Links: Units
Review Lists and Sample Quizzes
Sample Mid-Term Exam
SAMPLE FINAL EXAM
Questions on Moral Relativism,
Diversity, Multiculturalism, Tolerance
Phil. 110:
Adventure of Ideas: Fall, 2007
Instructor:
Dr.
Ph. 881
7384 Home: 799 5761 nlillega@utm.edu. Best contact – e-mail.
Texts: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy by
Jim Fieser and
On Epicurus ( at UC, Bradley).
An English Dictionary
COURSE
TITLE: Historical Perspectives on
(a) “Science” (the attempt to determine
the fundamental structures of reality); (b) the nature of Knowledge (c)Virtue
and a Good Life; (d) Morality, Justice, Rights and Community; (e)The Soul and
the nature of the Self; (f ) Religion and Reason, Faith;
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS: Attend class and participate,
do the readings, do all written assignments, pass the exams. Two exams
(midterm and final; multiple choice,
T/F. See sample exams on the
Instructor’s Web Site). Mid-term exam worth 120 pts. Final exam is
comprehensive, 180 pts..
Two
mini-exams (60 pts. each). Total for
exams=420 pts.
Selected
Study guide questions and /or Short Essays are due every week or two. (Ca. 150 pts). They
must be turned in when due. Date of collection will NOT be announced ahead of time.
In order to adequately meet this requirement, you MUST have ALL the questions
assigned for each class ready on that class date. If you miss a class when a
question is due, you will not be able to hand it in late unless you have a documented excuse for missing that day. No
question will be accepted more than two days late. Each question handed
in must be marked with the following FOUR items: your name, question #, class number (phil 110) and section
number. Further information is given
below.
Format for
Study Guide Questions
1. Do
not let answers run to a second sheet.
2. Questions that are turned in
MUST contain the following:
a. Your NAME
b. Phil. 110
c. Your section (9 or
11 or 12)
d. The QUESTION
NUMBERS, like this
2: 3 (The first number is the chapter number, the
second is the question number)
Attendance 40pts. Regular attendance and informed participation
in class are essential since (a) not everything covered in class is included in
the text (b) you will need help with this material, and that is what class
sessions, and the instructor, are for.
Students who sleep in class are counted absent.
Total points
=ca. 610. Normally %90 of total points
gets you an 'A', %80 a 'B' and so forth, but significant adjustments for curve
are made when necessary.
Bonus points: Quizzzes
(ca. 75 pts) Quizzes will be given about once a week.
They will not be announced ahead of time. They CANNOT BE MADE UP (if
they could that would make them pointless!). Remember, if you skip classes you
stand to lose not only attendance points but also the chance for bonus points.
BE THERE!
Other
extra credit: Attendance at a
philosophy forum, with a report, can earn a few points extra.(Forum times,
places and topics will be announced). Study guide questions that are done with
notable care and thoroughness can earn a few extra points. Total possible extra
points, including quizzes=100. No kidding.
ROLE
OF THE INSTRUCTOR: The instructor is
available for individual or group discussion when a need is expressed. His
primary interest is in helping you to achieve mature thoughtfulness about the
crucial sorts of matters indicated in the course title. Feel free to call on
him as needed and be assured that he will be available personally to
each one of you. E-mail is a good way to contact him.
WHAT
I EXPECT OF STUDENTS. 1.Treat each other with respect. 2.Treat the instructor with
respect. 3.Do not talk unless
called on. 4. Do not leave the
room without permission except in extreme emergency. 5. Be on time. 6. Be eager to
learn. The best indication of progress
is engagement with the issues and ideas upon which we will focus. 7. Do not be afraid to say "I don't
understand." 8. Expect
the same of me as I expect of you (except #3!) (You will find that I follow #7 a lot!) 9.. Keep cell phones OFF.
Academic
Integrity: Any form of cheating, on study guides, quizzes, or
exams, will result in an ‘F’ for the
entire course. NO EXCEPTIONS. Policies regarding academic integrity are
further detailed in the student handbook. Cheating includes plagiarism. DO YOUR
OWN WORK.
Cell Phones: phones must be OFF during classes. You may not make ANY use of cell phones
during any exam or quiz.. Use of cell phones in such circumstances counts as
cheating and results in an F.
