Tues/Thurs 10:30 – 11:45 AM Office Hours: Fridays 12-1 PM @ K’s Coffee
Class Code: 20760 Email: ericgerlach@gmail.com
Room: BCC 31 Blog: ericgerlach.blogspot.com
Introduction to Philosophy Syllabus & Class Schedule
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 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(10% x 4 = 40%), Midterm Exam (30%), Final Exam (30%)
CLASS SCHEDULE
Jan 22 & 24 Introduction, Shamanism & Ancient Cosmology
Feb 29 & 31 Early City State Priests & Egyptian Thought
Feb 5 & 7 Indian Thought
Feb 12 & 14 Greek Thought: Heraclitus (1st Response Due)
Feb 19 & 21 Greek Thought: Plato
Feb 26 & 28 Chinese Thought: Confucius
Mar 5 & 7 Chinese Thought: Daoism
Mar 12 Midterm Review (2nd Response Due)
Mar 14 MIDTERM EXAM
Mar 19 & 21 Islamic & Medieval European Thought
Mar 26 & 28 NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK
Apr 2 & 4 Descartes & Hume
Apr 9 & 11 Kant & Hegel
Apr 16 & 18 Schopenhauer & Nietzsche (3rd Response Due)
Apr 23 & 25 Heidegger, Sartre & Foucault
Apr 30 & May 2 Wittgenstein
May 7 & 9 Postmodernism
May 14 & 16 Nonsense, Humor & Art
May 21 Final Review (4th Response Due)
May 23 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 philosophical concepts and argue for and against viewpoints
Global Awareness & Valuing Diversity: understand and appreciate 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 (DSPS)
DSPS 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 DSPS.
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.
