INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
Course Requirements
How to Succeed in this Class. First, be sure to show up for class. Second, show up to class prepared to talk and ask questions. The best way to be prepared is to set aside about two hours of your time in order to do the following:
(a) Read through the list of “WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO” on the Reading and Assignment Schedule for the next class session.
(b) Work through the assigned readings, making notes in the margins as you go.
(c) Re-read that list of “WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO” and consider whether you know how to do those things yet; if you don't, then return to the assigned “Readings”, and study them some more until you do.
(d) When you have a little extra time, take a look at some of the “Other Resources”; these are usually pretty interesting, and they should give you a new angle on the topic being considered. If you want, write up an Extra Credit Journal on this.
If you follow this procedure consistently during the semester — and if you put some effort into the writing assignments — then you should do well on the Daily Quizzes, you should be ready for the exams, and you will do well in the course.
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 seven or eight, viz., the Plato Group, Aristotle Group, Descartes Group, Kant Group, Wittgenstein Group. These groups will function primarily for the purposes of the online discussion forums.
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. [Makeup: Missed quizzes can be made up in my office, but this has to occur before the next class meeting. It is wholly your responsibility to make this arrangement.]
Discussion Forums. There will be eight 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).
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.
Students with Disabilities. Manchester College, 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, the director of services for students with disabilities, to establish your eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations. It is your responsibility to seek this accommodation. 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 Union); please telephone 982-5076 to schedule an appointment.
Manchester College // Registrar // Department of Religion and Philosophy // Last updated: 21 Dec 2010