Caption: The heading row descibes the categories of information about the course,
while the row in the table body holds the course information itself.
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Course Prefix
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Course Number
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Course Title
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Lecture/Lab Hours
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Credit Hours
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PHI
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105
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Introduction to Philosophy
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3 Lecture/Demonstration Hours
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3 Credit Hours
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Course description
Principles and problems of philosophy as seen in different schools of thought. Topics:
validity of human knowledge; nature of reality; mind and body; free will and determinism;
moral and aesthetic values; and religious belief. IAI H4 900
Topical outline
There are alternative methods of organizing the subject matter of philosophy. No one
of these methods is used universally.
- Historical - To study philosophy historically, one would begin with the Greeks and
continue to
the present.
- Selected Works or Thinkers - To study selected works from a few great philosophers
- Topics in Philosophy - To study selected problems that have been important in the
tradition. Typically this will involve discussion of six to eight major problems of
philosophy
- Some combination of the above
Method of presentation
- Lecture
- Discussion
- Small group work
- Student presentations
- Student debates
Student outcomes
The student should...
- demonstrate an awareness of philosophical issues in at least the following areas:
epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics.
- identify and explain the main arguments, ideas, or questions of three thinkers, including
at least one from outside the western philosophical canon
- identify and explain how philosophical concepts inform discussions of real-world issues
- apply distinct philosophical perspectives to a discussion of real-world issues.
- analyze and defend judgments about philosophical claims in the face of competing judgments
- evaluate competing philosophical perspectives on human problems and action
- demonstrate an understanding of the weaknesses of one’s own view and the strengths
of a view with which one disagrees
- demonstrate the use of three primary texts in service of the above outcomes
- write a total of at least ten pages (of approximately 300 words each) of college level
writing in support in the service of the above outcomes.
- communicate philosophical ideas and issues orally
Method of evaluation
Typical classroom techniques
- Quizzes
- Exams (may be oral)
- Written reading responses
- Debates
- Homework
- Class activities
- Participation
Course content learning outcomes
Additional assessment information (optional)
Textbooks
Optional
- Wolff, Robert P., About Philosophy, 10th ed. Prentice Hall, 2008
- Kleiman & Lewis, Philosophy: An Introduction Through Literature, Paragon House, 1998
- Lawhead, The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach, 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill,
2005
- Timko and Hoff, Philosophies for Living, Prentice Hall, 2001
Supplementary materials
None
Software
None
Updated: Spring 2014
