|
Instructor: |
Prof. Thomas
F. Pyne |
|
Office Hours: |
M 10:00-11:00, T 2:00-3:00; other times by appointment. In addition I
will conduct ‘virtual’ office hours via SacCT 9.1 ‘Discussions’. |
|
Office Location: |
Mendocino
3016 |
|
Phone: |
(Office)
278-7288 (Philosophy
Department) 278-6424 |
|
Email: |
Faculty
Website: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/p/pynetf/ |
|
Required Text: |
Cohen, Curd & Reeve, Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy, 4th Ed., Hackett (Indianapolis,
2011) |
SacCT: |
|
Faculty Website:Course Description |
|
Examination of the origins of Western philosophy, with
emphasis on the works of the Pre-Socratics, Plato, and Aristotle. Prerequisite: 3 units in philosophy Units: 3.0.
– The course is designed to give a
systematic introduction to the early beginnings of western philosophy.
– The course will focus on the relevance
of ancient philosophy to contemporary philosophical concerns.
– Students will be required to read
primary sources in translation.
– Students will be expected to understand
the philosophical problems the ancient authors are addressing and the solutions
provided.
Students will
be expected to:
– Demonstrate a developed ability to read
and understand historical philosophical texts.
– Demonstrate a precise and detailed
understanding of the views and arguments of the philosophers studied.
– Evaluate critically the concepts and
arguments contained in the texts;
– Maintain and defend with reasons their own
critical views on the philosophers.
Students
will demonstrate their achievement of the course objectives and expectations
through:
– Exams incorporating essay questions.
– Participation in in-class and online
discussion;
– Composition of argumentative papers
While
PHIL 127 will be in most ways a standard lecture/discussion class, it will be
‘web-assisted.’ That is, we will be
using some features of the SacCT 9.1 course management system.
SacCT 9.1 is a
program designed for on-line college courses.
Among other things, it serves as a location for course material, lecture
notes, tests, papers, and discussions.
I will make
important course content available, including lecture notes and other supplementary
material.
You will be participating
in discussions, and submitting papers through SacCT 9.1. In addition, you may communicate with me, as
well as with other students in the class, through the SacCT Mail facility.
You will use
your Saclink account to log into the course from the SacCT Login
page (http://www.csus.edu/sacct/).
If you do not
have a Saclink account yet, please refer to the Setting Up a Saclink Account webpage
(http://www.csus.edu/saclink/settingUp.stm) to create a saclink account
online.
To get started
using SacCT, visit the Student
Resources webpage
(http://www.csus.edu/webct/student/) where you can access Online Tutorials,
Frequently Asked Questions, and other help resources.
The course will
use the communication tools built into SacCT:
– Announcements: It’s a good idea to check for announcements
from time to time during the semester
– Mail:
You may send me (or a classmate) a message via the ‘Mail’ function. I will respond promptly. (I can’t vouch for the classmate.)
– Discussions: You will be expected to participate in
discussions, whether in class or through the ‘Discussions’ function in SacCT.
– Calendar: Exams and due dates for papers will all
appear in the Calendar.
To access a
course in SacCT 9.1 you will need access to the Internet and an internet
browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari).
To ensure that you are using a supported browser and have required
plug-ins please run the Check Browser from your SacCT course. Refer to the SacCT Browser Tune-up page for instructions.
For help or to
report a problem with SacCT you can:
– Visit the Student
SacCT FAQ’s webpage
– Submit a SacCT
Problem Form
– Contact the University Help Desk at
(916) 278-7337
1.
2. Three exams (10% each ) Bluebook. A
combination of multiple-choice, fill-in, true/false questions, plus some essay
questions. The questions will be on the
readings, lectures, and discussions up to that point.
3. First Paper (4-7 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
4. Second Paper (4-7 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
5. Third Paper (4-7 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
6. Discussion Contributions (10%)
You will be expected to make
regular contributions to discussion, either in the class period itself or in
the online ‘Discussion’ conducted in SacCT.
