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Philosophy of the Human PersonPHIL-R122-003Fall 2020 (3 Credit Hours)Course Day and Time: MWF, 10:30am – 11:20amCourse Location: Monroe Hall 152*Please Note: This is a Hyflex course. You will attend class in-person once per week in Monroe Hall 152.Twice per week you will attend class synchronously on Zoom. There will be a list on Canvas indicatingwhich day of the week you are allowed to attend class in-person.Instructor Name: Dr. Travis MulroyInstructor Email: tjmulroy@loyno.eduOffice Hours: Office hours will be held via Zoom on Fridays, from 2:00 – 3:00pm. If you are unable toattend during this time, please email me to schedule an appointment.Course Materials: The following are the required texts for the course. (You may be able to find PDFs ofthese texts online for free.)1. The Republic of Plato (Basic Books)ISBN-13: 978-04650940802. Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (Hackett Classics)ISBN-13: 978-08722063353. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, 4th Ed. (Hackett Classics)ISBN-13: 978-08722042014. The Portable Nietzsche (Portable Library)ISBN-13: 978-0140150629Course Goals/Objectives:Upon Completion of this course, you will be able to:1. Identify important figures in the history of Western philosophy.2. Discuss fundamental philosophic questions and problems.3. Critically examine dense philosophic arguments.4. Develop your own philosophic positions and defend them with logical rigor.5. Read and interpret complex philosophic writing.1 of 6
Course OverviewThis course aims to introduce students to philosophy through the guided reading and discussion of a fewclassic texts. We will focus on the works of three particularly influential philosophers in the Westernphilosophic tradition: Plato, Descartes, and Nietzsche. Special emphasis will be placed on consideringthe ways in which these authors differ in their understanding of both philosophy and human naturemore generally.The basic plan for this course is quite simple. As a class, we will read and discuss a handful of classicworks of philosophy. One of the main goals of the course is that students learn how to read such worksactively. Among other things, this entails analyzing the arguments, raising objections, and consideringthe significance of the literally aspects of these works. Consequently, the weekly reading assignmentswill be relatively short (around 15 pages on average), but you will be expected to do these readingscarefully, multiple times, and come to class prepared with your own questions and comments.The works we will read address a variety of philosophic questions and problems. Some of the majorquestions include:1. What is justice, and is justice good? In other words, does being just actually make the justperson happy, or might the unjust person live a happier life?2. What makes any one thing the same thing over time? What makes you the same person overthe course of your entire life?3. What is knowledge? How does scientific knowledge relate to other forms of knowledge? Arethere any limits to scientific knowledge?4. Does God exist? Is there an afterlife? Is it possible to know such things?5. Do human beings have free will? What would it mean to be “free” in this sense? If humanbeings do not have free will, can they still be held morally responsible for their actions?6. What is the origin of moral concepts such as good and evil? What does it mean to be “evil”?7. Overall, what is a good life for a human being? What, if anything, makes life worthliving?Regarding general course requirements, every week, there will be a weekly reading assignment, as wellas a brief quiz on the weekly reading. You will be expected to complete the weekly reading assignmentand the reading quiz sometime before class on Monday. You will also be expected to re-read thisreading assignment throughout the week as we discuss. As you read, note any questions or commentsthat you have about the reading, and pose them in class. In addition to the reading quizzes, there willbe a midterm test and a final test. These tests will consist in a series of short essay questions on thereadings we have done. Your answers should demonstrate that you have thought about the questionsand problems discussed in class. The midterm and final tests will be take-home tests. I will give you theshort essay questions one week before your answers are due.2 of 6
Assignments and GradesWeekly Reading Quizzes: There will be a weekly reading quiz located on Canvas. You are expected tocomplete this quiz before class on Monday. Quizzes submitted late will be penalized 10% (e.g. a latequiz with a score of 85% will be lowered to 75%).Midterm Test and Final Test: There will be a midterm test and final test. Each test will be composed ofshort essay questions on the readings we have done. I will explain these tests in detail in class, but ingeneral your answers should demonstrate that you have read these works carefully and thought aboutthe various questions and problems that we have discussed. The midterm and final will be take hometests. I will give you the questions one week before your answers are due. Like the quizzes, testssubmitted late will be penalized 10%.Participation: This includes your attendance and participation in classroom discussions. All students areexpected to participate in classroom discussions. (If you find posing questions and comments in classuncomfortable, you can occasionally email me your questions and comments.) The participation gradeis left to my discretion.Your final grade will be determined by:Reading Quizzes:40%Midterm Test:20%Final Test:30%Participation10%Grading PolicyAA-B BB-C CC-D DF 94, 100 90, 94 87, 90 84 87 80 84 77 80 74 77 70 74 67 70 60 67 0 60Attendance Policy and Participation Expectations:Class attendance is regarded as an obligation as well as a privilege. Students are expected to attend allclasses, both online and in-person, as well as to participate in classroom discussions. I will takeattendance at the beginning of each class. Students not present at that time will be marked absent.Students should also check their my.loyno.edu email regularly for important class announcements,notifications, etc.3 of 6
