The synchronous component is designed to: 1. boost class morale; 2. help us get to know each other; 3. provide live learning options for students who prefer them. Our class will have 10 scheduled Zoom Discussions always on Wednesdays from 1:30pm-2:45pm. Students are encouraged to attend all 10. Mere attendance will be worth .5% of the Zoom for that week, but the full 1% will be awarded to students who come prepared to pose a salient question in regards to the week’s readings. NOTE WELL: I intend to be flexible regarding attendance at Zoom Discussions. There will be two accommodations: 1. While attendance at all 10 Zooms is encouraged, students will be allowed to make up 5 of them through Attendance Forums. Do AF’s only if you are unable to attend that Zoom Discussion, and keep in mind the limit is 5. The minimum number of required Zoom Discussions, without there being grade impact, is 5; 2. If there are students who must miss more than 5 Zoom Discussions, I will offer alternative scheduling given reasonable notice. Reasonable notice


does not include waiting until semester end, and then letting me know you need 5 Zoom hours ASAP. Let me know at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as your situation changes, if you can’t make at least 5 Zooms total at the scheduled time.

TURNITIN ORIGINALITY VERIFICATION: Consistent with Sacramento State’s efforts to enhance student learning, foster honesty, and maintain integrity in our academic processes, this course will use a tool called Turnitin to compare a student’s work with an extensive database of prior publications and papers, providing links to possible matches and a ‘similarity score’. Reading Responses will be checked using this tool within Canvas. Originality scores from Turnitin submissions will be definitive of a student’s compliance with University Academic Honesty requirements. If there is any variation between the essay submitted to Canvas and that submitted to the instructor for grading, the Turnitin score through Canvas is definitive. Quizzes (10%): There will be 10 pop quizzes with 10 multiple choice questions each. These quizzes will only cover the relevant Vaugh textbook chapter for the current or previous week.

Midterm Exam & Final Exam (10% / 10%): Exams are summative assessments designed to test your knowledge of core curricula. Both the midterm and final will consist of 70 multiple choice questions based on the Vaughn textbook, and 10 short answer questions. The key factor for success in writing is using course materials and your own words to answer questions and craft responses, never google.com or merely plagiarizing the textbook! Good luck!

PHIL 26 – History of Philosophy: Course Schedule

Week One Aug 31-Sep 4

1. Introductions, Syllabi 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 1, “Why Philosophy?”

Week Two Sep 7-11

Greek Philosophy I: The Presocratics

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 2, “The Pre-Socratics and the Sophists” 2. Pre-Socratic Fragments, Heraclitus & Parmenides, Coursepack, p. 1-28

Week Three Sep 14-18

Greek Philosophy II: Socrates & Plato

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 3, “Socrates: An Examined Life” 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 4, “Plato: The Really Real” (to Cave-Allegory) 3. Plato’s Euthyphro, Coursepack, p. 29-39

Week Four Sep 21-25 (Sep 28 is Census Day)


Greek Philosophy III: Plato & Aristotle

1. Living Philosophy, Ch. 4 Cont’d, & Chapter 5, “Aristotle: Reason & Nature” 2. Plato’s Symposium, Coursepack, p. 40-65

Week Five Sep 28-Oct 1

Egyptian Philosophy & Eastern Philosophy

1. Asante’s The Egyptian Philosophers, “The African Mind”, and “The Beginning of Things”, Coursepack, p. 66-99 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 6, “Eastern Thought” 3. Mahony’s The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Vedic Religious Imagination, “Introduction, Coursepack, p. 100-109

Week Six Oct 5-9

Greek Philosophy IV: Hellenistic Philosophy

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 7, “The Hellenistic Era” 2. Epictetus, “The Enchiridion”, Coursepack, p. 110-124 3. Plotinus, “The Fifth Ennead”, Coursepack, p. 125-135

Week Seven Oct 12-16

Islamic & Medieval Philosophy

1. The Historical Conversation, “Augustine: God and the Soul”, “Philosophy in the Islamic World” & Coursepack, p. 136-186 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 8, “The Medieval Period”

Week Eight Oct 19-23

The Florentine Renaissance & Descartes’ Rationalism

1. Pico della Mirandola’s “Oration on the Dignity of Man”, Coursepack, p. 187-242 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 9, “Descartes: Doubt and Certainty”

Week Nine Oct 26-30

Modern Philosophy I: Rationalism & Empiricism

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 10, “From Hobbes to Hume”


Week Ten Nov 2-6

Modern Philosophy II: Immanuel Kant

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 11, “Kant”

