UWG Philosophy Program

 

 

This is a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) course, fulfilling one of two WAC requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences. There will be several written assignments that will be evaluated for subject matter, grammar, spelling, thoroughness, and organization. Assignments designed to promote writing to learn (WTL) are generally shorter and less time intensive. Other, more formal assignments are designed both to promote knowledge and to enhance students’ skills in writing to communicate (WTC).

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This annual course serves as a “capstone” to the study of philosophy at UWG. It is required for all philosophy majors. This year, our topic is the work of Charles S. Peirce, the American philosopher and logician who founded pragmatism. We will consider Peirce’s contributions to a number of different areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology and logic, as well as his contributions to semiotics, the theory of signs. In addition to mid-term and final exams and a number of short writing assignments, students will produce a major writing assignment: the seminar paper, a high-quality essay that is  suitable for submission to undergraduate philosophy conferences and that will become part of the student’s senior portfolio. Students will present their seminar papers to the class and respond to questions from the professor and their peers.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students in this course will: read and discuss Peirce’s work in epistemology, metaphysics, logic, cosmology and semiotics; develop, research, and execute a rigorous philosophical argument relating to Peirce; and develop the skills of leading class discussion and presenting an academic paper. By the end of the semester students will be able to:

·         clearly frame a philosophical question or issue for investigation;

·         conduct research into primary and secondary sources relevant to the issue;

·         outline and analyze philosophical arguments; and

·         present a philosophical argument in both written and oral form.

These course-specific learning outcomes contribute to the departmental learning outcomes of the Philosophy Program by enabling students better to

·         discuss the general historical development of the discipline of philosophy and selected major historical figures in philosophy;

·         ask philosophical questions; and

·         incorporate philosophical positions in oral and written communications.

 

 

REQUIRED READING:  The books listed below should be available in the book store. 

1.       Houser and Kloesel, eds. The Essential Peirce volume 1

2.       The Peirce Edition Project, ed. The Essential Peirce volume 2

3.       Online lecture notes (after each class meeting, I will post my own lecture notes for that day on the class web site; you are expected to read and study these notes on a regular basis).

4.       I will place a small number of articles on reserve or electronic reserve at the library.

 

 

GRADING SCALE:        100 - 91%          A

                                    90 - 81%            B

80 - 71%            C

70 - 61%            D

60 - 0%             F

 

 

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS:

 

Seminar Paper & associated materials	40%
Two in-class examinations	40%
Oral Presentation	10%
Class discussion & participation	5%
Intellectual Biography	5%

 

 

Seminar Paper. Your seminar paper should be an original philosophical investigation of a text or texts focusing on a particular issue or problem raised by the text. The paper should reflect research of primary and secondary sources and should be a representation of active engagement with theoretical and critical issues currently important in the field. In spring 2008, all of the final papers from this section of Senior Seminar may be published as a bound volume. This reflects my expectation that the final paper you turn in for this course should be of the very highest quality.

 

 

Proposal, including thesis statement and outline (WTL)	5%	Oct. 1
Bibliography of relevant primary and secondary literature (WTL)	5%	Oct. 29
Summary of one journal article relevant to paper (WTL)	5%	Oct. 29
Draft of seminar paper (this doesn't count towards your course grade, but you will lose one letter grade off of your final paper score for each day this is late)		Nov. 5
Final draft of seminar paper of 3000-3500 words (WTC)	25%	Dec. 5
SEMINAR PAPER TOTAL	40%

 

 

Oral Presentation. Each student will be required to present a draft of his or her seminar paper and respond to questions posed by his or her fellow classmates and by me. On Friday November 16, I will present a paper on which I am currently working, to give you something on which to model your own presentation. Student presentations will begin on Monday November 19. Each presentation should take about 30 minutes, and the remainder of the class will be devoted to a question-and-answer session.

 

ORAL PRESENTATION TOTAL

10%

Various

 

 

Exam(s). Two in-class exams covering lecture material and reading. Study guides will be provided beforehand.

 

Mid-term exam on course content (WTL)	15%	Sept. 21
Final exam on course content (WTL)	25%	Dec. 12
EXAM TOTAL	40%

 

 

Class Discussion and Participation. All students are expected to make significant contributions to class discussion on a regular basis.

