THE FISHER VALLEY COLLEGE
C5 Annex Campus
Phase 2, Bgy. Pinagsama, Taguig City


Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY WITH LOGIC
2nd Semester, A.Y. 2011-2012
November 2011-March 2012


COURSE CODE:                   PHILO1
COURSE CREDITS:                         3 units
SCHEDULE AND ROOM:   Wednesdays, 7:00-10:00, Room 105
CLASS WEBSITE:                 http://tfvc2010.blogspot.com
INSTRUCTOR:                      Raquel, Marlon B.
CONTACT INFORMATION: (02) 553-9187 (Office)/raquel.marlon@yahoo.com (Email)/Faculty Room
CONSULTATION HOURS:             Wednesdays/Thursdays, 2:00-4:00

COURSE DESCRIPTION:   This course covers a comprehensive study of philosophy which seeks to explore the most basic questions of life based on reasoning and argumentation with the aid of logic. In this course, you will discover what you think, analyze your own ideas critically, and reflect on whether your opinions and beliefs are worth holding on. Special topic on Filipino philosophy will be dealt in the last section of this course.


COURSE OBJECTIVES:       At the end of the semester, the student is expected to:
1. Understand the nature of philosophy and logic;
2. Grasp the competing theories, arguments, and philosophical positions within different areas of philosophical research;
3. Express his/her ideas logically through arguments – both verbal and written – which represent his/her reasons for holding his/her beliefs; and
4. Recognize the Filipino indigenous philosophy and its relevance to the improvement of his/her life and to the Filipino society in general.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Our College issues two grades for the semester: first is the midterm grade and the second one is the final grade as per Article X, Section B of the College Student Handbook. The computation for the Final Grade is 40% from the Prelim to Midterm Period and 60% from the Pre-final to Final Period.   

Midterm Period Requirements (40%):

30%      Critical Essays – No written exam will be given during the prelim period. In lieu of this, you are required to submit two (2) critical essays on the following articles:
           
1. The Barometer Story by Alexander Calandra. Current Science. XLIV, 14, 49 in Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Thinking ver. 0.21; An Open Source Reader
           
            Your essay should focus on the following questions:

“In what ways does Alexander Calandra’s “The Barometer Story” illustrate the philosophical approach to a practical problem? What do you think is the difference between thinking about the methods for solving a problem and applying a method for solving a problem?”

2. Seek Truth Rather Than Escape Death by Plato, Reading Selections from The Apology II, Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Thinking ver. 0.21; An Open Source Reader

            In this essay, expound your ideas by taking into consideration the following questions:

“Under Athenian law, one could not be prosecuted for a crime if it could be shown that the action was done unwillingly, under duress, by threat of force, or from ignorance. If Socrates’ view is correct, how could anyone be responsible for his or her actions? If one acts under the influence of passion or other non-rational motives, is one morally responsible? Can one be “wilfully ignorant” of the law?”

These essays are available online. Use your internet skills. Each essay must contain at least 800 words, double-spaced, and should be printed in 8.5’’ x 11’’ bond paper. Use 11-point font size for Arial or 12-point font size if you prefer Times New Roman. Do not use sliding folder when you submit your work; staple it. It must also have a title page. Format and style will be discussed to you in class.  Submit the soft copy of your essays to my email as well.

Submission of essays will be on December 14, 2011 (Wednesday) until 10:00 AM only. You have five (5) weeks to do this! If you fail to submit this major requirement, it means you will get zero (0) point or 60% as your score for the prelim exam. Late submissions will not be entertained.   

30%      Midterm Exam – A combination of multiple choice questions (MCQ), essay questions, and other types of tests will be given for the midterm exam which is equivalent to 100 points. Coverage of the examination includes topics from the preliminary period. The examination will be conducted on January 18, 2012 (Wednesday).

15%      Quizzes – Several short quizzes will be given for the midterm period. There will be unannounced and announced quizzes. The first quiz will cover the entire syllabus to test your knowledge about what we need to achieve in this course and know about our expectations for the entire semester in this course.