Papers:
Papers will be submitted in SacCT.
In writing the paper, follow the instructions for
argumentative papers found in the “Guidelines for Writing Philosophy Papers” at
the Philosophy Department website: http://www.csus.edu/phil/WritingGuidelines&GradingStandardsforPapers.htm
To submit a paper in SacCT:
– Philosophy involves discussion and
argument. It’s the best way to explore
philosophical questions, the best way to learn how to philosophize. So I will expect you to participate in the
discussions. You will either receive full
credit for participation (15%) or no credit, depending on how seriously you
take your responsibility to make contributions.
If I notice that you are not participating, I will let you know that I
expect more.
– To participate in an online discussion:
– Enter SacCT;
– Open ‘Discussions’ (under ‘Course Tools’
on the left margin’);
– Click on one of the topics; you will be
able to read the other contributions;
– You can contribute to the discussion by
clicking ‘Create Message’.
To take a
reading quiz in SacCT:
Enter SacCT at https://online.csus.edu;
– Open the main page for PHIL 127;
– Open ‘Assessments’ (under ‘Course Tools’
on the left margin of the main page);
– Answer the questions (make sure you
‘submit’ each question as well as the entire exam).
You will have
only one chance to take the quiz, so check your answers before submitting.
Exams:
Exams will be taken in-class.
Exams: Exams
will receive numerical grades; your score will be ‘out of’ 100.
Papers: Papers
will receive letter grades. To determine
your final grade, I will convert those letter grades into the highest number in
the grade range under ‘Grading Criteria’ below. (For example, a B grade on a
paper converts to 89.)
Discussion: Discussion participation will receive either complete credit (100) or none (0). Periodically, I will post progress reports on your participation in the Gradebook. These progress reports are indications of what you would get at the end of the semester if you continue your present course. That grade does not ‘count’; it’s just information.
Final Grade: The
final grade for the course will be determined by the weighted sum of the exams,
quizzes, discussion, and papers.
|
Scaled Score |
Letter Equivalent |
|
100-94 |
A |
|
93-92 |
A- |
|
91-90 |
B+ |
|
89-84 |
B |
|
83-82 |
B- |
|
81-80 |
C+ |
|
79-74 |
C |
|
73-72 |
C- |
|
71-70 |
D+ |
|
69-64 |
D |
|
63-62 |
D- |
|
61- |
F |
For reading
quizzes you will be able to see your score as soon as you have submitted your
quiz.
For exams, and
papers I will post the grades as soon as I have finished grading them.
You can see your grades during the semester by going to ‘MyGrades’ in SacCT.
I expect
attendance at every class meeting. If
for some excellent reason you cannot make class, let me know – preferably in
advance. If this is impossible, let me
know by 5:00 on the day you miss, preferably by an e-mail message within
SacCT. I will lower you a grade
increment for every absence in which you fail to contact me the same day.
Class meetings
will begin at 9:00 am with roll. Be on
time. No excuses. Anticipate. I will
treat a pattern of late arrival as an unexcused absence.
I expect attention
to the material during class periods. If
there is a class discussion, I will serve as moderator; please wait to be recognized before making a
contribution.
If you wish to
ask a question, answer a question, or make a contribution to the class, please
ask to be recognized. There is no excuse
for conducting a private discussion during class time. I will treat a pattern of talking in class as
an unexcused absence.
Dude.
For papers, I
will leave the assignment window open for five days after the due date. The
grade will be lowered a grade increment for every day it’s late.
Students are
expected to be familiar with the University’s Academic Honesty, Policy &
Procedures. The policy on Academic
Honesty and other information regarding student conduct can be accessed from
the University
Policy Manual
(http://www.csus.edu/umanual/index.htm).
The University
Library has a helpful treatment of plagiarism at
http://library.csus.edu/content2.asp?pageID=353.
The University
has very helpful information on plagiarism at the Library’s Plagiarism Website.
