Instructor: |
Prof. Thomas
F. Pyne |
Office Hours: |
M
3:00-4:00, T 1:00-2:00; other times by appointment. In addition I
will conduct virtual office hours via SacCT Discussions. |
Office Location: |
Mendocino
3000 |
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: |
|
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 course management system.
SacCT 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. 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
(https://online.csus.edu).
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: Its 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 cant 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 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 FAQs 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 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:
Enter SacCT at https://online.csus.edu.
Open the main page for PHIL 127.
Open Assignments (under Course Tools
on the left margin).
Open the correct assignment; you will see the text of the assignment
itself as well as the due date and time.
You will see a space for the paper
dont use that. (Some students,
operating on the Belt And Suspenders Principle, paste their paper into that
space just in case. Thats fine. But you dont have to.)
Click on the Attachment button.
Attach your paper as an editable
file that will open in Microsoft Word (not a .pdf or .htm file); if youre unsure, attach it as a text
(.txt) or rich text (.rtf); those
options are available in all word-processing programs.
Late papers will be lowered a grade
increment for every day past the due date.
I leave the window open for submitting a paper for five days after its
due date. After that the paper will not
be accepted.
Philosophy involves discussion and
argument. Its 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; its 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 1:30 am with a 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.
Since
you may take exams and quizzes at your convenience, there will be no make-ups. Period.
The opening and closing dates and times will be listed in the calendar.
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 its late.
Students are
expected to be familiar with the Universitys 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 Librarys 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 after early in the semester. Dont wait until the first exam or paper.
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
Librarys 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 librarys 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, FAQs
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 |
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Week |
Topic |
Readings |
Due Dates |
|||
Week 1 M 1/23 |
M: Introduction: The Eastern Mediterranean in the 6th
Century B.C.; Homer and the Early
Hellenic Conception of the World |
M: [1-10] |
M: |
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Part I. The Earliest Philosophers All things are full of gods. - Thales |
||||||
W 1/25 |
W: The Milesians; |
W: [10-17] |
W: |
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Week 2 M 1/30 W 2/1 |
M: Pythagoras and his School W: Xenophanes; Heraclitus |
M: [18-23] W: [23-40] |
M: W: |
|||
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 |
||||||
Week 3 M 2/6 W 2/8 |
M: The Eleatics
Parmenides
Zeno W: Versions of Atomism
Anaxagoras
Empedocles
Democritus
Leucippus |
M: [40-47; 47-51] W [75-80; 52-74; 80-93] |
M: W: |
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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. |
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Week 4 M 2/13 |
M: Sophists
Protagoras
Gorgias
Prodicus
Hippias
Antiphon |
M: [104-118] |
M: |
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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 |
||||||
W 2/15 |
W: Socrates Mission |
W: [Euthyphro 135-152] |
W: |
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Week 5 M 2/20 |
M: The Socratic Method |
M: [Protagoras 192-218] |
M: |
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Part V: Plato:
Ethics The Love that moves the sun
and other stars.
Dante, Paradiso |
||||||
W 2/22 |
W: Plato
Extending
Socrates Craft Analogy
The Paradox of
Inquiry |
W: [Meno 241-250] |
W: |
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Week 6 M
2/27 W
2/29 |
M: Plato
Solution of the
Paradox: Recollection
The Method of
Hypothesis W: Plato
A Definition of
Justice
The Ring of
Gyges |
M: [Meno 250-266] W: [Republic I-II 369-403] |
M: W: |
|||
Week 7 M 3/5 W 3/7 |
M: Guest Lecture W: Exam 1 |
M: W: |
M: W: Exam
1 (Bring
Bluebook) |
|||
Week 8 M 3/12 W 3/14 |
M: Plato
Justice,
Psychic and Political
A Definition
Found W: Plato
The Ideal State |
M: [Republic II-IV 403-482] W: [Republic
V 483-514] |
M: W: |
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Week 9 M 3/19 W 3/21 |
M: Spring
Recess W: Spring Recess |
|
|
|||
Part VI: Plato:
Metaphysics In the
beginning was the deed.
Goethe, Faust, Pt. I. |
||||||
Week 10 M 3/26 W 3/28 |
Plato
Mind and Body Plato
Physicalism and
the Simple Aitia |
M: [Phaedo
267-301] W: [Phaedo
301-319] |
|
|||
Week 11 M 4/2 W 4/4 |
M: Plato The Forms and the Physical
World W: Plato Critique of the Theory of
Forms |
M: [Republic VI-VII 515-566] W: [Parmenides 642-651] |
M: W: |
|||
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) |
||||||
Week 12 M 4/9 W 4/11 |
M: Exam 2 W: Aristotle Logic and Explanation |
M: W: [Categories 694-700;
Posterior
Analytics 714-731] |
M: Exam 2 (Bring Bluebook) W: |
|||
Week 13 M 4/16 W 4/18 |
M: Aristotle The concept of change The Four Causes W: Aristotle
The First
History of Philosophy
Aristotelian Substances |
M: [Physica Bk I, 732-740; Bk II, 740-749] W: [Metaphysics Bk I, 800-809 Bk VII, 815-820] |
M: W: F: |
|||
Week 14 M 4/23 W 2/25 |
M: Aristotle
Substance and
Essence
Matter and Form W: Aristotle
Potentiality
and Actuality |
M: [Metaphysics Bk VII, 821- 833] W: [Metaphysics Book VIII, 835-838] |
M: W: |
|||
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 15 M 4/30 W 5/2 |
M: Aristotle
Perception
Knowledge W: Aristotle
The Rational
Soul |
M: [De Anima, Bk I, 847-863] W: [De Anima Bk III, 863-869] |
M: W: |
|||
Part IX: Aristotle:
Ethics O Duty! Why hast thou not the visage of a
sweetie, or a cutie? Ogden Nash |
||||||
|
|
|
|
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Week 16 M 5/7 W 5/9 |
M: Aristotle
The Good W: Aristotle
Virtue |
M: [Nicomachean Ethics Bk I, 870-883] W: [Nicomachean Ethics, Bk II, 883-890 |
|
|||
Finals
Week M 5/14 W 5/16 |
M: W: |
|
M: Final Exam 12:45-2:45 (Bring Bluebook) W: Paper 3 due 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 Platos 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 Wednesday, May 16, 11:30
pm)
(4-7
pages)
Consider
one important element of Aristotles 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!