15%      Online Assignments – You need to submit two (2) assignments online through our class website. Questions are posted usually two weeks before the deadline of submission. For the first assignment, the deadline of submission is on December 7, 2011 (Wednesday) until 11:59 PM, and for the second assignment, January 11, 2012 (Wednesday) until 11:59 PM. You cannot submit your answers beyond the deadline. Answers sent to my email address or in other links on the website will NOT be credited; therefore, you need to make sure that you submit your assignments on the website and on the right link.

10%      Class Recitation – This is a philosophy course, and I expect that you will be participating during our class discussion. Do not be ashamed to share your ideas to the class. Remember, you are a philosopher!





Final Period Requirements (60%):

30%      Philosophy Paper – No exam will be given during the pre-final period, too. Each student will be required to submit a philosophy paper of no more than 2,000 words but not less than 1,500 words. Topics will be handed out before the Christmas break. Submission of papers will be due on March 14, 2012 (Wednesday) until 10:00 AM only. No late submissions will be accepted. Follow the same format with that of your critical essays. There will be an oral presentation of your paper during this day. You need to submit the soft copy of your philosophy paper to my email.

30%      Final Exam – The final exam will cover the entire coursework starting from the prelim period. I will ask you multiple choice questions (MCQ), essay questions, and other types of questions. Schedule for the final examination is on March 21, 2012 (Wednesday).

15%      Quizzes – Just like during the midterm period, I will be giving you several short quizzes which some are unannounced and others are announced.

15%      Online Assignments – Check our class website for two assignments will be due on February 15, 2012 (Wednesday) until 11:59 PM for the 3rd assignment and on March 14, 2012 (Wednesday) until 11:59 PM for the 4th one.

10%      Class Recitation – Recite, recite, and recite, and you will have the opportunity to become one of the best philosophers in the world!

Extra Credits:
Do I give extra credits? Yes! For each week, I will be giving you RUMINATION SHEETS in which you are required to submit the following week during our class session. We have 18 weeks for the entire semester, which means, you can have a maximum of 18 rumination sheets at the end of the semester. You will be compiling these sheets in a sliding folder and you will submit this during our last class session. The more sheets you have answered and submitted, the more extra credits you will receive without sacrificing the quality of your answers. This is an extra coursework, so it is optional
           
            Another source for getting credits is your attendance. If you have a PERFECT ATTENDANCE, i.e., no absence whether it is excused or unexcused, I will give you a 0.25-grade point raise in your FINAL GRADE. For example, if your final grade is 2.0, I will make it 1.75.


CLASSROOM POLICIES:

1. No make-up quizzes and exams (except for the final exam) will be given if you fail to take any of the tests given for any reason EXCEPT for serious illness or death of a family member. Failure to take the final examination would mean an INC grade.
2. You will be marked ABSENT after I check the attendance if you are not inside the classroom.
3. Make sure that you are familiar with computer and internet because you will be using them for your paper works and online assignments.
4. You may bring in and consume your snacks in the class. Be responsible with your trash. Avoid littering.
5. Cellphone usage is NOT allowed during class discussions. It is strongly discouraged!
6. READ ALL THE READINGS IN ADVANCE! It is through extensive reading of all assigned articles in each topic that you will find wisdom in this course.





GRADING SYSTEM:

          Percentage                  Grade Point                                            Percentage                    Grade Point
99-100                          1.00                                          84-86                            2.25
96-98                            1.25                                          81-83                            2.50
93-95                            1.50                                          78-80                            2.75
90-92                            1.75                                          75-77                            3.00
87-89                            2.00                                          74-60                            5.00


COURSE OUTLINE:

November 16                Discussion of Syllabus and Orientation
                                     
November 23                INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
A. What is Philosophy?
B. Characteristics of a Philosophical Problem
C. Branches of Philosophy

                                    Readings:
                                                Socrates speeches, Apology
                                                Any books that discuss the nature of philosophy

November 30                Bonifacio Day (Holiday)

December 7/14             INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC
                                    A. What is Logic?
                                    B. Terms
                                    C. Propositions
                                    D. Syllogisms
                                    E. Fallacies of Reasoning

