Doug Thiel

 Note:  The below syllabus also appears in your course shell along with all the weekly activities for this online class.  Go to my VCCCD and click onto "my courses" to access this course.  All of the activities for each week of this course are listed at that location.

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Spring 2012

MOORPARK COLLEGE

ON-LINE INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY

Start date: Feb 7

End date: May 8

 Instructor: Doug Thiel dthiel@vcccd.edu

Homepage: http://faculty.oxnardcollege.edu/thiel

Course Text: Introduction to Philosophy: Understanding the Basics, a Companion text for Online, Hybrid and Telecourses. Thiel ISBN: 978-0-7575-8792-4

General Information: Taking an Introduction to Philosophy course “online” represents challenges for the student and the instructor/facilitator. Much of the history of philosophy has consisted of dialogues which are discussions between people. In terms of human communication, the use of the internet, email, cell phones and other electronic forms of communication do not adequately duplicate direct one on one (face-to-face) communication. However, online instructional delivery does allow students the flexibility that is not possible in having to meet at a certain location and time and for these and other reasons institutions of higher learning offer this type of instructional delivery.

The main issue for students in a course such as this is to have solid time management skills. This course will not work if you miss assignments and do not keep up with the text readings and the course work that is indicated in the syllabus. Because you do not have a class to be “reminded” of your needed work the focus shifts to your self-motivation and to your ability to be disciplined and conscientious. Late work is not accepted in this format and missing assignment due dates will impact your grade. You should understand that many students who have done relatively well in their normal on-ground classroom courses have had significant difficulty when they transitioned to an online course. Due to poor time management, procrastination, and allowing themselves to get behind in the online course, these students have been forced to drop the class or they have received a course grade far below what they are normally capable of producing in a regular classroom. I make these remarks from my experiences with online and distant learning courses. The “attrition rate” in these courses is relatively high…meaning that a large percentage of the students enrolled in the course do not complete it. Mostly, the reasons for this happening is that students got behind…missed assignments and discontinued the course.

 On the other hand, this format can allow for the student flexibility that is desired (does not require you be present at a specific time during the week) and it can provide the student with a good foundation in the basics of philosophy at the college level. This course will contain the same intellectual rigor that would be required if you took a similar course in a regular classroom setting. To be successful, you must devote time each week to this course and complete the reading assignments, discussion board questions, watch the video segments and complete the essay papers that are outlined for each week. Specific guidelines for each week will be outlined in this syllabus as well as specific grading criteria.

 

Student Learning Objectives:

 This course that will be taught using a thematic approach.

 • The student will develop familiarity with the major themes in philosophy and the student will learn the various terminologies that have been used to explore these themes.

• The student will apply the names of the philosophers and the terminologies obtained from the videos and integrate these items into the student's chosen thesis for the writing assignments that are outlined in the syllabus.

• The student will develop an understanding regarding the differences between a research paper and a position paper that advocates a philosophical thesis.

 

Grading: There are four essay papers that will be due to http://turnitin.com that will count for 90 percent of your grade. The remaining 10 percent of your grade will the result of your weekly discussion board postings. If you follow the format for the discussion board postings (complete them with attention to detail) you will receive the full 10 points for this piece of the class. If you miss a discussion board positing assignment you will lose 2.0 points for each week missed.

 

Course Orientation: You have access to the course because you are a registered student. I will record an orientation video on the Wimba Platform that will be archived for viewing by students. You should view this orientation during the first week of the course as indicated in your course content. I will also host a live Wimba Classroom after the first paper is submitted (TBA). At this live session you can attend and ask questions. It will also be archived and you will need to watch this live session at a later time if you cannot be present for the live broadcast

 

Mind-Sets: I have had experienced that some students attempt to take an introduction to philosophy course with various "mind sets" or pre-conceptions of what they believe they already know about philosophy. On one hand, it is good to have had some reading experience and concerns in this area of learning. However, it is very important to have an "open mind" as you watch the videos and read the written assignments. In the orientation video, I will discuss this in some depth. Since this is an introductory course we will survey a wide variety of philosophical concerns. Big questions, such as "Is there a God?" "What should be our Moral Foundations for living?" "How is knowledge possible?" will be discussed. You need to "bracket-out" pre-conceived answers to these questions so that you can study the material "objectively". Philosophy is not the same as religion...neither is it the same as Science. However, we will examine topics of interest in both of these other areas of human inquiry. 

 

Writing your papers: You will be required to write 3 papers (2-3 pages in length). They must be submitted by the due dates (see Assignments). Papers submitted after due dates will not be accepted. ALL PAPERS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO TURNITIN.COM. This is an Internet resource that checks for plagiarism. The instructions for how to submit your paper are contained on my website. Go to the home page and click on the hyperlink "turnitin.com". The enrollment ID is 4593604 and the password is socrates. If for some reason you cannot navigate this method...you should email me "why" so I can help you. Enroll at turnitin.com DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF THIS COURSE. Besides being the way you will submit your paper, it also allows me to contact you via group email...you will want to use an email address that you regularly monitor. 