 

CLASS PARTICIPATION TOTAL

5%

N/A

 

 

Intellectual Biography. In his or her senior year, each philosophy major is required to construct a Senior Portfolio, consisting of: (a) a program advising sheet; (b) two letters of recommendation; (c) an example of the student’s best written work; (d) an intellectual biography. You will write your intellectual biography as part of this course. It should be approximately two pages (about 500-600 words) in length and should address your growth as a scholar. The intellectual biography might include: a discussion of a favorite philosopher; first memory of scholarly interest; the impact of a mentor; and/or, a topic of past, present, or future research.

 

INTELLECTUAL BIOGRAPHY TOTAL  (WTL)

5%

Aug. 27

 

 

 

ISSUES OF COMMON COURTESY: ATTENDANCE/FOOD/CELLPHONES

·         I will take attendance at the beginning of each class.

·         There are 44 scheduled class meetings for this course, including the first day of class and the final exam. You may miss six of these class meetings with no effect on your grade. Beginning with your seventh absence, you will lose three points from your final average for every class meeting you miss. I will make exceptions for absences necessitated by UWG-sponsored events or by other circumstances that were absolutely outside your control. I will make these exceptions only if ALL of your absences can be accounted for in one of these ways (e.g., if you miss four classes and you have a documented, acceptable reason for missing only three of those four, your fifth absence will still count against you, even if it would otherwise be excused). Documentation will be required in all cases in which I make an exception to this absence policy. (Yes, I take coming to class very seriously.)

·         Each absence on the day of a Paper Presentation will result in the loss of 10% (one letter grade) from your final course average. See course schedule (below) for specific dates.

·         An early departure or late arrival may be counted as an absence, depending on the circumstances. I will decide in each case whether an early departure or a late arrival counts as an absence.

·         Leaving the classroom while class is in session is both disrespectful and distracting. Do not leave the room during class unless it is absolutely essential that you do so.

·         Do not study material from other classes while this class is in session. While you are in this class, I expect your attention to be focused on it rather than on your other courses.

·         You may not bring food into the classroom; however, you may bring something to drink.

·         Turn off all cell phones and other noise-making electronic devices before class begins.

 

MISSED TESTS / LATE PAPERS / EXTRA CREDIT:

·         If you know that you will need to miss class on a day on which a test is scheduled (for example, due to a UWG sponsored event), you must let me know about your absence as far in advance as possible so that we can schedule another day and time for you to take the test (or a make-up test).

·         If you miss a test without receiving my explicit permission beforehand and making arrangements for a make-up test, you will be permitted to take a make-up test if and only if one of the following conditions applies: (a) Your absence was due to illness or injury serious enough to require professional medical care and which prevented you from contacting me before the test; or (b) Your absence was due to other extenuating circumstances beyond your control. I will determine on a case-by-case basis what constitutes "extenuating circumstances beyond your control." You may be required to provide documentation pertaining to your absence before you are allowed to take a make-up test. Make-up tests will usually be longer and potentially more difficult than the original test that you missed.

·         You may turn in your term paper late ONLY IF you have made arrangements with me beforehand and I have given you explicit permission.

·         Extra-credit work will not be given under any circumstances.

·         Work completed for other courses will not be accepted in this course.

 

RELEVANT INFORMATION FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG:

·         "each student is responsible for everything which happens in class and is responsible for making specific arrangements with the instructor for the work missed, including that missed during illness or university-sponsored activities"

·         "any student who is unable to continue attendance in class should either drop the course, withdraw from the University, or make appropriate arrangements with the instructors"

·         "any student who must be absent for more than three successive days is required to notify the Student Development Center, Parker Hall, telephone 770-836-6428."

·         "Students who do not intend to remain in a course must drop the course before the end of the official drop/add period. Failure to drop a course during the drop/add period may result in grades of F in courses not attended."

·         Academic Honor. "At West Georgia, the student is expected to achieve and maintain the highest standards of academic honesty and excellence. Not only does academic honesty preserve the integrity of both the student and the institution, but it is also essential in gaining a true education. The West Georgia student, therefore, pledges not to lie, cheat or steal in the pursuit of his or her studies and is encouraged to report those who do." Students who commit plagiarism (using someone else’s words or ideas without attribution of credit) will receive an “F” for the entire course and may be reported to the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for additional action.