Week Eleven Nov 9-13

19th century Philosophy: Schelling, Hegel & Marx

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 13, “Hegel and Marx” 2. Schelling’s Clara, see download link on Canvas. 2. Coursepack, “G.W.F. Hegel: Taking History Seriously”, p. 243-267

Week Twelve Nov 16-20

Existentialism I: Kierkegaard and Nietzsche

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 14, “Existentialism” 2. Coursepack, Selections from Kierkegaard & Nietzsche, p. 268-317

Week Thirteen Nov 23-27

Existentialism II: Heidegger and Feminism

1. Selections from Heidegger, Coursepack, p. 318-331 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 16, “Feminist Philosophers” 3. De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, “Introduction”, Coursepack, p. 332-349

Week Fourteen Nov 31-Dec 4

Contemporary Period, Meaning of Life, and Postmodernist Critique of the Religious Domain

1. Living Philosophy, Chapter 17, “The Contemporary Period” 2. Living Philosophy, Chapter 18, “The Meaning of Life” 3. Coursepack, Charlesworth’s “Philosophy as Postmodernist Critique of the Religious Domain”, Vattimo’s “Believing that one Believes”, and Derrida’s “Faith and Knowledge: The Two Sources of »Religion« within the Limits of Reason Alone”, p. 349-409

Week Fifteen Dec 7-11

Course Review, General Discussion, and Catch-Up Week

Final Closing Date for Everything (Except Final Exam): Dec 13th, 11:59pm


Finals Week Dec 14-18

Final Exam Due on Canvas

Administrative Matters Grading Policy: A student’s grade for this course must be based upon mastery of course content. A student’s grade cannot be based upon mere attendance, extraneous extra-credit, scholarship, financial aid needs, or other special pleading. It is important that students examine the syllabus and plan appropriately to achieve the grade they desire. I will be happy to meet with you over Zoom to discuss how best to achieve your target grade. This class uses standard grading. Please be aware of the significance of the grades. Grading Scale:A= 100%-93%, A-=92-90% B+= 89%=87% B= 86%-83% B-= 82%-80% C+= 79%-77% C= 76%-73%C-= 72%-70%D= 69%-60%F= 59% or less. “A” designates exemplary work, an example of what all students should do. “B” designates good work. Some students seem to believe that “B” means bad work. This is not the case. “B” signifies that the student has done good work. “C” means that the student has done average or mediocre work. “D” signifies poor work. “F” signifies that the student has not worked enough to receive course credit. Note on Grading Policy: Course assignments (late work, due dates) will be adjusted so as not to penalize students who become ill or are placed under quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Late work for good cause such as medical or family emergencies, including COVID-19 related reasons like illness or quarantine, may be excused on a case-by case basis, typically with advance written notice and appropriate documentation. Reasonable Accommodation: Any student with a documented disability who requires assistance or academic accommodations should contact the Office of Services for Students With Disabilities (SSWD) (Lassen Hall 1008) to discuss eligibility. An appointment can be made by calling 916-278-6955 (Phone) 916-278-7239 (TDD). You may also contact them by email: [email protected]. For a complete listing of their services visit the SSWD website at: http://www.csus.edu/sswd/. Please inform the professor of any necessary accommodations. Plagiarism and Honesty in Academic Work: You are responsible for familiarizing yourselves with the CSUS policy regarding academic honesty. This link is very helpful: https://www.csus.edu/umanual/student/stu-0100.htm. It is crucial to know that plagiarism and cheating are serious ethical violations and have serious consequences. For starters, all suspected incidents of academic dishonesty require a private Zoom meeting to be scheduled with your instructor, and if the instructor considers academic dishonesty to be evidenced, must be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. Academic Dishonesty reports may be submitted with a request by the faculty for no further discipline. That request will [only] be followed if the student has no other reports. Violations of standards of academic honesty include but are not limited to the following: 1. Receiving or providing assistance on an examination or assignment unless the instructor authorizes such assistance; 2. Using materials other than those permitted by the instructor during an examination; 3. Plagiarizing: failure to indicate the source of borrowed words and ideas. Plagiarism defined: Simply stated, plagiarism