Remember: PAPERS SHOULD BE DOUBLE SPACED 2-3 PAGES IN LENGTH, NORMAL (10-12 FONT). Each paper due date is indicated in the syllabus. turnitin.com will give you an electronic receipt that your paper has been received. I will generally grade papers 2-4 days after submissions. If more than one week goes by (after the paper due date) and you have not received your grade/feedback then you need to email me or call me to inquire. Occasionally, a computer glitch has occurred. I respond back to the email address you use to send your paper to turnitin.com

 

Regarding the feedback on the papers that you will receive: At best written communication is flawed (it lacks the personal touch of a one on one conversation). I understand that students put a lot of time and effort into the videos and text and then they, sometimes, "miss the mark" when they write their papers. My job is to get straight to the point and make sure you get on track early...so that the remainder of your papers reflect the effort you are putting into the course. I'm interested in seeing that every student is successful in this course. That is why I will offer honest, constructive criticism. Please take this criticism in the spirit by which it is offered. In receiving a grade, the important thing to understand is that your grade does not reflect the views you express. It is not a question of right or wrong answers. The grade is based on the reasons that you use to construct your point of view. Each paper that your write is a miniature "position paper". This concept is very different from a "research paper" and the bulk of your high school writing efforts.

 

Therefore it is very important to be clear about writing expectations:

 1. Plagiarism or having someone else write your paper is obviously wrong. It will result in your being dropped from the class and reported to the Dean of the Social Sciences Division. Do not get involved in this type of behavior. The only person you will be cheating is yourself. Your papers should be the result of your own thinking...appropriately correlated with the material at hand.

 2. For each paper, a question(s) have been posed. You may direct your response to these questions. In the first paragraph have a clear point of view (called a thesis) that you are going to defend. Example: "I believe that the mind and body are distinct and they cannot be understood as the same type of substance. I will hold that the mind cannot be reduced to a grouping of chemical compounds". Having said this I am now obligated to defend this point of view. Now, it should be clear that a rigorous defense of this announced thesis would be book length. Your task will be to take your thesis quickly into your main argument (set of reasons) and develop them clearly and coherently. Remember construct arguments that are philosophical...which means that you present reasons which are neutral with respect to a particular religious orientation. Another way of saying this is that you want to present reasons that would appeal to either a believer or a non-believer.

3. Be sensitive to at least one counter-argument to your thesis. In other words, give consideration to a reason(s) why your thesis cannot be sustained and deal with this criticism.

4. Remember this is not a book report and it is not a summary of the video and the readings in the book. This is so important: I will say it again. Your position paper is not a summary of the video and the readings in the book! You are constructing a paper to be read by someone who has in-depth knowledge both of the video and the book. Therefore, use your valuable writing time to develop your argument (do not attach long quotations from the video or the text). Provide your response and the reasons for your response. I will provide feedback to make sure that you adhere to this important point.

 5. Don't use slang or abbreviated words. This is a formal college paper. Watch syntax and spelling.

 6. I don't require footnotes...keep your direct quotes short and refer in the body of your paper what is the source.

 7. You should make liberal use of the philosophical terminology and the names of the philosophers as you "correlate" your thinking with the topic at hand. You can't just offer your own unsupported opinions. Nor is your paper a "summary" of what others have said. Find a way to compliment your thinking with those that have preceded you. I will give you appropriate feedback if you fail to do this.

 

Remember, keep your paper to the limit. It is often easier to say something in 20 pages than it is in 2 or 3 pages. Sometimes it will look as if you don't really know what your point is...you must boil what you want to say to the real essentials. This is part of the learning process. Remember, you essay is not just a splash of opinion. It is a crafted piece. This means going over your work and clarifying the fuzzy parts...proof-reading numerous times...etc. You are not just blurting out your point of view...give it your careful consideration. For further discussion of position papers you can read the information on the hyperlink "position papers" located on my webpage.

 

ASSIGNMENT MATRIX GO TO THE COURSE CONTENT SECTION AND YOU WILL SEE THAT EACH WEEK IS LISTED.  COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNMENTS.  LATE WORK IS NOT ACCEPTED AND THIS ONLINE FORMAT DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR "EXTRA CREDIT" TO MAKE UP FOR MISSED ASSIGNMENTS.

Students with a disability, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe they will need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact ACCESS as soon as possible so accommodations can be set up in a timely fashion.  Accommodations are based on eligibility and can only be provided if you have submitted a verification from ACCESS in the form of a Confidential Memo.  The ACCESS office can be reached at (805) 378-1461 and is newly located in the LMC.