If you have a
disability and require accommodations, you need to provide disability
documentation to Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD). For more information please visit the SSWD website (http://www.csus.edu/sswd/). They are located in Lassen Hall 1008 and can
be contacted by phone at (916) 278-6955 (Voice) (916) 278-7239 (TDD only) or
via email at sswd@csus.edu.
Please discuss
your accommodation needs with me within the first week. Don’t wait until the first exam or paper and
expect to be accommodated.
The Writing
Center provides encouraging, focused, and non-judgmental one-to-one tutorials
in writing. Their tutors can help with
writing at all points in the process, from initial planning and organizing
through developing and revising a paper. You can bring the assignment to them
for help.
The Sac State
Library’s webpage is http://library.csus.edu.
To find a book
or periodical, click on “Eureka: Library Catalogue” under “Resources and
Collections or go directly to http://eureka.lib.csus.edu/
For a largely
undergraduate institution, the Sac State library’s holdings and resources in
philosophy are pretty good. I
particularly recommend Sac State librarian Lisa Roberts’ website “Philosophy: Resources.”
Two ways to find it: through
“Research Guides” under “Resources and Collections”, or go directly to http://library.csus.edu/guides/robertsl/philoguide.htm
To access SacCT
from campus, or use any of the other campus online resources, you can use the
IRT managed student computer labs on campus. See University
Labs website , that is,
http://www.csus.edu/uccs/labs/generalinfo/about.stm
for information
about locations, hours, and resources available.
SacCT is the
course management system used on the Sac State campus for web-assisted courses.
To access a course on SacCT, you must login from the SacCT Login
Page
(https://online.csus.edu).
To learn more
about SacCT visit the Student
Resources webpage (http://www.csus.edu/WebCT/student/)
where you can view online Tutorials, FAQ’s and other help resources.
Πάντων χρημάτων
μέτρων
άνθρωπος
(Numbers in brackets refer to
pages in the textbook.)
|
Introduction: The
Ancient World What are they – violent, savage, lawless? or friendly to strangers, god-fearing
men?” - Odyssey |
||||||
|
Week |
Topic |
Readings |
Due Dates |
|||
|
Week 1 M 8/27 |
M: Introduction: The Eastern Mediterranean in the 6th
Century B.C.; Homer and the Early
Hellenic Conception of the World |
M: [1-10] |
M: |
|||
|
Part I. The Earliest Philosophers All things are full of gods. - Thales |
||||||
|
W 8/29 F 8/31 |
W: The Milesian Physiologoi –
Thales F: The Milesian Physiologoi –
Anaximander –
Anaxmenes |
W: [10-12] F: [12-17] |
W: F: |
|||
|
Week 2 M 9/3 W 9/5 F 9/7 |
M: Labor
Day Holiday W: Pythagoras and His School F: Xenophanes |
M: W: [18-23] F: [23-29] |
M: W: Reading Quiz on
Pythagoras F: Reading Quiz on
Xenophanes |
|||
|
Week 3 M 9/10 |
M: Heraclitus |
M: [29-40] |
M: Reading Quiz on Heraclitus |
|||
|
Part II: Eleatics
and Atomists And what are their arses looking at in
the heavens? They are studying astronomy on their
own account. - Aristophanes, The
Clouds |
||||||
|
W 9/12 F: 9/14 |
W: The Eleatics –
Parmenides –
F: The Eleatics –
Zeno |
W: [40-47] F: [47-51] |
W: Reading Quiz on