is “the taking of others’ words or thoughts without due acknowledgment.”1 This definition applies to both printed, online, & unpublished material. That is, students must acknowledge, through the appropriate forms of citations, any borrowed ideas or phrases, and all direct quotations if more than three or four words. They also must not submit work that has been written, revised, or edited, in part or in whole, by another. Finally, work submitted for class credit in more than one course is considered plagiarized. I assign a “0” for all plagiarized work, I am required by CSUS to report plagiarism to Academic Advising, who may contact you. For first offences, you may or may not, after a discussion, be allowed to resubmit the assignment. Etiquette/Netiquette: All students are expected to maintain professional and courteous conduct in the virtual environment at all times. I expect an atmosphere of solicitous attention and respect for the instructor and for other students’ expressions and opinions, and a consistently objective and empathetic response to the material we study together, especially as regards expressed differences of personal identity, spirituality, ethnicity, values, or culture, and especially during online discussions of religion, race, gender, class, ability, and other topics. Observing these guidelines will ensure a better learning experience for all. You may call me Mathias, or Dr. Warnes, or Professor Warnes, or Prof (just no "Warnes"!). My pronouns are He, His, Him. LGBTQI, Africana/Diasporic, Feminist, ChicanX perspectives are welcome and appreciated! Also welcome are voices and contributions that are oriented by academic faith traditions (including indigenous traditions). Your etiquette/netiquette is expected at all times to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture consistent with the Hornet Honor Code: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/_internal/_documents/hornet-honor-code.pdf

Tech Requirements: 1. Canvas: Most versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, support the use of Canvas. To view specific Operating System and Browser compatibility with Canvas, please refer to: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10720; 2. Zoom: You can download Zoom and find more information about using Zoom here: https://www.csus.edu/information-resources-technology/zoom/student-resources.html; 3. PowerPoint: If you do not have access to PowerPoint, you can download it for free here (scroll down to PowerPoint and click on “Access Online or Download from Office365”): https://www.csus.edu/information-resources-technology/software-catalog/#business-productivity; 4. If you experience difficulties with your computer or connecting to the campus networks please contact the Information Resource Technology (IRT) Service Desk by e-mail: [email protected] or phone (916) 278-7337; 5. For information about their complete services visit: http://www.csus.edu/irt/ServiceDesk/

Tech Support: If you need technical assistance, including with devices or WiFi access, here are some helpful links for the Information Resources and Technology office: 1. During the Covid-19 campus closure, laptops can be checked out for long-term, remote use, as specified here: https://www.csus.edu/information-resources-technology/teaching-learning/laptop-checkout.html; 2. Other assistance, such as information on WiFi Access, can be found here: https://www.csus.edu/information-resources-technology/remote-learning/

Student Health & Counseling Services: Student Health and Counseling Services staff are available for virtual and in-person services. During this public health crisis and extended

1 Frederick Crewes, The Random House Handbook, 3rd ed. New York: Random House, 1980 (p. 405).


period of limited physical or social interaction, if you need counseling or other physical or mental health services, you should not hesitate to reach out to the Student Health and Counseling center. For helpful information and access to their services visit their website at: https://www.csus.edu/student-life/health-counseling/

Health & Safety Information: 1. If you are sick, stay home and do not attend class. Notify your instructor. Please self-diagnose if you are experiencing any COVID- like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, nausea, diarrhea, or headache) or have had exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID contact Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS) at 916-278-6461 to receive guidance and/or medical care. You are asked to report any possible COVID related illnesses/exposures to SHCS via this link COVID-19 Illness/Exposure Report Form. Expect a call from SHCS within 24 hours. The CDC provides a good source of information regarding COVID-19 and a way to self-check symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Free Help: For free help with writing please contact the University Reading and Writing Center in Calaveras 128. The Writing Center can help you at any stage of your reading/writing process: coming up with a topic, developing, or organizing a draft, understanding texts, or developing strategies to become a better editor. To make an appointment visit the Reading and Writing Center in CLV 128. For Writing Center hours and more information, visit the website at: https://www.csus.edu/undergraduate-studies/writing-program/reading-writing-center.html Basic Needs Support: If you are experiencing challenges in the area of food and/or stable housing, help is just a click, email or phone call away! Sacramento State offers basic needs support for students who are experiencing challenges in these areas Please visit the CARES website to learn more about your options and resources available: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/crisis-assistance-resource-education-support/ Other University Support and Services: 1. Academic Advising: https://www.csus.edu/student-life/academic-advising/ ; 2. Dreamer Resource Center: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/dreamer-resource-center/ ; 3. Martin Luther King Center: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/mlk-scholars/ ; 4. Multicultural Center: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/diversity-inclusion/multicultural-center.html ; 5. Peer and Academic Resource Center: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/peer-academic-resource/ ; 6. Reading and Writing Center: https://www.csus.edu/undergraduate-studies/writing-program/reading-writing-center.html ; 7. Student Success Center: https://www.csus.edu/college/health-human-services/student-success/

PHILOSOPHY 26 — CSUS HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY, Section 3 …mathiaswarnes.com/mathiaswarnes.com/Course_Materials... · 2020. 8. 2. · Course Syllabus (PHIL 26: History of Philosophy)

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