WEEK 1
August 28
Ptah-hotep
— @Fordham
— @sofiatopia with introduction
— more background @infiteloom
Also: Osirian Revolution, Negative Confessions, Eloquent Peasant, Amenemope.
August 30 – Begin Online Workshop #1. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forums for this class.
(A) DUE by Friday NOON: Start a new thread titled “Hello from (your first name)” and introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about your philosophical interests, your prior experience with philosophy, and what you hope to take away from this class.
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 2
September 4
Mesopotamia
Hammurabi
Torah
Proverbs
September 6 – Begin Online Workshop #2. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs
First Paragraph (200 words): Choose one text from recent materials presented in class. Write a paragraph presenting claims made in the text that you select. Use about three quotations, using MLA style of format and citation (see Purdue OWL for MLA reminders). Simply describe in a fair and sympathetic way what the teachings appear to say from the point of view of the text. This is not the place to agree or disagree, like or dislike.
Second Paragraph (200 words): Your evaluation of the claims presented in paragraph one, with a clear statement of your point of view, contributing reasons, evidence, or experience of your own. This paragraph should begin with a clear declaration such as “I agree” or “I disagree.” And the body of the paragraph should include indicators of logical analysis such as: because, therefore, if-then, consequently, consistent, contradictory, premise, conclusion, argument, claim, etc. Here it is still better not to “like” or “dislike” unless you are prepared to discuss your tastes using a critical vocabulary. And you should avoid “stylistic” evaluations. Focus on the content of the claims not the rhetorical skill.
HINT: compose in word processor, paste into thread.
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 3
September 11
Ancient China
Confucius
Mencius
Xunxi
Laotzu
Chuangtzu
Zhou Dunyi
September 13 – Begin WORKSHOP #3. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 4
September 18
Hinduism (sacred-texts.com)
Gandhi (Gita: kirtimukha.com) / (Hind Swaraj: mkgandhi.org)
Buddhism (accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma)
Thich Nhat Hanh (plumvillage.org/mindfulness-trainings) / (Interview with Oprah)
September 20 – Begin WORKSHOP #4. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 5
September 25
Popol Vuh
Black Elk
DeLoria
September 27 – Begin WORKSHOP #5. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 6
October 2
Plato’s Symposium
Alcibiades
Phaedrus
October 4 – Begin WORKSHOP #6. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 7
October 9 – Aristotle: Selections from Metaphysics, On the Soul, Ethics (on Happiness Bk.I, Ch.7, Bk.2, Ch.2 & Friendship Bk.8)
October 11 – Begin WORKSHOP #7. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 8
October 16
al-Kindi
Averroes
Maimonides
Aquinas
October 18 – Begin WORKSHOP #8. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 9
October 25 – Begin WORKSHOP #9. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 10
October 30
Epictetus (law, reason, pleasure)
Aurelius
Kant
November 1 – Begin WORKSHOP #10. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 11
November 6
Hobbes (Leviathan Chs. XIII-XVIII)
Locke (Second Treatise of Govt.)
Hegel (Lordship and Bondage)
Rawls
November 8 – Begin WORKSHOP #11. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 12
November 13
– Peirce (Fixation of Belief, How to Make Our Ideas Clear, What is a Sign?)
– James (The Will to Believe, Varieties of Religious Experience)
– Dewey (Democracy and Education, Ch. 7)
November 15 – Begin WORKSHOP #12. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 13
November 20
Addams
Beauvoir
(no workshop)
WEEK 14
November 27
Anzaldua: Borderlands / La Frontera (scribd.com)
–keywords: Coatlicue, Nepantla, la Facultad, nahual, mestiza, mestizaje
Butler
November 29 – Begin WORKSHOP #13. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (the text you choose).”
(A) Due by Friday NOON: Two paragraphs (as with WORKSHOP #2, only focusing on more recent materials)
(B) DUE by Monday MIDNIGHT: Comment on two threads by your fellow students (at least two complete sentences per comment, please).
WEEK 15
December 4
Farmer (Whitaker [1], [2]) / Bio / Papers
Thurman (Jesus)
King (1949-50 psychology) / The Letter
December 6 – Begin FINAL WORKSHOP. Please go to Blackboard and locate the Discussion Forum. Begin a new thread titled “(your first name) on (a question of your choosing).”
Due by December 12 NOON:
Pose a philosophical question (?)
Present one paragraph answering the question from one text that we surveyed this semester.
Present a second paragraph answering the question from another text that we surveyed this semester.
Present a third paragraph evaluating the comparative worth of the two answers presented so far. Which do you most agree with, disagree with, why?
Present a fourth paragraph answering the question for yourself. What is your answer to the question, and why?
Please remember “best practices” from previous exercises (200 word paragraphs, MLA citations, logical vocabulary, etc.)
WEEK 16
FINAL PAPER DUE ONLINE by Dec. 13 Noon
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
CourseLinks 