PHILOSOPHY 101
intro to philosophy

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Dr. James Hatley

Office: Philosophy House, 1st Floor

Phone:  (67)7-5072

Office Hours: Hatley—TThu, 3:30-5:15 pm; Walters—M, 4:30-5:30

URL: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~jdhatley/


COURSE DESCRIPTION

Philosophy, unlike the other disciplines at a university, does not concern itself so much with a specific subject matter as with the issue of what it means whatsoever to be a thinking being in the flesh. In a sense all disciplines are part of philosophy. Many fields trace their lineage back to philosophical thought--for instance, questions associated with the study of Physics were first posed by the early philosophers of ancient Greece. Philosophy today continues to ponder the fundamental questions that are raised in our most crucial human experiences. The significance of love, death, murder, guilt, religion, betrayal, suffering, evil and goodness are issues which preoccupy the mind of a philosopher. These are the issues to which each of us must turn if we are to fulfill Socrates' fabled maxim: Know Thyself.

But beware of the following paradox! In attempting to know oneself, one may find oneself even more in question. Philosophy not only answers questions but also shows how each answer leads to further questions. Often Philosophy's most important feature is to make a question even more questioning, more disconcerting. Philosophy is, as Socrates argues, thinking about one's thinking in all the dimensions in which thinking occurs. To know oneself is not to know an object, an inert thing, but to be taken up in the active questioning of the meaning of one's own existence and the existence of all other beings. To ask questions about one's death or one's actions or one's suffering is to engage oneself more deeply in living one's life. Philosophy does not abolish mystery but brings us more intensely, more concretely, more knowlingly and more wonderously into its presence.

In this class, we will be disconcerting ourselves in relation to several fundamental questions: 1) How might I live an examined life? 2) Is there a limit to what can be forgiven?  3) Is my self an illusion?  4) How might I offer compassion to all other living beings? 5) Do I need power in order to be real? 7)  What does it mean to be a finite creature living in space and time?  8)  Can guilt illuminate my life? 9) Can I change who I am?

In pursuing these questions, we will turn not only to the Greek and Judeo-Christian traditions of thought, but also to that of Buddhism. We will also turn to our contemporary society in order to test the ideas we learn from these traditions.

TEXTS

Books

A Guided Tour to Five Books by Plato (PLATO)
The Sunflower
Siddhartha
 

Films

American History X
Dead Man Walking
Boston Public
 

Web Texts

Allegory of the Cave

Apology (Older Translation)

"A Father in Auschwitz's Quandary"

American History X

"Summary of Buddhist Thought"

Philosophy in Prison: PrisonPower  PrisonLifeWorld  PrisonConversion

Free Will

Excerpts from Sartre's "Existentialism”

Excerpts from Martin Buber's Writings

 


GRADING
 

Essay Reading Questions on The Sunflower                 05%
Short Reaction Paper on The Sunflower                       04%
Individual Presentation Questions (APOLOGY)             08%
Individual Presentation Questions (SOUL)                     08%
Essay Reading Questions for Siddhartha                      05%
1st Response: When I Left the Cave                             20%
2nd Response: Socratic Voices American History X    20%
3rd Response: Conversations with a Murderer               30%


Extra-Credit: One-page essays on TWO lectures or other event from the Cultural Affairs Series

CLASS ATTENDENCE:

Class attendance and participation in discussions are also required. You have five automatic absences for which no excuse is needed. No further absences, excused or unexcused will be accepted. After five absences, your final grade will be affected. Not turning in any assignment (by the semester's end) will mean you will receive an F for the course! Put in other terms: If you fail to turn in even one assignment for this course you will not pass it.

WRITTEN WORK

In-Class Writing: In addition to the writing assignments listed below, there will be in-class writing assignments, often to be done in conjunction with small group discussions. For this reason among others, your attendance is important!

Response Papers are the principal manner in which your grade will be determined. These will consist of three-page essays in which you will respond thoughtfully to a question pertaining to what we have been reading and discussing in class. A response paper should make use of citations from the text(s) appropriate to the question to be answered. In a response paper you are to give reasons for any position you take. The question "Why?" should always be in the back of your mind as you write.

Individual Presentation Questions: Two individual presentations will be assigned during the semester--one in regard to The Apology and the other in regard to The Soul Knows no Bars.  These presentations requires that you be an expert on your assigned text during the time it is being discussed in class. After that discussion, you are to write three essays at least a paragraph in length in which you answer three important questions you have chosen to pose in regard to your reading. If you are not present during the time your article is being discussed in class, your grade for this assignment will be negatively affected.

Essay Reading Questions:  For The Sunflower and for Siddhartha, you will be assigned specific questions to be answered in paragraph essays.  These assignments are due the day we begin discussing the respective readings in class!

Short Reaction Paper:  One short reaction paper will be assigned on the fourth week of class in regard to The Sunflower.

