This is the website for the SUNY Stony Brook Philosophy 100.02 course “Concepts of the Person.”

Fall 2009
MWF 9:35am – 10.30am
Room: Behavioral & Social Sciences Building N310

Instructor: Cathy Hsiao
Cathy.socrates@gmail.com
Office: 141 Harriman Hall
Office Hours: Weds 11am-1pm, 3-4pm and by appointment

From the film Examined Life

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening studied philosophy as an undergraduate:

From the sketch comedy of Monty Python

PHI 100.02 Concepts of the Person COURSE SYLLABUS

This course is an historical introduction to philosophy through readings and discussion on the concept of the human and what it means to be human in a meaningful way. We will engage in both ancient and modern texts and learn what various philosophers have tried to imagine as the human condition. Texts include Plato, Kant, Martin Luther King Jr., and others.

Course Website: http://www.conceptoftheperson.wordpress.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is an introduction to the study of philosophy. The main emphasis is on the development of knowledge of the history of Western philosophy but we will also be interested in considering the ways in which philosophy offers us answers to a diverse range of questions in our contemporary lives. The course is divided into two major parts, the first political/historical and the second topical/aesthetic. The focus is to learn (1) the methodology of philosophy – what is philosophy, how it is different to other kinds of thinking and (2) the goals of philosophy, what is it for and why it is relevant to many wide-ranging issues of our time such as civil rights, animal rights, environmental issues, bioethics, business ethics, feminism, art and popular culture.

Through the analysis of various arguments put forth by philosophers we can arrive at a better sense of what the task of philosophy is and why we should study it insofar as thinking through the concept of a person enables us to ask some major questions such as: What is a person? What is a human? What is an animal? What is a man? What is a woman? What is a soul? What is a body? How can these questions be explored in especially interesting ways through the study of philosophy? Hopefully together we can arrive at some answers throughout and by the end of the course so that we learn what it means for us become the best human beings we can be and philosophy’s particular role in that achievement.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The development of critical reasoning and writing skills through close textual readings, logical analysis and class participation, all of which require different but related skill sets. Our aim is to be able to develop these skills in an environment that encourages philosophic thinking.

• Understand and interpret the main arguments of a philosophical text or author
• Formulate and present clear, cohesive arguments that reflect our own judgments
• Express your ideas through arguments–both verbal and written–that present your reasons for holding your beliefs
• Compose a final research paper that is meaningful, organized, and persuasive
• See how philosophical concepts can help you understand practical dilemmas

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance Policy: Attendance and participation is required, especially for week 14 of the Research Workshop and Peer Review 11/30 to 12/04. If you need to miss a class for a legitimate reason (i.e., a religious holiday, school activity, illness, or emergency), let me know as soon as you can. The quizzes will all take place at the beginning of class so please be especially on time for class on those days as noted on the syllabus.

Assignments: 6 two page written responses to texts and or class discussions, one weekly blog post of an image or a paragraph, and a final 6 pg research paper. If you would like to write a longer paper you are free to do so but I must approve your topic beforehand. The second to last week of class will be devoted to a research workshop and peer review of your final paper. In that week we will divide the class into twos and review a 3pg draft of your final research paper as a non-graded but required assignment. Attendance for this week is MANDATORY! In addition there will be 5 in-class quizzes on the reading. All of the quizzes will be before class so please be sure to be on time on the days of the quizzes.

Grading:
Class participation + 1 office hour visit – 25%
In class reading comprehension quizzes – 15% (5 Quizzes, 3% each)
Written Responses (2 pgs) – 30% (6 Responses, 5% each)
Blog Posts –10% (1 image or paragraph per week)
Final paper (6 pgs) – 20%

Make-Ups: There are three chances for extra credit if you missed a quiz, blog post or other assignment. These are 2 pg responses to philosophy lectures Weds 9/30 4:30pm and Weds 10/21 at 4:30pm at Stony Brook’s Humanities Institute (http://www.sunysb.edu/humanities/) and a 2 pg response to an outside visit, the Metropolitan Museum of Art due by 11/13. MISSED WORK CANNOT BE MADE UP AFTER 11/13.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
There are two required texts for this course. Both are available for purchase on Amazon.com or any other online book retailer as well as a standard bookstore like Barnes and Noble.

Plato Phaedo. The Jowett, Grube or Brann translations are all satisfactory
Plato Republic. The Jowett or Grube translations are both satisfactory.

All other readings will consist of short essays and course handouts all downloadable from Blackboard. In addition I will also distribute the readings in class the week before for students who have difficulty accessing the internet or a printer.

I urge you all to purchase a style manual. In the Stony Brook Bookstore (or online) you can find copies of Chicago MLA Manual. In addition, there are certain books that you may find useful as reference materials. I will arrange for a few of these to be held as course reserves at the Library.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability Support Services, ECC (Educational Communications Center) Building, room128, (631) 632-6748. They will determine with you what accommodations, if any, are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.

Academic Integrity:

Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person’s work as your own is always wrong. Faculty are required to report any suspected instances of academic dishonesty to the Academic Judiciary. Faculty in the Health Sciences Center (School of Health Technology & Management, Nursing, Social Welfare, Dental Medicine) and School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures. For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic dishonesty, please refer to the academic judiciary website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/uaa/academicjudiciary/

Critical Incident Management:

Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Judicial Affairs any disruptive behavior that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning environment, or inhibits students’ ability to learn. Faculty in the HSC Schools and the School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures.