Parmenides F: Reading Quiz on Zeno |
|||
|
Week 4 M 9/17 W 9/19 F 9/21 |
M: Versions of ‘Atomism’ –
Anaxagoras W: Versions of ‘Atomism’ –
Empedocles F: Versions of ‘Atomism’ –
Democritus –
Leucippus |
M: [75-80] W: [52-74] F: [80-93] |
M: Reading Quiz on
Anaxagoras W: Reading Quiz on
Empedocles F: Reading Quiz on
Democritus & Leucippus |
|||
|
Part III: The
‘Sophist’ Movement Socrates …(W)e should
send him to those who profess to be teachers of virtue and have shown
themselves to be available to any Greek who wishes to learn, and for this fix
a fee and exact it? Anytus And who do
you say these are, Socrates? Socrates You surely
know yourself that they are those whom men call sophists. Anytus By Heracles,
hush, Socrates. May no one of my
household or friends, whether citizen or stranger, be mad enough to go to
these people and be harmed by them, for they clearly cause the ruin and
corruption of their followers. |
||||||
|
Week 5 M 9/24 W 9/26 |
M: Protagoras W: Gorgias |
M: [104-107] W:[107-112] |
M: Reading Quiz on
Protagoras W: Reading Quiz on Gorgias |
|||
|
Part IV: The
Life and Career of Socrates And so, when I read such things of
such men, I can hardly help exclaiming, 'St Socrates, pray for
us!' - Erasmus |
||||||
|
F 9/28 |
W: Socrates’ ‘Mission’ |
F: [Euthyphro 135-152] |
F: Reading Quiz on Euthyphro |
|||
|
Week 6 M 10/1 |
M: The Socratic Method |
M: [Protagoras 192-218] |
M: Reading Quiz on Protagoras |
|||
|
Part V: Plato:
Ethics The Love that moves the sun
and other stars. –
Dante, Paradiso |
||||||
|
W 10/3 F 10/5 |
W: Plato Meno –
Extending
Socrates’ ‘Craft Analogy’ –
The Paradox of
Inquiry F: Plato
Solution of the
Paradox: Recollection |
W: [Meno 241-250] F: |
W: Reading Quiz on Meno (whole dialogue) F: Paper
#1 due in SacCT, 11:30. |
|||
|
Week 7 M
10/8 W 10/10 F 10/12 |
M: Plato Meno –
The Method of
Hypothesis W: Exam
1 F: Plato Republic –
Is the Just Man
the Happy Man (or Vice Versa)? |
M: [Meno 250-266] W: F: [Republic
I 369-397] |
M: W: Exam
1 (Bring Bluebook) F: Reading Quiz on Republic Bk. I-III |
|||
|
Week 8 M 10/15 W 10/17 F 10/19 |
M: Plato Republic The Ring of Gyges and the
Problem of Justice W: Plato Republic The Ideal City F: Plato Republic –
Justice, Psychic
and Political –
A Definition
Found |
M: [Republic II, 398-423] W: [Republic III, 424-455] F: [Republic
IV, 456-482; 507-514] |
M: W: F: Reading Quiz on Republic Bk. IV + Bk.V, 507-514 |
|||
|
Part VI: Plato:
Metaphysics In the
beginning was the deed. –
Goethe, Faust, Pt. I. |
||||||
|
Week 9 M 10/22 W 10/24 F 10/26 |
M: Plato Phaedo –
Mind and Body W: Plato
Phaedo –
Physicalism and
the ‘Simple Aitia’ F: Plato Republic –
The Forms and
the Physical World |
M: [Phaedo
267-301] W: [Phaedo
301-319] F: [Republic VI-VII 515-566] |
M: Reading Quiz on Phaedo,
237-301 W: Reading Quiz on Phaedo, 301-319 F: Reading Quiz on Republic Bks. VI-VII, 515-566 |
|||
|
Week 10 M 10/29 W 10/31 |
M: Plato:
Metaphysics W: Exam 2 |
M: Lecture W: |
M: W: Exam 2 (Bring Bluebook) |
|||
|
Part VII: Aristotle:
Logic and Metaphysics “Indeed, the
old question – always pursued from long ago till now, and always raising puzzles –
‘What is being?’ is just the question ‘What is substance?’ Aristotle (1028b3-5) |
||||||
|
F 11/2 |
F: Aristotle:
Logic |
F: [Categories 694-700; Posterior