STUDENT WRITING CENTER: At the University Writing Center at Herb’s Place, trained consultants are ready to help you at any stage of the writing process. It is often helpful for writers to share their work with an attentive reader, and consultations allow writers to test and refine their ideas before having to hand papers in or to release documents to the public. In accordance with Salisbury University’s mission to foster a student-centered learning community, the writing center is a student-centered place; therefore, visits are not mandatory. However, all undergraduates are encouraged to make use of this important student service.

 

HONOR CODE: Each written assignment should be accompanied by the following statement, dated and signed by the student: “This assignment was written entirely by me in my own words, except for quotations from and references to another person’s work, which I have been careful to point out.  I have in no way made use of the words or ideas of other persons without attribution.”   

COURSE OBJECTIVES

a) To learn some distinguishing characteristics of Greek and Judeo-Christian thought.
b) To learn elements of other cultural traditions.
c) To follow an argument in a discussion.
d) To follow an argument in a philosophical text.
e) To recognize the presuppositions one brings to a philosophical discussion and to reflect upon the worthiness of these presuppositions.
f) To use a philosophical position in order to understand and question your own life-experiences.
g) To write an organized and reflective argument that takes a philosophic position.

WEEKLY TOPICS, WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, READINGS AND FILMS

WEEK ONE (1/29-2/1)--Putting my World into Question.

Reading: The Allegory of the Cave (PLATO).  Also, see Allegory of the Cave

Lecture and Discussion: Toleration and Critical Engagement
 

WEEK TWO (2/5-8)--Is There a Limit to Forgiveness?

    Reading: The Sunflower, pp. 1-99. Reading Questions for The Sunflower   Background Materials for The Sunflower

 

    DUE (2/5,6): READING QUESTIONS ON THE SUNFLOWER

Simon Wiesenthal Center Website
United States Holocaust Memorial     Genocide Watch     Genocide Resources

WEEK THREE (2/12-15)--Reflecting on Arguments for and against Forgiveness

Reading: The Sunflower: Selections from Alan Berger, Robert Coles, Matthew Fox, Rebecca Goldstein, Harold Kushner, Deborah Lipstadt The Dalai Lama, Primo Levi, Terrence Prittie, Albert Speer, Andre Stein, Desmond Tutu, Harry Wu.

DUE (2/14, 15): SHORT REACTION PAPER IN CLASS: Who Got it Right on Forgiveness?  Assignment

    Aitia: Responsibility for Sweatshops

WEEK FOUR (2/19-22)--Living an Examined Life?  

Film: American History X
Readings:  The Apology (PLATO);   Script for American History X   Also, see Apology (Older Translation)

DUE (2/21, 22): FIRST RESPONSE PAPER:  One Moment in my Life when I left the Cave.  Assignment

WEEK FIVE (2/26-3/1)--Living an Examined Life?

Discussion of Parts One and Two of The Apology--How should we be careful for our souls?

WEEK SIX (3/5-8)--Living an Examined Life?

Discussion of Part Three of The Apology--How should we die?
Enrichment: THE ETHICIST

DUE (3/14, 15): First Set of Individual Presentation Questions on The Apology

DUE (4/2, 3): SECOND RESPONSE PAPER: Socratic Voices in American History X:  Assignment

WEEK SEVEN (3/12-15)--How might I Live with Compassion for all Living Beings?

Power Point Presentation: Wabi-Sabi
Eating with Grace
Tich Nhat Han's Reflection about Compassion for all other Living Beings
Buddhism's Core Doctrines

Website on Buddhist Doctrines
Mountain Rivers Zen Monastary

ASSIGNMENT: Work on Reading Questions for Siddhartha Essay Reading Questions

DUE (3/14, 15): First Set of Individual Presentation Questions on The Apology

 

SPRING BREAK-March 17th-25th

 

WEEK EIGHT (3/27-29)--Is my Self an Illusion?

 

            No Class On Monday 3/26!

Reading: Siddhartha

ASSIGNMENT DUE (3/27, 28): ESSAY READING QUESTIONS: Siddhartha

WEEK NINE (4/2-6)—Do I need Power to be Real?

            Reading:  Prison Power  Free Will

Wednesday/Thursday: Viewing: Boston Public (On the "N" Word)  

DUE (4/2, 3): SECOND RESPONSE PAPER

WEEK TEN (4/9-12)—Doing Time and Being in Time

Reading:  Prison Life World

WEEK ELEVEN (4/16-19): Atheistic Existentialism in Anguish, Forlorness and Despair

Reading: Excerpts from Sartre

WEEK TWELVE (4/23-26): Theistic Existentialism in the I/Thou Encounter

            Reading: Prison Conversion; Excerpts from Martin Buber

WEEK THIRTEEN (4/30-5/3): Continue Week Twelve

WEEK FOURTEEN (5/7-10): IS THE MURDERER TO BE REDEEMED? 

            FILM: DEAD MAN WALKING

An Example of Reconciliation with a Murderer

Sister Helen Prejean Interview

FINALS WEEK (5/12-15)

DUE:  

SECOND SET OF INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION QUESTIONS ( SOUL)

THIRD RESPONSE PAPER: “Conversations with a Murderer: Does Poncelot’s Guilt Illuminate his Life?  Assignment  

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