SCHEDULE:

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Week 1: Part I – What is Philosophy?
8/31: What is Philosophy? Introduction and introductory assignment: not graded.
9/2: Martin Luther King Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, handout in class/Blackboard
9/4: Quiz 1, Martin Luther King Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

Week 2: Plato Apology
9/7: Labor Day No Class
9/9: Plato Apology
9/11: Plato Apology

Assignment: first 2pg reading response due 9/11

Week 3: Plato Phaedo
9/14: Plato Phaedo
9/16: Plato Phaedo
9/18: Quiz 2, Phaedo conclusion

Week 4: Plato Republic
9/21: Plato Republic Introduction
9/23: Plato Republic Book VI Divided Line
9/25: NO CLASS – instructor away.

Assignment: second 2pg reading response due 9/23

Week 5: Plato’s Republic
9/28: Yom Kippur No Class
9/30: Plato’s Republic
extra credit chance: Jurgen Habermas Weds, 9/30 4:30pm Humanities Building 1006
10/2: Plato Republic, short Aristotle handout/Blackboard

OCTOBER

Week 6: Plato Republic Conclusion
10/5: Plato Republic
10/7: Plato Republic
10/9: Plato Conclusion

Assignment: third 2pg reading response due 10/9

Week 7: Enlightenment and Kant
10/12: Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy “First Meditation”
10/14: Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy “First Meditation”, “Second Meditation”, Immanuel Kant “What is Enlightenment?”
10/16: Quiz 3 Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy “First Meditation”, “Second Meditation”, Immanuel Kant “What is Enlightenment?”

extra credit due 10/16: 2 pg response on Jurgen Habermas’ lecture

Week 8: Existentialism and the Human
10/19: Friedrich Nietzsche “The Death of God”
10/21: Friedrich Nietzsche “The Death of God”, Jean-Paul Sartre “Existentialism is a Humanism” handout in class/Blackboard
extra credit chance: Anne O’Bryne “Existential Angst in the Age of the Clone” 4:30pm Humanities 1008
10/23: Jean-Paul Sartre “Existentialism is a Humanism”

Assignment: fourth 2pg reading or film response due 10/23

Week 9: The Human as Aesthetic
10/26: Friedrich Nietzsche The Birth of Tragedy excerpt handout in class/Blackboard
10/28: Friedrich Nietzsche The Birth of Tragedy excerpt, John Dewey Art as Experience excerpt handouts in class/Blackboard
10/30: Quiz 4 John Dewey Art as Experience excerpt, Maurice Merleau-Ponty “Eye and Mind” excerpt handouts in class/Blackboard

extra credit due 10/30 2 pg response on Anne O’Bryne’s lecture “Existential Angst in the Age of the Clone”

NOVEMBER

Week 10: Part II – Contemporary Issues in Philosophy, The Human Condition on Film
11/02: Philosophers on film – Examined Life Screening part I
11/04: Examined Life screening part II
11/06: Examined Life discussion and topics that are interesting to the class for the coming weeks

Week 11: The Human, Animal, Nature, Technology
11/09: Martin Heidegger “The Age of the World Picture” excerpt handouts in class/Blackboard
11/11: Martin Heidegger “The Age of the World Picture” excerpt handout in class/Blackboard, Donna Haraway http://sciencestage.com/v/6437/donna-haraway.-companion-species-manifesto-lecture-2003-1/10.html, “Cyborg Manifesto” and “Companion Species Manifesto” excerpt http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Haraway/CyborgManifesto.html,
11/13: Peter Singer text tba handout in class/Blackboard
Donna Haraway “Cyborg Manifesto” and “Companion Species Manifesto” excerpt http://sciencestage.com/v/6437/donna-haraway.-companion-species-manifesto-lecture-2003-1/10.html, http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Haraway/CyborgManifesto.html

Assignment: fifth 2pg reading response due 11/13

Week 12: The Human as Body and Technology
11/16: Maurice Merleau-Ponty “Phenomenology of Perception” excerpt handout in class/Blackboard
11/18: Maurice Merleau-Ponty “Phenomenology of Perception” excerpt handout in class/Blackboard, Iris Marion Young “Throwing Like a Girl” handout in class/Blackboard
11/20: Quiz 5 Iris Marion Young “Throwing Like a Girl” handout in class/Blackboard International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics article tbd http://www.ijfab.org/

extra credit due 11/13: Metropolitan Museum of Art visit 2 pg response

Week 13: The Human as Part of Society
11/23: Iris Marion Young “Political Responsibility” handout in class/Blackboard
11/25: Iris Marion Young “Political Responsibility”
11/27: Thanksgiving No Class

Assignment: sixth 2pg reading response due 11/25

DECEMBER

Week 14: Research Workshop and Peer Review
11/30: Research Workshop and Peer Review – discussion of paper topics and research methods
12/02: Research Workshop and Peer Review – peer review part I
12/04: Research Workshop and Peer Review – peer review part II

Assignment due 12/02: 3 pg draft of final research paper due 12/2, bring two copies, one for the instructor and one for a fellow student to peer review

Week 15: Course Conclusion
12/07: Bertrand Russell The Problems of Philosophy “The Limits of Philosophy”
12/09: In-class discussion ‘how has philosophy impacted your life?’
Research Paper Due 12/09