Analytics 714-731] |
F: Reading Quiz on Categories, 694-700; Posterior Analytics, 714-731 |
|||
|
Week 11 M 11/5 W 11/7 F 11/9 |
M: Aristotle: Explanation The concept of change The Four Causes W: Aristotle:
Explanation (cont.) F: Aristotle:
The First History of Philosophy |
M: [Physica
Bk I, 732-740; Bk II, 740-749] W: F: [Metaphysics
Bk I, 800-809] |
M: Paper #2 due in SacCT, 11:30 pm W: F: Reading Quiz on Metaphysics, Bk I, 800-809 |
|||
|
Week 12 M 11/12 W 11/14 F 11/16 |
M: Veteran’s
Day (Holiday) W: Aristotle:
Metaphysics –
Aristotelian
Substances F: Aristotle: Metaphysics –
Substance and
Essence –
Matter and Form |
M: W: [Metaphysics, Bk VII, 815-820] F : [Metaphysics Bk VII, 821- 833] |
M: W: Reading Metaphysics, Bk VII, 815-820] F: Reading Quiz Metaphysics, Bk VII, 821-833 +
Bk.VIII, 834-838 |
|||
|
Week 13 M 11/19 W 2/21 F 11/23 |
M: Aristotle: Metaphysics –
Potentiality
and Actuality W: Aristotle:
Metaphysics F: Thanksgiving
Holiday |
M: Metaphysics Book VIII, 835-838] W: Lecture F: |
M: W: F: |
|||
|
Part VIII: Aristotle:
Philosophy of Mind To call these things causes is too
absurd. If someone said that without
bones and sinews and all such things, I should not be able to do what I
decided, he would be right, but surely to say that they are the cause of what
I do, and not that I have chosen the best course, even though I act with my mind,
is to speak very lazily and carelessly. Plato, Phaedo (99a) |
||||||
|
Week 14 M 11/26 W 11/28 |
M: Aristotle –
Perception –
Knowledge W: Aristotle –
The ‘Rational
Soul’ |
M: [De Anima, Bk I, 847-863] W: [De Anima Bk III, 863-869] |
M: Reading Quiz on De Anima, Bk I, 847-869 W: |
|||
|
Part IX: Aristotle:
Ethics O Duty! Why hast thou not the visage of a
sweetie, or a cutie? Ogden Nash |
||||||
|
F 11/30 |
F: Aristotle –
The Good |
F: [Nicomachean
Ethics Bk I, 870-883] |
F: Reading Quiz on Nicomachean Ethics Bk I, 870-883 |
|||
|
Week 15 M 12/3 W 12/5 F 12/7 |
M: Aristotle –
Virtue W: Virtue Ethics and ‘Modern Moral Philosophy’ F: The Legacy of Antiquity |
M: [Nicomachean Ethics, Bk II, 883-890] W: Lecture F: Lecture |
M: Reading Quiz on Nicomachean
Ethics, Bk II, 883-890] W: F: |
|||
|
Finals
Week M 12/10 W 12/12 F 12/14 |
M: W: Final Exam F: Paper #3 Due |
M: W: F: |
M: W: Final
Exam 8:00-10:00 am (Bring Bluebook) F: Paper 3 due in SacCT, 11:30 pm |
|||
The
descriptions and due dates are subject to change for pedagogical reasons.
(4-7
pages)
Choose a
‘Pre-Socratic’ philosopher and, for some philosophical problem of our time, argue how he provides the
basis for a solution to that problem.
Alternatively, argue that his own theory constituted an impediment to a
solution.
(4-7
pages)
Consider
one important element of Plato’s views and, for some philosophical problem of
our time, argue how that element provides the basis for a solution to that
problem. Alternatively, argue that this
feature constituted an impediment to a solution.
Paper 3 (due Friday, December 14,
11:30 pm)
(4-7
pages)
Consider
one important element of Aristotle’s views and, for some philosophical problem
of our time, argue how that element provides the basis for a solution to that
problem. Alternatively, argue that this
feature constituted an impediment to a solution.
Good luck in all your courses this semester!