PHIL 1: Intro Philosophy
Instructor: Eric Gerlach
Thursdays 6:30 – 9:20 PM
Office Hours: Mondays 11-12 @ K’s Coffee
Class Code: 23128
Room: BCC 14
Email:ericgerlach@gmail.com
Blog: ericgerlach.blogspot.com
Course Description
This course introduces students to the history of philosophy and world thought. We will study ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Chinese and modern European philosophers by focusing on their core influential ideas.
Required Texts
The only text for the class is the Course Reader, available at Lazer Image, 61 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, (510) 644-3339. A copy of the reader will be put on reserve in the BCC Library.
Required Assignments
- Four Response Essays 40%
- MIDTERM Exam 30%
- FINAL Exam 30%
CLASS SCHEDULE
Jan 26 Introduction, Tribal Shamanism & Ancient Cosmology
Feb 2 Early City State Priests & Egyptian Thought
Feb 9 Indian Thought
Feb 23 Greek Thought: Heraclitus (1st Response Due)
Mar 1 Greek Thought: Plato
Mar 8 Chinese Thought: Confucianism
Mar 15 Chinese Thought: Daoism + Midterm Review(2nd Response Due)
Mar 22 MIDTERM EXAM
Mar 29 Islamic & Medieval European Thought
Apr 12 Descartes & Hume
Apr 19 Kant & Hegel
Apr 26 Schopenhauer & Nietzsche (3rd Response Due)
May 3 Heidegger, Sartre & Foucault
May 10 Wittgenstein
May 17 Lewis Carroll, Humor & Art + Review (4th Response)
May 24 FINAL EXAM
This class is acceptable for credit at UC and CSU. It counts towards GE AA/AS area 3; CSU area C2; and IGETC area 3. It can be used as an elective for the Liberal Arts with an Emphasis in Arts and Humanities, Associate in Arts Degree Program and the Liberal Arts: Intersegmental General Education Transfer (IGETC) Certificate of Achievement and the Global Studies AA Degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
Information Competency: understand philosophical concepts and systems
Critical Thinking: evaluate concepts and argue for and against viewpoints
Global Awareness & Valuing Diversity: understand diverse cultures of thought
General Student Requirements
Students are expected to come to class prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions. All readings and assignments should be completed by the beginning of class on the day they are discussed. This class is run as a lecture/discussion course. Students are responsible for all class material (even if they miss class). It is your responsibility to ask if you missed something; it is not the instructor’s responsibility to remind you. If a student has any extenuating circumstances which may affect full participation in the class, the student must speak to the instructor as far ahead of any due date as possible. All assignments must be completed and all requirements must be met in order to pass the class. You must turn in all assignments (even if they are late) in order to be eligible to receive a “C” grade or higher. There are no exceptions, under any circumstance.
Plagiarism—“[t]o use another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source” (MLA Handbook, 5th ed., §1.8)—will not be tolerated. Plagiarists, intentional or inadvertent, will receive a zero on the assignment in question; repeat offenders will get an F for the course and will be subject to college disciplinary action. Students are encouraged to review plagiarism policies in the current Vista College catalog.
A Note on Disabled Student Program and Services (DSP&S)
DSP&S services are provided for any enrolled student who has a verified disability that creates an educational limitation that prevents the student from fully benefiting from classes without additional support services or instruction. Please let the instructor know if you require any support services or would like more information about DSP&S.
The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class. Additional handouts of required readings may also be added.