Class
format: Classes will consist of a
mixture of lecture and discussion. Feel free to interrupt with questions. Always
do so by raising your hand. Acknowledgment may not always be immediate but
it will come. Try to keep your remarks relevant. Listen respectfully to other
students even if you think they are “way off.”
They might be doing better than you think!
THE
PURPOSE OF THIS COURSE is to help you develop the capacity to READ
difficult texts with COMPREHENSION, and to THINK CRITICALLY about issues which
are of concern to all educated and thoughtful persons and which have figured
prominently in the history of western
thought. The figures we study will be your guides, but they are not infallible
oracles. The general areas for reflection are indicated in the course title.
This is a “historical” introduction to
philosophy. Therefore a further purpose is to familiarize you with some of the
main figures and movements in the history of philosophy, and their significance
for the history of politics, the arts, science and culture generally..
You will be tested on critical
reading and critical thought, on your understanding of the issues raised by the
figures you study, your ability to respond relevantly to arguments, and to
identify salient historical/philosophical facts.
The purpose of the study guides is
threefold:
1.To
ensure that you actually read the assigned texts, and read them carefully;
2. To
assist you in developing capacities for close reading of difficult texts
(development of reading comprehension);
3. To
help you determine what parts of the texts give you the most difficulty. #3 will be achieved if you come to class
prepared to ask about questions which you could not figure out or are very
unsure of, AFTER you have made a reasonable effort.. Reading the
text once does not generally constitute a reasonable effort if you find
yourself "stopped" by a question.
You may need to go over a text several times, make notes on it, and THINK
about it. If, having done that, you
still do not "get" a certain question or questions, bring it (them)
up in class.
What
the study guides are NOT for: The
study guides are not intended to serve as review material, though you
can use them for that purpose if you think it will be safe. You can get some
indication of how you are doing from your grades on the questions you hand in.
How the Study
Guide Questions that are Handed In are
Graded The questions are graded generously. If your
answers indicate that you have indeed read the material and made a genuine
attempt to understand, you will generally get full credit or almost full
credit even if your answers are not strictly correct.! Answers that are
irrelevant or “off the wall” will get no credit. Very simple questions, including many of the
fill-in-the-blank questions will be graded more strictly.
ON-LINE HELP Make sure you check out www.utm.edu/~nlillega/lillegard.htm. There you will find a link for Phil. 110. Under that link you will find study guide assignments, sample exams, sample quizzes, lists of terms to know, study questions, discussions of selected issues, class outlines, quizzes already taken, and links to other helpful sites. If you use the internet on your own, understand that it contains an enormous amount of trash and may mislead as much as it may help.
[NOTE: "Any
student eligible for and requesting academic accommodations due to a disability
is requested to provide a letter of accommodation from P.A.C.E. or
Course Outline: (adjustments to this outline may be necessary).
Week II Sept. 5 (the 4th
is Labor Day): Xenophanes. The Sophists. Socrates (Euthyphro)
Week III Sept. 10: Socrates,
Plato (Phaedo, Republic).
Week IV Sept. 17: Aristotle
(Physics, Ethics). Mini exam I, Fri.. Sept. 22.
Week V Sept. 24: Aristotle, cont.
Week VI Oct. 1: Aristotle
ethics; The Hellenistic/Roman era. Epicurus.
Week VII Oct. 8: Epicurus.
Review. MIDTERM EXAM, Wed. Oct. 10.
Week VIII Oct. 15, Epictetus.
The Medieval Era. Augustine, Anselm
Week IX Oct. 22, 23: FALL
BREAK. Oct. 24, Augustine, Anselm,
Averroes
Week X Oct. 29. Aquinas..
Week XI.Nov. 5:, Renaissance,
Reformation ,Scientific Revolution. (Bayle, Pascal, Galileo, Descartes).
Week XII Nov. 12: Descartes
(Meditations), Locke Mini-exam II Fri. Nov. 16.
Week XIII Nov. 19: Locke. (Nov. 21-23, Thanksgiving Break)
Week XIV Nov. 26: The
Enlightenment era. Hume (Treatise,
Enquiries). Kant on Duty.
Week XV Dec. 3: Relativism,
Tolerance, etc. Review. Dec. 7, last day
of classes.
FINAL EXAM (see schedule).
CONTRACT
1. I have r