PHIL 101

Self, World, & God

Division of Distance Education

Dr. Jeff Johnson

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

What follows is so self-evident to me that I have never stated explicitly in words.  But there seems to be a persistent misunderstanding, so here goes.  There are video-lectures that go with this course.  Viewing them is essential to doing well in the course.  They are a formal requirement.  Just as though you could hardly expect to do well in a course you never attended, trying to take this course without watching the video-lectures is just as foolhardy.

COMPUTER-FACILITATED INDIVIDUALIZED STUDY MODE

Beginning Summer Quarter 2002, most DDE Philosophy courses will be delivered through the Computer-Facilitated Individualized Study Mode.  My hope is that this will be a convenience to both of us.  There are some specific expectations for this delivery mode, and you should familiarize your self with them at this link:

http://www.eou.edu/dde/webadv/cfismode.html

If you have access to a decent computer and e-mail, don't let the other technical stuff intimidate you.  It will prove very easy to exchange assignments, feedback, and grades electronically.  In order to keep track of the communication and "virtual paper" flow, we have created some dedicated e-mail accounts for each course, and each quarter.  Although material sent directly to my e-mail will reach me, it would be much safer to send it to the dedicated e-mail for this course because DDE keeps a record and a copy of your submission.

When attaching assignment, papers, and take-home examinations (all of this varies from specific course to course), please save your files in Word, or best of all, as a "rich text" file (file will end ...rtf).

In this course you will be using a testing procedure requiring the use of a computer with Internet-access.

Contact the Division of Distance Education at http://www.eou.edu/dde/webadv/forms/testing.html or 1-800-544-2195 ext. 8 to  schedule a date for your exam(s).

This quarter in Self, World, & God, we will be addressing some of the most basic and important questions in the history of western philosophical thinking.  What is knowledge?  Is it possible?  Is there evidence for or against the existence of God?  What is the relationship between humans and the rest of the biological world?  What is the relationship between mind and body?

We will be carefully reading four excellent texts:

• Meditations by Rene Descartes

• Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume

• The Darwin Reader edited by Matt Ridley

• On-line readings on mind

In addition, we will be watching some excellent Hollywood movies that nicely raise relevant philosophical questions.  Since I will be asking you to devote additional time to watching and discussing these films, our course will not meet on Fridays.  You will be expected to view at least five of the following films.  DDE students should plan to rent these films

• The Matrix

• Regarding Henry

• Awakenings

• A Brief History of Time

• Inherit the Wind

• A Midnight Clear

• Schindler's List

• The Sixth Sense

• Nell

• A.I.

• Minority Report

Here's a link to the movie assignments

UWR Writing Intensive Outcomes:

• Students will produce at least 3,000 words (including drafts, in-class writing, informal papers, and polished papers); 1,000 words of this total should be in polished papers which students have revised after receiving feedback and criticism.

• Students will be introduced to the discourse forms appropriate to the discipline the course represents.

• Students will write at least one paper integrating information from at least one source, employing the appropriate documentation style for the discipline represented by the course.

• Students will draft, revise, and edit their formal written work.
  Students will seek assistance from a Writing Tutor in the Writing Lab when needed and when referred by the instructor.

Additional Outcomes:

• Understand the philosophical and scientific controversies concerning evidence evaluation, Descartes' Meditations, Hume's Dailogues, natural selection, and philosophical psychology.

• Read philosophical texts critically and with understanding.

• Critically view cinema dealing with philosophical issues.

• Write effectively about philosophical and scientific controversies.

• Write effectively about philosophical issues in contemporary cinema

Means of Assessment and Grading:

• Three, open-book, non-proctored, timed, on-line essay examinations.  (20% each) (outcomes 1,2, and 4)

• A 1000 to 1500 words analytical paper explaining and assessing a moral/legal controversy -- 30% of course grade. (outcomes 1, 2, and 4)

• A portofolio of six short (300 to 400 words) on assigned movies -- 10% of course grade. (outcomes 3 and 5)

• Please note: a grade of at least C- is required in order for this course to count toward the University Writing Requirement 

Here's a link to the analytical paper assignment

And here's a link to some general paper suggestions

DDE CALENDAR

[I have kept the general structure of four lectures per week that was the format when the course was taught on-campus.  DDE students are obviously free to work through the material at whatever pace works best.]