 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE: SENIOR SEMINAR (PHIL 4300)

 

THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE IS TENTATIVE AND MAY CHANGE AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES. If the class finds a specific text or topic especially interesting or difficult, then we may spend more than the allotted time on that topic. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to keep up with test dates, due dates, and reading assignments. *You are required to read the indicated material before coming to class on the corresponding day.

 

“EP1” = Essential Peirce v.1; “EP2” = Essential Peirce v.2

 

Aug.	topic	reading due	tests/papers
15 W	Introduction to the course	--
17 F	Introduction to Peirce & Pragmatism	--
20 M	Inquiry: Against Cartesianism	EP1:28-29
22 W	Inquiry: Against Cartesianism	EP1:28-29
24 F	Inquiry: Introspection & Intuition	EP1:29-38
27 M	Inquiry: Signs and Semiotics	EP1:38-51	intellectual biography
29 W	Inquiry: Cognitionism and Reality	EP1:51-55
31 F	Inquiry: Belief and Doubt	EP1:109-114

 

Sept.	topic	reading due	tests/papers
3 M	LABOR DAY HOLIDAY: NO CLASS	--
5 W	Inquiry: Four Methods of Fixing Belief	EP1:114-20
7 F	Inquiry: Realism and the Method of Science	EP1:120-23
10 M	Interpreting Peirce’s Theory of Inquiry	*Haack: “First Rule of Reason” [on electronic reserve at Ingram Library’s web site]
12 W	Pragmatism: The Pragmatic Maxim	EP1:124-32
14 F	Pragmatism: Truth and Reality	EP1:132-39
17 M	Pragmatism: Truth and Reality	EP1:139-41
19 W	Review / catch-up	--
21 F	--	--	test 1
24 M	Scientific Metaphysics	EP2:331-339; EP2:42-50
26 W	Scholastic Realism	Loux, Metaphysics 20-22 [on reserve at Ingram Library]
28 F	Scholastic Realism	EP1:52-53, 87-92

 

Oct.	topic	reading due	tests/papers
1 M	Scholastic Realism	--	seminar paper proposal
3 W	Evolutionary Cosmology: Evolutionism	EP1:285-90
5 F	Evolutionary Cosmology: Objective Idealism	EP1:290-97
8 M	Evolutionary Cosmology: Tychism	EP1:298-305
10 W	Evolutionary Cosmology: Tychism	EP1:305-11
12 F	FALL BREAK: NO CLASS
15 M	Evolutionary Cosmology: Synechism	EP1:312-15, 323-33
17 W	Peirce’s Modal Shift	“Peirce on Modality” handout pp.1-3 [I will email this to you]
19 F	Peirce’s Modal Shift	“Peirce on Modality” handout pp.4-10
22 M	Extreme Scholastic Realism: Generals	EP2:179-83
24 W	Extreme Scholastic Realism: Possibility	EP2:183-86
26 F	From Pragmatism to Pragmaticism	EP2:331-38
29 M	Pragmaticism and Generals	EP2:338-45	bibliography and article summary
31 W	Critical Common-sensism	EP2:346-50

 

Nov.	topic	reading due	tests / papers due
2 F	Vagueness	EP2:350-54
5 M	Vagueness	--	draft of seminar paper
7 W	Vagueness	EP2:354-59
9 F	Peirce’s Triadic Logic	^Lane, “Triadic Logic”
12 M	Motivations Behind Peirce’s Triadic Logic	^Lane, “Triadic Logic”
14 W	Blocking the Way of Inquiry?	^Lane, “Triadic Logic”
16 F	Paper Presentation: Lane on Peirconhood*	--
19 M	Student Paper Presentations*
21 W	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY: NO CLASS
23 F	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY: NO CLASS
26 M	Student Paper Presentations*	--
28 W	Student Paper Presentations*	--
30 F	Student Paper Presentations*	--

 

^ This article is online at http://www.digitalpeirce.fee.unicamp.br/lane/trilan.htm

 

 

*Each absence on the day of a Paper Presentation will result in the loss of 10% (one letter grade) from your final course average.

	IMPORTANT DATES:    August 15-21                Drop/add and late registration October 8                     Last day to withdraw with grade of "W" December 5                 Last regular day of class