Lesson Schedule

Spring 2004-2005 School Year

PHL-411-01 Philiosophy Seminar

MonWed ( 11:30:am To 12:30:pm )

Dr. Safro Kwame

Wed 1/11/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Preface

Mon 1/16/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm NO CLASS: ML King Holiday

Wed 1/18/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 1/23/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Introduction.

Wed 1/25/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 1/30/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 1 How to read philosophy pp. 3-20 before today.

Wed 2/1/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 2/6/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 2 How to read an argument pp. 21-42 before today.

Wed 2/8/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 2/13/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 3 Rules of style and content for philosophical writing pp. 43-54 before today.

Wed 2/15/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 2/20/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 4 Defending a thesis in an argumentative essay pp. 55-84 before today.

Wed 2/22/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 2/27/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Comprehensive Midterm Exam

Wed 3/1/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Discussion.

Mon 3/6/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 5 Avoiding fallacious reasoning pp. 85-95 before today.

Wed 3/8/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 3/13/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 6 Using, quoting, and citing sources pp. 96-102 before today.

Wed 3/15/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 3/20/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 7 Writing effective sentences pp. 105-117 before today.

Wed 3/22/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 3/27/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Read Chapter 8 Choosing the right words pp. 118-125 before today.

Wed 3/29/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 4/3/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Discussion of Philosophy Club Presentation 1.

Wed 4/5/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 4/10/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Discussion of Philosophy Club Presentation 2.

Wed 4/12/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Mon 4/17/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm Discussion.

Wed 4/19/2006 11:30 am - 12:30 pm E-mail progress on paper before Saturday.

Instructor: Dr. Safro Kwame, Office: 215 Dickey Hall, Office Hours: MW 10am-Noon and 2-3pm.

Tel: (484) 365-8000 x3569, E-Mail: kwame@mailshack.com or kwame@cashette.com (No attachments.)

Class/Course Homepage: http://www.lincoln.edu/philosophy/kwame.html or http://e.1asphost.com/skwame/ or http://kwame.topcities.com/ or http://philosophydepartment.tripod.com/ WebCT: http://webct41.lincoln.edu:8900 Fax: (413) 638-8722 or (215) 932-1098. To check your grade on the computer or internet, go to any one of the websites listed above and follow the instructions there. Note that some of the websites may be down & not updated.

Course Credits: 3, Prerequisites: PHL-401 (Epistemology) & PHL-301 (Metaphysics) or PHL-218 (Formal Logic); Additional Information at: http://www.lincoln.edu/registrar/.

Course Description: A close examination of a major philosophical problem. Course Objective: (a) To familiarize the student with the art & technique of writing philosophically and (b) To foster the application of philosophy & critical thinking to current issues.

Textbook(s): (a) Vaughn, L. 2005. Writing Philosophy: A Student's Guide to Writing Philosophy Essays, 2nd edition, New York, Oxford University Press (Required Reading) (b) Graybosch, Scot & Garrison. 2003. The Philosophy Student Writer's Manual, 2nd edition, NJ, Prentice Hall (Supplementary Reading)

Course Evaluation: Mid-term grade will be determined by a mid-term exam & semester grade determined by a final exam (40%), a typed paper applying all the readings to a current event (20%), a powerpoint presentation (20%) & an oral presentation (20%) of paper minus absences or lack of attendance and/or poor participation -- unless stated otherwise on supplementary details. If you like the classworks & have no complaint against them, you may petition to substitute any 2 classworks for the mid-term exam & any 4 classworks for the final exam provided you attend classes until the end of the semester. Unless you officially withdraw or formally request an incomplete (in writing) & submit appropriate documentation before the end of the semester, you will receive a passing or failing grade based on performance & attendance. Schedule of Topics and Assignments: See attachment or other side.

Academic Integrity Statement: Students are responsible for proper conduct and integrity in all of their scholastic work. They must follow a professor's instruction when completing tests, homework, and laboratory reports, and must ask for clarification if instructions are not clear. In general, students should not give or receive aid when taking exams, or exceed the time limitations specified by the professor. In seeking the truth, in learning to think critically, and in preparing for a life of constructive service, honesty is imperative. Honesty in the classroom and in the preparation of papers is therefore expected of all students. Each student has the responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own. All of this work must be done in accordance with established principles of academic integrity. An act of Academic dishonesty or plagiarism may result in a failure in a project or course. Plagiarism involves representing another person's ideas or scholarship, including material from the internet, as your own. Cheating or acts of academic dishonesty include fabricating data, tampering with grades or attendance sheets and copying, offering or receiving unauthorized assistance or information & multiple submission of the same paper or report (to 2 or more professors).

Miscellaneous Expectations: (a) Classwork consists of in-class quizzes for which there is no make-up. If your name is not printed in capital letters throughout or your cell phone rings or is used in class, half-a-point (5%) or more will be taken off your grade or score. When graded, papers or quizzes will be distributed at the end (not the beginning) of class. You are required to save all your quizzes and papers. If your attendance and participation are excellent, you may petition to use your classworks in place of your final exam. If you leave in the middle of a quiz or exam, for whatever reason, you will have to answer a different set of questions when you return. (b) Papers: All papers should explain the main question and evaluate the arguments on all sides & submitted in both electronic & hard copies (i.e. printed on paper & also sent as e-mail). Papers should be typed and accompanied by an abstract (summary of main points, facts & arguments) & bibliography. Copy & paste your paper into your e-mail or convert it to plain text (.txt format). E-mail attachments which are not in plain text (i.e. txt format e.g. compressed or zipped or in Microsoft Word or Works or WordPerfect) are unacceptable. Late extra-credit papers won't be accepted. Late required papers will be dropped by 1 letter grade. (c) Attendance: Signing the attendance sheet for someone else or missing a class, for whatever reason, may cost you up to 5% on your final grade for each occurrence. According to University regulations, 4 absences may result in a failure and 3 tardy arrivals or departures may count as an absence. (d) Extra-Credit: Extra-credit papers, if permitted, should be on an application (see website), due in class on the day of the last quiz, and count as one quiz. At best, 3 philosophy club meetings (you must participate, sign attendance & e-mail abstract within 5 days) or a class-presentation (which is an oral critique of a reading/topic, not used for paper, with a written abstract), if permitted, will push 1 classwork up by 1 letter grade. (e) Grading Scale: A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-60, F=59-0 or for difficult exams A=100-80%, B=70-60%, C=50-40%, D=30-20%, F=10-0%. (+/- determined by curve.)

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