INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (PHIL 201)
Course Requirements
Attendance. If you do not plan to attend class and participate constructively, then you should withdraw from this class. A course on philosophy is by its nature aimed at self-examination and discussion; consequently, doing well in this class requires being there. Missing class does not directly affect your grade, although students with poor attendance typically do quite poorly in the class. On the average, students missing more than two classes during a semester receive grades below the class average.
Groups. The students in the class will be divided into groups of six or seven, viz., the Plato Group, Aristotle Group, Descartes Group, Kant Group, Wittgenstein Group. These groups will function for the purposes of the online discussion forums as well as in-class small group discussions.
Quizzes. There will be a quiz at the beginning of nearly every class over the readings for the day and material discussed the previous day. They will normally involve five multiple-choice questions, of which you need to answer only four correctly for a perfect score (thus, a well-prepared student can easily receive extra credit points in this manner).
These quizzes help keep each of us informed of your grasp of the material, and should provide additional motivation to stay current with the readings, and to work through the day’s material each evening.
Preparing for these quizzes: (1) Go to the schedule for that day and read through the list of “WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO”; (2) Work through the “READINGS”, taking notes, or at least marking in the margin those passages that seem relevant to the things you need to know how to do; (3) Go back to that list and make sure you can do what you need to do. Repeat as needed.
[Makeup: Missed quizzes can be made up in my office, but this has to occur before the next class meeting. It is entirely your responsibility to make this arrangement.]
Exams. There will be three in-class exams, with the third exam taking place during Finals Week. These are all non-cumulative, covering just the material since the previous exam. They will be a combination of short answer and multiple choice. You will be allowed to use one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of handwritten notes (you may use both sides) while writing the exam.
Preparing for these exams: Don't think that you can cram for a philosophy exam. To do well in philosophy, you need to understand the material, and understanding takes time — it's not going to come to you at 3 AM on the morning of the exam. So, to do well, you just need to keep up with the class readings and discussions. For each class, answer as best you can each item on the “WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO” list, fit that all onto your page of notes, review it the night before the exam, and you should do fine.
[Makeup: Exams missed due to an excused absence are to be taken as soon as possible or else will be forfeited. It is your responsibility to see me about this.]
Discussion Forums. There will be seven discussion forums, and you will need to post one entry per forum (500 word minimum per post) as well as comment on two posts per forum (100 word minimum per comment) for full credit here. These posts and comments will be evaluated using these rubrics. Please consult these rubrics closely before writing your posts and comments. See the Writing page for more information.
Extra Credit. You may write, for extra credit, journal entries on various additional materials — essays, films, videos, audio recordings — that are listed on the Schedule and marked with an [EC]. See the Writing page for more information.
Grading. The set of three exams is worth 51% (17% per exam); the set of discussion forum postings and comments is worth 40%; and the set of quizzes is worth 9%.
I use the following letter grade conversion scale: A (94-100), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D-(60-62), F (0-59).
Laptops and iPads. Some students take notes best with a keyboard and computer, but many students are unable to use their computers without compulsively checking Facebook, email, and otherwise surfing the web. This is bad for the student, of course, but it is especially unfair to those sitting nearby, who can be distracted by the unrelated material glowing from your screen. So here is the rule: You can have a laptop or tablet on and open, but only for work on that class, and you must email me your class notes at the end of the hour (before leaving the room).
And you should know this: Research indicates that taking notes on a laptop (i.e., typing your notes) generally results in notes inferior to those written by hand, and you are also less likely to retain the information. If you don't believe me, read this item from the Scientific American (June 3, 2014) or this from the Association for Psychological Science (April 24, 2014).
Cell Phones. 
Please do not bring these to class. If you do bring a cell phone, it needs to be turned off and put away at the bottom of a very deep pocket or book bag. If you are unable to part company with your cell phone, or are unable to keep it turned off and stowed, then please enroll in a different class. Thank you.
Cheating and Plagiarism. 
Plagiarism consists of submitting the statements, ideas, opinions, or findings of another as if they were your own. It is not plagiarism to copy from or paraphrase a source as long as this is acknowledged and the source is cited. Cheating and deliberate plagiarism will result in automatically failing the class. For more information, see the college Catalog.
Academic Support. Manchester University has a commitment to the success of its students; therefore, the Success Center services will serve you well! Whether you are in the honors program, need a little help getting started with an essay, or need some extensive tutoring for a math class, familiarize yourself with the Success Center on the second floor of the Switzer Center!
Students with Disabilities. Manchester University, in compliance with federal guidelines, is committed to providing students with disabilities an access to programs and activities that is equal to the access provided to students without disabilities.
If you believe that you need an accommodation due to a disability, please contact Bonnie O’Connell [e-mail — or call: 982-5076], the director of services for students with disabilities, to establish your eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations. You should do this during the first week of classes. It is your responsibility to seek this accommodation and to bring the necessary paperwork to your professors.
Students whose accommodation requests are approved will be given confidential letters to deliver to their professors that verifies the nature of the student’s disability and documents the need for auxiliary aids and services and/or academic adjustments/accommodations. Students are encouraged to meet with each professor early in the semester to discuss the academic implications of the disability as they relate to the specific course and to request appropriate accommodation. The Disabilities Office is located in the Success Center (second floor of the Switzer Center).
The university-prepared syllabus addendum regarding Title IX can be found here.
When life happens… If circumstances in your life occur that affect your performance in class (e.g., childcare issues, unreliable transportation, a sick grandparent, expected recurring absences for any reason), you should talk to me and to your other professors immediately. We can figure something out.
Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 9 Aug 2015