Minimum Technology Requirements:You MUST be familiar with Canvas. It is your responsibility to learn how to navigate Canvas and to checkit daily. You should use your own secure login and password for Canvas to complete all coursework andassignments on an individual basis. You must check Canvas daily for any updates and announcements.Canvas keeps accurate records and all claims are verified with the Canvas Administrator. False claims,such as false Canvas issues, are considered cheating and will be pursued to the maximum extentpossible.For Canvas help, you can chat with Canvas Support (Student) or call Canvas Support Hotline (866-9326945) by clicking Help on the global navigation menu in your Canvas account. Please see the screenshotbelow.You can also visit Canvas Student Guide page, or Canvas video tutorials for students, or contact Loyola'sOnline Learning Team (OLT) by sending an email to onlineed@loyno.edu.You are responsible for your computer and internet connection. A faulty internet connection orcomputer system crash does not excuse you from completing an assignment or exam. You MUST checkthe connection and functionality of your computer before you begin working on assignments, exam, orother coursework.4 of 6
Assignment ScheduleThe following is a tentative list of the assignments for the semester (i.e. weekly readings,quizzes, and tests). For a variety of reasons, the exact reading assignments may need to bealtered throughout the semester. I will announce the next reading assignment at the end ofeach class. Also, please note that you are expected to complete the weekly reading and weeklyquiz before the first class of the week.Week 1: Monday, August 24th – Friday, August 28thReading Assignment: Plato, Republic, Book 1, 327a – 331b [for Friday, August 28th]General Philosophy Quiz (due before class on Friday, August 28th)Week 2: Monday, August 31st – Friday, September 4thReading Assignment: Plato, Republic, Book 1, 331b – 336aReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, August 31st)Week 3: Monday, September 7th – Friday, September 11thReading Assignment: Plato, Republic, Book 1, 336a – 344dReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, September 7th)Week 4: Monday, September, 14th – Friday, September 18thReading Assignment: Plato, Republic, Book 1, 344d – 354cReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, September 14th)Week 5: Monday, September, 21st – Friday, September 25thReading Assignment: Plato, Republic, Books 6 and 7, 504e – 521bReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, September 21st)Week 6: Monday, September 28th – Friday, October 2ndReading Assignment: Plato, Phaedo, 95e – 102aReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, September 28th)Week 7: Monday, October 5th – Friday, October 9thReading Assignment: Plato, Meno, 80d – 86cReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, October 5th)Week 8: Monday, October 12th – Friday, October 16thReading Assignment: Plato, Apology, 17a – 31cReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, October 12th)*MIDTERM TEST: Due Friday, October 16th by midnight5 of 6
Week 9: Monday, October 19th – Friday, October 23rdReading Assignment: Plato, Apology, 31c – 42aReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, October 19th)Week 10: Monday, October 26th – Friday, October 30thReading Assignment: Descartes, Meditations, Meditation One and TwoReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, October 26th)Week 11: Monday, November 2nd – Friday, November 6thReading Assignment: Descartes, Meditations, Meditation Three and FourReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, November 2nd)Week 12: Monday, November 9th – Friday, November 13thReading Assignment: Descartes, Meditations, Meditation Five and SixReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, November 9th)Week 13: Monday, November 16th – Friday, November 20thReading Assignment: Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, Preface, Maxim and Arrows, The Problemof SocratesReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, November 16TH)Week 14: Monday, November, 23rd – Friday, November 27thNo classes [Thanksgiving Break]Classes Go OnlineWeek 15: Monday, November 30th – Friday, December 4thReading Assignment: Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, selections TBDReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, November 30th)Week 16: Monday, December 7th – Wednesday, December 9thReading Assignment: Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, selections TBDReading Quiz (due before class on Monday, Monday, December 7th)*FINAL TEST: Due Friday, December 18th by midnight6 of 6
these texts online for free.) 1. The Republic of Plato (Basic Books) ISBN-13: 978-0465094080 2. Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (Hackett Classics) ISBN-13: 978-0872206335 3. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, 4th Ed. (Hackett Classics) ISBN-13: 978-0872204201 4.