CHRISTMAS BREAK

January 4/11                 PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
                                    A. The Meaning of Life
                                    Readings:
Only Faith Can Give Truth by Leo Tolstoy
                                                Le Mythe de Sisyphe by Albert Camus translated by Helene Brown
                                                The Bible

                                    B. The Human Freedom
                                    Readings:
                                                Slave and Master Morality by Friedrich Nietzsche
                                                Man Makes Himself by JeanPaul Sartre

                                    C. Free Will and Absolute Determinism
                                    Readings:
                                                Free Will and Determinism by Archie Lee
                                                Life of Excellence: Living and Doing Well by Aristotle

                                   

January 18                    MIDTERM EXAMINATION

January 25/                   PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
February 1                     A. The Ontological Argument
                                    Readings:
                                                The Ontological Argument by St. Anselm, Proslogium
                                                An Answer to Anselm by Gaunilo, Pro Insipiente

                                    B. The Design Argument
                                    Readings:
                                                Natural Theology by Paley
                                                Dialogues on Natural Religion by David Hume

                                    C. The Cosmological Argument
                                                Whether God exists? By Aquinas, Summa Theologica
                                                On the Ultimate Origination of Things by Leibniz

                                    D. Miracles
                                    Readings:
                                                The Miracles by Blaise Pascal, Pens’ees
Of Miracles by David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

                                    E. The Problem of Evil
                                    Readings:
                                                Evil and Omnipotence by Makie
                                                Why God Allows Evil by Swinburne

                                    F. Pascal’s Wager
                                    Readings:
                                                The Wager by Blaise Pascal, Pens’ees

February 8/15               EPISTEMOLOGY
                                    A. The Classical Problem of Induction
                                    Readings:
                                                An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume
           
                                    B. Paradoxes of Knowledge
                                    Readings:
                                                Knowledge and Lotteries by John Hawthorne
                                                Knowledge and Necessity by Hart and McGinn

February 22/29             ISSUES IN PHILOSOPHY
                                    A. The Philosophy of Human Rights
                                    Readings:
Chapter 16 of Montemayor’s book

                                    B. Man and the State
                                    Readings:
                                                Our Obligations to Obey the Laws of the State by Plato
                                                Chapter 19 of Montemayor’s book

                                    C. Morality, Justice, and the Good Life
                                    Readings:
                                                Happiness as the Foundation of Morality by John Stuart Mill
                                                Chapters 14, 17, and 18 of Montemayor’s book
           
                                    D. Sex and Sanctity
                                    Readings:
                                                Chapters 22 of Montemayor’s book

                                    E. Man and His Final Destiny
                                    Readings:
                                                Chapter 10 of Rifareal-Cerdeno’s book

March 7                                    THE FILIPINO INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHY
                                    Readings:
                                                Chapter 23 of Montemayor’s book
                                                Timbreza’s book

                                    A. The Paradox of Faith
                                    B. The Paradox of Peace
                                    C. The Paradox of the Bamboo
                                    D. Filipino Philosophy, Western and Eastern Philosophies Compared

March 14                      Synthesis

March 21                      FINAL EXAMINATION


REFERENCES:

Archie, Lee & John Archie (2004). Reading for Philosophical Inquiry: A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Thinking ver. 0.21; An Open Source Reader. Available online at http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/introbook.pdf

Bachhuber, Andrew (1998). Introduction to Logic. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store

Copi, Irving & Carl Cohen (2010). Introduction to Logic. Michigan: Pearson

Cruz, Corazon (2009). Philosophy of Man. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store

Montemayor, Felix M. (2007). Introduction to Philosophy (rev. ed.). Mandaluyong City: National Book Store

Ramos, Christine Carmela (2004). Introduction to Philosophy. Manila: Rex Book Store

Rifareal-Cedeno, Lourdes (2003). So God Created Man. Quezon City: Katha Publishing Co.                         

Timbreza, Florentino (2007). Filipino Philosophy Today. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store

Other books on philosophy and logic

Websites, magazines, and journals

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