Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Tallahassee, Florida 32307

Course Number:) PHI 2010-002 (1900)

Prerequisite(s):
Course Credit: 3
College: Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities
Department: Visual Arts, Humanities and Theatre
Faculty Name:

Dr. Stephen Faison

Office Location: 212A Tucker Hall

Office Hours

Monday
1:00-2:00
3:30-5:00

Tuesday

COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title: Introduction to Philosophy
Course Hours: 3
Required Text(s): Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito Huxley: Brave
New World; Burgess: A Clockwork Orange; Dick: Do Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep?
Supplies:
Term and Year: Spring, 2016
Place and Time: 5:35-8:20 Monday, 118 Tucker
Telephone: 850-599-8475
e-mail: stephen.faison@famu.edu
Wednesday
1:00-2:00
3:30-5:00

Thursday

Friday
1:00-2:00
3:30-5:00

Saturday

FAMU Catalog Course Description

Examine rival views on morality, economic justice, political philosophy, existence of God, and theories of
knowledge.
Course Purpose
Provide introduction to branches of philosophy through representative ideas, figures and movements ranging from
ancient to modern to contemporary.

Overall Goals of the Course

Students engage in critical examination of views by questioning and speculating; become active seekers of
understanding.
Specific Behavioral Objectives
Critical thinking, sound argument skills, pre-class preparation.
Topical Outline
The Examined Life
Better Living through Chemistry
The Cure for Crime
More Human than Human
Teaching Methods
Pre-class preparation, pre-class preparation assessment, question and answer session, topic(s) selection, class
discussion.
Course Evaluation
Topic exams, bonus points, quizzes, discussion

Grading
Exams: there will be an exam for each area (see Tentative Schedule below) following our learning of Plato, Huxley,
Bradbury and Dick. Exams are essays accomplished in class. The final exam is actually a last exam on the Dick
book. A comprehensive final may be offered.
Reading Bonus Points: There will be at least one bonus session per reading assignment. Bonus points are applied to
final grades. Each bonus point is equivalent to an exam grade point. Bonus questions are taken directly from the
text; these questions are not intended to assess comprehension, but reading. NOTE: You will not be able to answer
these questions correctly by consulting alternative sources. Reading assignments are to prepare you to participate in
class discussions and activities, and to learn.
Quizzes: Quizzes will be given as needed and may be announced or unannounced. You will receive +1 for each
correct quiz answer and -1 for each incorrect answer. Quizzes, if given, will be instead of reading bonus sessions.
Class discussion/participation: Discussion topics will be chosen after an overview and question and answer period.
Topics will pertain to relevant philosophical questions generated by our reading. When beneficial, students will be
assembled into small groups for preliminary conversation followed by class discussion. This process is intended to
reduce professor to student lecture in which students are passive receptors rather than engaged participants.
Philosophy involves active questioning and reasoning, and you are encouraged to participate. My role is to lead and
shape these conversations to ensure they remain on topic, relevant, collegial and philosophical.
Office hours: you are cordially invited to visit during office hours to ask questions and improve your understanding
of the material, or to demonstrate your knowledge.
How am I doing in the class? This question can almost always be answered by you. What are your exam grades?
How many reading bonus points have you accumulated? What is the frequency and quality of your participation?
What have you done to demonstrate your knowledge? If your grades are low, if you have few or no bonus points,
and your participation is weak, then you are not doing well. You should consult with your professor at the first sign
of trouble. Do not wait until near end of the semester, when it is too late for corrective action to be taken.
FINAL GRADE: Your grade is the total of your exam points, bonus points, and/or quiz points divided by the
number of exams (4). A=360 points; B=320 points; C=280 points; D=240. Students who distinguish themselves
through consistent quality class participation that demonstrates exceptional grasp of the material will have their
grades raised one letter.
Course Policies
Discussion Guidelines
Always answer the question you are asked.
Respond to the spirit as well as the letter of the question.
Do not be a contrarian; do not play devils advocate unless you announce you are doing so.
Do not reply with disingenuous answers.
Do not defend your position using I believe or In my opinion.
Disagree (when appropriate) without being disagreeable.
If your question has been answered but you are not satisfied, resume during office hours or make
appointment.
Attendance: This is a 3 hour course. By University directives (see your University Catalog) you are allowed three
unexcused absences in this course. Upon the fourth unexcused absence your final grade will be lowered one step
((e.g. B+ to B) per additional unexcused absence.
Excused absences: I do not excuse absences. Excused absences must be presented on the official excused absence
form available from the Office of the Dean of your college. Students with majors within the College of Social
Sciences, Arts and Humanities will process their excused absences through their department. Official excuses
absences must be initiated within one week of the absence. If you miss an assignment due to absence which is not

excused, you will receive a 0 for that assignment. If your absence is excused, please see me to arrange to makeup the missed exam or assignment. It may not be possible to make-up a missed bonus or quiz, but you will be
permitted to demonstrate that you completed the pre-class reading.
Academic Dishonesty (Cheating): Cheating is a serious offense, so I hope that cheating does not arise as a problem
in this course. Punishment for academic dishonesty can include a score of 0 for that activity, a grade of F for the
course, and a report to the Office of the Dean of Students. Cheating includes attempting to copy the work of others
on exams and quizzes, conspiring with other students to receive assistance during exams and quizzes, altering or
falsifying course documents, modifying answers to graded exams and quizzes.
PLAGIARISM: According to Websters New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (1983), 2nd Ed.), to plagiarize is to
steal or pass off ideas or words of another as ones own . . . to use created productions without crediting the source . .
. to commit literary theft . . . to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source (p.
1371). Students in this course will be responsible for authenticating any assignment submitted to the instructor. If
asked, you must be able to produce proof that the assignment you submitted is in fact your own work. Therefore, it
is recommended that you engage in a verifiable working process on assignments. Keep copies of all drafts of your
work, makes photocopies of research materials, write summaries of research materials, keep logs or journals of your
work on assignments and papers, learn to save drafts or versions of assignments under individual file names on
computer diskettes, etc. In addition to requiring a student to authenticate his/her work, the instructor may employ
various other means of ascertaining authenticity such as engaging in internet searches, creating quizzes based on
student work, requiring students to explain their work and/or process orally, etc.
TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Week of January 5: Introduction to course//Euthyphro
Week of January 11: Euthyphro cont.//Divine command theory//Apology
Week of January 18: MLK
Week of January 25: Apology cont.//Crito//The Great Escape
Week of February 1: Plato Review//EXAM: Plato
Week of February 8: Brave New World (BNW) Chapters 1-6
Week of February 15: BNW Chapters 10-14//15-18
Week of February 22: BNW Chapters 15-18//BNW in 2016//BNW Review
Week of February 29: EXAM: BNW//A Clockwork Orange (ACO): Part One
Week of March 7: Spring Break
Week of March 14: Part One cont.//ACO: Part Two
Week of March 21: F-451: Part Two cont//Part Three//REVIEW:ACO
Week of March 28: EXAM: ACO//Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Androids): Chapters 1-5
Week of April 4: Androids: Chapters 6-12
Week of April 11: Androids: Chapters 13-17////Androids Chapters 18-22
Week of April 18: Androids in 2016//Androids Review

Week of April 25: Finals Week: EXAM: Androids